Archive for the 'Leadership' Category

Nov 09 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”R”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Age & Aging,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Communication,Contacts/Networking,Customer Service (CRM),Decision Making,Economy,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Goals,Innovation,Leadership,Life Plans,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Objectives,Observations,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Politics/Gov't,Problems=Opportunities,Professional Practices,Reality,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Tactics,Trust

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

“R”…REVITALIZATION

 

There is a BUSINESS “Fountain of Youth.” Yes, there is. And in my humble judgement, at least half if not three quarters of America’s 30 million small businesses could stand a splash or two, or a cupful to drink (Uh, from the Fountain of Youth!)… right now, today, before or over this weekend at the latest. But quickly. 

                                                         

Why?

  • Because our economic quagmire has been made worse, relentlessly fueled by our wildly out-of-step-with-reality White House. And now is the time to act.

  • Because the White House is in cahoots with brainless, greedy union leadership, and a sea of corporate incompetence. And now is the time to act.

  • The combined political pursuits have succeeded in choking off America’s entrepreneurial spirit and –with it, the nation’s only real hope for new job creation– small business innovation and success. And now is the time to act.

                                                        

So where else is there left to turn? The Business Fountain of Youth! It can nourish, renew, reinvent, refresh, and revitalize. Even as you dip just one toe into it, the youth of your past will rise again.

Okay, says you, where is this place, this fountain? How do I make it work for me? The answers after this. (Sound like a TV news lead-in to a commercial break?) Well, before I reveal the Business Fountain of Youth secrets, I need to ask you to step away from your business long enough to take stock in where you and your business stand.

Where are you, mindset-wise, at this moment? Inventory your goods and services, your staff if you have one, your supporters, your suppliers (everyone from sales reps to maintenance and delivery services). Go ahead and mull this over for a few minutes. I’ll wait.

Good. Now, to move forward with what you have –your existing resources– what’s the next step you need to take for yourself? With your business? Can you be more specific? Go ahead and be specific. I’ll wait again. Go on. There now, I see you crossed some T’s and dotted some i’s… nice work!

Next, ask yourself how flexible you can be with your specific mission? Can you feel okay about redefining the details? About changing the timing, context, parameters? What IS the timing? Put a deadline on this. Put one on yourself.

(But, aha, for purposes of protecting your sanity, make sure you can live with needing to change your self-assigned due date if you feel that need arise at some point.)

Great! Now do a reality check. Is what you’re thinking about right this minute as the road you need to travel, a realistic objective? How realistic?

Oh, right, I was going to give you the scoop on The Business Fountain of Youth — where it is, how to access it, and what to expect. Well, here’s what you need to know:

A) The Business Fountain of Youth is inside you. It is what you make of what you already have.

B) You have just completed a revitalization process by awakening yourself and by answering the questions posed in the format prescribed. You have, in essence, redefined your goals by following the proven trail for addressing and structuring (or re-structuring) necessary goal criteria:

Realistic – Specific – Flexible – Due-dated

 

Without goals that use those four criteria, you are merely wishing and hoping, and that will get you nowhere. Forward motion means getting started, and getting started means looking carefully within your SELF. In other words, REVITALIZATION Starts At Home!                                                                                  

 

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Hal@Businessworks.US  302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

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Nov 08 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”Q”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Anger/Conflict,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Contacts/Networking,Customer Service (CRM),Empathy,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Leadership,Life Plans,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Observations,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Politics/Gov't,Productivity,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Stress Management,Tactics

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “Q”…QUICK

 

Quicksand? No. Quick draw? No. Quick start? Almost. This is about how I’ve seen successful business owners and managers apply four of my father’s favorite words for motivating me and my brother:

“QUICK LIKE A BUNNY”

                                                                       

No matter what you may be thinking about bunnies, you have to admit they are quick as they go about their business. No nonsense about “all things come to he who waits” — or about the one time a tortoise beat one of ’em in some race. “Slow and steady” was it? Hmmm, surely that was before txt msgs!

Every one of us deals with someone who’s slow on the road, in line, at the counter, on the phone, responding to an email, walking on the sidewalk or in or out of an elevator or building. Most of us act more courteously than we feel because we –most of us, I believe– tend to give the other (slow) person the benefit of doubt, right?

