Other Recent EzineArticles from the Business: Category:
Franchising Companies Must Be CarefulDue to more unnecessary disclosure by the Federal Trade Commission franchising companies must be more vigilant to keep company information out of the hands of international terrorists. With increasing rules of discrimination a franchisor is forced to give vital information to anyone who asks for it. Including a group which supports international terrorism. Of course the FTC just doesn’t get it, they would rather sacrifice American lives and enforce political correctness and require unnecessary disclosure to protect consumers, but if the international terrorists get the information it could be deadly to Americans who are also consumers.Many companies are careful to watch who gets a copy of their Uniform Franchise Offering Circular, UFOCs, yet we are finding more and more states wish to put them online. Some franchising websites make it easy to buy them online. All of this massive unnecessary disclosure or MUD can be acquired with a few clicks on the Internet. All of which the Federal Trade Commission is requiring to be included in the disclosure documents, such as a list of every franchisee and their address.Now, as many see this new rule in UFOC disclosure adopted by the FTC, they want franchisors to send a UFOC with all this information to someone who sends in a form claiming that they are interested in buying a franchise. Many are suggesting that franchisors make CDROMS and send them out, or put the information all on their websites. Better yet the great state of CA is putting all this information on line of all registered franchises. Is this nuts? Anyone can send an email, request information, fill out a form on a web site and then the franchisors
As Carl Rogers said, "The major barrier to mutual interpersonal communication is our very natural tendency to judge, to evaluate, to approve or to disapprove." Approval usually comes when my perceptions of your behavior match my assumptions of how I think you should behave. It's time to stop shoulding on each other and begin to ACCEPT each other with our differences. This doesn't mean we always have to agree with each other; just accept.
People perceive things differently due to differences in cultural/ethnic background, personal experiences, personality styles, gender differences, attitudes and beliefs, etc. This diversity may impact our ability to communicate with each other. Therefore, it is important to keep an open mind about such differences so we can reduce the probability for communication breakdown.
Not only are we faced with ethnic and cultural diversity at the workplace, we are also faced with
· different management styles
· different learning styles
· different decision making styles
· different personalities
· different genders
A deeper awareness of how differently men and women communicate is necessary in order to prevent these gender differences from leading to resentment, decreased productivity and workplace stress.
Research indicates men and women are socialized differently and consequently, have diverse styles of speaking. In her best-selling book, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, Deborah Tannen says the sexes often speak virtually different languages. She calls it "report talk" vs. "rapport talk."
Men and women, and their different languages
Men tend to use “report talk” to convey information and self-importance, while women tend to use “rapport talk” to establish intimacy and connection. Tannen says that women will then see men as self-centered and domineering, while men will then see women as illogical and insecure. What results? Accusations that are hurtful. Men will accuse women of asking for advice and then not taking it, of rambling on about nothing, and of being unable to make decisions. Women will accuse men of not listening, invalidating their feelings, and always stepping in to solve problems with a lot of "you shoulds."
Speaking different languages at work
In the workplace, these differences impact the way messages are sent and received, thus causing communication breakdown, misunderstanding and major frustration. For example, a female supervisor seeks conversation from her male boss about a problem situation she is having with one of her employees. Her intent for the meeting is to inform her boss of the problem. She just wants him to listen to her, rephrase and repeat what she's saying so that she can become more clear on how she wishes to proceed. Perhaps he would ask her some probing questions about options, etc. Instead, he begins telling her what she should do with the problem employee. She becomes frustrated and leaves, feeling like her time was wasted. He feels he has solved the problem, and it's time to move on.
...and then at home
Taking this situation into the home, the wife wishes to discuss a problem she's having with her husband, and he jumps in with the solution before she has had a chance to process her options. She gets mad and leaves the room saying, "You just never listen!"
An immediate translation is what's needed
In both scenarios, some very important communication skills are sorely lacking. First of all, the woman needs to be up front about what she wants from the man. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me process this problem by listening and asking questions," is one way for her to be clear in the beginning. If she decides she wants his advice, then she can ask for it. If she doesn't tell him what she wants in the beginning, then he would be wise to ask, "Do you want my advice or just someone to listen to you?"
