Casual Articles - Business

Business Branding - How Character Affects Customers and Your Business Image
The public buys far more than just your products, services and so-called image promotions. Whenever they interact with anyone or anything associated with your business, they are automatically branded emotionally, good or bad, by the totality of your business character.Whether you are a small business or a large operation, it is immaterial. If that brand is found lacking at any time in the customer-relation scenario, their return to you as a future-paying customer will be highly unlikely, not to mention all of their word-of-mouth associations. If that doesn't get your attention, then you and your business are in trouble already.Brand marketing and brand character are certainly familiar busness terms, but they are business-school jargon, nonetheless. All of those buzz words may sound great at board-rooom presentations and seminars, but often mean something else to customers.While the highly-paid marketing gurus tell you to concentrate on presenting your product or service imagery, they fail to warn you that it is your organizational brand that does the real imprinting. What’s most notable is that the total character of your particular business imprints that brand on your customers’ emotions, a realm far beyond typical business education. That’s why I believe you should expect every business consultant to posess this kind of perspective.As every interaction with your public is a so-called “moment of truth” or, better yet, “moment of judgment”, the public knows when they’re being burned by a hot poker; and they judge according

roviding the results are satisfactory

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Coaching for Success
I coach my people to help them achieve success in what they do
I provide one-on-one sessions with each person who reports to me
I ensure that during coaching sessions the other person(s) talk more than I do
I really listen to understand the concerns of others
I help others to be self-aware of the areas in which they deed to improve or develop
I support the goals set by individuals on my team
I help members of my team to be accountable for their goals and performance
I deal openly, constructively and promptly with any negative performance issues
I encourage and ask for feedback on my own performance from my team

Communications and Building Relationships

I listen to understand the other person’s perspective before I give mine
I always wait until others have finished talking before I speak; I don’t interrupt
I spend time planning important communications, written or oral
I develop strong business relationships with the people on my team as well as with suppliers and customers

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

If I have an issue with someone, I always deal directly with them, I do not talk behind their back
I observe others’ non-verbal communication to assess how they are really feeling
I maintain an open mind in most discussions
I seek and consider other people’s opinions

American Idol Syndrome
I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest. And while his words startle me with their ego wounding potential, the traditional feel-good, let-you-down-easy, sugar-coated feedback is not much of a gift. It’s hard to tell someone they’re not good enough and their dreams are not going to happen, at least in this venue. But not telling them is no gift either. Some contestants rise to the challenges he throws at them. Some don’t. And, some can’t. Which one are you?The people who influenced me most in my career were those who gave me the hardest critiques. Stricken with a bruised-ego for days, or on occasion for months, inevitably their feedback helped me make the right life choices to improve, change direction, or stay the course with intensity. In fact, the boss who was the hardest on me is the one I thank the most. Good was not good enough if I was capable of better, and she was quick to point out when that was. No sugar coating from her. And the funny thing? When I was honest with myself, I knew she was right.Being honest with yourself is one of the challenges to winning at working. We all have talents and abilities, but they’re not always in the areas we pursue at work. Too many people I’ve run across in my career have American Idol Syndrome (AIS). Like Idol contestants auditioning with little or no singing ability, these people believe they are good at what they do. They can’t understand why they don’t get the promotion, the outstanding review, or the highest increases. They view themselve

Introduction

Supervising is like parenting. These are two of the most important jobs any one can do, but few people are adequately prepared or trained to do them. Most people learn by trial and error with varying degrees of success. But both jobs are far too important to be left to chance and the good news is that you can learn with some help and guidance how to be successful in them. This article will help you to be a more effective and efficient supervisor.

Supervisor’s Role

In one sentence, write down what you think your main role as a supervisor is. A role is a main activity or two that you are charged with undertaking

The answers could be: · Provide leadership and collaborative direction to my staff;
· To be a team leader
· To ensure my staff have the human and physical resources to undertake their work in an efficient manner Supervisor's Responsibilities

Learning Activity

What are your main supervisory responsibilities in your present job? List them on a separate piece of paper (you should have 8 to 12). It is sometimes easier to think of these under two main headings: (a) job related and (b) people related. Once you have a list, then rank them in order of importance. When you have completed this activity, look at the examples other examples of supervisory responsibilities provided by the author.