Well, we might mutter . . . maybe he’s lost; maybe she has a vision problem; maybe they just got married; maybe it’s his first job; maybe she’s got a big problem to deal with at home; maybe he’s writing a book. Hey, most of us can be patient when we run into delays. Not all of us and not all delays, but speaking generally.

Leading the parade of exceptions of course  is the kid in the 4-wheeled boombox, baseball hat on backwards, who’s doing 50mph in a 50mph zone but is somewhere between ten and eleven inches from your trunk, who we consider tapping the brakes at or launching some windshield washer fluid, y’think?

But, no, not a good idea. Next thing is we’d get abused for practicing road rage (or shot at in some cities, which I’ll leave to your imagination to list). “What’s your hurry?” I’ve heard. “All of life is just one big interruption anyway!” I’ve heard. But then, uh oh, there’s that little ghost voice of my father’s in the back of my head nudging me forward:

 “QUICK LIKE A BUNNY!”

                                                              

And guess what?He was right (well, mostly). Whenever something needed doing, whatever the task, personal or business, it was get-out-of-the-way time. Maybe he invented the “Life in the fastlane” term? So where is all this leading? To developing and practicing an action attitude . . . unless you’re 92 and playing checkers on a barrel.

Today’s business world is all about pleasing –delighting– the customer because customers are the only entities that make your business truly recession-proof (especially now as we enter The Great Obama Depression). Being highly responsive to customers (both internal and external) means acting now and analyzing later.

Instead of “I’ll look into that for you and call you back tomorrow,” look into it now and ask if the other person can wait while you get an immediate answer. Too many excuses and delays send customers and prospects up the walls — followed by rapidly considering other options, including your competitors. 

Customer loyalty motto for 2011 and (at least) 2012 is “What have you done for me lately?” If your answer to this starts with , “Why, just last week . . .” you’re talking about ancient history. It is never too quick to take a step on behalf of those who support your business, from employees and suppliers, to customers and prospects.

If you go too quick and make a mistake, there’s time to recover and correct it. If you go too slow, by the time you straighten out a screw-up, the customer will be headed off into the sunset. Go for it. Today. Now. Right now. It’s your choice to help others choose you and your business. LEADERSHIP = RESPONSIVENESS

                                                     
 

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Hal@Businessworks.US  302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Nov 06 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”O”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Advertising,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Calendar,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Corporate Management,Creative Thinking,Decision Making,Delegation,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Feedback,Innovation,Leadership,Lifestyle,Management,Marketing,Motivation,Objectives/Strategies/Tactics,Observations,People Management,Personal Growth,Productivity,Professional Practices,Public Relations,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Retailing,Sales,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Stress Management,Teamwork,Time Management,Writing

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “O”…ORGANIZATION 

 

