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  OCTOBER 2008  
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PREVENT WORKPLACE HARASSMENT - TOP TEN TIPS  by

 Don Grimme 		2/8/2008 at 23:28
These tips are geared to the organization as a whole. Any leader should be aware of them and provide support as needed, but many of the tips need to be executed by senior officials and/or the HR department.

Tip #1: Create a clear, zero-tolerance Harassment/Discrimination Policy.

* Defining and covering quid-pro-quo harassment

* Defining and covering hostile environment harassment

* Stressing the significance of effect, regardless of intent

* Covering all bases of harassment and discrimination (e.g., race, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc.)

* Specifying consequences (e.g., up to and including termination of employment) and establishing a complaint procedure

* ’Zero-tolerance’ does not mean uniform severe punishment regardless of the severity of the behavior. Rather it means...

Tip #2: Evenhandedly enforce your policy, without exception.

If you determine that your policy has been violated, enforce that policy -- regardless of the offender’s position in the organization! [Easier said than done? Perhaps. But consider the legal and employee relations consequences of doing otherwise.]

Tip #3: Implement user-friendly harassment/discrimination internal complaint and investigation procedures.

* Provide multiple options for registering complaints -- written, hot-line, in-person (e.g., supervisor, senior manager, HR) -- including at least one female and with as much diversity as possible

* Designate (and train) male/female teams for complaint investigation

Tip #4: Communicate the policy and procedures.

* In writing -- employee handbook, bulletin boards, ...
  read more...


7 TIPS FOR A GREAT 2008!  by

 Leonard Buchholz 		2/8/2008 at 23:27
1.Become Flexible. In 2008 you are going to have to be Gumby in order to manage effectively. You will find yourself pulled in more directions than even you thought possible. With all of the pulling and stretching you are going to have to do, you will find yourself a little thin if you are not careful. Make some time to deposit some extra chips in other people’s emotional bank accounts so you are not lacking for assistance when needed later. Make an emergency checklist of people and resources you can count on. Not just a mental list, a real list, with names, phone numbers and email addresses. And, since you are making the list, drop them a line and say hello. The holidays may have just passed, but it might as well have been 6 months ago. Tell people how much you appreciate them now and you will not be lacking later.

2.Train for Surprises! You know, SURPRISE! Your department has been downsized. SURPRISE! The budget you had approved last year, has been revised....... downward. SURPRISE! The forecasts for growth based on last year’s revenue, NOT RELEVANT ANYMORE! SURPRISE! Because of recent increased shipping costs (that crazy thing called oil futures), your cost of goods sold has INCREASED 15%! We deal with these type of SURPRISES everyday. It is the Managers that anticipate and TRAIN for the SURPRISES that will carry the day. How do we train for them? We write out the Top 10 Worst Case Scenarios and we then ...
  read more...


7 TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESSFUL OFFSHORING  by

 Natarajan Alagappan 		2/8/2008 at 23:26
Traditionally outsourcing and especially offshore outsourcing dealt with work that was typically not mission critical. In recent times, this trend is changing rapidly. Independent Software Vendors and other companies (whose core business is not IT) are increasingly using offshore development centers as their primary workplace to build new products and applications.

While offshoring development of mission critical products, several risks need to be addressed

* Risks in intellectual property ownership

* Risk arising due to perceived loss of control

* Geo-political risks

* Inadequate quality and missing market deadlines (Perhaps the most prominent risk)

This whitepaper focuses on how to turn the risk of "Inadequate quality and missing market deadlines" into a successful opportunity. This is not a 30,000 feet view of outsourcing, but a peek at winning ground level techniques.

Introduction

Before identifying the techniques, a company needs to be able to measure whether their foray into software offshoring is yielding benefits beyond cost benefits. The 3 key questions to ask are:

1. Has the pace of product rollout improved or declined? Offshoring introduces management overheads, time zone constraints and related overheads. If this is not effectively dealt with, the risk of delayed response time and slower release cycles get amplified.

2. Did the move to offshore improve quality? Product releases are characterized by aggressive timelines. In the process, the fastest implementation approach is chosen, but did it result in consistent, improved quality or did the customers ...
  read more...