Job Related
· Cost Control
· Equipment
· Goals
· Materials
· Plans
· Procedures
· Productivity
· Quality
· Standards
· Training

People Related
· Coaching
· Communicating
· Delegating
· Disciplining
· Leadership
· Managing yourself
· Motivating
· Supervising others

Learning Activity:

Current Obstacles & Challenges What obstacles do you personally face now that makes it difficult for you to fulfil some of these responsibilities? They may stem (1) from you, (2) from your unit or (3) the organization as a whole. List then and then rank them in order of importance:

New Ways of Supervising

Over the years, the role of a supervisor has changed significantly from being a top down, autocratic order-giver to a team leader, coach and motivator.
· from ordering to asking; and consulting.
· from telling to listening and asking questions.
· from policing to coaching.
· from each person for himself to teamwork.
· from fear to mutual respect.

This change has come about, not because people are becoming “soft-hearted,” but because it is now very clear that people are more productive if they are happy, motivated and upbeat. This takes place in an employee-friendly environment. The change is one of enlightened self-interest on the part of managers who decide what training is appropriate for their supervisors. They know that happy employees are productive employees. Review and discuss about briefly the following chart “Leadership Styles”

Guidelines for Supervisory Behaviour

Without having a clear idea of what is acceptable behaviour for a supervisory, you are likely to model your behaviour after some role model in your life: a parent, a teacher, a boss. This could be good; but it could be disastrous if any of these people is dictatorial and demanding, or weak and indecisive.

A major benefit of this supervisory training program is that it provides you with guidelines about what is acceptable supervisory behaviour, and what is not. It also provides you with the skills to bring about this behavioural change. Once you know this, you will be more confident in what you do, as you won’t be wondering whether you are taking the right action. Also, if you train with other people, you will all learn the same skill set and you will be able to help each other in the future when challenges arise.

Supervisor's Self-Assessment Survey

The Self-Assessment of Supervisory Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes survey below may look formidable but it effectively outlines the areas that you need to eventually master in order to become an outstanding supervisor. Don’t be dismayed, you don’t have to master all these areas in a month or two. It will take time and you will need to systematically work away at one or two areas at a time.

Most supervisors get promoted because they are “good on the job.” They are hard working, productive. Hopefully, they are also loyal to the company and a good team player. While this is a good start to being a good supervisor, there are other skills they need to develop in terms of leadership: how to inspire, motivate, coach, delegate, discipline, plan, team-build etc. This is what this program is about.

Self-Assessment Survey Directions

Read through the list below without marking it up, then the second time around, Put a YES, NO or MAYBE to record what you think your skill or knowledge level is. This will give you a good idea where your strengths and weaknesses are

Supervisor's Self-Assessment Survey

Leadership

I have a clear understanding of the Company’s goals and objectives
I understand how my role fits into the goals of the Company
I have a clear vision of the objectives of my area
I communicate the Company and area goals to the people under my supervision (my team) on a regular basis
I give frequent feedback to the people in my team to encourage their development and the achievement of their goals and objectives
I recognize and celebrate the successes of those in my team
I feel that the people in the Company are our most important assets
I believe that I treat others as I would like to be treated myself
I consciously work at setting an example of effective leadership
I am actively working on developing a positive self-image
My own enthusiasm is increasing the desire of my team to do better

Goal-setting

I have a written annual plan and personal performance goals which have been agreed upon by me and the person to whom I report
I work with my team regularly to help them set SMART goals that support their workplace development
I break down my annual goals into shorter-term goals
I review the progress of my goals regularly
I have a method for measuring and keeping track of my goal achievement
I ensure that the members of my team know on a regular basis the status of the Company’s goal achievement

My goals for myself as a Foreman and for my team tie into the Company’s goals
I set goals that stretch and challenge me
I achieve a high proportion of the goals I set
I enjoy challenges, and see them as opportunities for growth

Personal Productivity
I clearly understand my priorities
I spend only a small portion of my time in crisis management
I delegate work to others in an effective manner

My area of responsibility runs smoothly when I am not there
I accept personal responsibility when I make a mistake
I ensure that meetings I run have a clear agenda and start and finish on time
I plan my work in advance and work the plan
I rarely procrastinate or leave things to the last minute
I keep others informed, in advance, when I cannot meet their deadlines

Motivating Others

I give feedback on a timely basis
I know the people on my team well enough to understand what is important to them
I believe in the abilities of people on my team and communicate my confidence in them

I provide (or am instrumental in obtaining) training for the people on my team that they need to develop the skills necessary to do their job well
I ensure clear goals and expectations are set with those people who report to me