It was going to be “O” for “Operations” but a few years back the world’s surgeons decided that “Procedures” would be a gentler, less-threatening sounding  word to use in describing what happens when they take a scalpel to your body.  And as businesses became more specialized, “Operations” began to dissolve from usage in the business community too.  So with all that phasing out activity, I came back to one of the most important multi-purpose “O” words for life and small business success: ORGANIZATION.

~~~~~~~

There are 30 million of us (small business owners and entrepreneurs) kicking around out there, somewhere between Hawaii, Florida, Maine, and Alaska (Whew! A lot of kicking!), and —artistic, creative types not withstanding– those among us with the strongest sense of organization will generally prevail in the success arena.

“Organization” is both the dynamics of the people you’re involved with — what’s the business “chemistry”?– AND how effective are your planning and doing (action) skills? “Team chemistry” wins in sports (Just re-live World Series Game 6 a few days ago), but it also –like people and task organizing skills– wins in business.

There are of course, entire books, courses, and training programs devoted to OD (Organizational Development), so don’t expect a 700-word crash course here, but you can expect to have your cage rattled. After all, who else is going to risk being in your face and telling you to get your act together better than you have been? Right. Read on.

Now, most of what I do is write, design, create, sell, email, meet, and talk on the phone, so I’m not exactly the world’s most organized guy, but –thanks to Kathy– most all of the organizational chores associated with running a business are taken care of by her capable hands and organized brain. She actually excels at it. (Thank heaven!)

So one important rule of thumb is that if organization skills escape you, or you don’t want to justify the time it takes to sort out, prioritize, plan, and execute tasks, find someone you can trust and rely on (almost always, by the way, a spouse, because no one else really shares your values) to do the scheduling, paperwork, computer tasks, etc.

And since you probably have two thumbs, another important rule is to give up one hour every Monday to meet with your organization person or team to review progress and problems, and get the ducks in a row. (Monday, because issues can be dealt with during the week; issues raised on Thursday or Friday never get done). 

I read somewhere that a famous sales guru I’ve always admired, made a dumb statement. He said It’s not time you need to manage; it’s your attitude. I understand the intent, but in reality, all entrepreneurs, by definition, have a positive attitude. Managing time is the challenge because we have only a limited amount of it available.

Not to belabor the point, but there are just so many seconds in a minute, so many minutes in an hour, so many hours in a day, so many days in a week, so many weeks in a month, so many months in a year . . . and just so many years in a lifetime, assuming you’re not from outer space just because you might act it! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) 

There are at least 3 zillion magic formulas for managing your emails. If you limit phone call message returns from 11:30am until noon, and from 4:30pm until 5pm, you will be more productive. People do not want to talk too much when they’re thinking about lunch or heading home.

When you make to-do lists, date them and chunk them up into small parts of big tasks. Prioritize item urgency. Cross the done deeds off with a highlighter so you can look back to see what was accomplished. If you really must use other than pen and pad because you are laptop or handheld-addicted, it’s not great, but better than nothing.

In short, experiment, but do whatever works best for you. Whatever you do– don’t ignore or avoid focusing on the getting-ready-to-act parts of your business before you charge headlong into them. Not being organized is a common entrepreneurial ailment that can crush a venture before it ever gets off the ground. Ready? Set? Go!

                                                                                               

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Hal@Businessworks.US  302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

 Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Nov 03 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”N”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Creative Thinking,Decision Making,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Feedback,Innovation,Leadership,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Objectives,Observations,People Management,Personal Growth,Politics/Gov't,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Strategies,Tactics,Trust

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

“N”…NAME,

                            

NEARSIGHTEDNESS,

                             

NEGOTIATIONS,

                          

AND NEIGHBORSHIP

 

                                        

Well, there you go. Stumped for the first time about which topic to focus on, so if it’s okay with you, we’ll explore a little of each, and hope to hit on a button or two that piques your interest.

                                  

Q.  

What’s in a name? 

A. 

For an entrepreneur, practically everything that’s needed to get off on the right foot because the name explains the business… or practically nothing because the name is so whimsical or ill-thought-out that it takes an army of interpreters to clarify what the new venture is all about. Word differences make a difference.
 
