business articles business management businesses Marketing sales Technology Business finance Lean Manufacturing small business Investing articles employee health

Business management skills you need to have

mangivepresentation30392901.jpg
When you are the manager of a business, there are several skills you need to master in order to lead the company in the right direction. Business management skills are often learned over time even though you likely have some that have been mastered already but you will need to start building upon these skills if you hope to become a goo manager. Here are some of the key areas you will need to focus on if you would like to become a great business manager:

Continue reading "Business management skills you need to have"

Workflow management advice

womanwithmessydesk23649027.jpg Having a smooth flowing working environment is needed to eliminate confusion and to ensure your employees know what is expected of them and that they are able to do their jobs correctly. What is workflow management? It is when the work in the company is set up in stages and it is able to move through the organization in a timely manner with little or no problems. Management must work on setting up methods that will be able to allow the products to go through the system smoothly from the time of production to the time of delivery to the customers. Workflow is a very important part of the company and as a manager you need to make time to pay attention to it in order to ensure that you are able to get the right type of output.

Continue reading "Workflow management advice"

Why honesty matters in business management

poundingfists30395631.jpg There are a number of different factors that bring about a good manager or a bad one. If you want your organization to run smoothly and effectively, you need to make sure you are an honest person. Honesty will go a long way in fostering a number of relationships like those with your employees, vendors, and your customers. A company that is honest is one that can easily be respected by millions. However the sad thing is that there are a large number of employers that aren't honest with their staff. In fact there have been studies done that show only 2 out of every 5 bosses are honest with their employees. This usually involves promising the employees one thing and doing another and so on.

Continue reading "Why honesty matters in business management"

What makes your business management technique successful?

womanstanding33030346.jpg If you want to have a successful company you need to have the right type of business management techniques. You must be able to adapt to change and to be a leader to your employees. Everyone at the organization needs to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities or it can break down the company and you will end up in a tailspin, especially if your competitors exploit your weaknesses and take advantage of them. Define what your business management technique is so that you can work on strengthening it and so you will be able to help your business become a success. Here are the different types of management techniques:

Continue reading "What makes your business management technique successful?"

Time management for managers

clock63312045.jpg As a manager you are constantly doing multiple things at once. If you feel as though you are being pulled in every direction it is time for you to sit down and work on a list of responsibilities and to define how much time you can devote to each task. Time management is crucial for managers and unfortunately not too many people actually focus on it. Here are some great time management techniques you need to try out:

Continue reading "Time management for managers"

Small business management

bills39158685.jpg Managing a business is not easy, which is why there are so many consulting firms and software programs out there to help you. When you are managing a small business you are expected to work on so many different job responsibilities that it can be really difficult for you. Where are the areas within the business that you really need to pay attention to? For most small business managers it comes down to the following areas:

Continue reading "Small business management"

Leadership tips for managers

chart30392829.JPG Are you ready to lead your team? If you are new to the position of a manager you might be wondering what you can do in order to become an effective leader and to get your staff to follow you. There are literally 2 types of employees, those that want to follow and those that want to lead. You need to figure out what types of people you are working with as some may be able to flourish with different tasks that allow them to control it while other people need clear direction and instructions on what they need to do. Here are some great leadership tips for managers.

Continue reading "Leadership tips for managers"

Key business leadership skills

highfives10054971.jpg As the leader of a business you are looked to for just about everything. Your employees need you to be a symbol of strength that they can turn to in order to know where the company is headed and what their role is within the company. Becoming a manager means you are good at what you do and now it's time to start proving to everyone why you are the manager and why you are amazing at what you do. Here are the key leadership skills you need to develop in order to build trust and respect with your staff.

Continue reading "Key business leadership skills"

How better business management can grow your business

graphpresentation16486405.jpg If you really want to make your small business into a success you need to start focusing on the end result of the company and to start setting goals for the future. You cannot rely on your staff alone or a single product to move the company into the future. You have to implement a successful business management plan that will be able to strengthen the company and to help it move into the future. What are some of the things you can do? Here are the business management tips that you need to work on:

Continue reading "How better business management can grow your business"

Helping you with the decision making process

interview26236689.jpg Becoming a business manager is a monumental task to undertake as you will be faced with new challenges and obstacles daily. How you handle these roadblocks will say a lot about you as a person and a manager. One of the areas in which you need to work on is your ability to make sound decisions. The decision making process is one that is a struggle to some people because they panic and simply do not trust their abilities and what they are able to bring to the table. Here is a guide to help you make better decisions and to make them in a timely manner:

Continue reading "Helping you with the decision making process"

Effective tips for business management

manlookingaroundwall23507439.jpg Every successful business has a great management team. Does your business have a great team to lead its employees? A team needs to be dynamic and made up of all different types of personalities. Of course the main goal of a company is to boost sales and to be successful but getting there is very challenging and not always the easiest thing to do. You need to rely on your employees to help you out and to also have the right type of customers that will aid in getting you the results you need for your organization.

Continue reading "Effective tips for business management"

Different management careers and styles

confidence30842627.jpg No two people are the same and there are so many different types of managers that it can be hard to define what really makes a good manager. The management careers are very extensive and this is why it can be difficult to define a manager because each department and company has separate needs that are very pressing. Most of us have had great managers and terrible ones. The way in which you are able to adjust to your staff and to take lessons from the managers you have respected in the past will help to define you as a manager. The role of a manager in general terms is to get the job done using the available resources and to use their authority to make pressing decisions for the company while fostering the growth and skills of their employees.

Continue reading "Different management careers and styles"

Developing your leadership skills

bikerace19288371.jpg Do you have what it takes to be a true leader of your organization? Becoming a leader isn't an easy process and it will take time in order for you to master these skills along with a lot of hard work and patience. There are a lot of misconceptions around what makes a good leader and it's not always clear for a new manager to figure out.

Continue reading "Developing your leadership skills"

Choosing a great coach for your staff

coworkers23120152.jpg Many companies send their employees off to training seminars and conferences for 10 days or longer. A training program will allow your employee to learn and perfect their skills. It's a great way to boost morale within the company and its also an effective way to increase production and job satisfaction. Since the sting of the economy is hitting companies all over, it is common now to see coaches come into the company to work closely with a team or department to help them learn how to perfect their skills. Choosing the right coach for your staff is a very tricky process and it needs to be done with a lot of research and interviewing to find the right person. Here are different types of coaches and how they can help.

Continue reading "Choosing a great coach for your staff"

Skills you must have to manage your business

ladylookingatpaper30396002.jpgThere are particular skills that if you have them, will help you manage your business far more successfully. However, the good news is that if you don't have them, they are ways to get them. Here are some important skills you must have to manage your business-

Continue reading "Skills you must have to manage your business"

How to be a better business manager

PDA19095472.jpgManaging your business should be an ongoing learning process. It is important that you focus your time and energy on the tasks that will have the biggest payoffs, for the long-term success of your business. The best managers are the ones that are constantly striving to improve themselves, their business and their management style. Here is what you need to know about how to be a better business manager-

Continue reading "How to be a better business manager"

Different business management tools

airplane30902462.jpgWhether you have a large or small organization, business management is an important part of your company. Large businesses often have several areas of management where a smaller company tends to only have one or two managers. There are several different types of business management tools you can use to strengthen your business and help it become a successful entity. Here are the most popular business management strategies:

Continue reading "Different business management tools"

A guide to management

businessmeeting26668232.jpgNo matter how large or small your business is, you need to possess the skills necessary to be a good manager. There are multiple levels of business management, all of which play a critical role in the success of your business. Here are some of the things you need to do when you are learning about management and how you can manage your company effectively.

Continue reading "A guide to management"

Workplace conflict resolution

meninsuitswordfight32346821.jpgEvery office has its fair share of problems. Complaints and conflicts between employees will create a toxic working environment. When you allow your employees to take a small conflict and turn it into a big one, employee morale will decrease, productivity will decrease, and you will have a headache daily from dealing with the conflicts. Workplace conflict resolution in order to keep the office running the way it needs to.

Continue reading "Workplace conflict resolution"

Implementing change with effective leadership

coworkers23120152.jpgLet's face it no one really likes change. Adapting to a new management style, computer program, or a new work system is going to be a challenge for any manager. Organizations are all run differently and the only way to figure out how to implement change in your organization is to take a look at your leadership style. The way you react to the change and adapt to it will reflect to your staff and it can cause them to either shy away from change or accept it the same way that you have. Here are some tips to help you implement change:

Continue reading "Implementing change with effective leadership"

How you can strengthen employee performance

confidence30842627.jpgCompanies are always looking for new ways to strengthen employee performance so they can get the most out of their staff members as possible. When employees perform well, it leads to a stronger company overall. You will have a stronger reputation with your customers as they are able to see how well you are able to work as a team and how much your staff enjoys working for the company. Here are some of the different ways in which you can strengthen employee performance:

Continue reading "How you can strengthen employee performance"

Focusing on respect

business41865609.jpgWhen it comes to running a successful organization a large responsibility falls to the managers and how they are treating their employees. Are you fostering a healthy work environment where everyone respects one another? You need to have an environment that is focused on respect and provides equal opportunities for everyone to grow and develop.

Continue reading "Focusing on respect"

Effective and efficient management

businessmeeting33030027.jpgNo matter what type of business you are running, you must focus on strengthening your management in order to make the business run effectively. Training seminars can provide you with a wonderful opportunity to develop you management skills and reach out to your employees. Here are some things you need to focus on in order to develop effective and efficient management skills:

Continue reading "Effective and efficient management"

Dealing with employee whining

arguingcoworkers23282211.jpgEvery manager has a breaking point and employee whining can trigger it in a hurry. If you have employees that tend to whine, there are some things you can do to limit their whining and to prevent it from becoming a toxic effect on the work environment. Here are some tips to deal with employee whining:

Continue reading "Dealing with employee whining"

Change will come, how to make it easier

concernedman19185284.jpgIf you aren't embracing change in your organization it can be easy for your company to quickly become outdated and behind the times. You need to implement change once and awhile to avoid becoming stagnant and falling behind your competition. As the manager of the company one of your roles is to implement change and to make sure it is managed effectively. It's no question that a lot of people reject change and it can be hard for them to fully accept it. An effective leader will be able to implement change into an organization and help the employees fully embrace it through their positive influence. So what can you do to prepare yourself and your employees for change? Here are some great tips that may help:

Continue reading "Change will come, how to make it easier"

Picking a leadership style

businessmeeting30396676.jpgRunning a business has its challenges, one of which is learning how to pick a good leadership style. Everyone has their own leadership style that works for their business and works well with their employees. To help you find a leadership style, here are a few of the most popular:

Continue reading "Picking a leadership style"

How to have an effective meeting

businessmeeting26668277.jpgAs a business leader, you are responsible for keeping your employees on the same page and to help them discover their skills and make the most of them. A great way to help your employees is to hold meetings. How can you hold an effective meeting? It begins with your ability to plan the meeting ahead of time and to be prepared. Here are some tips to follow when you are holding a meeting:

Continue reading "How to have an effective meeting"

Bullying and manipulation at work?

mantiedup28718953.jpgBullying exists in school but it also exists in the office. No matter what type of business you have, you will have at least one employee that plays that difficult person that likes to push others around and manipulates them. This person is often avoided by other employees because they are considered to be a selfish individual that does not care about the team. Self-centered behavior that leads to bullying can reduce productivity, decrease employee morale, cause stress, and lead to a number of other office problems. As a manager it is your responsibility to try and diminish bullying and manipulation at work as soon as possible.

Continue reading "Bullying and manipulation at work?"

Why you need effective communication skills

buisnessmeeting26238539.jpgCommunication skills are not as easy to come by as most people think. Just when you think you have mastered them, something can happen that causes you to have a dispute with an employee due to a simple miscommunication. If you find that you are confusing your employees all the time, try out a few of these suggestions to see if it helps:

Continue reading "Why you need effective communication skills"

What is the difference between managing and leading?

ladyspresentation26239036.jpgAnyone that is given the responsibility to become a manager knows the difficulties that can arise. You need to have a number of different skills in order to be a good manager. There is one thing that you must learn to understand and that is the difference between managing and leading. This article will discuss the difference between the two skills:

Continue reading "What is the difference between managing and leading?"

Ways to improve your human resource management processes

ladywithheadsetsmiling30342942.jpgWith how important human resource management is to your business, you want to do everything that you can to improve your human resource management processes. Improving your human resource management processes will allow you to manage your employee's information effectively, but it can also help you ensure that your business pays your employees accurately and on time.

Continue reading "Ways to improve your human resource management processes"

How to hire the right employee for your business

handshake32145701.jpgThe most important aspect of your business beyond having the right product or service is hiring the right employees to run your company.It can not be overemphasized how crucial having the right employees will be to the success of your business. Failing to hire the right person for the right job can cost you valuable money and time and doing it to often can spell doom for you company.So before you hire your next employee here is what you should know about how to hire the right employees for your business-

Continue reading "How to hire the right employee for your business"

How to manage people better

groupofcoworkers32012584.jpgBusiness management involves a number of different traits and roles. As a manager, you need to learn how to deal with several different personalities and find a way to blend them together to create a productive work environment. Learning to manage people is a hard job; we have created some simple suggestions that will help you learn how to manage people.