Morale in my department (team) is high
I always share credit for success
I ensure that people on my team are clear about what their responsibilities are
I ask questions and encourage people to find out answers to their concerns
I listen to the ideas of others
I am flexible in how things get done, providing the results are satisfactory

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Communications and Building Relationships

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

Benefits of Personalised Mugs
Personalised mugs have many benefits, which is why they are often used in marketing campaigns as promotional giveaways.Mugs are available in a wide choice of materials, including ceramic, earthenware, bone china, frosted glass, metal, acrylic and even recycled plastic. Different styles of personalised mugs will appeal to different target markets, for example, contemporary latte mugs are ideal for a young audience, whereas traditional bone china mugs may be more appropriate for an older market. Companies or organisations looking for inexpensive promotional items for giving to customers, prospects and employees often turn to personalised mugs. Their low unit cost makes them ideal for company events or trade shows where a large number of items are needed as giveawaysUnlike many other less valued promotional products, personalised mugs are rarely thrown away but kept for use in either the home or office. Most people enjoy a hot drink, which means that mugs are often used several times a day. This ensures that the company name, logo or brand message is seen repeatedly.The large print area around a mug provides the perfect space for advertising. Compared to more costly traditional media such as television, radio or print, personalised mugs offer great value for money and a high level of exposure.Personalised mugs also have the ability to deliver the all-important ‘wow’ factor through creative design. The latest eye

hen rank them in order of importance:

New Ways of Supervising

Guidelines for Supervisory Behaviour

Supervisor's Self-Assessment Survey

Self-Assessment Survey Directions

Supervisor's Self-Assessment Survey

Leadership

Goal-setting

Personal Productivity
I clearly understand my priorities
I spend only a small portion of my time in crisis management
I delegate work to others in an effective manner

Motivating Others

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Communications and Building Relationships

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

Are You an Optimist?
I’ve heard that the definition of an optimist is a person who does the same activity time after time, but expecting (or perhaps hoping for) better results. Being an optimist is similar to the person who keeps hitting his head against the wall because it feels so good when he stops. The optimist and the person with the massive headache are resistant to change, yet they want or need better results and don’t know how to go about improving.Clearly neither approach to making things better is having the desired effect, and in order to get those better results they have to change their method of going after them. Maybe they need to become pessimists and tell themselves, “This just isn’t working. I better change my methods and maybe then I’ll get the results I want.”Managing change is learning to understand how to analyze the way they are currently doing the task, measure the results, and then consider all the variables and possibilities that can possibly obtain the desired results.A warning. At this stage there is a tendency to want to make sweeping changes, starting with the veritable “clean sheet of paper” and often this is an invitation to chaos. Changing many facets of the task all at once doesn’t allow for discovering which changes make a marked improvement or which are actually counterproductive. Usually the improvement doesn’t happen because there is no way of measuring effectiveness of each component.The only way to discover what works is to try different methods, one-by-one, and measure the results. Integrate the

need to eventually master in order to become an outstanding supervisor. Don’t be dismayed, you don’t have to master all these areas in a month or two. It will take time and you will need to systematically work away at one or two areas at a time.

Self-Assessment Survey Directions

Supervisor's Self-Assessment Survey

Leadership

Goal-setting

Personal Productivity
I clearly understand my priorities
I spend only a small portion of my time in crisis management
I delegate work to others in an effective manner

Motivating Others

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Communications and Building Relationships

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

Is Your Company Downsizing? Practical Tips and Valuable Info to Survive a Layoff
You and your co-workers have seen all the tell-tale signs: Closed door meetings, elimination of overtime hours, senior management meetings with HR and so on. You can feel that change is in the air and you work in a department that is not an income producer. What should you do? What if you are laid off?BEFORE THE LAYOFFSAVE FOR A RAINY DAY: It's time to batten down the hatches and start saving for a rainy day if you haven't done so already. If you already have a direct deposit dedicated to a savings account, increase it. You may want to stop voluntary contributions such as 401(k), charitable contributions, stock purchase, etc. to help increase your savings contribution. After all, paying bills while unemployed is more important than buying company stock.UPDATE YOUR RESUME: Update it while you still employed. Be sure to mention all software packages and skill sets you have and start sending it out to employment agencies or network with friends outside the company. If the layoff has been announced and is public knowledge, ask your supervisor for a letter of reference.BILLS: Evaluate any "non-essential" bills such as excessive cable bills, phone bills with loaded features, frivolous spending such as dining out, etc. Cut it down to the bare bones so you know exactly what it takes financially to live month to month should you become unemployed.DURING THE LAYOFF: Maintain a gracious attitude toward your employer. Remember, you want good references once your employment has ended. Cont

eam regularly to help them set SMART goals that support their workplace development
I break down my annual goals into shorter-term goals
I review the progress of my goals regularly
I have a method for measuring and keeping track of my goal achievement
I ensure that the members of my team know on a regular basis the status of the Company’s goal achievement