I’m not discounting exceptions. I mean, who knew that some genius would come up with “Nike” and turn it into a household name? But the issue goes much deeper than the one in probably a trillion (good number these days, eh?) names that say nothing about the product or service and that succeeds in spite of itself.
 
The strength or weakness of a business name in communicating the nature of the business, and hopefully the unique strength of it as well, speaks volumes about the innovative business savvy and creative spirit of the founder. And in many cases, this impression translates directly into sales.

                                 

RECOMMENDATION: When you think you’ve come up with the world’s greatest business, product, or service name, odds are it’s not. Bite the bullet: go to an expert in creative marketing and branding. Pay what you’ll likely think is an obscene amount and let that person or team tweak your creation or come up with a better one. Then test it!

                                               

Q. 

Nearsightedness? What’s that all about? 

A.

Looking at things too closely. Attention to detail is one thing, analyzing issues to death is quite another. It’s what paralyzes government agencies and mega-corporations and prevents risk-taking which prevents growth opportunities and discourages innovation.
 
This (business nearsightedness) is an especially destructive path when it takes attention away from the present to delve into the mysterious and unchangeable “who-did-what-to-whom” past. Dwelling on what’s over and done wastes time, energy and money. Worrying about the future which hasn’t yet come (and may never) is just as bad.

                                

RECOMMENDATION: If you can’t see what’s going on right in front of your face every hour of your workday, get your eyes examined. If new or upgraded glasses don’t help, get your head examined. Choosing for your mind to drift too often or too far into the history books or the Twilight Zone doesn’t serve to get the job at hand done, or done right.

                                                    

Q.

Negotiations? Every situation is different, sooo?

A.

Yes, every situation is indeed different. And there’s never any telling what to expect from someone on the other side of the desk or table. So, Rule One, is get up from behind the desk and sit without furniture barriers between you (clipboards work wonders in these settings). With a table, sit on the same side.
 
If you’re in someone else’s territory, simply ask if the person(s) would mind sitting away from desk interruptions, and be able to use the couch or the chairs with nothing between them or a small table (or a restaurant, or golf course). The trick is to not get yourself locked into a physical setting that puts you on edge or at a disadvantage.

                                          

 RECOMMENDATION: Be yourself. If someone “buys” you when you’re trying to be someone you’re not, you will be expected to deliver what the someone you’re not is imagined to be capable of. Think on that one for a minute.

                                     

Q.

What’s “Neighborship”? Sounds unbusinesslike, like something from Mr. Rogers or Sesame Street.

A.

One answer is that both Mr. Rogers and Sesame Street have taught millions of people better entrepreneur lessons than Harvard Graduate School of Business has ever even come close to, but that we tend to forget a lot of the values communicated in our younger days. The best answer is to click here for a dedicated link to the subject.

                                       

RECOMMENDATION: Tune in here tomorrow for “O” — Happy Trails!

                                                                              
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Hal@Businessworks.US   302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

 Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Nov 02 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”M”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Contacts/Networking,Corporate Management,Decision Making,Delegation,Economy,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Feedback,Good Health,Leadership,Lifestyle,Listening,Management,Meetings,Motivation,Observations,People Management,Personal Growth,Politics/Gov't,Problems=Opportunities,Productivity,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Sales,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Stress Management,Tactics,Teamwork,Trust

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “M”…MANAGEMENT

 

 FREEDOM

 

M B W U

is the new management methodology

for 2016 and beyond, but it needs

to be cranked up now!

                                                                              
“Huh?” say all you corporate muckity-muck types who came here for a shot of entrepreneurial adrenaline . . . you who pride yourselves on being keyed into the latest approaches to management and business leadership . . . Yes, it’s MBWU, and by now you’ve probably guessed the first two because you’re a shrewd student of business.
                                  
You think maybe I mean MBWA – Management By Walking Around? No, I would have said that.
 
MBWA is arguably the most sensible and productive form of management leadership theory in existence — at least until now.  But times have changed, and we are now nearly waist-deep in this economic quagmire with no end in sight and very few ways to lift one foot from the muck to put in front of the other.
 
Managing by walking around is no longer as realistic with many businesses that have found global growth a viable solution to the choking American dollar. For many, digital visits (video conferencing, webinars, etc.) have stepped out of the shadows, but most small businesses still rely on personal physical visits from the boss.

                                    