TOP TIPS FOR INDUCTION PROGRAMMES  by

 Carolyn Blunt 		2/8/2008 at 23:25
How did you feel on your first day of your new job? Most of us experience feelings of nerves, anxiety, excitement, apprehension or some combination of these. We all know that the induction process is critical to welcoming new starters and getting them effective as quickly and painlessly as possible. Yet so many induction training courses we have observed get it slightly wrong. Being paraded through the office while everybody stares, trying to remember masses and masses of information through boring PowerPoint slides, being eventually left to take live calls with little managerial coaching or support (usually because the team manager is too busy taking escalated calls from last month’s new starters), not having a security pass for days (or even weeks!) so and having to beg and borrow a pass from someone else to leave the room or go to the toilet! No wonder then that many new starters leave, feeling undervalued, disillusioned, bored or downright scared off. As well as the contract that has been signed all new starters have a ’psychological contract’ with their employer (and vice versa). This is made up of an internal set of expectations, hopes and fears for the new employment relationship. We may not know what is in this ’psychological contract’; but if it is breached it can result in a significant decrease in loyalty, commitment and engagement.

With staff ’churn’ in our industry at its highest for the fifth consecutive year and the rate of attrition accelerating1, good induction is critical to ...
  read more...


KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT CHECK LIST  by

 Cubie King 		2/8/2008 at 23:24
By now, leading knowledge management organizations understand it’s vitally importance to capture the tacit and explicit knowledge of the largest cohort to move into retirement (at any one time) in the history of the United States. That cohort is baby boomers (an estimated 64 million people-- born between 1946 and 1964). These are mature workers with many years of experience on the job, and unspoken knowledge in their heads (not written in books). Given this mass exodus of mature workers, savvy organization are hard at work developing plans to capture this knowledge before these workers retire.

Look At Your Current and Future Staffing Needs

Part of any knowledge management plan must include a population flow chart of current staff and those positions that will need to be filled in the next 3-5 years. 2011 is when (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) the United States is expected to be short some 10 million qualified workers. This will cause a bidding war for the best talent all across America--in virtually every business sector you can name. Experts warn companies not to expect to buy-in knowledge for reasonable sums, as demand will outstrip supply. So one question to ask is how do we keep our keepers?

Fast Forward to 2014

What’s an organization to do? One step is to take an honest look at your current work staff and do an assessment of what you want that staff to look like in the near future. A staffing population flow chart allows the organization to take ...
  read more...


10 MORE TIPS TO HELP YOU NEGOTIATE YOUR PRICE  by

 Jane Francis 		1/17/2008 at 16:06
1. Sell the discounts

Some people just love a bargain, in fact, they must get a bargain. Keep their attention on the $300 they will save, not the $6,000 they will be spending.

Most people relate to cash better than a percentage--three hundred dollars is far more meaningful that 5%!

Use price points to ease your customer through the psychological pain barrier--$9,999 looks a lot less than $10,000.00.

2. Ask them to make a counter proposal

Get your client to bring their ideas into the open. See how far apart you are. Do a reality check, go back to the original brief and specifications and check they are all mandatory. Since starting the purchase process it is possible your client may have altered his expectations.

3. Price bargain

’If you want a better price, give me a better order.’ Search for joint benefits and win-win solutions. For example, you could lower the price if the customer does part of the job or pays you cash in advance.

It is in the nature of your customer to want all the discounts you give him. It is not his job, nor is he ever likely to tell you you are too cheap.

4. Don’t drop your price before it is necessary

Don’t become too committed to your lowest price early on. Try to hold your price by giving them more value--an extended warranty, a free upgrade. You can always come down later but it’s difficult to go up.

If you give them something make sure they appreciate you more for it.

5. Leave yourself ...
  read more...


TOP 7 TIPS TO GET A JOB PROMOTION  by

 Shari Hearn 		1/17/2008 at 16:05
Do you dream of a job promotion, yet somehow it never comes? Perhaps it’s because you’re dreaming too much and not taking initiative. If you want to get promoted, you’ve got to take action. Here are 7 action steps to help turn your dream promotion into a reality.

1. Be on time all the time

It may seem like a no-brainer, but how can you expect a promotion at work if you’re consistently late? Employees who squeak in even a couple minutes late are sending signals to the boss that work is where they’d rather not be. Show your boss you’re eager to begin your day by showing up at least 10 to 15 minutes early, with time to spare to make your coffee and get settled before working.

2. Work extra hours

This, of course, is a tricky one. While you don’t want your job to dominate your life, you do want your boss to see you as someone who will give a little extra to the organization, and that includes offering to stay late if needed.

3. Dress for success

Image is everything. If you want to be seen as a professional, then you have to start dressing like one. While this may seem shallow, your appearance is a visual cue to the boss of what type of employee you are. Will you be one who slaps something on in the morning for your dead-end position, or are you one who dresses like you already are a professional?

4. Learn something new

Go the extra mile ...
  read more...


TOP 7 GENES IN YOUR MARKETING DNA  by

 Leanne Hoagland-Smith 		1/17/2008 at 16:05
Marketing is the lifeblood of any business. If your potential prospects and soon to be customers do not know about you, sales will just not happen. The question to be asked is really two fold:

* What are the top genes (marketing strategies) in your marketing DNA?
* How good are those genes (marketing strategies) specific to you and your business?

