Casual Articles - Business

Ensuring the Legal Standard of Health & Safety in Your Business
Whether you’ve recently launched a new business or just taken over from a previous owner, it’s likely you’re floundering amidst the multitude of regulations and requirements the law bestows upon you. Perhaps the worst mistake of all is complete ignorance – something which is hard to avoid when there are several hundred issues vying for your attention.So what exactly do you need to cover in your workplace? It’s all very well putting the equipment and workers you need into a room with some desks, but just like setting up a hamster cage – you need to be aware of safety

don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.

And, what can I do as team leader?

Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.

All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.

Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, construct
Project Management – Fast Tracking with Gantt Charts
Gantt charts are useful tools for analysing, planning and controlling complex multi stage projects.Gantt Charts can:Assist in identifying the tasks and sub tasks to be undertakenHelp you lay out the tasks that need to be completedAssist in scheduling when these tasks will be carried out and in what orderAssist in planning resources and needed to complete the project,Assist in working out the critical path for a project where it needs to be completed by a particular date.When a complex or multi stage project is under way, Gan
In some ways this article is a continuation of Managaging Your Team (Part 4) in that 'influencers from a position of authority or expertise may be guilty (consciously or unconsciously) of ignoring inputs from team members or, just as damaging, putting down / under-valuing the contribution made and the contributor who made it.
Unfortunately, all of us may be guilty of this behaviour from time to time and often this attitude and behaviour will be accompanied with...
"C'mon, I was only joking! Don't be so sensitive"
One of the main root causes of this behaviour, as I have touched on previously is based on our value system.
We live, breath, and act our own values - they are who we are and, therefore, are extremely important to each of us whether we are fully aware of them or not.
In context, think of some practical examples...

Never being late for meetings or appointments.

Always prepared to listen and not talk over others.

If a commitment is made, it is kept.

Mobile 'phones remain switched off in team meetings.

Treat others as you would wish them to treat you.
You've guessed it, not surprisingly, these are values that are very important to me in both my personal and business lives. Yours may be the same or totally different. To illustrate the point...
Punctuality is extremely important to you, it is one of your primary values. So, how do you feel when team members regularly turn up late to your meetings? How do those who turn up on time feel when you wait until everyone has arrived before you start the meeting? What message are you sending out?
NOW, let's say you have just given your views, made a suggestion to the group and it is completely ignored. How do you feel?
Who's guilty of plopping - you are - you've just plopped! Everyone else continues with the group discussion which bears no relevance to the inputs you've made.
You're left sitting there (or worse standing there) wondering what the heck has just happened.
O.K. in the overall scheme of things it will happen to all of us at some time and by understanding that fact, we won't get things out of perspective or over-react.
However, we do need to focus on the challenge or issue when a team member is ignored or under-valued repeatedly by the rest of the team or one individual frequently under-values other team members
You could argue that the title of this article should be...
Who's Guilty of Making Me Plop?"
Just maybe...
I did not make my inputs clear enough

Actually, what I said was somewhat irrelevant to the main point

Other team members misunderstood what I meant

I was guilty of interrupting someone else and breaking their flow

My action caused someone else to 'plop' or feel discounted
So, one theme you'll find in a number of these articles is our duty of care to our fellow team members. It is encumbent on all of us to guide our team colleagues, respect their contributions, seek clarification if necessary - don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.
All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.
Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, constructi
How To Make Your Cash Register Ring All Day
A woman walks into a sweet-smelling shop, the product display is exquisite, the perfumes and oils and soaps bright and enticing.She is approached by a young man. His face is bright, enthusiastic, well-scrubbed. His hair is clean and fragrant, his nails trimmed, his suit pressed, and his shoes polished. Then he opens his mouth and uses words with the sophistication of a back-alley brawler.The magic is lost. After a few flustered words, a few patent excuses, the woman leaves.The cash register remains untouched, and the proceeds for the day the same.
are fully aware of them or not.
In context, think of some practical examples...
Never being late for meetings or appointments.

Always prepared to listen and not talk over others.

If a commitment is made, it is kept.

Mobile 'phones remain switched off in team meetings.

Treat others as you would wish them to treat you.
You've guessed it, not surprisingly, these are values that are very important to me in both my personal and business lives. Yours may be the same or totally different. To illustrate the point...
Punctuality is extremely important to you, it is one of your primary values. So, how do you feel when team members regularly turn up late to your meetings? How do those who turn up on time feel when you wait until everyone has arrived before you start the meeting? What message are you sending out?
NOW, let's say you have just given your views, made a suggestion to the group and it is completely ignored. How do you feel?
Who's guilty of plopping - you are - you've just plopped! Everyone else continues with the group discussion which bears no relevance to the inputs you've made.
You're left sitting there (or worse standing there) wondering what the heck has just happened.
O.K. in the overall scheme of things it will happen to all of us at some time and by understanding that fact, we won't get things out of perspective or over-react.
However, we do need to focus on the challenge or issue when a team member is ignored or under-valued repeatedly by the rest of the team or one individual frequently under-values other team members
You could argue that the title of this article should be...
Who's Guilty of Making Me Plop?"
Just maybe...
I did not make my inputs clear enough