Continue reading "How to manage people better"

Finding business success as a manager

clip71731932.jpgA wise manager knows that in order to find business success, you must pay attention to all of the small details. Whether these details are about the frustrations of your employees or a computer glitch, it is your job to be on top of everything.

Continue reading "Finding business success as a manager"

Choosing the right human resource management system for your business

accountant37004036.jpgHuman resource management is an important aspect for every business because it costs more money to recruit and train a new employee than it does to retain and further develop an existing employee. Human resource management is important for every business because it focuses on the employees, which are an important aspect to any business, without employees you might not have a business.

Continue reading "Choosing the right human resource management system for your business"

What's training good for?

graphpresentation16486405.jpgWhen you originally hire an employee, you typically put them through a rigorous training program of at least a week. This training should include all the information they could ever possibly need to properly perform their job duties. Unfortunately some employers do not see the benefits of enrolling their employees in a longer training program and they don't see the point of training them later on down the road.

Continue reading "What's training good for?"

Know your role and become an inspiration

businessmeeting26668232.jpgEmployees need guidance and inspiration from their managers and the people they trust and respect. As a manager, you need to understand what your role is and look for different ways to inspire your employees.

Continue reading "Know your role and become an inspiration"

How to conduct performance appraisal

interview26236689.jpgEmployees often look forward to their performance appraisals as they want to see what their managers think of their skills and devotion to the company. While most performance appraisals turn out to be a good thing, there will be times when you have to deal with difficult employees and it will be a bittersweet message to your employees. This article will explain your role as a manager when it comes to conducting performance appraisals.

Continue reading "How to conduct performance appraisal"

Helping your employees to become more productive

businessmeeting26668412.jpgWith the many hats a manager is required to wear, increasing employee productivity often proves to be one of the most challenging. To increase productivity, you need to take a look at the current policies of company along with the current employee morale level. Try out a few of these tips that will improve employee morale and help your employees become more productive:

Continue reading "Helping your employees to become more productive"

Handling employee discipline

businessmeeting30396676.jpgCreating a discipline policy is not going to be enough in today's world. Employees like to push the envelope and they like to see what they can get away with. This new generation of employees can be frustrating to manage, especially when it comes to employee discipline. If you haven't dealt with discipline much, here are some helpful tips designed specifically for you.

Continue reading "Handling employee discipline"

Handling employee discipline

manconferencetable30341271.jpgCreating a discipline policy is not going to be enough in today's world. Employees like to push the envelope and they like to see what they can get away with. This new generation of employees can be frustrating to manage, especially when it comes to employee discipline. If you haven't dealt with discipline much, here are some helpful tips designed specifically for you.

Continue reading "Handling employee discipline"

Handling difficult people

mantiedup28718953.jpgAs a business manager, you will be responsible for wearing several hats all of which will include working with a variety of personalities. Handling difficult people can often be frustrating for a manager if they don't have the right coping skills to deal with them. The problem a lot of managers run into is trying to find people that can help them get the job done without giving them extra problems. During a job interview you can try your best to find out what type of personalities your employees have and hope they will mesh with your other staff members, but there is no real way to be sure. When you have difficult employees, they will give you problems that range from customer disputes to attendance problems. If you have difficult employees, here are some helpful tips that will help you deal with them in a positive manner.

Continue reading "Handling difficult people"

Employee Management and communication

businessmeeting30392878.jpgPart of business management involves learning how to communicate with your employees. Managing a variety of personalities can often be challenging and frustrating for a lot of people and it can lead to your demise as a manager if you aren't careful.

Continue reading "Employee Management and communication"

Conflict prevention help

perparingforboxing33338232.jpgWith all of the responsibilities a manager has, dealing with office conflicts can be one of the most frustrating ones. While we all want employees to get along with one another, there is no real way to prevent it. This article will guide you through some simple tips you can use to prevent conflict as much as possible.

Continue reading "Conflict prevention help"

Avoiding the "wear down" effects of management

concernedman19185284.jpgYou can get tired in any job you hold, but as a manager you may find that you are feeling particularly tired all the time. This is known as the "wear down" effect of management. As you have to deal with a number of problems, it can be easy to be consumed by them and feel tired and stressed out. You need to address the "wear down" effects of management because too much stress and anxiety will cause health problems to occur.

Continue reading "Avoiding the "wear down" effects of management"

Biases that affect your management effectiveness

maninfrontofbuilding30337424.jpgBiases in the workplace can become the downfall of a great manager. When you favor one employee over another or you are discriminatory toward some of your employees, you do not deserve to be holding the position of a manager.

Continue reading "Biases that affect your management effectiveness"

Types of conflict resolution

cupsofcoffee37472685.jpgHere is a look at the different types of conflict resolution that are available for you to use in the workplace.

Number one: Negotiation
Negotiation is the process of discussion among the parties that are in the middle of the conflict. How the negotiation process works is that all of the parties that are involved in the conflict gather to discuss what is going on. Before the discussion starts, ground rules will need to be laid out so that other conflicts do not arise from the discussion. For example, nobody can interrupt when another person is talking. The goal of the discussion is to reach an agreement to settle the conflict.

Continue reading "Types of conflict resolution"

Teaching leadership skills to managers

businesslunchen32174886.jpgNot every manager is a good leader. But to be a great manager, a manager needs to have the leadership skills that can make him or her a great leader.

Start early

Managers have a lot of responsibilities, and one of the important responsibilities is being a leader to the other employees who working for the business. Some businesses choose to hire their managers by giving their very skilled employees or the employees that stand out in their current position a promotion. While these employees may be very capable of handling the responsibilities that come along with being a manager, they may not have the leadership skills that are needed to be the best manager they can be.

Continue reading "Teaching leadership skills to managers"

Methods used for crisis management

clip71731932.jpgIn any organization, the only method of crisis management that is used to deal with a crisis is a crisis management plan. Being that this is the only method used to handle a variety of crises it is important that you create an excellent crisis management plan.

The crisis management plan that you create for your business is going to be used to ensure that no matter what crisis your business faces your business is still going to be able to continue with its normal operations during the crisis period. Since your business will need to operate as normal as possible during the duration of the crisis it is important that you create the plan ahead of time and prioritize the business functions, the most important business functions should be identified first that way they can be handled first.

Continue reading "Methods used for crisis management"

Is conflict management the same thing as conflict resolution?

concernedman19185284.jpgWhen running an organization one thing that you are going to be faced with is conflict. Conflict is a normal part of running a business because not everybody is going to get along, nor will they always see eye to eye, on how the business is being run or on what management decides to do. When faced with conflict the best thing that you can do is handle the conflict as quickly as possible, you do not want to ignore the problem because ignoring it just makes things worse.

Continue reading "Is conflict management the same thing as conflict resolution?"

Improving communication in the workplace

businessmeeting30393267.jpgGood communication is an essential part of a productive and successful business. Most companies have some way that they can improve communication in their workplace. Here are some areas of communication that generally need to be improved, why, and how to improve them.

Continue reading "Improving communication in the workplace"

How to encourage employees to work together

groupofcoworkers32012584.jpgOf course it is important for employees to be able to work well and be productive on their own. If employees did not have the ability to work well on their own a business would likely fail. But when many skilled and hard working employees know how to work together then a business can be better than just a good business, it can be a great business. Here are some ways that a business owner or manager can encourage their employees to work together.

Continue reading "How to encourage employees to work together"

How to become a respected and liked manager

ladyoncellphone30335335.jpgA manager that is respected and well-liked holds personality qualities that naturally draw people to them. Some people feel that once they hold the leadership position, the skills will come however the skills you need lie in your basic personality. You need to have the initiative to bring out the leadership skills that you know you possess. If you have become a manager, there are some skills you need that will help you become a well respected and liked manager.

Continue reading "How to become a respected and liked manager"

How does conflict resolution work?

arguingcoworkers23282211.jpgConflict resolution, also referred to as Alternative Dispute Resolution, is something that is used in the workplace to help handle any disputes that might come up. Conflict resolution works by peacefully handling any disputes between coworkers or between management and their workers. The main concept behind conflict resolution is that you should handle conflicts peacefully rather than resorting to violence or even going to court.

Continue reading "How does conflict resolution work?"

Different tactics that will help you successfully manage employees

folder22474997.jpgWhen you have a variety of personalities to work with, it can be difficult to find a way to successfully manage all of them. No matter how large or small your office is, you need to find a way to get everyone to work together as a team. This task may seem next to impossible, but you can do it with a few simple tactics. Here are some tips to help you manage the different personalities and backgrounds you have in the office:

Continue reading "Different tactics that will help you successfully manage employees"

Different styles of business management

oldermanstanding26239732.jpgThere are several different types of business management styles. Some people manage based on their experience; others manage based on their people skills. Dealing with several personality types is one of the most challenging tasks for a manager. Being able to blend those personalities into a working team is essential for the business to reach the next level.

Some managers follow the role of being in control. While it is important for a manager to be in control, obsession with control can often lead to disgruntled staff. Part of being a manger entails learning how to relinquish control a little bit. When the company begins to grow, a manger must learn how to trust their employees. This is one of the hardest tasks a manager must learn to deal with because most managers worry that their employees will not be able to do things as effectively as they can.

Continue reading "Different styles of business management"

Developing listening skills

mangivepresentation30392901.jpgIf there is one skill managers need to fine tune, it is their listening skills. While you may think you are a good listener, several of your employees may not feel the same way. Effective listening means you need to make a mental note of the things your employees are telling you and follow up with them after you have listened for awhile. With all the projects you need to work on, it can be easy to get distracted when employees are talking to you. It is natural for us to pick and choose what we will hear. Learning how to develop good listening skills will provide you with stronger relationship and this helps to strengthen your staff. A good manager will have good listening skills and this helps to round out their leadership traits. Here are some simple ways to help you develop your listening skills:

Continue reading "Developing listening skills"

Creating effective job descriptions and holding employees to it

interview26236689.jpgA job description allows employees to see what duties their job entails. Many employers use it as a simple way to screen out potential employees that may not be ideally suited for the position. It allows employers to see what skills a potential employee must absolutely have and which ones they are willing to forego in order to find the right person for the job.

Job descriptions can also be used when you are have employee evaluations. If you have struggled with a certain employee, you can point out all of the things that they were hired to do and your disappointment with them as they have been unable to accomplish many of those things.

Continue reading "Creating effective job descriptions and holding employees to it"

Conflict resolution strategies in the workplace

perparingforboxing33338232.jpgConflict in the workplace is something that occurs naturally, but that doesn't mean it needs to be ignored. If your workplace has too much conflict, it can cause numerous problems over time. In fact, conflicts in the workplace are directly related to bad attitudes and poor performance. No matter what type of conflict there is in the workplace the worst thing that you can do is ignore the conflict and hope it goes away on its own. If you choose to ignore the conflict most likely, what will happen is that the problem is going to get worse.

Here are some conflict resolution strategies that you can use in the workplace to help deal with the conflict rather than ignore it.

Continue reading "Conflict resolution strategies in the workplace"

Being effective at the top

lawyer37472724.jpgAnyone that has been promoted to a higher position within a company must follow certain guidelines if they wish to be effective at the top. The guidelines for an effective manager are as follows:

Continue reading "Being effective at the top"

5 tips to manage employees for effective productivity

businessportrait30393821.jpgIn order to manage employees, a manager must have good people-skills that allow them to work hard and get along with a variety of personalities. Employees need to work for a person that they trust and respect in order to have motivation to work hard. If you are trying to find ways to encourage your employees to work hard, here are 5 tips you need to follow for effective productivity:

Continue reading "5 tips to manage employees for effective productivity"

5 tips to manage employees for effective productivity

businessportrait30393821.jpgIn order to manage employees, a manager must have good people-skills that allow them to work hard and get along with a variety of personalities. Employees need to work for a person that they trust and respect in order to have motivation to work hard. If you are trying to find ways to encourage your employees to work hard, here are 5 tips you need to follow for effective productivity:

Continue reading "5 tips to manage employees for effective productivity"

Why people don't delegate

manhandcuffedtobriefcase8247331.jpgMost managers feel overwhelmed or stressed out from time to time.Some managers feel like they are stuck doing the same things over and over because there is no time to branch out and escape from the rigors of everyday assignments.If this sounds like you, some definite benefits can be had from delegating.Chances are that you know what delegation is and that you have the team members available to delegate to, so what is holding you back?

Continue reading "Why people don't delegate"

Monitoring without micromanaging

oldermanstanding26239732.jpgMonitoring the progress of the responsibilities that you delegate is a necessary part of management, but there are definitely some ways of managing that are better than others.Unfortunately, micromanagement is an all too common component of delegation.When a manager micromanages, he or she acts as if the employee who was delegated to is incapable of doing the job.They do this by giving close instruction and checking everything the person does. A micromanaging manager seldom praises the work of others and instead continually criticizes everything.Nothing that the employee can do is going to be enough for the micromanager.