Personal Productivity
I clearly understand my priorities
I spend only a small portion of my time in crisis management
I delegate work to others in an effective manner

Motivating Others

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Communications and Building Relationships

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

The Freelancers Field Guide to Contract Work
**** What is Outsourcing? ****Outsourcing is a great way to earn extra money or even a full time living. When a company outsources its work this means they are looking for people outside the company (you) to complete jobs for them on a contract or short term basis. Most freelance work can be found on freelance marketplaces across the internet. For a list of freelance websites search Google, or some of the freelance directories available.**** Getting Started ****The first thing that you should do is compile your past work history into a portfolio. Many freelance websites allow you to post your work online. The other option is to open a free hosting account and place your work into an online demonstration of your ability. Include references, past work, testimonials and anything else that highlights your talents. One thing this should not be is in resume format. The internet changes a lot rules for hiring employees and freelancing is changes them even more. Here you will find that experience and ability weigh more heavily in a hiring decision then education or status.******* Getting Hired Today *******The easiest way to find contract or freelance work is to visit one of the many freelance marketplaces available on the internet. A majority of the websites are divided into two sections, one for Freelancers (you) and the other for Project Managers (people looking to hire you). The first thing you need to do is register as a freelancer. Once registered be sure to upload a profile and details o

roviding the results are satisfactory

When things go wrong, I question what I could have done differently. I share responsibility.

Communications and Building Relationships

When people bring to my attention my own negative performance issues, I respond in a non-defensive manner
I speak calmly to people, not raising my voice, regardless of the issue at hand

Dealing with Performance Issues
I deal with performance issues on a timely basis
I allow others to explain their viewpoint before coming to a conclusion
I see dealing with negative issues as an opportunity to train and develop people
I make sure that clear expectations are set and agreed upon with the individual after a performance issue discussion
I am willing to accept that my perception of an issue may not always be right
I avoid argument, accusation and sarcasm
I encourage others on my team to be open about their mistakes so that we can make corrections and learn

Team Building and Synergy

I see my position as Foreman as being a team leader and that those I supervise are all members of my team
I ensure that my team and it's members have clear goals and expectations
I am willing to delegate responsibility to team members
I give regular feedback to the members of my team; not just about negative issues but I also regularly tell members of my team when them have performed well

Others see me as a team player
I follow through on commitments I make to team members
The results of team efforts are shared with members of the team (e.g. I do not take all the credit for my team’s successes)
I actively promote team spirit and positive interpersonal relationships amongst the members of my team
As team leader, I move promptly to discourage behaviour by individual(s) in my team when such behaviour has a negative impact on team-building (e.g. “turf wars,” “inner circles,” “behind-back gossip” etc.

Managing Stress

I am aware of what causes me stress on the job and I manage those situations
I notice when team members are under stress and help them to deal with the situation
I discuss my concerns and problems with the person to whom I report
I do not take my work problems home, nor do I bring my home problems to work
I use small amounts of stress as a motivator
I enjoy most of the work I do
I strive to maintain a good balance between my workplace life and my home life
I eat a balanced diet
I exercise regularly

Enhancing Future Results
I am continually upgrading my skills
I am aware of areas I need to improve
I ask advice from people with more experience
I admit when I do not know something
I invest time in training or coaching others
I spend time weekly to study or read
I ask others regularly how they think I could improve

That is the conclusion of this article which I hope you have found helpful and informative.

Do check out my website too although it is not directly related to this subject, you may also find it interesting http://www.ehomebiz.org

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Although people used to rely on the Yellow Pages before buying, that's no longer true. Instead, they're going online, to conduct searches for local vendors.

Over the years, I guess I've attended thousands of corporate get togethers over dinner. I have, either as an out-of-towner or hosting out-of-towners attending a conference or workshop, observed the behaviour of individuals and teams at dinner and how they reflect the corporate culture. There are five corporate cultures which I have identified with behaviours at dinner.

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