Actually, what I said was somewhat irrelevant to the main point

Other team members misunderstood what I meant

I was guilty of interrupting someone else and breaking their flow

My action caused someone else to 'plop' or feel discounted
So, one theme you'll find in a number of these articles is our duty of care to our fellow team members. It is encumbent on all of us to guide our team colleagues, respect their contributions, seek clarification if necessary - don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.
All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.
Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, construct
A Business Deal starts with the Exchange of Business Cards
Billion dollar business deals are no doubt the breaking news on major news networks. While they’re chitchat topics in family dining tables or corporate lunch cafeterias, they generate stirs in corporate management meetings. What people may not talk about is that multi-billion and million business deals may start with the exchange of business cards.Everyday we meet dozens of new faces. Whether it is a colleague or a mutual friend, we are always being introduced to fresh acquaintances. For businesses, this can be a blessing in disguise. No matter what field you are i
ait until everyone has arrived before you start the meeting? What message are you sending out?
NOW, let's say you have just given your views, made a suggestion to the group and it is completely ignored. How do you feel?
Who's guilty of plopping - you are - you've just plopped! Everyone else continues with the group discussion which bears no relevance to the inputs you've made.
You're left sitting there (or worse standing there) wondering what the heck has just happened.
O.K. in the overall scheme of things it will happen to all of us at some time and by understanding that fact, we won't get things out of perspective or over-react.
However, we do need to focus on the challenge or issue when a team member is ignored or under-valued repeatedly by the rest of the team or one individual frequently under-values other team members
You could argue that the title of this article should be...
Who's Guilty of Making Me Plop?"
Just maybe...
I did not make my inputs clear enough

Actually, what I said was somewhat irrelevant to the main point

Other team members misunderstood what I meant

I was guilty of interrupting someone else and breaking their flow

My action caused someone else to 'plop' or feel discounted
So, one theme you'll find in a number of these articles is our duty of care to our fellow team members. It is encumbent on all of us to guide our team colleagues, respect their contributions, seek clarification if necessary - don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.
All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.
Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, construct
Make Your Mark in 60 Seconds
If you are like most business professionals you have attended a networking meeting where you are asked to describe your business, how it works and what you can do for a potential client in 60 seconds or less. As I attend these meetings, I see many competent professionals stumble because they try to say too much. Wrapped up in describing what they do, they lose sight of the real goal – leaving a memorable impression! So ask yourself, what can you say in 60 seconds to get noticed and be remembered? Their pain is your gain! Metaphorically speaking, pain is
tedly by the rest of the team or one individual frequently under-values other team members
You could argue that the title of this article should be...
Who's Guilty of Making Me Plop?"
Just maybe...
I did not make my inputs clear enough

Actually, what I said was somewhat irrelevant to the main point

Other team members misunderstood what I meant

I was guilty of interrupting someone else and breaking their flow

My action caused someone else to 'plop' or feel discounted
So, one theme you'll find in a number of these articles is our duty of care to our fellow team members. It is encumbent on all of us to guide our team colleagues, respect their contributions, seek clarification if necessary - don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.
All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.
Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, construct
How To Get A Job Without Experience - Sell Yourself Just As You Would If You Were A Salesperson
It's easier to find a job than you think. You don't need experience, you just think you do; perhaps that is just your excuse because your job search isn’t going quite well – Nobody’s hiring me because I don't have any relevant work experience. Bad excuse!Back when I first finished school I didn't have any experience either. I did what everybody else did – I sent resumes in response to job ads in the classifieds. That didn't work. Then I got creative. I was specifically looking for a sales job because that’s what I thought that I would like. I thought to myself, what
don't discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
Training can be beneficial at any time. However, if the team is newly formed or there are some mew members, training in techniques such as effective listening, giving and receiving feedback, and other positive behavioural change courses will definitely help.
All team members should reach consensus on what the 'ground rules' are for their team sessions and agree that it is legitimate to point out (constructively) when any of these rules are broken.
Be there for the under-valued person - support them visibly in the team setting - again, constructively. Please don't support the person who has been ignored or under-valued by then under-valuing someone else in the group. Simple example of support without pointing the finger...
"Before we move on, I think what Joe said is worth consideration so let's spend some more time discussing it"
If this is a behaviour used frequently by one individual, the appropriate action is NOT to confront them in the team setting. Arrange to talk to them one-on-one using the techniques learned in giving constructive feedback.
Managing Your Team (Part 6) will look at "You Two, Stop Fighting"

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