To answer the first question, you will find what I believe to be the top 7 genes from my own personal experience and working with clients.

1. Direct Mail - This is the #1 gene because of its marketing effectiveness. When done correctly, you can reap a lot of business from direct mail marketing. However, many people lack the supporting skills necessary to make this marketing strategy effective such as target market, copy and follow-up.

2. Events - Seminars, Speaking and Tradeshows - For many individuals, this gene is underutilized. Possibly because of the fear of public speaking, not a lot of people take advantage of offering seminars or participating in tradeshows. Those individuals who do not fear speaking in public, this gene can become a real bonanza.

3. Internet/Website - Using the Internet through a variety of strategies and having a search engine friendly website are a must have gene. With more and more people using the Internet to become educated about your products and services, not having an Internet presence is not a good thing.

...
  read more...


SUCCESS IN 2008  by

 George F Franks III 		1/17/2008 at 16:04
At the end of every year, along with the television advertising and Christmas music are the end of the year wrap-up shows. The best of... The worst of... The top... This is not one of those articles. No. We are going to focus on how to be more successful in 2008. While there are "silver bullets" when it comes to success, following these steps will make nearly anyone more successful that they would be otherwise. Whether you work for a big or small company, a non-profit organization or even a government institution, following these steps will but you in the company of the leaders and top performers wherever you work and whatever you do for a living.

Review Your Objectives

Most companies and organizations have their objectives down to each employee either by the end of the year or by early in the New Year. If you have input to the creation of your objectives - that is great. Take the opportunity very seriously and work on it with your boss. If you do not have input in your objectives, make sure you go over them with you boss and understand exactly:

• What is expected of you
• What are the measures
• How often you are measured
• Who determines whether you meet your objectives
• What is quantitative and what is qualitative

This may take several sessions with your supervisor. These are the most important meetings you will attend during the entire year. And always make sure that you have it in writing and that ...
  read more...


TELEMARKETING NIGHTMARES - SEVEN HELPFUL TIPS  by

 Trina Hines 		1/17/2008 at 16:03
And the telemarketing, customer service nightmare award goes too...

A particular telemarketer kept calling my phone number, until I got smart enough to put my phone number on the "National Do Not Call Registry." I was unable to stop this caller, because the company did not accept outside calls and there was no caller identification of the company’s name. Somehow, my number was tag to a recording, which kept redialing my home number weekly, since I did not pick up phone.

After three or four months of this intrusion, I finally picked up the telephone during the time when the telemarketer called. Having a voice on the other end of the phone line, I said to the representative "Guess What?" Just when I was prepared to tell the representative about the "Do Not Call List," the representative abruptly interrupted and said, "WHAT, CHICKEN BUTT". Now, I have no idea what Chicken Butt means; however, I assume it was definitely inappropriate.

Shock, yet remaining calm, I said, "No, I am on the do not call list and I would like to speak to your manager." The representative hung up the phone. I never had another problem from this company. Ignoring rude customer service will not make the situation go away; it cost companies thousands, if not millions of dollars yearly, and this behavior is an infringement on your personal and professional time.

So how do you handle telemarketer or customer nightmares? Here are seven helpful tips:
1) Remain calm
2) Try to resolve it within the company
3) ...
  read more...


SEVEN STEPS TO GETTING MEDIA ATTENTION  by

 Jennifer Kushell 		1/17/2008 at 16:02
Everyone wants it, but few have any idea how to go about getting it. As a business owner, being mentioned or written about in a major magazine, journal or newsletter can be a dream come true. First, it’s free (a beautiful word to a bootstrapped company); second, it offers credibility and recognition (something young entrepreneurs in particular, often struggle with); third, it’s the best form of advertising, because it is totally objective; and last, it introduces (and endorses) your company to a targeted - and often substantial number - of prospective customers. In most situations, PR is a win-win situation for everyone: You get the press coverage, and the journalist gets a new, interesting story to report.

For an entrepreneur, dealing with the media is probably one of the most potentially profitable activities - and it can also be the most confusing, frustrating and sometimes unrewarding ones. The biggest problem that most people have in attracting PR for their business is in misunderstanding the very people they need to appeal to.

Journalists are in business too, and like you, they have pressures, deadlines, idiosyncrasies and yes, lives. If you think your life is stressful, follow around a journalist for a little while. Remember, as an entrepreneur, your stress is created internally, as you have decided to be "in charge." Journalists are at the mercy of many others who often control their every move. So showing them that you understand and respect their jobs will give them the incentive that they need to ...
  read more...