Having a deeper awareness of gender differences will help you increase understanding, decrease tension and improve teamwork.
It is crucial to embrace differences and realize that there may, indeed, be alternative ways of doing things. It would behoove us to listen to each other and be more open to learning from our differences rather than allowing them to stifle our growth and ability to communicate with one another.
As we move into the next decade, we are going to have to learn how to better establish and maintain relationships with clients and co-workers so that we can create greater quality and productivity in an ever-changing world. The best way to do this is to fine-tune communication skills and accept that people are different, and it's okay. Follow these tips:
Keep an open mind
Accept and understand differences
When in doubt, check it out
Take the time to talk about talking
Create an environment where people feel safe sharing ideas/opinions
(c) Nancy Stern 2004
Other Recent EzineArticles from the Business: Category:<
Business Availability Center Products OverviewBusiness Availability Center products are an extensive package of advanced, state-of-the-art tools for measuring and managing critical business processes to ensure business efficiency, stability and longevity in the market. Designed by Mercury Interactive, Business Availability Center products offer users an innovative approach to integrating business, end-user and system perspectives, while also providing a detailed analysis of the infrastructure that incorporates critical applications.With the help of Mercury Interactive Business Availability Center products, organizations can: manage IT from a business perspective to improve service levels; translate business objectives into IT operational level agreements; ensure alignment between LOBs and IT by measuring and reporting on service levels from an end-user perspective; obtain a detailed map applications and infrastructure environments; rapidly identify, classify and diagnose problems to prevent application downtime; assess impact before deployment in order to minimize business risk.Mercury Interactive Business Availability Center products encompass a wide variety of innovative tools, including End User Management, Diagnostics, System Availability Management, Service Level Management, Universal CMDB, Application Mapping and SiteScope.End User Management is used for monitoring website and application availability in real time, from the end-user perspective, allowing organizations to timely identify and fix issues. This very popular Mercury Interactive solution proactively emulates end-user business processes against applications on a 24x7 time basis for over 60 protocols, including web and non-web e
d workplace stress.
Research indicates men and women are socialized differently and consequently, have diverse styles of speaking. In her best-selling book, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, Deborah Tannen says the sexes often speak virtually different languages. She calls it "report talk" vs. "rapport talk."
Men and women, and their different languages
Men tend to use “report talk” to convey information and self-importance, while women tend to use “rapport talk” to establish intimacy and connection. Tannen says that women will then see men as self-centered and domineering, while men will then see women as illogical and insecure. What results? Accusations that are hurtful. Men will accuse women of asking for advice and then not taking it, of rambling on about nothing, and of being unable to make decisions. Women will accuse men of not listening, invalidating their feelings, and always stepping in to solve problems with a lot of "you shoulds."
Speaking different languages at work
In the workplace, these differences impact the way messages are sent and received, thus causing communication breakdown, misunderstanding and major frustration. For example, a female supervisor seeks conversation from her male boss about a problem situation she is having with one of her employees. Her intent for the meeting is to inform her boss of the problem. She just wants him to listen to her, rephrase and repeat what she's saying so that she can become more clear on how she wishes to proceed. Perhaps he would ask her some probing questions about options, etc. Instead, he begins telling her what she should do with the problem employee. She becomes frustrated and leaves, feeling like her time was wasted. He feels he has solved the problem, and it's time to move on.
...and then at home
Taking this situation into the home, the wife wishes to discuss a problem she's having with her husband, and he jumps in with the solution before she has had a chance to process her options. She gets mad and leaves the room saying, "You just never listen!"
An immediate translation is what's needed
In both scenarios, some very important communication skills are sorely lacking. First of all, the woman needs to be up front about what she wants from the man. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd help me process this problem by listening and asking questions," is one way for her to be clear in the beginning. If she decides she wants his advice, then she can ask for it. If she doesn't tell him what she wants in the beginning, then he would be wise to ask, "Do you want my advice or just someone to listen to you?"