Okay, so what’s MBWU?

                                        

Aha! Thought you’d never ask. MBWU stands for “Management By Waking Up”!  The approach has multiple meanings, which may include walking around, but with a different emphasis. The MBWA problem-solving, problem-prevention and rah-rah visits give rise now to taking action. MBWU is a “call to action” methodology.
 
Since some action always beats no action, and since the opposite approach: ISQ (Investment in the Status Quo) means sufficient capital must be available to be able to invest in the first place, small business owners are left high and dry. Either there’s no money to invest, or there is, but you don’t trust the options.
 
Certainly, there is no incentive or reason to trust government promises enough to proceed with creating the new jobs many of America’s 30 million small business owners are capable of creating, even though they represent the only viable and historically-proven solution to the unemployment puzzle and to turning the economy around.

 

 So, VOILA! It’s time to wake up! MBWU means:

A) Getting up every morning and taking a good, hard look in the mirror, rubbing your forehead vigorously for 3-5 seconds, and admonishing your self to “Wake Up!”

B) Getting going! Take your wake-up call to work, and share it generously with genuine positive praise and sincere encouragement. Turn on your charm and authenticity.

C) Starting every action and response to others’ actions with a deep breath and a self-commitment to stay focused on where things ARE, and how to make them better along the way to where things need to go.

D) Knowing in your heart of hearts that true wake-up calls require open-mindedness.

 
The more open-minded and receptive you can be (and the better listener you can be) and the greater your sense of urgency, the more that opportunities will surface that usher in new avenues and prospects for new business from existing and old customers, as well as new business from new customers.
 
You are likely to uncover entirely new revenue streams that would not ordinarily surface in businesses where owners and managers remain inactive, and distance themselves from reasonable risk-taking..
 
All MBWU progress is of course enhanced by being able to experience a decent night’s sleep from the git go. It’s hard to wake-up and make better use of resources, better decisions about priorities and people, when, for example, you’ve been out late partying the night before or are in a high-stress environment at home, or haven’t exercised or eaten properly.
 
So the 1/3 of your MBWU life rests squarely on the 1/3 of your life that you spend sleeping, which rests squarely on how you manage and treat and believe in your SELF. Are you ready? Got a plan? Are you set? Go!

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Hal@Businessworks.US

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

 Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Nov 01 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”L”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Corporate Management,Creative Thinking,Decision Making,Delegation,Economy,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Feedback,Innovation,Leadership,Lifestyle,Listening,Management,Motivation,Observations,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Productivity,Professional Practices,Reality,Reputation,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Teamwork,Trust

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “L”…LEADERSHIP

 

So much has been written on this subject, here and elsewhere (and no where as meaningfully, in my opinion , as Rudy Giuliani’s book, LEADERSHIP), yet it cannot be ignored here as the “L” topic. Without it, there is no business –yours or anyone’s. With it, even when it’s as pathetic as that which we see (and don’t see) from the White House, there’s always at least a remote chance of success hovering above the clouds of follower discontent.

The problem we face as entrepreneurs and small business owners and managers is that –unlike some careers in science, accounting, programming, and assembly line manufacturing– small business startup and development success is determined as much by effective leadership as by the central ideas, products, and services represented.

And leadership doesn’t spill out of a cereal box, a webinar, an MBA program, Fortune magazine, or a fortune cookie. Leadership comes from inside you. It is, more than anything, an attitude. It is responsiveness. It is a show of good faith and respect for others. It is having exceptional communication and motivational skills.

But–above all else— it is having a personal foundation cornerstoned by authenticity, integrity, and trust. The closest thing to spontaneous rise-to-the-occasion leadership comes from the military when opportunities to plan and prepare may not always exist. It is otherwise a role most of us grow into of necessity and develop accidentally.

I’ve worked with and written about leaders being most effective when they pull instead of push, when they solicit input instead of quash it, when they reward failures for the effort and inspire others to top performance rather than berate others for failures and constantly prod to produce productivity.

Truly effective leaders are truly transparent in both words and deeds.

                                        

Having a “take charge” attitude is a great asset for leadership when it’s exercised quietly, but having a take charge behavior –acting out internal convictions often results in a non-productive fearsome or obnoxious reputation that diminishes responsiveness and commitment by others. Instead, challenge others to take risks.