Continue reading "Monitoring without micromanaging"

Deciding when to delegate

airplane30902462.jpgDelegation is a method of redistributing work in such a way that everyone on a team is busy doing something productive, yet no one member is over worked, or stressed because of their workload.Successful delegation can make working a more pleasant experience but unfortunately, while the concept of delegation is simple, the execution is rarely perfected.There are times when delegation, however desirable, is not appropriate.When you are deciding when to delegate, you should ask yourself the following questions:

Continue reading "Deciding when to delegate"

Building an efficient team

businessmeeting26251473.jpgTeamwork is an essential factor in running any kind of organization effectively and is even more important when people's incomes and well being are on the line.Making sure that your business team is effective is one of the most important things you can focus on while looking for ways to improve your business.Here is some more info on building an effective team for your business.

Continue reading "Building an efficient team"

How a Creative Team Should be Managed

peoplegesturing7622291.jpg
When operating any type of business you will most likely have employees. In larger businesses you will manage these employees as teams. You will have different teams to do different aspects of each job. For example you may have a team that deals with inventory and how to improve your inventory. There are many different teams you could come up with. All different teams can be managed in about the same way but all will have their different areas of expertise. For now we will take a look at how a creative team should be managed.

Your creative team is one that will most likely come up with new and improved ideas for running your business. The definition of creative is being able to create, being new and original, or being resourceful. These are all things that your creative team should be able to accomplish in your business.

Continue reading "How a Creative Team Should be Managed"

How to open closed minds through better management

worriedmanonphone19220161.jpg

As a manger you know that you have come across employees that are dead set on beliefs and the way that things should be done.When you are in a company that needs to change something, or when you have an employee that needs to change something,it can be hard to open the minds of the employees to make the change and see that the old way is not working anymore.You will have to use fun and exciting tactics, tactics that will show your employees that a new and better system will make them happier and make the business they are working for flourish.Let's talk about some of the tactics you can use to open the minds of those hard to reach employees.

Show your employees how they will benefit
.Maybe they will benefit with a pay raise, or more medical benefits.When people see that they are working for something they are more willing to give in to new ways.Or maybe you aren't changing anything at work, maybe you just have an employee that can't see what they are working for.In this case you can always be sure to compliment your employees on what a great job they are doing, let them know that they are important to the company and it would not run as smoothly without them.

Continue reading "How to open closed minds through better management"

How to keep up with the IT world as a manager

manconferencetable30341271.jpg

As a business manager, it is important that you keep up with the IT world.However, information technology is changing so quickly and so rapidly, that things might be outdated even before people begin to really start using them!As a manager, it might seem a little overwhelming to try and keep up with all of the things that are going on in the IT world.However, there are a couple of things that you can do to help you keep up with the IT world.Here are a couple of simple things that you can do to keep up with the IT world, since we know that your time is rather limited as a manager!

Continue reading "How to keep up with the IT world as a manager"

5 Steps To Grow Your Business

f5alone.jpgDid you know that there are five and only five things you can do to build your business?

And that, if you do these five things correctly, the results not only add upon themselves, but that the results multiply, with each one building on the others?

So that, if you only increase your business by 15% with each strategy, your business will actually double?

Yes, it works.

I did just one last week and results to date indicate that my business will be up 34% over this month.

3 hours work by my virtual assistant, and business is up 34%!

Not bad.

You can do the same.

This site teaches you how

Go there, watch the video, and you'll be amazed at the results you'll get this year.

And join me in choosing to not participate in the recession.

How to successfully combine various management styles to help you find the best approach

manpullingofftie10054185.jpg When it comes to business there are several different management styles to choose from.The one you pick will mostly depend on your own personality and what kind of employees and co-workers you have in the company.Understanding your employees is key, and then adjusting your management style to fit with their personalities will come with time.Sometimes when the need arises however, combining management styles can work the best.Here are some suggestions on how to successfully combine various management styles to help you find the best approach to working with co-workers.

Continue reading "How to successfully combine various management styles to help you find the best approach"

Kindle Review

kindle3.jpg
After months of contemplation, I finally ordered Amazon's hot new product, the Kindle.

And at the moment, I'm impressed.

For those of you who don't know, the Kindle is an electronic book, enabling you to download books and read them on an easily-read screen. It promises savings (downloaded books usually cost $9.99 as opposed to the $20+ costs on Amazon), ease of reading, paper savings, and the ability to stay up to date with the world through daily downloads of newspapers and magazines.

And, while it's not yet perfected, it delivers on the above.

Product Description

Size: 7.5" high, 5.25" wide, and just 0.5" thick.

Screen size: 4.75" x 3.5" which may seem small, but since you can easily adjust type size, it really doesn't matter. The screen is white with black print, and is specifically designed so that you can read it even under the bright glaze of sunlight. However, this also means that you need light to read, so if you're reading in bed, you'll still need a light to see the page, just like a normal book.

Continue reading "Kindle Review"

Making business decisions as a manager

womanpondering63313193.jpg
In business management one of the biggest parts of your job will be making decisions and solving problems. Typically, business managers are under a great a deal of stress and have to resolve a problem without much time to think about it. With some companies, there may be a revolving cycle of problems that have been solved with the same decisions over and over. If you are a new manager, you should evaluate the cycle and look for ways you can help improve problems from reoccurring.

Start by defining the problems. Take the time to see what the problem actually is instead of reacting to certain situations you think may be the problem. For example, walk around your office and look at how people function on a day-to-day basis. You can spot problems easily and you can see what is causing the problems. Write down what the problems are, where they are occurring, how they are happening, and why is it happening. Once you have identified everything involved with the problem, you can make an educated decision on how to solve it.

Look at ways problems have been solved in the past and brainstorm new approaches. Talking to your employees directly can also help you make a decision as you will have input from several parties who may be involved. From here you can narrow your decision down and select an approach that will resolve the problem.

Continue reading "Making business decisions as a manager"

Maintaining proper business financial management

investmentagent16485586.jpg
A key aspect in business management is to know your business finances. Tracking your business finances can often times be a tedious chore. Many companies find themselves hiring accountants to keep track their finances. Some simple things you can to track your business finances are as follows:

-

  • Cash Flow. Is your company spending more than it is earning?

  • - Accounts Receivable. Is your Accounts Receivable department lacking in following up with invoicing?

  • - Sales. Check with your sales team on what they are telling customers about payment options and terms.

  • - Are your books adding up? Who is in control of your companies' books? Are they stealing money from the company?

If you don't have the money to hire an accountant to control your business finances, there are many software programs available now that can use to track your businesses expenses. Having proper procedures in place for financial management will pay off in the long run.

Continue reading "Maintaining proper business financial management"

Improving your Business Management Leadership Skills

oldermanstanding26239732.jpg
Being a good business management leader is more than just having people listen to you or doing what you tell them. It requires you to have clearly defined goals for the company and good listening skills. A manager looks at their job as a day-to-day career; a leader wants and needs people to follow them into the future. Your employees need to look to you for trust. First, they need to respect you and this isn't always easy if you have fallen flat on your face in the past and didn't make strong efforts to recover. Second, give your staff a reason to follow you. Let's look at these two topics a little closer.

Trust
Establishing trust is one of the most difficult things a business leader faces. Trust involves feeling that you can depend upon another person to achieve a common goal. You know how people feel about you and how you feel about them. If you have had past incidences with employees and they have formed a negative opinion of you, it will be difficult to change their minds. Change the way you treat people and start pointing out their achievements and telling them why you appreciate them.

Continue reading "Improving your Business Management Leadership Skills"

Business process management and business process improvement

Most businesses that are looking to make a change in the way they do business look into business process management (BPM) or business process improvement (BPI).

BPI looks at three main things to help determine how it can help improve your business:
1. Defining the organization's strategic goals and purposes (Who are we, what do we do, and why do we do it?)
2. Determining the organization's customers (or stakeholders) (Who do we serve?)
3. Aligning the business processes to realize the organization's goals (How do we do it better?)
BPI uses the following goals to help your business achieve success:

Business Goals:
The Company's goal is the driving factor behind any business process. Every process within the organization should be aligned to the business goals.

Process: What does your company need to be successful? Do you need to upgrade equipment, reduce staff budgets or IT budgets? BPI focuses on evaluating your costs and becoming goal oriented.

Customers: Having good customer satisfaction is what most companies strive for. Looking for the best possible way to do this is where it gets tricky. Looking at new technology is always a good option.

Continue reading "Business process management and business process improvement"

Staffing problems common to business managers

businessmeeting33030005.jpg
Staffing problems range from not having enough employees to having too many.You can always hire regular employees but sometimes you only need someone for a little while.When you're company needs help they often need it right away.Markets change and the economy changes with it.Businesses need to have that type of flexibility also.The economy could change in one or two days. So you have to be prepared to make changes in your business within a day or two as well.If you're not prepared it could mean your business goes into a slump and if the rest of the economy is in a slump too it could be really hard for your business to recover.

Every manager has to make sure that they have enough employees.Without employees there is no product or company.So how should you deal with staffing problems?There are many types of temporary workers that can help you get through the busy season or tough time in a company.

Continue reading "Staffing problems common to business managers"

Tips for enforcing policy

manwithpointerfingerup30841443.jpg
In any business there are policies that need to be enforced. These policies can pertain to anything from dating co-workers to drug abuse or even e-mail and internet usage while at work. How is a manager supposed to enforce all these policies? There are so many policies that companies or businesses legally have to obey that it may not always be easy. However, it is a must to enforce any policies in the workplace. Enforcing policies will keep your employees safe and happy. Enforcing policies will also keep you in business and reduce the risk that you are legally sued because of unfair practices. Any manager or business owner could benefit from some tips for enforcing policy.

Because workplace policies are so broad there are many options for enforcing those policies. First you will need to make sure that you have all your workplace policies written down in either an employee handbook or the company's website if you have one. This makes it easier to enforce any problems you may have with employees who do not follow the policies. You will have the full policy written out for everyone to see and should be signed by all employees. When a policy is then not being followed it will be easy for you to enforce it. The policy was written down so that there was no guessing as to what was really meant. You are more able to then document which policy was not being followed and which employee it was.

Continue reading "Tips for enforcing policy"

Creating a unique style of management that works for your staff

manconferencetable30341271.jpg
The success of your business depends largely on a unique style of management that works for your staff. The right management makes a tremendous difference for your business. With the right management team and the right staff, you can be very successful. There are surely some key things that go into creating a unique management for your team. Here's a look at creating a unique style of management that works for your staff.

So, how do you get started?

Selection process:
Select the candidates that will make up your management. Have one-on-one meetings with each one of them. Make sure that they are the individuals that you want managing your staff. You should pick those people that have unique and positive things to bring to your business. Remember, good personalities, skills and experiences are all important things to look at.

Continue reading "Creating a unique style of management that works for your staff"

Working with managers of other departments

twomenwalkingdownthestairs7625667.jpg
Each corporation has mangers that have to work with other managers in different departments. It is inevitable that department issues can arise when trying to collaborate with other managers. Building trust between departments makes working with other professionals easier. Building trust between managers makes it easier to value one another.

Holding regular meetings makes it easier to work with other departments. This allows each manager to discuss their department issues. Having open communication between the departments will help the overall production of the company.

Keeping your priorities straight with each department is also a must do. Everyone likes to think the project their department is working on is the highest priority. When the department managers meet together, they can discuss department issues and their deadlines. Many conflicts can arise from insufficient scheduling between departments.

Continue reading "Working with managers of other departments"

Attributes of a good leader

manwithdatebook23291499.jpg
What makes a good leader? How do you show leadership to your employees? Having a good self-esteem is a great place to start. When you convey to people that you are confident and capable, they will see you as a good leader. There are many other attributes of a good leader.

Lead in how you work
If you show up late to work, you employees will think its ok for them to show up late or leave early. Setting an example in the workplace is a leadership skill. As a good leader, you need the respect of your employees. Happy employees who respect your leadership will help you "look good". They will come to you with excellent performance that helps the department.

Make sure you show your employees you value them and their hard work. Treating your employees as equals, showing them respect, and give people your time.

Continue reading "Attributes of a good leader"

Managing your accounts receivable

creditcards32336377.jpg
The way that accounts receivable are managed can have a large effect on a company.Because companies must maintain a cash flow in order to stay in business, they must ensure that their accounts receivable are bringing in the needed cash.However, in order to attract more customers, it is necessary to offer credit.Businesses need to make sure that they find a proper balance between extending credit and maintaining a cash flow.Companies should keep in mind a few things when establishing and managing accounts receivable.