THE TOP TEN TIPS TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS ORGANIZED  by

 Van Theodorou 		12/1/2007 at 06:44
Whether you own your own small business or are the office manager of a large firm there is one thing in common - finding ways to stay organized. While many of us have organizational skills at home, bringing them to work is often a different story.

1. Keep things out of sight. If you have clients coming into your office this is extremely important to the perception the client has of your company. This is equally important for those offices where clients never visit. Why? Because office clutter can make employees feel down and even get them disorganized as well.

2. Organization closets. Closets are great places to keep supplies and extra equipment as long as they stay organized. People will tend to throw things into the cabinet anywhere unless they see that the organization is easy to keep track of. Label shelves using a labeler so that everything has a place.

3. Keep a box for excess items. This box comes in handy for items that nobody knows what to do with. Instead of jamming these items onto a shelf make a box and label it just for items like this. Keep it in the bottom of the closet and let people know what it’s for. Every so often clean out the box and decide what needs to be done with the items.

4. Use handy desk accessories. Desks in open areas look good when everyone has the same type and color of office accessories. Figure out which items would work best for ...
  read more...


10 TIPS FOR GIVING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK  by

 Duncan Brodie 		12/1/2007 at 06:43
As a manager or leader, part of your role is to give feedback to your team. Feedback is incredibly important to individuals and teams. They want to know what they are doing well and where they need to develop. Sadly, managers and leaders are often poor at giving feedback or worse still, don’t give it at all. So what are my 10 top tips for giving feedback?

Tip 1: Catch people doing things right

It is so easy to fall into the trap of only giving feedback when things have gone wrong. In reality people get more right than they do wrong in the work place. Make a point of noticing when people do things right like hitting sales targets, dealing with an angry customer or hitting deadlines.

Tip 2: Look for the signals that the employee wants feedback

People are sometimes a little hesitant to ask directly for feedback. They may ask in a much more subtle way by asking:

• How they are doing in the job

• Whether they are living up to expectations

Be alert to these signals.

Tip 3: Feedback as early as possible

You don’t have to wait for an appraisal or meeting to feedback. Whether the feedback is positive or negative, give it at the earliest opportunity.

Tip 4: Focus on behaviours

It is important to focus on the behaviours that are helping or getting in the way of achievement when giving feedback. For example:

• I notice you were behaving aggressively in your dealing with x

• I saw you take decisive action when it ...
  read more...


TEN REASONS WHY COMPANIES LEASE  by

 Gina Mckenzie 		12/1/2007 at 06:43
1. Purchasing Power. Equipment lease financing allows the lessee to acquire more and/or higher-end equipment.

2. Balance Sheet Management. Certain types of leases help the lessee better manage the balance sheet and improve the overall financial picture, by conserving operating capital and freeing up working capital and bank credit lines for inventory, expansion and emergencies.

3. 100 Percent Financing. With equipment leasing, there is no down payment. The term of the lease can be matched with the useful life of the equipment.

4. Asset Management. A lease provides the use of equipment for specific periods of time at fixed payments. It assumes and manages the risks of equipment ownership. At the end of the lease, the lessor disposes of the equipment.

5. Service Additions. Many lessees choose to structure their leases to include installation, maintenance and other services, if needed.

6. Tax Treatment. Leasing offers the option of deducting 100 percent of the lease payment as a business expense.

7. Upgraded Technology. Leasing provides companies with the ability to keep pace with technology. The lessee can upgrade or add equipment to meet ever-changing needs.

8. Specialized Assistance. Lessors are specialists in equipment leasing and financing, and understand capital equipment markets.

9. Flexibility. There are a variety of leasing products available, allowing the lessee to customize a program to address needs and requirements- cash flow, budget, transaction structure, cyclical fluctuations, etc.

10. Proven Equipment-Financing Option. Over 30 percent of all capital equipment in the United States is acquired through leasing. In fact, eight out of 10 companies lease their equipment ...
  read more...




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Prevent Workplace Harassment - Top Ten Tips

 7 Tips For A Great 2008!

 7 Techniques for Successful Offshoring

 Top Tips for Induction Programmes

 Knowledge management check list

 10 More Tips To Help You Negotiate Your Price

 Top 7 Tips to Get a Job Promotion

 Top 7 Genes in Your Marketing DNA

 Success in 2008

 Telemarketing Nightmares - Seven Helpful Tips

 Seven Steps to Getting Media Attention

 The Top Ten Tips To Keep Your Business Organized

 10 Tips For Giving Effective Feedback

 Ten Reasons Why Companies Lease

 Expert Recognition - 7 Ways to Acquiring It

 10 Ways to Get a Buyer From Target Interested in Your Product

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