It’s a thin line, leadership. And walking the walk counts for substance and achievement. Talking the talk is for shallow minds and empty suits. Your business counts for something important to you. Working at continuous improvement of your leadership skills will move that “something Important” closer to reality.

And you have that new opportunity to be the best leader you can be for your business every hour of every day. Look for ways to measure how you’re coming across to others. Practice what you preach. Ask for feedback, Encourage innovative thinking (taking creative ideas all the way to implementation). Reward with praise.

Be sincere. Be honest. Be an example, Be the leadership you seek to inspire. Watch your business grow.

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Hal@Businessworks.US

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

 Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Oct 31 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”K”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Corporate Management,Decision Making,Delegation,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Goals,Leadership,Life Plans,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Observations,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Problems=Opportunities,Productivity,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Self-Confidence,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Strategies,Tactics,Time Management

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “K”…KALEIDOSCOPIC

[You were expecting maybe

kangaroos, kaput, keeper. keyboard, kicks, kisses, or kudos?]

 

 

KALEIDOSCOPIC (according to Writer’s Digest Books’ FLIP DICTIONARY) means “changeable, colorful, diverse, fluctuating, motley, protean, variable, and vivid”… a pretty decent 8-word description that can be applied to the characterizing of entrepreneurial instincts and behaviors, sooo…

So, let’s explore a little of how this word impacts small business ownership and management. Since Kaleidoscopic implies an ever-changing view, it also suggests having kaleidoscopic vision. No, not “VISION” as in fancy corporate Vision Statements, not that kind… it’s more in the context of having eyes in the back of your head.

Now every entrepreneur can relate to that, right?

When you own or manage a small business — everything from a one-man-band functioning out of your kitchen, basement or garage, to a staff of 300 operating out of an industrial park complex, or a crowded office of five or ten– you must keep your antennas up and be on the lookout 24/7 for problems, potential problems, and opportunities (remembering of course that every problem is an opportunity!).

Running your own business is a lot like taking a scout group of twenty ten-year-olds on a camping trip. [Rule One is to make sure you have plenty of adult help!] You no sooner get a tent up and find yourself first-aiding a youngster with a cut knee. As you apply the bandage, another child, soaking wet from falling in the stream is in your face.

You start a fire to dry off the wet clothes and yet another camper has made off into the woods with two burning branches . . . you get the picture (or know it all too well). It is not instinctive for most of us to be firefighters at work. Corporate leaders in fact are trained not to be (real leaders plan, plan, delegate, delegate, etc.). 

But no matter what size your business, you cannot delegate responsibility. This means what comes around from putting your shoulder to the wheel stays on your shoulders, and heavy shoulders make kaleidoscopic vision difficult if not impossible. How do you turn your head when there’s an anchor around your neck?

Yet business success is often largely attributable to being able to see opportunities as they surface. That leaves not too many options. Either function in moderation — keep your plate less than full and avoid over-stress (HA! Just a joke.) — or learn the best ways to manage your attitude and your time to keep a kaleidoscopic balance.

When you can get to the point of anticipating without having packed too many parachutes and umbrellas and BandAids, when you can take things day-at-a-time yet have some long and short-term plans (and alternate routes) worked out, when you can stay focused in the here-and-now present moment: VOILA! You win!

By avoiding worry about future events that haven’t yet come (and may never), and by avoiding dwelling on past events that are over and will never return, and that can’t be changed, you are more than halfway to success. The rest depends on what you see that works for you in the rest of this BIZ ALPHABET series. Scroll away! 

                                          

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Hal@Businessworks.US   302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

 Make today a GREAT day for someone!

No responses yet

Oct 30 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”J”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Anger/Conflict,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Contacts/Networking,Corporate Management,Decision Making,Economy,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Innovation,Leadership,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Politics/Gov't,Problems=Opportunities,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Strategic Planning,Stress Management,Tactics,Trust

 “J”…JUSTICE

 

The name of my youngest granddaughter’s favorite store and brand of clothing she can’t do without. Doled out daily by Judge Joe and Judge Judy (“WANT JUSTICE? www.JudgeJudy.com” is the TV screen message). It keeps The Lady Of’s scale balanced (an important thing in the face of such a mentally UNbalanced community as lawyers). We see the rich and privileged sidestep it, and the oppressed often get less of it.  