Keep Cash on Hand

Cash is the blood for any business operation.Companies must be sure that they have enough cash on hand to pay employees, buy supplies, pay the rent or mortgage, and make surprise purchases.As companies establish accounts receivable, they should make sure they have enough customers paying upfront to cover their operating expenses.New customers are good for this because they have not established a strong enough relationship with the company to be granted credit.However, some returning customers should be charged upfront in order to ensure that the necessary money is available.

Continue reading "Managing your accounts receivable"

Looking at management techniques and determining which will best suit your business

mansmiling26246769.jpg
Businesses always want to function in the most efficient way possible.Many times the responsibility for making that happen will fall in the hands of the owner of the company.Other times the owner delegates that responsibility to managers.Either way there are many different types of managing strategies that can be implemented in order to help the company function efficiently.Deciding which of those strategies is the best for a given company can be a difficult decision.

Management Techniques

Business owners and managers have a wide variety of management techniques available to them.Managers may use incentives and training when trying to motivate and educate employees.When dealing with partnerships, managers may attempt to revise the way the partnership functions in order to create a more effective partnership.Businesses may implement any number of strategies to help keep their customers happy and coming back.Many times they evaluate their business process in order to make sure customers are able to get their products as easily and as frequently as possible.Managers will also seek new methods for clear communication with employees, other departments, and partners.

Continue reading "Looking at management techniques and determining which will best suit your business"

Key success factors for a manager

For many managers, they are looking for ways to be the best manager the company has ever seen! This is not only a lofty goal, but a great challenge. Think back to some of your first managers you had as an employee and pick out qualities that you liked and disliked. How can you find ways to be a successful manager? Here are a few tips for becoming a successful manager:

Trust
Establishing trust is one of the most difficult things a manager faces. Trust involves feeling that you can depend upon another person to achieve a common goal.

People will know they can rely on you if you show qualities of integrity and consistency. So how to you build this trust? Start by listening. Bring each member of your staff into your office and talk about their needs and concerns and what they think you can do to improve the office environment. Give each employee your full attention and make an effort to get to know them.

Continue reading "Key success factors for a manager"

How to actively listen to your employees

As a manger, one of the key success factors you have available is your employees. When you actively listen to your employees, you can find out information that will help you succeed as well as the employees. So how can you make an effort to listen to your employees? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Get out of your office
How can you expect to know your employees if you never see them? If you sit behind a desk in an office all day, no one will even know you are there. Come out of your office and visit with your employees. Take a few minutes to walk around to their desks and ask them how they are doing, how they feel about their workload, and what you can do to help them. In just a few short minutes a day, you are showing your employees you are actively listening to them. This also makes you more approachable and you get your information first-hand.

Clear Instructions
By giving your employees clear instructions in the beginning, they are more responsive and less likely to become confused when working on a project. Give your employees guidance instead of instructions. This can help them with the project as they will feel open communication with you and can ask questions if needed.

Continue reading "How to actively listen to your employees"

Tips for getting people back on task after their lunch break


Any one who has worked a full time job understands the value of the lunch break.Of course you need a break to eat your lunch at but the lunch break is also a popular time to run a quick errand, relax from a stressful morning at work, prepare for the afternoon shift, and even make it to a midday appointment without missing work.For employees, lunch breaks are heaven sent, but for managers they can be quite annoying.It is hard enough to make sure that all of your employees show up on time in the morning, let alone having to make sure that they arrive back at the office on time after lunch.Some employees simply do not see arriving back to work after lunch as a big deal.So what are some tips that may be able to help managers get their employees back on task after their lunch break?Here are some ideas:

Create an incentive for prompt return from lunch breaks

Continue reading "Tips for getting people back on task after their lunch break"

Why delegating is critical and key for business management


If you've ever been in any form of leadership positions, you know how critical it is to delegate tasks.It doesn't matter if you were a Girl Scout leader or a corporate executive- all types of different leadership positions require that you, as the leader, learn to delegate.Without delegating, it's a sure thing that you'll go crazy, have a nervous breakdown, or your family and friends will hate you because you've become so consumed with work.Just in case you're one of those people who haven't quite figured out the point of delegating, you might want to keep reading and learn why delegating is critical and key for business management.

Like was mentioned above, delegating is critical if you wish to keep your sanity.Let's face it- you're only one person.There's only so much you, as one person, can actually do.This is not a bad thing.It's just a fact of life.You're not superman.You have limits.You may not even be the best one to complete every task- you may have employees who would do a much better job!Once you've accepted this fact, delegating becomes much easier.Think about it.If you're always trying to complete every task, every project all on your own, you're micromanaging.You're probably stressed out and over worked.You're probably sick and tired of whatever project you've been working on.You're not able to attend to the needs of your employees and you're no longer able to see or think clearly.Your employees feel useless and unwanted, maybe even bordering on angry that you won't allow them to participate on various projects.

Continue reading "Why delegating is critical and key for business management"

Tips for negotiating well


Negotiating is a skill that is essential in almost any aspect of life.It is necessary in familial disputes, purchasing arrangements, and, of course, in the workplace.It is not, however, a skill that comes easily to just anyone.So here are some tips to help you learn to negotiate well.

1. Men and women are different!This is one of the most important tips you could ever learn about negotiating.Communication styles between men and women are so different, and therefore you can not approach a woman expecting to negotiate the way you would with a man (and vice versa).Keep your communication direct by sharing ideas, treating negotiations as collaboration not confrontation, and remaining respectful no matter what.

Continue reading "Tips for negotiating well"

Tips for interviewing people


Interviewing is one of those things that most people hate to do.It can be nerve racking not only for the interviewer, but also for the interviewee.Sometimes you're not sure what to say or how to react to what the other person says.What's appropriate?What should you wear?What should you bring?What kinds of questions should you ask?The following article is a brief description of some tips for interviewing people.

Interviewer
Here are some things you should do:

Continue reading "Tips for interviewing people"

Tips for reducing paper work


Paper work in business is often synonymous with busy work.It is thought of as a waste of both time and material resources.Much of the paperwork associated with business is governmental paperwork and aa act recently passed to reduce the paperwork required for small businesses by the government.This act is called the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act (SBPRA) and you can read about it online at smallbusinessadvocate.com.Besides becoming politically active and trying to reduce paperwork on the governmentallevel, here are some tips to help you reduce paperwork in your business.

Evaluate all forms-the first step to reducing the amount of paperwork that you require is to go through all of your forms, and get rid of the ones that are redundant or that you don't need.If you have forms that are superfluous or outdated, get rid of one of them.If you have forms that can be combined with other forms, combine them.If you have forms that are required by policy but are not necessary to the job, get rid of them and remove reference to them from your policy and procedures manual.You might be able to reduce the amount of paperwork that you subject your employees to by half by just downsizing the number of forms that you have laying around.

Continue reading "Tips for reducing paper work"

Tips for keeping to an agenda


There are so many different things that you can do to help you stay organized. One way that you can keep organized is by keeping to an agenda. If you have always wanted to keep an agenda but never seem to be able to there are some things you can do. Here are some tips for keeping to an agenda.

The first tip for keeping to an agenda is to figure out what type of agenda you want. If you are the busy type that wants your agenda to be organized where you do the same thing at the same time every day that will be one thing you will want to keep in mind.

Continue reading " Tips for keeping to an agenda"

How to take on the role of mediator


Introduction

If you are in business management, you might, more often than you like, find yourself in the role of mediator.Generally, you mediate between two (or more) people who you directly manage.This often puts you in the role of boss, judge, and jury: not an enviable position.Hopefully, this how to guide will help you manage your mediation fairly and effectively.

Instructions

Difficulty: medium hard

Continue reading "How to take on the role of mediator"

How to let go of other managers


Introduction

One of the most difficult things that you will do as a manager is fire employees.Even more difficult than firing an employee is firing another manager.This is not going to pleasant, no matter how well you do it and you will likely end up in court if the person is litigious.Here are some steps for letting go of other managers with as little mess as possible.

Continue reading "How to let go of other managers"

How to hone your presentation skills


Depending on what you are doing will depend on what type of presentation skills you will need. If you have not done very many presentations or are just trying to hone your presentation skills there are some things you will want to take into consideration. Presentations are usually pretty important because you are trying to get some one interested in whatever you are showing them. Here are some tips on how to hone your presentation skills.

The first tip on how to hone your presentation skills is to make sure that you have as much information as possible on the thing that you are presenting. A presentation will not go well if you do not have all of your facts and know everything there is to know about the thing you are presenting.

The second tip on how to hone your presentation skills is to make sure that you are on the same page as the people you are presenting to. If you use a lot of proper English or terms that the people that you are presenting to do not know your presentation will not go over to well because they will not know what you are talking about. The best thing to do is to get an idea on who you will be presenting to so you will know how to present certain things.

Continue reading " How to hone your presentation skills"

How to show your authority with out being a jerk


In business, it is a fine line between nice and too nice.You want your employees to respect you and respect your authority; however, you don't want to come off like a jerk.There are a couple of things you can do to preserve your reputation ofbeing a "great" person while still showing authority and commanding respect.

Be friendly but not friends.There is a code of conduct between friends and there is a code of conduct between employers and employees.Once you cross the friendship line and your employees feel like you are personal friends, they will naturally confuse the different codes of conduct.Things that a friend is likely to blow off, a boss has to address.The confusion of these boundaries often gets nice bosses reputations of jerks.

Continue reading "How to show your authority with out being a jerk"

How to avoid management pitfalls

There is no position in business so fraught with pitfalls as that of the manager's. The manager occupies a strange and difficult position. On the one hand, it is humdrum, everyday, full of boredom and routine; on the other hand it is diverse, exciting, and full of opportunities for leadership and aggressive, creative thinking. There are lots of ways to stumble as a manage; lots of pitfalls and traps to avoid. Let us consider a few of them.

1. One pitfall of management is the ambiguous position he or her holds in the eyes of the regular employees. The regular employees are not quite sure how to take the manager. This is definitely a pitfall for the manager to stumble into, but there are ways of avoiding it. The manager must realize that he or she's not seen completely as a boss or as an equal. The regular employees see the manager taking orders from his or her bosses; which in turn makes it difficult for them to take orders from the manager; yet, at the same time, the manager's closeness to the employees makes him or her nearly one of them, but not quite. The manager occupies a very difficult position, fraught with pitfalls, indeed.

Continue reading "How to avoid management pitfalls"

How to choose enterprise planning software.

The topic of this article is how you as a manager or an owner of a company is how you should choose enterprise planning software for your office or company.

There are a number of different issues and problems that you need to consider when you are trying to choose enterprise planning software for your office or company.A lot of managers or owners only consider short term issues and demands that are at hand.The difficulty with choosing enterprising planning software products is that the needs and requirements of companies are constantly changing.This means that a lot of companies only choose software that handles the pressures and needs at hand-enterprise planning software that fits your current budget and that adequately covers your current needs.However, what will happen in the next year or so?What about midterm needs and long term needs?These are elements that you need to consider when choosing your software.How can you figure these elements in to your decision?My suggestion is that you go through a comprehensive overview and intensive research on the R and D investment of your company and the validity of your current system that you are using and how it will work for medium term needs.

Continue reading "How to choose enterprise planning software."

How to choose your employee scheduling software.

If you are a manager of an office or the owner of a company, one of the many things that you need to consider is how to choose employee scheduling software.This is a software program that is one of those things that you need, but it's so much a part of the every day work arrangement that you don't even think about needing it.It's one of those really obvious things that's hard to remember or to see.
Employee scheduling software can actually be an incredible asset to a company.Because of its many different features and abilities, employee scheduling software can cut down on tons of time spent on clerical duties and it can also increase productivity while decreasing confusion, resentment, and mistakes.

Continue reading "How to choose your employee scheduling software."

How to choose your online customer support software.

If you are a manager of an office or the owner of a smaller company, then you might want to think about improving your customer support by offering online customer support.But there are a number of different options for online customer support software to help you have the best possible online customer support.The topic of this article is to give you tips and general guidelines on how you can choose your online customer support software.
Customer support service is one of the most important components to your business strategy and approach.One of the most important aspects of being a successful company is not just providing a great product and great service, but also to provide great customer service.Because no matter how great your service is or your products are, chances are that even if they don't happen to break for any reason, then customers might have problems understanding how to use your products or they might have questions about all of your different services.
The traditional strategy for customer support has always been, at least since Alexander Graham Bell, to use telephone customer service.But no company can afford to keep its customer support service dependent on the telephone system-doing so will automatically brand you as archaic and customers will immediately be suspicious of your ability to remain up to date with technological advancements.More and more customers are using the Internet for everything that they do.Customer support service is no exception to this move towards online service.Providing online customer support service is a great move towards helping customers become more satisfied with your business.Online customer support service is a great way to always provide information to clients, day or night, and provides a way that they can always seek help and answers for their questions.

Continue reading "How to choose your online customer support software."