Having a deeper awareness of gender differences will help you increase understanding, decrease tension and improve teamwork.
It is crucial to embrace differences and realize that there may, indeed, be alternative ways of doing things. It would behoove us to listen to each other and be more open to learning from our differences rather than allowing them to stifle our growth and ability to communicate with one another.
As we move into the next decade, we are going to have to learn how to better establish and maintain relationships with clients and co-workers so that we can create greater quality and productivity in an ever-changing world. The best way to do this is to fine-tune communication skills and accept that people are different, and it's okay. Follow these tips:
Keep an open mind
Accept and understand differences
When in doubt, check it out
Take the time to talk about talking
Create an environment where people feel safe sharing ideas/opinions
(c) Nancy Stern 2004
Other Recent EzineArticles from the Business: Category:
About Heavy Equipment And It's Uses In ConstructionThere are different types of construction that can be performed depending on what needs to be fixed or built in society. For instance one major type of construction is heavy construction. Heavy construction is the type of work that occurs when infrastructure is added to an already built up environment, such as building a highway. Those who own heavy construction projects are typically national or local level government agencies that deal with large contracts that last quite a length of time.Heavy construction projects are usually done in the best interest of the public to service them better. Of course, it is hard to agree with this when you’re stuck in traffic while the roads or the sewers beneath them are being replaced, but indeed the end result has us in mind. That being said, not every heavy construction project is undertaken by the government. Some large, private corporations, such as power companies, harbors, railroads, mines and golf courses, are also involved. These private companies, among others, undertake heavy construction in order to create dams, railways, massive earthwork projects, etc.Some developments that are considered heavy construction projects include:- buildings
- parks
- playgrounds
- apartments
- stadiums
- factories
- mallsThe most important part of heavy construction that makes it successful is the equipment that is used. Heavy construction equipment is essential to the project, because without it, even the basic construction work could never be completed. They are typically quite large, and are created specifically for one or two different uses. The primary equipment used for
will help you increase understanding, decrease tension and improve teamwork.
It is crucial to embrace differences and realize that there may, indeed, be alternative ways of doing things. It would behoove us to listen to each other and be more open to learning from our differences rather than allowing them to stifle our growth and ability to communicate with one another.
As we move into the next decade, we are going to have to learn how to better establish and maintain relationships with clients and co-workers so that we can create greater quality and productivity in an ever-changing world. The best way to do this is to fine-tune communication skills and accept that people are different, and it's okay. Follow these tips:
Keep an open mind
Accept and understand differences
When in doubt, check it out
Take the time to talk about talking
Create an environment where people feel safe sharing ideas/opinions
(c) Nancy Stern 2004
This article has been viewed 12440 time(s).
Article Submitted On: August 28, 2004
Please Rate This Article: 
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.casualarticles.com/article/5232/casualarticles-Gender-Jive-Communication-Between-Men-and-Women.html">Gender Jive: Communication Between Men and Women</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.casualarticles.com/article/5232/casualarticles-Gender-Jive-Communication-Between-Men-and-Women.html]Gender Jive: Communication Between Men and Women[/url]
Related Articles:
My Introduction to Allentown Business School
I finally arrived at Allentown, PA to attend a business school just a few days ago. The long drive from my home in Vermont wasn't too bad because the view was wonderful and relaxing. I arrived at the Allentown business school just in time to have a good weekend to explore before my classes started on Monday, although I would have liked to visit this city a little bit earlier in the month.
Color Documents: Which Color Type Is Best?
When creating a document, whether for screen or professional reproduction, adding a color can make a definite statement, catch your audiences attention and judicious use of color has been proven to increase sales and conversion rates considerably.
Adding color to a web page, this poses little problem. Pick your color and there it is. But if you are having your document reproduced on paper, what type of color required by your design should be one of the major considerations.
Documentation Provides Clarification, Fortification and Corroboration
Once you obtain business, do you give much thought to protecting yourself (and your income)? Often, we're so exhausted by our business-building efforts, and so exhilarated when we get it, that we simply shift to concentrating on closing the deal - and ignore potential adverse situations.