~ ~ ~

                                                                

In small business, justice is a slippery bar of soap. To most business owners and managers, justice is a less embracing concept than the 30 million of us would like. This is true primarily because UNjust decisions, taxes, regulations, and burdens of every description originate with and are doled out by government control-freaks.

Rising from the muck of federal and state political septic systems,those we ineptly seem to elect to office, quickly demonstrate that after speech-making and hand-shaking are done, just enough brain power remains to justify pre-occupation with getting re-elected, instead of with leadership over that which they’ve been chosen to govern.

Should we expect more? Not from those presently in office. From the White House on down, how can business owners and managers have hope where there’s no trust? How can there be trust where there’s no (zero) business experience or respect for entrepreneurial spirit and free market competition? But down the road? That’s your call!

What justice is there when a consultant and business owner sign a contract guaranteeing $500,000, in fees spread over three consecutive years of delivering mutually-agree-to deliverables, ends up with nothing (after making good on what’s promised to the client’s satisfaction)… because government strips the client bare with huge fines for following faulty government regulations? That’s called “Lose-Lose.”

Oh, contest it? A $15,000 legal fee escalated to $35,000 produces a favorable ruling for the consultant to be paid $60,000 because an intimidating, manipulative lawyer (there’s some other kind?) pushed the unsuspecting consultant into categorizing the contract as a “may” pay deal rather than a “will” pay one.

Well, $60,000 doesn’t even cover expenses, but, hey, it’s better than nothing, right? Wrong. Because to get a judgtement for the $60,000 means going to a different state and starting over with a new $40,000-fee law firm. Do the math. [Yes, this example is fictionalized to make a point, but it’s one that’s based on true events].

The message here is that justice is what you make of it for yourself by paying close(r) attention to everyday issues, by using inordinate care in those you choose to do business with, and –like those in the building trades– by always getting paid enough (typically one-third) up front to cover expenses (materials).

When the market is strong, construction guys rarely lose their businesses. After the one-third up front, they charge the second third halfway through the job (to cover salaries) and the last third on completion with satisfaction (to cover profit). Many top B to B services and creative service providers use the same formula.

When markets are NOT strong (which, since 2008, we all know all about), the exercising of increased attentiveness and due diligence before contracting outside services or purchasing from new suppliers is not just sound advice. It’s the way of capturing that often-elusive ingredient that will keep your scale of justice balanced.

Bottom line: Justice is rarely served in business by those outside of business. If you want that to change so you can spend more energy with your business and less with your stress, do something about it. November 6, 2012.

                                         

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Hal@Businessworks.US  302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

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Oct 24 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”I”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Anger/Conflict,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Contacts/Networking,Customer Service (CRM),Decision Making,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Happiness,Leadership,Lifestyle,Management,Motivation,Observations,People Management,Personal Growth,Problems=Opportunities,Productivity,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Retailing,Sales,Sales Process,Self-Confidence,Self-Esteem,Small Business,Trust

 “I”…INTEGRITY 

 

“Integrity is

doing the right thing

even when no one is watching.”

–  C.S. Lewis

A person of integrity. Everyone wants the label, but few ever earn it. What’s the roadblock? Human nature. It’s in our bones that when push comes to shove in times of trouble, and having integrity implies being generous — we tend instead to recoil and become selfish.

Integrity means keeping your promises. It means standing up for what you believe in no matter the cost. It suggests honorable behavior in the face of temptation to be dishonorable. What kinds of behavior constitute “dishonorable”? Surely, you can think of examples. Here are a few:

  • A business owner who consistently sells used or outdated products or services as new
  • An investor seeking 70% ownership in a business startup venture for cash infusion that represents just a dollar-value fraction of the entrepreneur’s confirmed and already contributed sweat equity.
  • A professional practice partner recruited under the guise of promised freedom to function in her area of specialization who is back-seated into generalist tasks through a contractual loophole.
  • A business partner who accepts responsibility for operations, but then instead spends fulltime efforts in sales which he knows nothing about.
  • The boss who repeatedly gets in the face of irate customers, rather than simply satisfying customer requests –even unreasonable ones.
  • The verbally-agreed-to partnership that’s thrown to the wind when one of the founders is introduced (by the discounted partner) to a money source . . . and the money source himself, who clearly places no value on the relationship or the investment opportunity.