How to build relationships appropriate for work with your staff

Having a pleasant work environment can help employees be more productive. When employees enjoy the environment they work in, they are less likely to call in sick and will perform job tasks with more positive attitude than if the work environment is negative. A positive work environment depends a lot on relationships with employees.
There are several appropriate ways to build relationships with employees; one is to have a positive attitude. Avoid negative thoughts; try to be less judgmental and more accepting of others. A positive attitude can be contagious, the more you practice on staying positive, the more pleasant your work environment may become.
There is just common respect, which is something that is very important with building office relationships. Treat people with courtesy and politeness. Never insult people or name call. Try not to be a part of office gossip. Talking behind other people's backs will only cause tension and hurt feelings, which will only create a negative working environment. Set an example for others to follow by staying professional and polite to all employees.

Continue reading "How to build relationships appropriate for work with your staff"

How to choose your document management software.

The topic of this particular article is how you can choose the right document management software for you and for your company or office.If you are a manager of an office or of a branch, or if you are the owner of a company, then you need a great way to manage all of your documents.A great document management software can help increase productivity, increase efficiency, and will help your company run better.A great document management software will actually also improve your relationship with customers and with potential customers as you present a classier and more put-together image, and as you demonstrate an ability to streamline your dealings with customers and handle data and customer relationships.

Let's examine some different possible options for how to choose document management software.The first place for you to begin when you are choosing document management software is to sit down and to a thorough assessment of your company's situation.What kind of company are you?Are you an accounting firm, for example?What kinds of document management will you need?What if you are involved in ensuring regulatory compliance?If you are a local or a state government agency, then you will require different options and tools from your document management software.For example, you might need to streamline your agendas, make public records easier to access and more organized, etc.Go through your company and examine precisely what kinds of documents you are using.Who puts these documents together?Who needs to access the documents?A document management software can help you increase your productivity and make your documents easier to access, but only if you choose the right document management software for your company.If you go into the hunt armed with a list of what you need and the tools and options that you require, then you won't be sidelined by flashy options thathave nothing to do with what you need.

Continue reading "How to choose your document management software."

How to choose your data warehouse supplier.

The topic of this article is how you can and should choose your data warehouse supplier.As the years go by, there is more and more data that you have to deal with.Experts have called this era a time of data explosion.You don't have to deal with just the data that is coming in from your suppliers, from your customers, from your employees, and more, but also data that you have to collect to ensure that you are in compliance with a number of different legislative measures, regulations, and more.There's data that you need so that you can adequately ensure that you can properly use various performance optimization software and programs, and other things like that.You have to bring together a whole lot of data from a whole lot of different places, and then you have to disperse that data and that information to a whole lot of different places.The volume of data that you have is increasing exponentially every year.If you want to stay on top of your game, and if you want to remain competitive in your field and your industry, then you need the most practical and efficient way to deal with your data.
A data warehouse is a way that you can collect your data, keep your data safe, and analyze your data.Organizations are no longer using silo applications to keep their data safe.Instead, data is becoming integrated within the organization, so that you can share data between departments so that you can get an adequately broad and cohesive and complete understanding of how your company is working.A data warehouse is a place where you can deposit all of your data, and it will then organize that data and provide it in a useful format so that you can make the right decisions based on that data.General Motors and Union Pacific and Wal-Mart use data warehouses.Shouldn't use be using a data warehouse also?

Continue reading "How to choose your data warehouse supplier."

How to choose service management software

The topic of this article is to discuss how you as a company owner or as a company or office manager can choose service management software that is perfect for your company and can fit all of your company's needs.
As your company grows and as the years go by, a number of things wil change.You will have employees come and go, you will change customers, current customers will change what they want, the relationships between you and suppliers will change, and basically everything else will change, constly.If you are a successful manager or owner, then you will be able to manage change well and you won't be put off by it.Another thing that is always changing is the software technology that you will be using to help manage your service.As a manager or owner, you need to be able to choose the right technology for your company so that you can choose the right service management software.The most important thing to keep in mind when you are choosing service management software is that you are choosing software for more than just your short term needs.You have to choose service management software that will be able to handle all of the changes that your company goes through, from next week to three months from now to two years from now.
Here are some basic tips that you need to follow when you are choosing service management software for your company.First of all, don't choose systems that hinder the growth of your company.Choose a system that does not require that you spend more time administrating your system.Instead, choose a system that will allow for complex and detailed accounting, will let you control the users and their access to the system, will report important numbers and statistics to you, and will let you manage your company easily.

Continue reading "How to choose service management software"

How to choose your ecommerce shopping cart.

If you are a part of a business that has a lot of business online, then you probably use an ecommerce shopping cart.The ecommerce shopping cart is an integral part of your business--you need one that has all of the different options for the user and also for you, as the controller, that your company needs.How do you choose an ecommerce shopping cart?

There are a lot of different things that you need to take into consideration when you work to choose an ecommerce shopping cart.You have to choose one that allows the payment services that you are interested in, the customer management that you want, the product management that you want, and more.But before you even go out there and look for different ecommerce shopping cart options, the very first thing that you need to do is evaluate completely what the needs of your company are.You need to go through and examine every single detail that you need taken care of by your ecommerce shopping cart.That way, before you go out looking for a product, you can evaluate more easily whether or not the product will be the right fit for your company and you won't be swayed by presentation and by the different options that are presented by the company.

Continue reading "How to choose your ecommerce shopping cart."

How to choose an ecommerce hosting supplier.

If you run an online company, or if your company does business on the Internet, then you need to know how to choose an ecommerce hosting supplier.How to choose an ecommerce hosting supplier is one of the most important decisions that you will make as a manger or an owner of an online store.Choosing the right ecommerce hosting supplier can really help your business grow, can help increase customers, and can also help you increase your productivity.Choosing the wrong ecommerce hosting supplier can be a death knell for your company.Here are some tips and guidelines for choosing the right ecommerce hosting supplier for you.
Whether you are strictly an online store, or if you have a full online store that complements your physical location, choosing the right ecommerce hosting supplier is an important decision.The very first thing that you need to do is to sit down and make a very, very thorough list of everything that you need from your ecommerce hosting supplier.Think about design, think about how you want to run customer service, what you want from checkout options, security options, payment options (do you have gift cards or coupons that need to be redeemable online?), product information access, customer account access, etc.Having this list will let you decide easily and quickly which ecommerce hosting suppliers will fit your needs, and which ones will not.Having the list will also help you from being distracted by flashy options that you plain don't need.

Continue reading "How to choose an ecommerce hosting supplier."

How to choose a fulfillment house

If you are the manager of an office or company, one of the questions that might be plaguing your is how to choose a fulfillment house for your company or for your branch or office.When you take into account the fact that studies have shown that around 40% of managers who install a fulfillment house are gone within six months because they chose the wrong system, the question of how to choose a fulfillment house might frighten you even more.
Choosing the right fulfillment house for your company or office is a difficult decision and one that you need to make carefully.Why? Well, if you choose the right fulfillment house, then the fulfillment house can help increase productivity, can increase control, can help provide better customer service, and more.However, if you choose the wrong fulfillment house, then you can end up with decreased productivity and a general mess, then will probably end with you leaving the company.To save you from such a fate, this article will give general guidelines of how to choose both an in-house and an out-sourced fulfillment house.

Continue reading "How to choose a fulfillment house"

What your body gestures communicate to your employees

When most people hear the word "communication," they are likely to think of the words they use and how they're conveyed. However, non-verbal communication, or the use of body gestures, has a much larger impact on the way your message is communicated to your employees.

What is body language?
Whether you know it or not, your body gestures are sending a message. The way you're sitting or standing, where your arms are positioned, where you're looking, and even what you're doing with your hands all send a message to your employees when you're talking to them.

Continue reading "What your body gestures communicate to your employees"

How do I build teamwork in my organization?

How you build a team and teamwork in your organization will most likely be your greatest accomplishment as a manager.All other accomplishments will be because your team works well together.Additionally, this is why you are the manager, to lead and build a cohesive team to accomplish your organization's goals.
Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture that values collaboration. Your team must truly believe and even assimilate the belief that `none of us is as good as all us'.In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively.

Continue reading "How do I build teamwork in my organization?"

How can I improve unity in my management team?

A management team, similar to any other team needs to be unified with the key elements in team building- trust, worth, expectations, and needs.

In the team, level of management there is not only the normal stresses of work; there is also the added responsibility of the entire team. This means the stats, the goals, the attendance etc.

Continue reading "How can I improve unity in my management team?"

How can I improve team dynamics?


What is that unseen force that pulls and influences a team to act and react in a specific way? Why, this is the significant process of team dynamics. What can a manager and team do to improve team dynamics?

Take a team of 10 people and out of that 10 people there are two groups of 3 that have a close relationship. This natural force will have an effect on the team in both the positive and negative.

Continue reading "How can I improve team dynamics?"

How can I improve communication within my teams?

Team communication is imperative to success. Therefore, learning ways to improve communication within a team will improve productivity and overall team structure.

Without proper communication within a team, success is less likely. The overall productivity and quality of a teams work is based on the want to succeed, improve as a team over all and enjoy a built camaraderie.

Continue reading "How can I improve communication within my teams?"

How can I improve communication between my teams?

Communication between teams can be challenging, however it is possible and can be fun doing it. A little bit of competition between teams can help with productivity. What if the competition becomes animosity or lack of communication amongst different teams in a business? At this end, the business will lack in overall productivity and success.

Communication between teams is just as important as communication within a team. Consider this:

Continue reading "How can I improve communication between my teams?"

Improving decision making skills

Effective decision making means you make things happen instead of letting things happen.You will find that making decisions are required in every activity.These decisions will take place in a situations and problems and can range from the very simple to very complex.As a manager you must make the right decisions to direct and guide events and actions into a planned course instead of letting events fall to chance.

Making good decisions is a skill like any other and needs to be practiced.This article will go through the steps of the decision making process.If you are not taking every step, this will be the first part to improving your decision skills.At the end of the article will be some suggestions to help you improve these steps in your management style.

Continue reading "Improving decision making skills"

How to improve discussion skills

As a manager it is important to have open discussions at the work place.All should be able to share an opinion without repercussions.The discussion helps in the decision making process and is not the place to show ones intellect or power.As a manager you will be responsible to foster a good open discussion.

The purpose of a discussion helps the group make a decision or come to a conclusion.You will also find that it clarifies everyone's knowledge on the subject and it helps others to understand the subject more deeply.Furthermore, when others are allowed in the discussion process or in other words the decision making process, they feel ownership for the decision and they try that much harder to make the solution work.

Continue reading "How to improve discussion skills"

How to improve your listening skills

Everyone can improve their listening skills to some degree.Listening is a skill that can be practiced and improved.Everyone has experiences where others have heard them, but received none of the information that was shared.This article will give a few suggestions on how you and others can improve their listening skills.

Eye contact with the speaker is very important to maximize your listening.If you are listening to a CD or can't see the speaker from your vantage point, of course this will not apply.Additionally, if you are in a lecture you will need to take notes, but eye contact is still important.By focusing on the speaker's eyes you will minimize your distractions and if you are close enough you will be able to see the inflections and feelings associated with the speaker's words.

Continue reading "How to improve your listening skills"

Organizing ideas effectively

Effective organization of ideas is the only way to truly realize the potential of large amounts of information.Is it a bad thing to have too many ideas?A wealth of data is good unless the information is unorganized which can cause confusion and you will not be able to gain all of the potential of having all of the data.Hence, effectively organizing your ideas is paramount to success.

When you are in a situation with a lot of information, you may find it difficult to organize everything into a useful format so that you can make a decision.You may be brainstorming a situation or you may be trying to solve a problem or analyze a situation.The important thing to do is organize the information into a format that you can easily see all the information so that you can come to the correct decision or resolutions.

Continue reading "Organizing ideas effectively"

Recommended team-building workshops

When you start looking for the best team-building workshop, you will want to research all the different types of workshops available.

Some great places you can look into to find the right workshop for you is the Team Associations. Here is a list of the current associations available.
Team Associations

Continue reading "Recommended team-building workshops"

Keys to effective brainstorming

Brainstorming is a useful tool to be utilized on any management team.You will want to include this when working with your peers and working with the employees you manage.However, brainstorming is more than putting people into a room and talking about ideas.You will need to balance the discussing in the right direction while supporting a free flow of ideas.

Brainstorming is a tool for generating as many ideas or solutions as possible to resolve a problem or issue.It is not the tool you will use to determine the best solution, however.Your goal for a brainstorming session is to get as many ideas as possible out in the open.Discussion and analyzing these ideas will come later.

Continue reading "Keys to effective brainstorming"

Team building ideas that work.

Building a successful team takes the right ideas that work. What makes a strong team? What does it take to have a successful team? What kind of ideas will take a team from average to out of this world?

Here are a few ideas that many successful companies have used to create teams that are above the expectations.

Continue reading "Team building ideas that work."

Teamwork skills - assigning accountability

A good manager knows how and why to assign accountability.Accountability is responsibility taken to the next level.You as the manager are responsible for your entire area of operation, often an hourly employee only sees the work as putting in their time.You have to change that feeling to the feeling that they own their area of responsibility and they will become accountable for its successes and failures.
The question becomes, how do you as the manager foster this feeling of ownership?Or how do you assign accountability?Once you are able to assign accountability, your job as a manager becomes much more simplified. You are now able to focus on your responsibilities instead of babysitting each area you are responsible for.

