Recipe for Success

 Business Planning, Management  2 Responses »
May 072012
 
Recipe for Success

Watching the news every night and the news talk shows on Sunday, you might be confused as to where we (as a country) are now and where we are going.  I’m not a politician or an economic expert, by any means, but I do use common sense and bit of “kitchen” know-how to plan for the future. What do I mean by that?  Well, I believe if you want to succeed in business you must mix your ability to think clearly (common sense) with key ingredients (kitchen know-how) to build your success.  Let’s start with the kitchen know-how. I was always told, and passed these words of wisdom on to my children, that if you could read a recipe you [...]

How to be an effective leader

 Management  11 Responses »
Dec 142010
 
How to be an effective leader

Before we begin to discuss being a leader, we probably should define what a leader is.  This is important because there can be a distinction between being a “boss” and being a “leader”.  Your position may define you as a boss, which provides you with the authority to accomplish tasks and objectives.  This authority does not define you as a leader, however.  It simply makes you the boss.  Leaders can be defined as a person who influences others to accomplish the tasks and objectives.   A leader makes others want to achieve the tasks and goals they are given. That isn’t to say that leaders don’t have tasks to perform.  It is just that when they do have tasks they often [...]

What Can Flexibility do for you

 Scheduling  6 Responses »
Jul 152008
 
What Can Flexibility do for you

Image via Wikipedia If you are a Yoga participant or a gymnast, flexibility is a requirement. It is an important part of the daily process and is a process that has been learned. Not only has it been learned, it has been perfected over the course of a Yoga or gymnast class. In business and human resources, flexibility is not a requirement but it can be an important part of the daily business process. And, just like with the Yoga or gymnast, flexibility in an organization can be learned. But, in order to learn to be flexible you need to understand what being flexible means. With the emergence of the younger work force, the Gen X and Gen Y and [...]

Are you a Manager or an “Ogre”?

 Lead Articles, Management  8 Responses »
Jun 262008
 

Employee retention is one of the key issues facing businesses of all sizes. We know that turnover is expensive – two and a half times an employee’s annual salary – more for a managerial level employee. Many think money is the key motivated, but it isn’t. People leave their managers, not their companies. Do you conduct yourself in a professional manner or do you: Intimidate your employees – yell at people, throw tantrums in meetings, belittle people Take credit for what others do, never accept blame when things go wrong Micromanage, distrust people Betray confidences, gossip and spread rumors Constantly criticize, fail to praise your employee’s good work Withhold important information or resources for the success of the project, job, [...]