  • Successful business owner refusal to provide growth opportunities for entry-level employees because increasing their responsibilities will force increased compensation packages.

The Dash To Integrity

                                      

Being selfish, as in greedy and being unnecessarily protective, is not the same as being self-ish as in “oriented toward one’s self,” which is a positive direction for personal growth.

Being tuned in to what makes you tick is the most effective tool available on the planet for having a better sense of how to deal most productively and most happily with others.

In fact, being self-ish is a direct road to integrity.

 Odd, isn’t it that a dash between “self” and “ish”

can make such a dramatic difference?

                                

Truth is that when we can be more focused on HOW we choose certain behaviors, we can then be more focused on improving ourselves by improving our own behaviors, which better equips us as leaders to more positively impact other’s behaviors.

It may be worth the reminder, by the way, that all of these actions build character and integrity.

All these actions are also choices. So the place to start or re-start yourself on the path to higher integrity –for yourself and your business– is to recognize that you can take initiative at the drop of a hat, or iPad. Simply make more choices in favor of integrity, and know that you are free to make those choices beginning this second! 

 

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Hal@Businessworks.US    302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

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Oct 23 2011

BIZ ALPHABET SERIES…”H”

Published by under "Here & Now" Focus,Anger/Conflict,Attitude,Best Practices,BRANDING,Business Growth,Business Life,Change,Choosing Behavior,Communication,Customer Service (CRM),Decision Making,Entrepreneurship,Experience,Family Business,Happiness,Humor/Satire,Leadership,Lifestyle,Management,Observations,Overcoming Objections,People Management,Personal Growth,Problems=Opportunities,Professional Practices,Reality,Relationships,Reputation,Self-Confidence,Small Business,Stress Management,Tactics

Welcome to the world’s first SMALL BIZ Alphabet Series of blog posts!

 “H”…HUMOR

 

 

What’s “funny” to you may not be to others… imagine that!  So we who run our own small businesses (or small pieces of big businesses) might do well to be reminded that “Hey, didja hear the one about the the guy with the parrot . . .?”  may not be the best kind of opening with a disgruntled employee, angry supplier, or irate customer.

In fact, the parrot joke (or any joke!) is probably not a great thing to share with anyone who’s come to you with wrinkled brow, mouth turned down, hands balled into fists, or who’s (defensive) folded arms are noticeable only second to being glared at over the tops of their glasses. Others do not always understand or accept what you mean.  

So, to make the best of things, smiling and laughing your way through it all is not always in your best business or personal interests, or those of the other individual or group you’re dealing with. The solution? Observe carefully and think twice, before opening your “funny story” mouth once.

Pretend for a moment that you are standing in line at a customer service center counter. You are holding a product you had saved up for and cheerfully purchased in time to enhance the upcoming weekend visit (your first) with your fiance’s parents. You know they would be impressed.

Yet when you went to put the thing together, parts were missing, directions were not in English, and the major component was cracked.

Here you stand, patiently quiet but shifting your feet as you try to decide if you should put the thing down on the floor or keep holding it. Each of the three people ahead of you takes 15 minutes to tell their 10-second story. As you stoop to pick up the damaged goods, which you thankfully decided to plant between your feet, guess what?  [Are you breathing?]

The customer service rep, who never noticed you anyway, apparently decided it was as good a time as any to leave, putting a “Gone To Lunch” sign on the counter and, in one quick whirl, disappear out the swinging door. You and the four others behind you stand there dumbfounded. The five of you start jabbering.

The manager notices the commotion, and strides up to the annoyed gathering with a smile and big greeting, followed by:

“You guys [3 of the 4 are women] remind me of the time when my uncle Louie went to the local pistol range [2 of the 4 had large peace-symbol jewelry showing] and the instructor asked Louie if he’d be using his gun , ha-ha-ha-ha, to shoot him for having to take his lunch hour at that very moment, ha-ha-ha-ha. You’ll have to return later.”  

[Ha-Ha-Ha-HA-HA-HA!]

You can imagine –as radio’s beloved Paul Harvey used to say– the rest of the story. This contrived incident may seem amusing from a distance, but trying to be funny at the wrong time in the wrong place with the wrong people will almost definitely succeed at making a bad situation worse.

Humor, real humor that turns on smiles and laughs comes from the heart and the guts, not an aspirin bottle. It is not a quick fix. It is an honest flowing response delivered in good judgement to those who have provided some clue that indicates they will appreciate your offering. Good humor is a gift. Real gifts are never forced.

                                        

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Hal@Businessworks.US    302.933.0116

Open  Minds  Open  Doors

Many thanks for your visit and God Bless You.

Make today a GREAT day for someone!

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