Continue reading "Teamwork skills - assigning accountability"

Teamwork skills - collaborating with other groups

As a manager you may find situations when your group must collaborate with other groups on a project.This could be as simple as your group providing the food at a company luncheon and another group will be providing the cooking and serving material.However, in today's world collaboration on projects is becoming more and more complex.You will need to be aware of some simple ground rules before you begin working with other groups.

You may find your team must collaborate with other teams for a variety of reasons.Additionally, these teams may be spread across the company or even country.As the manager, you will need to make sure the ground rules are agreed upon at the beginning of the work.You will find that communication is probably the most important element in the collaboration.

Continue reading "Teamwork skills - collaborating with other groups"

Teamwork skills - effective meetings

One of the most important tools of a team is meetings.However, in order to get the full value of these you must hold only purposeful and effective meetings.One of the biggest complaints in corporate America is attending meetings that don't get anything done.As the team leader, you will be responsible for making these meetings effective.

There are 11 million business meetings each day in the United States.You will be responsible to make sure your meetings are effective even if you are unable to attend the meeting.If you have a weekly scheduled meeting, but you don't have the agenda items to justify the meeting, then cancel it.Only hold a meeting when it is necessary.

Continue reading "Teamwork skills - effective meetings"

Teamwork skills - goal setting

Goal setting is important for both organizations and individuals.When you set goals, you make plans for the future.As the leader you will need to have the vision for the future.Having a vision means you have a plan for where your organization is going in the future.You must make your vision strong and clear so that others are able to see it and there is no confusion.

Once you have created the vision for your team, you must share that vision with the team.They need to be able to ‘see' it.Your vision must be plain so that all can get it, but you must always be honest and fair.People want to know that they are contributing to a larger cause and that their efforts count.



Continue reading "Teamwork skills - goal setting"

Tips to building an effective office team

Looking for ways to get your office team on track to productivity and better communication? Here are some helpful tips, that you can evaluate and see what will help your team.

Using positive offices dynamics help build strength within a team. A drained office team will cause lack in productivity and overall strife. As a manager, this simply cannot happen. Moreover, frankly should not happen, with all the tools available to increase teamwork.

Continue reading "Tips to building an effective office team"

Teamwork skills - handling conflict

As a manager you will be responsible for handling conflict in your area.You must handle this situations quickly and effectively to keep them from escalating.As always, if you manage the environment at work well, you should be able to avoid many conflicts and you will be better prepared to handle those conflicts that do arise.

Conflict can be a number of different things.Some typical definitions of conflict include:

Continue reading "Teamwork skills - handling conflict"

What are the different methods of communication, and which is best for you?

Many times, when people think of the word communication, they think of an exchange of information and ideas through words. However, verbal communication is just one small part of communication. There are many different methods of communications, and determining which is right for you and your organization is an important decision.

What are the different methods of communication?
The following are some different methods of communication that are commonly used within the workplace:

Continue reading "What are the different methods of communication, and which is best for you?"

How to identify decision making styles

There are a number of different decision making styles, and each one has its pros and cons. The method you use to make decisions can have an overall outcome on the problem or issue at had, yet there is no right or wrong method of arriving to a decision.

It can be helpful as a manager to know the decision making styles of your employees. The following are the most common decision making styles:

Continue reading "How to identify decision making styles"

What is team facilitation and how does it work?

Team facilitation is using a team facilitator as a guide through problem solving, training, workshops, etc to be the guide for company decisions and break thru.

A team facilitator is a tool a company will often use to help bring their teams together under several difficult circumstances. Team facilitators work with several different teams of professionals.

Continue reading "What is team facilitation and how does it work?"

What is Teamspeak and how does it apply in the work place?

Teamspeak is a communication tool that uses the Internet as a highway for delivering clear communication. This is an efficient way that work places can increase efficiency in their business.

With businesses being spread out to so many sites, it is no wonder that there is always a new search for better communication options. There are many ways that companies communicate between employees, teams and sites, however there are positives and negatives with each of these options.

Continue reading "What is Teamspeak and how does it apply in the work place?"

What is the definition of team work?

Teamwork is the definition of cooperative members of a same group working together to obtain the same goal.

When people listen carefully to each other, when they seek and take seriously each other's opinions, when they make use of each other's competencies and expertise, they are involved in teamwork.

Continue reading "What is the definition of team work?"

What kind of team building activities is most effective?

With all the options available today for team building, you have to ask yourself; what are the most effective team building activities. The most effective team activities are those where the team is the most involved.

Some of the most effective team building activities is the simplest. The team building activities that are stimulating problem-solving tasks are designed to help group members develop their capacity to work effectively together.Many team building and initiative tasks are like kids games, others are novel, complex tasks and designed for specific needs. Some of the more elaborate initiative tasks can involve ropes courses, nighttime activities, and exercises lasting over several days.


Continue reading "What kind of team building activities is most effective?"

What types of team punishment are most effective?

Progressive discipline is the most effective form of team discipline. This is due to setting proper expectations and following through.

The main thing as far as disciplinary actions in a team environment is to keep praise public and punishment private. Unless, the issue is a full team issue that needs to be addressed.

Continue reading "What types of team punishment are most effective?"

Where can I find lists of team building exercises and games?

Finding team building exercises and games is easy, when you know where to look.
There are many places you can find fun, and exciting team building exercises and games. There are many books available with fun ideas in book stores and the library in your hometown, however this article will give you some ideas on where to find these team building exercises and games on the internet.

The best exercises and games are those that get your people on their feet and thinking. People love to have fun, when they are having fun, they tend to learn more. You also get a chance to know each other with team building exercises and games and therefore build up camaraderie.

Continue reading "Where can I find lists of team building exercises and games?"

Are team building adventures right for you?

What are team-building adventures and are they right for you? That is a very good question and a question many managers ask. With this article, we can explore the options of team building adventures and what they can do for your team.

Businesses currently have a great deal of strife and competition out there. They have so many things to worry about with new technology, fresher products and higher competition; team stress and strife is the last thing that should be an issue. However, with teams there is always going to be stress and strife. What options are available to resolve some of these issues?

Continue reading "Are team building adventures right for you?"

How to avoid ERP failures

What is ERP?

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. This is an information system that integrates all manufacturing and related applications for an entire enterprise.

An ERP is a great idea for manufacturers if it is done right. ERP failure on the other hand is a big problem as it involves great money. However, ERP success makes great money. In order to avoid ERP failure you should know what causes it:

Continue reading "How to avoid ERP failures"

Employee training?Make sure you only pay for an accredited college.

Are you involved in paying for employees to receive specific training?If you are, make sure that you only pay for an accredited college. Let's go through the reasons why you as an employer or as a manager would want to pay for employee training.And then let's examine the potential pitfalls of paying for employee training and how you can avoid those employee training pitfalls by only paying for accredited colleges.

It's only to your advantage as an employer to have more highly trained employees.There's a reason why so many employers offer paid training compensation for college tuition, tuition payment credits and options, and lots of other benefits in order to enable their employees to become more trained and also to go to school while working for them.More highly trained employees are better at their job.They require less supervision when it comes to their job.They are more able to adapt to new technologies and theories in the workplace.They are proficient at the skills that you need them to excel at.Employee training is of benefit not only to your employees, but to the success and the efficiency, and thus the money making ability, of your company.

Continue reading "Employee training?Make sure you only pay for an accredited college."

Heavy equipment rental -- better than leasing?

The topic for this article is whether heavy equipment rental is better than leasing heavy equipment.So your business is in need of some heavy equipment.This equipment could be something like a bulldozer, a crane, an excavator, a loader, a soil compactor, an application machine, a smooth roller, a fork lift, a man lift, and more.It depends on whether or not you're doing something that involves dirt moving, something that involves asphalt, something that involves material handling.Maybe you're a construction company, maybe you're building homes or businesses, maybe you're just in need of that heavy equipment.Whatever you need it for, you need equipment that is in good condition, equipment that can get the job done without any hassles for repairs or anything like that, and equipment that you can get at the cheapest price possible.

Continue reading "Heavy equipment rental -- better than leasing?"

Converting to alternative fuels

Of course it sounds like a good idea to convert to alternative fuels.Alternative fuels are better for the environment, easier to access or create, and some fuels can pro-long the life of your automobiles.But there are often costs to be considered while making changes.Regardless of how good alternative fuels are, you need to know if converting your current fleet to alternative fuels is going to be worth the investment.

Converting to alternative fuels combines personal opinion, financial resources, and feasibility.There are advantages and disadvantages to the decision of converting to alternative fuels.These differences vary from business to business and person to person.As you try to make the most informed decision possible, consider the following examples of advantages and disadvantages to converting to alternative fuels:

Continue reading "Converting to alternative fuels"

2 way pagers - good for your business?

The topic of this article is whether or not two-way pagers are a good idea for your business.Now, when we are talking about two way pagers, we aren't talking about the pager that your first boss owned when you were sixteen and working at the mall.When you think about a pager, you are probably thinking about that small yet bulky black box that was hooked onto the belt buckle, that didn't do a whole lot except for beep and flash a phone number that you were supposed to call when someone wanted you, like your boss or your mother if you were out past your curfew.

Continue reading "2 way pagers - good for your business?"

Air Craft Charter Verses Flying First Class

There are many differences between flying in a charter aircraft and flying first class.One option may be more expensive than the other, or one more convenient than the other.It is up for you to decide which method of transportation in going to fit best for your busy professional life.

Below are listed some advantages and disadvantages for both flying on an aircraft charter and in first class.It is important for you to consider these options and make a well informed decision as to what best fits your means and needs.

Continue reading "Air Craft Charter Verses Flying First Class"

Effective business meetings - how to plan and conduct them

Business meetings are generally met with rolling eyes and deep sighs of imminent boredom.Many business people see the business meeting as an evil but driving force of the company.Terms such as boring, long, unproductive, repetitive and annoying are often associated with business meetings.But it doesn't have to be this way.With a little training and some determination to follow these simple suggestions, your next business meeting can be a success!

Planning - PLAN AHEAD!

- Do you even need the meeting - If some issue can be solved among a few people, do it!You should in no way feel obligated to involve the whole group when one or two people can resolve the issues.

Continue reading "Effective business meetings - how to plan and conduct them"

Where can I get good team building training?

There are many places available in order to get good team building training. The place you choose will be what ever is the most time effective and convenient for you.

With all the options available, it is easier and easier for a manager to learn better ways of building good teams.

Continue reading "Where can I get good team building training?"

Biometric security systems - how to choose them

This article addresses biometric security systems and how you can choose the right one for your company.As we discuss the different options available when it comes to biometric scanning security systems, there are some questions that you need to keep in mind.

1. What is the level of security associated with this system?Is it going to be enough security for me?Is it going to be too much security?Do I really need iris recognition?Do I need more than iris recognition?

Continue reading "Biometric security systems - how to choose them"

How to choose your call center supplier.

If you are the manager of an office in charge of maximizing and directing office operations, then one of the questions that you might be wondering is how to choose a call center supplier for your company.Even deciding to use a call center for your company can be a terrifying task.If you're already at the point where you are thinking about which call center supplier you want to use, then you've probably gone through all of the debates leading up to the decision to use a call center supplier.And if you made it through those discussions alive, then you should count yourself lucky.Some people think that using a call center supplier for handling incoming, and often outgoing, calls to your company is a no brainer.But a number of people are incredibly hostile to the idea of using a call center supplier because they simply feel that it's a quite expensive waste of money and a risky way to introduce customers to your business.

Continue reading "How to choose your call center supplier."

Teamwork skills - fostering continuous learning

As a manager you must foster continuous learning environment.You do not want your team to stagnate and your team members should want to stay current with their knowledge and skills.You can't expect your company to be on the cutting edge unless your team's knowledge is also up to date.

Your team at work can be compared to a professional athlete's team.An NFL team spends the entire week preparing for a three hour game.They spend the majority of their time preparing for work.Your team spends the majority of their time working and a comparatively small amount of time training or learning.

Continue reading "Teamwork skills - fostering continuous learning"

How to choose your appointment scheduling software


If you are the manager of an office or branch or the owner of the company, consider the following question: do you ever meet with clients?Have meetings?Schedule those meetings?The answer, I assume, is yes, in essentially all cases.But here's the next question: do you have appointment scheduling software?If you already do, how efficient is it?If you do not yet have appointment scheduling software, or if you are not satisfied with your current appointment scheduling software, then you need to know how to choose appointment scheduling software so that you choose the right product to increase productivity and efficiency within your business, and also to increase customer satisfaction with your service.

In this article, we are going to discuss how to choose appointment scheduling software.We will focus particularly on web based appointment scheduling software.The great thing about web based appointment scheduling software is that if you have just two things-a computer and an Internet connection-then you have everything that you need to begin scheduling appointments within your company and with clients entirely online.

Continue reading " How to choose your appointment scheduling software"

How to choose the best ecommerce software.

If you run an online business, then you need to choose a really, really good ecommerce software in order to best facilitate your online business.The ecommerce software that you choose can make or break your online business.You need an ecommerce software that will provide all of the options that you need your customers to have and all that you need your ecommerce software to do.This article will go over a few general guidelines that will help you know how to choose the best ecommerce software.
So if you have an online business, or part of your business works online, like you let customers order products online that you also carry in your store, then you need the best ecommerce software out there.But there are so many different ecommerce software options to choose from!How can you make the right decision for your company?Hopefully this article will help you know what to look for so that you're not just entirely dependent on the information that the vendors themselves give you, since we all know that they're just going to tell you how great their ecommerce software is for you.

Continue reading " How to choose the best ecommerce software."

Business Plans Aren't Just For Your Banker - How to Make Your Business Plan Work For You

When starting a business, most banks or investors will require a business plan, which is a detailed written summary of how a business or entrepreneur plans on organizing and then effectively running a potential business in a way that will allow it to succeed. These are often required so the investor knows the plan is well-planned for and well thought out before investing money into it.

But if you're not planning on writing a business plan because you won't be going through a banker or an investor to fund your business, you could be making a big mistake. Business plans aren't just for your banker - a business plan is an invaluable tool for you as an entrepreneur as well.

Continue reading "Business Plans Aren't Just For Your Banker - How to Make Your Business Plan Work For You"

How to Write a Business Letter

A business letter is an essential form of communication within the corporate world. It is a formal means of communication between two people, a person and a corporation, or two corporations. Unlike a personal letter or an email, a business letter follows a specific format.

Although styles and formats can vary and still be acceptable, the most widely-used format of business letters includes the following:

Continue reading "How to Write a Business Letter"

How to Incorporate

Incorporating a business allows business owners to separate their personal identity and financial assets from that of their business. Incorporating is something any business can do, regardless of its size or number of employees. When a company is not incorporated, creditors or partnerships can seize the business owners' personal assets, such as homes, savings, or cars. However, when a business is incorporated, only the money put into the business can be seized or lost in the event the business tanks or cannot support itself financially.

There are many advantages to incorporating. In addition to separating personal identity from business identity, incorporating gives a business credibility. A corporate business, regardless of the size, that has "inc" or "corp" at the end of its name conveys a sense of credibility. Incorporating also allows capital to be raised in an easier manner; investors are more likely to invest in a company that separates its owner's personal assets from his or her business assets. Incorporating also involves tax breaks, which is a main reason many business owners decide to incorporate.

Continue reading "How to Incorporate"

How to Find a Good Accountant

An accountant is a vital part of any business. Not only do accountants handle a company's taxes, they can also help determine whether or not certain moves will have an effect on taxes, such as buying a company vehicle or leasing computers. In addition, they can help employers when deciding whether or not to incorporate the business.

While having an accountant is important, it's even more important to find one who is qualified, competent, and honest, as a portion of the company's financial well-being lies in the accountant's hands.

Continue reading "How to Find a Good Accountant"

Do You Need a Business Plan?

What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan is a detailed written summary of how a business or entrepreneur plans on organizing and then effectively running a potential business in a way that will allow it to succeed. A business plan is often necessary, as potential loaners or venture capitalists who will be loaning money to fund the business want to see a concrete plan of how a business is going to be laid out and run before they fund it. However, a business plan is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs as well, as it gives them and their employees specific guidelines as to how the company will be run and what it will take for it to succeed.

Do You Need a Business Plan?
If you're planning on having your business funded by a bank, venture capitalist, or other type of investor, you will need a business plan. While you may be fully aware of how your business will be run and what it will take to make it succeed, investors need to be certain the entrepreneur has thought the entire process of starting and running a business through. In addition, they want to make sure the entrepreneur has a thorough understanding of what is required to make a business succeed before they will invest any money into it.

Continue reading "Do You Need a Business Plan?"

Credit Checks on Employees - A Good Idea? How to Perform Them

Nowadays, it is becoming more and more commonplace for employers to run credit checks on potential employees.

A credit check shows more than whether or not a person pays their bills on time. They also include previous addresses and employers, which can be useful in verifying previous jobs and dates. The credit check, also called an employment background check, provides information seen on a normal credit report, except for the date of birth and credit score.

Why Credit Checks?
There are several reasons for running credit checks on employees. One of these reasons is to check the employee's level of responsibility. Some employers feel that a valid way to check an employee's level of responsibility is via a credit check. While there are limitations as to what can and can't be accessed by a potential employer in a credit check, the credit check will generally show the credit score and whether the person has paid bills in a timely fashion or not. The absence of credit can also be a determining factor in whether or not a potential employee is offered a job.

Continue reading "Credit Checks on Employees - A Good Idea? How to Perform Them"

How To Build Loyalty In Employees

Employee loyalty is, for many companies, a trait that is difficult to find. If an employee is not satisfied with his or her job or feels unappreciated, he or she will walk; in fact, the average employee in the United States spends just 3 years at one job.

High turnover rates can be costly for a company. Searching for qualified applicants, posting openings on job boards, the interview process, and hiring a new employee can cost the company both time and money.

Continue reading "How To Build Loyalty In Employees"

What to look for when buying logo-embroidered shirts for your business

Whether we like it or not, we are strongly influenced by what we see.You would not look for a fancy French restaurant between a grungy tattoo parlor and a run-down bar.You would look next to an elegant hotel or quaint boutique.You would expect the restaurant to look sophisticated and inviting from the moment you saw it.

The same is true in business attire.You want your appearance to say something about your company-the kinds of things you stand for, as well as the kind of people you are.You want to look professional, trustworthy, and educated.But at the same time, you want to look approachable, friendly and relaxed.

Continue reading "What to look for when buying logo-embroidered shirts for your business"

Office space - deciding whether to rent, lease, or buy

At some point during the course of the life of your business, you will need to decide whether you would like to rent, lease, or buy office space for your company.Whether you start out by leasing an office and end up with an office out of your own home, or rent an office for the entire time you are in business, there are certain things that you must consider before making a permanent decision regarding your office space.Please consider the following pros and cons concerning leasing or buying before making a decision about office space.

Continue reading "Office space - deciding whether to rent, lease, or buy"

How To Systemitize Your Business

Your business, like any part of your life, needs to be systematized in order to run smoothly.You must have a system for every aspect of your business or you will not be able to deal with the every day events of life, much less crises.For example, if you have no set of training procedures for new employees, they will be left on their own to figure things out.They won't know the exact requirements of their job and therefore will not complete them up to expectations.Your business will suffer because you didn't have a training system in place.

The secret to running a business smoothly is to systematize your business.You want to work on your business, not in your business.It allows you to delegate and work on the overall business while others are working towards more specific goals of the business.You want your business to be fully systematized in all areas with all your employees working at different levels to constantly be improving your business and the system.

Continue reading "How To Systemitize Your Business"

How to improve your communications skills


One of the most important aspects of good business management is having excellent communication skills.Your ability to communicate your ideas says much about you as a person and about your business.Good communication skills are an essential part of a successful business, and are necessary when communicating with employees, customers, clients, superiors and even potential employees.Here are nine tips to help you improve your communication skills.

Continue reading "How to improve your communications skills"

How To Choose The Best Holiday Gift Basket

Choosing a memorable gift is often a challenge.Here are some tips to help you select a gift basket that will cause the recipient to remember you positively for years!

If you're like most people, there's a gift basket or some corporate gift baskets on your shopping list this holiday season.

After carefully researching the gift basket industry, and talking to a number of suppliers within it, here are some insider tips we've discovered to help you choose a gift basket the recipient will appreciate and remember for years to come:

Continue reading "How To Choose The Best Holiday Gift Basket"

Team Motivation - Tough Enough to Care

Sir Alex Ferguson has just celebrated his 1000 game in charge of Manchester United, probably the world's most successful soccer team.

I have a great deal of respect for Sir Alex as a man manager. However, I always feel that he's misrepresented in the media. The press portrays him as this big, bad, angry guy who manages his team by aggression, bullying, shouting and throwing teacups and football boots around the room.

I don't think there's any doubt that he does get angry when his team aren't performing but there's another side to his personality that people don't see or don't want to see. As Peter Schmeichel the ex Man United goalkeeper said in a recent newspaper article - "The kind and understanding side to his personality is something people outside United don't see. Fergie can be explosive, yet once he'd got a problem out into the open and dealt with it, it was gone. He never bore grudges. One minute he'd be furious, the next he'd ask - How's your family."

I've spent many years studying successful managers whether they're in business or in sport, trying to establish what makes the good guys so good. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that these managers and coaches know: 1 - How to do all the business parts of the job
2 - How to do all the human parts of the job

Continue reading "Team Motivation - Tough Enough to Care"

Executives Are "Ego-Surfing" For Business Information

Wondering what's new about you?Type your name into Google or Yahoo and see what comes up. Termed "ego surfing," it has gone mainstream as CEO's, corporate communication departments and executives are using the Internet to follow what is being said about them, their companies and their competitors.Termed CEegO surfing when the CEO does the search, businesses are discovering important information on the web that may or may not be accurate.

A recent search of the Fortune 100 CEOs for USA Today uncovered fascinating material on top executives.While much of the information is harmless, some can be damaging to careers and business.A search for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, leads you to a 72-second video of him attempting to motivate the work force by wild gyrations and screaming on stage.Coined, "The Monkey Dance," on the Net, there are multiple websites directing you to the "Original Monkey Boy Gyrations," and a listing appears in the second line on Google.

There can also be a case of mistaken identity.Cynthia McKay, CEO of Le Gourmet Gift Basket, was surprised to learn that there is a British actress of the same name who has an established reputation in the porn industry.Kathy Peel, the CEO of Family Manager, found another namesake who won the Miss Plus American pageant for large sized women.Some CEO's use their middle initial or full name to avoid confusion with others of the same name in a different industry.

Continue reading "Executives Are "Ego-Surfing" For Business Information"

Development Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems: Phase III

Before beginning our discussion of The Development Phase, let's recap. In Phase I (Discovery) we learned how your organization specifies the project mission, objectives and effectiveness criteria. Phase II (Planning) entailed setting requirements for project tools, budgets and schedules to manage your project.

Strong Policy and Procedure System

Now, I'm no entertainment mogul, but The Development Phase reminds me of producing a Hollywood movie. When we sit in a theater and watch the latest blockbuster, we see a finished product and assume it was made pretty much as it looks. And we would be wrong. Making a movie, much like the process of building a strong policy and procedure system, is a non-linear process with a tremendous amount of "behind the scenes" support.

Management and Project Leader

Just as every great movie is guided by a talented Director; your effort to build an effective management system requires a skilled Project Leader. The role is especially critical in the Development Phase because it is during this stage that the time, effort and expense of the entire project cast is involved, and much like the actual shooting phase of a film production, it can consume up to 50% of your project cost.

What skills make a strong Project Leader? Besides the obvious qualities of good organizational, communication and time management skills, I include policy and procedure or process development expertise. Depending on your staff, this may require an outside resource.

Continue reading "Development Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems: Phase III"

Planning Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems

Have you ever had the opportunity to watch the construction of a large building? The daily progress from foundation to top floor is truly amazing, and if you're like me, you wonder "how does it all happen?" The answer: it takes a lot of planning.

The Planning Phase

A complex construction job clearly requires planning in excruciating detail to orchestrate materials and manpower. Inadequate planning can result in waste, delays and a shoddy end-product.

Building an effective management system is equally dependent on executing a strong planning phase. This article is the second of five that describe how to build such a system in your organization.

Writing Procedures

The planning stage is arguably the most important step in any large-scale project. If you fail to plan properly, everything else will likely follow this failure.

Continue reading "Planning Procedures for Building Effective Management Systems"

Leadership Development And Jumping Out of Airships

A German silent film melodrama depicts an airship bombing London during World War I. Lit up by searchlights and strafed by fighters, the crippled airship loses altitude as the captain frantically jettisons dispensable gear to lighten weight. Eventually, the only weight left is human. So the captain orders members of the crew overboard. A grisly scene unfolds as the airmen, one by one, without parachutes, step up to the hatch, salute the captain and the first mate, then jump to their deaths. Lightened, the airship returns safely to Germany.

That scene is not a relic. It's happening in corporations frequently these days, clearly not as fact but metaphor. Companies, shot up in the cross fires of increasingly competitive markets, must lighten their loads to get earnings' growth buoyancy. The captains are jettisoning all but the indispensable employees. Commonly, one of the first functions to be ordered out is the training function in particular, leadership training or leadership development.

Many company heads view such training as dispensable as the airship crew in the melodrama.

Yet leadership isn't dispensable to business success. It's absolutely indispensable. Good leaders are far more important to the long term success of companies than good products. All organizations that fail to get, keep, and develop good leaders eventually founder. This isn't a secret. Most leaders know this.

Continue reading "Leadership Development And Jumping Out of Airships"

How to Improve Your Management Procedures' Usability

Are your people consistently following your procedures? Each year, organizations lose thousands of dollars through common mistakes and lapses in usability. But what does that mean for business owners and executives?

Ask yourself:

- Are your required actions described thoroughly and accurately, or are the details left open to interpretation?

- Is your content consistent and complete, or are your writers leaving gaps no one has noticed?

- Are revisions controlled, or are different people using different versions?

- Are your procedures compliant with regulations? Are you sure?

- Are all documents written to produce clear, measurable results?

If you're unsure about any of the answers to these questions, there is good news: you can make your procedures clear and complete without combing through all of them yourself line by line. You have invested in your procedures; now ensure you are communicating clear expectations, and your professionalism, with the best tools possible.

Continue reading "How to Improve Your Management Procedures' Usability"

Einstein, The Universe, and Leadership

Every since serving a hitch in the military, I have been nagged by the question that's been hanging around leadership since time immemorial: How can some leaders persuade people to believe in them and follow them and other leaders can't? But it wasn't the military that provided me with a framework to answer that question. It was Albert Einstein and his quest for the unified field theory of the universe.

Einstein is well known for his special and general theories of relativity, two of the crowning intellectual achievements of the 20th century. But what he is not so well known for is a magnificent quest that he carried on for some 30 years - and ultimately failed in. That was his quest for a unified field theory of the universe, a theory that explains all the forces of the universe. And it was a quest that inspired me, in my small way, to find an answer to the leadership question.

Einstein's special theory combined space and time into a single concept known as the space-time continuum. He spent the rest of his life failing to develop a unified field theory that incorporated gravity into the electromagnetic field. But it wasn't his trying to solve the conundrums of physics that inspired me. It was his trying to unify the grand forces of the universe that's so compelling.

Continue reading "Einstein, The Universe, and Leadership"

6 Ways Bosses Make it Harder

How owners and managers make hurt employee performance.

Most discussions of management and leadership talk about what to do to help people be their best. Here are six ways executives and entrepreneurs routinely do the opposite.

(Click here to read Ten Entrepreneurial Mistakes.)


1)They don't provide a vision for the company.

Today, most companies have a vision, and most of these visions wind up as nicely written statements on wooden plaques. These are the "visions and missions" employees scoff at. But without a clear and compelling company direction, employees have no real freedom of action. Without a north star to follow, the best they can do is what they are told - a rather low performance position.

Everyone knows executives need a vision, but it is not just having a vision that's important, it is sharing the vision, bringing people into the vision, bringing that vision alive--which makes the real performance difference. When people align with themselves with the company goals, they are free to invent, to improvise, to innovate, to inspire each other. They are free to do great work.

Continue reading "6 Ways Bosses Make it Harder"

95% of Workers Fail Because of This...But They Can Fix It

Did you know that your career success is based on your mastery of one important skill?

Failure to apply your leadership power usually prevents you from realizing success in the workplace.

The organizational chart may not show you as a leader but you can act like a leader if you choose to do so.

Leadership power is the primary cause of successful outcomes, great achievements and evolutionary progress.

Most people think only executives, presidents and generals possess any leadership power but the facts reveal another truth - power is held by those who know where to obtain it and how to share it with others.

The problem with many of us is this - we need to learn how to empower our skills, enhance our competence and energize our leadership power.

Power Principle 1 - Invest in your Infrastructure!

Your infrastructure contains the elements that will make leadership power available to you. You must invest the time and effort needed to build a strong, capable infrastructure.

Continue reading "95% of Workers Fail Because of This...But They Can Fix It"

The 6 Characteristics of A Successful Coach

It takes some special talents and behaviors to be a successful coach. In order to direct and positively impact the professional lives of those in your charge, you'll need to exhibit the following:

Empathy - Remember when you were the employee? Put yourself into those shoes again and identify with the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of others.

Compassion - Genuine concern for your employees is paramount. Yes, you want them to do a wonderful job and to perform to the best of their ability, but you should also feel and show authentic caring for the overall person.

Communication - Since coaching, in its most basic sense, is a series of informal conversations, you'll want to have the skills to interact with employees freely and effectively.

Organization - As a coach, you'll want to stay on track with the progress your employees are making. Follow-through is vital in order to help employees move forward with their plans of action.

Patience - Being a coach can sometimes be challenging. Be prepared to take lots of deep breaths.

Continue reading "The 6 Characteristics of A Successful Coach"

5 Creative Evolutionary Leadership Niches!

I have a short story to share with you about an important skill many leaders need to develop, use and perfect.

Life is a journey. The signposts along the path pointing out the way are many and are sometimes hard to understand.

We hear news stories telling us it is the dawning of a knowledge-based society. As a leader, you may wonder about the amount of knowledge that is reported to be so plentiful.

You recognize the many difficulties challenging you, weakening your leadership power and reducing your control over Fate.

Where can people like you and your associates carry the burdens hidden in the vast amounts of data flooding your mind everyday?

Would you like to know what your leadership responses should be when facing your universe of fragmented situations, advantages and information?

Continue reading "5 Creative Evolutionary Leadership Niches!"

Qualities of a Transformational Leader

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things."Inscription From Machiavelli's Tomb


I've developed the following list of qualities needed by a leader who is trying to transform their organization.

Focus on what's possible, rather than on what is likely.

Seek new ways of working, new ways of getting things done

Seek opportunities in the face of risk

Value effectiveness over efficiency

Don't react to circumstances, instead seek to shape and create new ones.

Emphasize individual responsibility for measurable results

Question old assumptions, because the are old assumptions

Continue reading "Qualities of a Transformational Leader"

Managers Who Tap Into PR's Value

Business, non-profit and association managers get a ton of satisfaction when they do something really positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their operation. Especially when they deliver external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives; and even more so when they persuade those important outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help their department, division or subsidiary succeed.

Or, if this doesn't sound all that familiar, is the money you spend on public relations pretty much dedicated to buying personnel mentions in the newspaper and product plugs on radio talk shows?

Want to branch out a bit and get some core PR benefits?

Continue reading "Managers Who Tap Into PR's Value"

How Values Affect Leadership

When we engage in the process of reviewing a leader in the conventional sense of the word, meaning as a person who is in charge of guiding others toward a certain goal, we cannot escape also examining his or her values.

In leadership, there are two types of values that play an important role:
1) Personal values: those perceptions about what matters and what not, what is important and what not, and what is allowed and what not. These values are mainly inherited from one's upbringing in a certain environment.
2) Organizational values: the principles that are fundamental to the institution the leader leads. These values are, in turn, oftentimes determined by the local political, economical, and social values.

The first term that comes to mind when reviewing the above categories is: compatibility. There has to be at least some overlapping between these two types of values. A leader who is very religious, for instance, should probably not get involved in an organization that is anti religion or pro violence. That is, of course, if his or her religion is a peaceable one.

Continue reading "How Values Affect Leadership"

The 3 Pillars for Good Managerial Decision-Making

Decision-making: a point that is crucial to good management. And one that should be approached with care, as it involves great risks. For let's be honest: it would be wonderful to have all the information at hand when you have to make a decision, wouldn't it? However, 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work that way! We have to make almost all our decisions based on incomplete information.

One of the things you have to be sure about is that before making a decision you really understand the problem or opportunity at hand. You should also make sure that you are comfortable choosing from the options you have. If not, you may want to consider waiting a while...unless the waiting will eliminate some very good options!

You probably already see it: decision-making is a delicate matter. Aside from all the attention points mentioned above, there are 3 points you may want to focus on when facing decisions:

Continue reading "The 3 Pillars for Good Managerial Decision-Making"

THE PROBLEM WITH MANAGEMENT - PART 3 (Simplicity for Success)

In the story so far, I have suggested that management languishes in the industrial dark ages. I have pointed the finger at an upside-down management culture. And I have suggested that being a manager is like being a cyclist because, well, the analogy works - and I happen to like cycling. Let's ride this particular bicycle home.

In early July this year, cyclist Lance Armstrong will try to win a record breaking sixth straight Tour de France. Winning this three-week, 3500km event just once requires overcoming enormous obstacles. So to have won it five times on end is simply awesome.

How does he do it? Yes, there is enormous personal preparation and effort involved. But this would amount to little if not for the approach and support of his U.S. Postal Service team.

Continue reading "THE PROBLEM WITH MANAGEMENT - PART 3 (Simplicity for Success)"

Managers: Why PR is SO Key

When outside audiences important to your operation do not understand what you are all about or, worse, harbor misconceptions, inaccuracies, untruths and false assumptions about you, you are likely to suffer negative, key audience behaviors that can prevent you from achieving your operating objectives.

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you simply cannot avoid such consequences when you allow external target audiences to hold negative perceptions about you which lead inevitably to those hurtful behaviors.

If this describes your operation, why not do something about it now?

Spend some time with the public relations people assigned to your department, division or subsidiary. Review together the fundamental premise of public relations which contains the answer to the challenges outlined above.

Continue reading "Managers: Why PR is SO Key"

The Top 10 Reasons Businesses Succeed

Only one of every 5 businesses makes it to its 5th year, and fewer still make it to 10 years. What do the successful businesses have in common?

1. The experience and skills of the top managers. Over half of business failures are directly related to managerial incompetence.

2. The energy, persistence and resourcefulness (the will to make the business succeed) of the top managers. Many business owners have failed or come close several times before their "instant" success. Don't give up.

3. A product that is at least a cut above the competition and service that doesn't get in the way of people buying. There must be a compelling reason to buy; the product is great, the people love to provide service, and the buying experience is easy and fun.

Continue reading "The Top 10 Reasons Businesses Succeed"

Managers: Why Not PR Like This?

I mean public relations that presumes from the get-go that the right message, strategy and communications tactics can change perceptions among each of your business, non-profit or association audiences. And do so in a way that produces the behaviors you need to achieve your objectives.

It all comes together when you persuade those important outside audiences to your way of thinking by doing something about their perceptions, thus moving many of them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

I believe the Rosetta Stone that allows such "magic" to happen is the fundamental premise of public relations, and it looks like this: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Continue reading "Managers: Why Not PR Like This?"

What a Leader Should Consider

One of the interesting parts of being a college professor is, that you can obtain the most interesting and holistic pictures of the examined topics, through the fairly straightforward process of horizonalization, which is placing all answers from all participants on one level and subsequently eliminating the redundant parts.

On my question: "What, in your opinion, are the most important aspects for a leader to consider?" my students recently came up with the following.

A good leader should consider:

* His or her mission and vision. The strength of a leader starts with having a clearly defined purpose in life.

* His or her conviction and the most appropriate leadership style, given this conviction.

Continue reading "What a Leader Should Consider"

The Problem With Management - Part 2: The Upside-Down Manager

(Read Part 1 at https://groups.yahoo.com/group/aabusiness/message/6509)

Have you ever noticed how much more relaxed things are when the boss is away? Or the feeling of freedom you get when another department is attracting all the boss's attention, leaving you relatively free to get on with the job? Somewhere behind the cause of these liberations lies the heart of the problem with management.

As a manager, you have a job to get done. No matter what your rank or what size the organization, you are accountable for making sure that something happens. It might be generating sales at a certain level, keeping the customers happy, achieving target production rates, balancing the books - or all of these and more.

Continue reading "The Problem With Management - Part 2: The Upside-Down Manager"

Can You Say No?

As a manager you are constantly being asked to do things - by your boss, by one of your fellow managers, by the head of another department, by one of your staff.

Your working life is a constant bombardment of requests coming from all quarters.

Your boss will ask you for a quick report on something or other in time for his upcoming meeting with the directors or his visit to see overseas customers. The report is, of course, very urgent.

Or you will be asked to give a presentation about some aspect of your department's work to colleagues elsewhere in the company. It will be an important communication between departments and will result in good publicity for you, your team, and its work.

Continue reading "Can You Say No?"

Why Bosses Don't Get All the News

Not long ago, a friend who works in television complained that the industry has no interest in real business stories. And, I had to agree with him, since we don't see much coverage that doesn't involve stock prices or some sort of scandal.

But, there has been one important exception. A few years ago, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) began airing a business show that became as popular as some of its regular prime-time fare (American and Canadian television networks followed up with their own versions of the program).

Fast Company magazine told us about the BBC program, which sees CEOs leaving their corner offices for a stint on the front lines. And, as they work on the front lines, the cameras are rolling.

Continue reading "Why Bosses Don't Get All the News"
FREE: Get More Leads!
How To Get More LeadsSubscribe to our free newsletter and get our "How To Get More Leads" course free via email. Just enter your first name and email address below to subscribe.
First Name *
Email *


Get More Business Info
Business Info
Marketing and Sales
Technology
Finance
Manufacturing
Small Business
Investing


Sponsored Links
Recent Articles


Sponsored Links

Copyright 2003-2020 by BusinessKnowledgeSource.com - All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy, Terms of Use