Continue to Learn
A Search for Knowledge
Warren Buffet is quoted as saying, “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.” Mr. Buffet is considered one of the smartest investors in the modern era. One might say that he is a very knowledgeable investor. What makes him a knowledgeable investor? I would suggest that he works hard to become knowledgeable in the companies in which he invests. He learns to know their management, their product/services, their people, their plans, their competitors, their markets, their technologies and their people. He never assumes anything or works on a tip. He is in a constant search for knowledge.… Read the rest
We often find ourselves in a position where we have to hire a sales person. We might also find ourselves needing to evaluate the worth of one who is already on-board. The question is, therefore, what traits we want to see in evaluating this person, especially if the task involves finding a new client or a new job. Let’s consider these five points.
David Allen
We are often in a social situation where we meet people, who will eventually ask us, what we do. When we reply that part of our practice is business coaching they often reply, “OH that’s nice.” They say that in a way which indicates that they are unsure of what that means and are fearful of finding out more about the subject. They assume that they are well equipped to handle their business issues or that this is a “touchy feely” subject that makes them uncomfortable.… 
Every entrepreneur I have ever talked to has had to come face to face with his/her fears. I have had to as well. I want to share with you some of the techniques I have used to face them.
As any business or organization begins to grow, there comes a point where the leadership begins to realize that they cannot do or control everything themselves. They must begin to delegate tasks and responsibilities to others; but of equal importance, is to empower those individuals. Empowerment in the simplest terms means to treat people not as employees, but as partners.… 
Most organizations have at least one individual who might be considered troublesome. They may be tolerated because the group feels that they carry their load. They may not be tactful and could often be abrasive, leaving you with a very tricky situation. How you handle these individuals, who some might classify as characters may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the group. Some might consider them loners in that they often fail to greet coworkers and fail to say hello in the morning. They might fail to have eye contact or make unusual statements at inappropriate moments. Others often say “well that’s the way he is.” As a manager you must tread lightly with these personalities; but to maintain communications and productivity there are some suggested actions and things to avoid.… 
One of the skills necessary for success in any business or nonprofit organization is the ability to chart a course. To properly chart a course, it is important to understand first where you are, than where you want to go, and finally the plan on how to get there. If you have ever been in a new town and wanted to go out to dinner, you might have first looked for a restaurant in a magazine. You then call to find out where they were located. The first question you were asked by the person in the restaurant is where are you now? In fact, you have just taken the first step in charting a course to dinner.… 
As a business person managing a small or medium size company, you may not be able to relate the subject of leadership to success in your business. If fact, when you see the subject as the topic of this article, you may choose to slip it and move on. So no matter whether you are a one person business or have a staff of dozens, leadership is critical to your continued success. When you think of a leader in a successful business, ask yourself:
As HR professionals wait anxiously for the release of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) final changes to the overtime exemptions, it’s becoming clear that the new rule will cost many employers a lot of money. But the revised standard also will create an opportunity for HR to correct some past mistakes.
The cost to business of employee addiction is tremendous. Many addicts (which includes alcoholics) become extremely skilled at hiding or explaining away events related to their addictions. Encouragement from an employer can be a powerful prompt to the employee to get appropriate treatment and so return to full productivity. (Note: Automatic termination of actively addicted employees is neither humane nor advisable. First, addiction is a disease, not a moral choice. Second, many people who are addicted may be covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act.) Although some of the following may occur in employees who are not addicted, the more that apply, the more likely it is that the employee suffers from addiction in some form or other.… 
In his book, 
concerned about the future because we will spend the rest of our lives there.” The ability to have a vision of what you personally perceive as success is a key element in your business venture and your personal life. Where are you going and what will in look like when you get there? A meaningful vision not only provides direction, but it helps people find meaning in their work and a reason to excel.… 
As a new business owner, your role may encompass all of the important aspects of the company. Sure, you may have had employees, but they were assigned specific tasks and you kept an eye on everything they did. You were the salesman, the supervisor, the customer service contact, the scheduler of the work, and even the bookkeeper. But as your business grows, you feel yourself pulled in many directions. You cannot effectively completely cover all the roles you filled in the past.… 
This program, originally announced in the Quill last month is also available to organizations and groups. It is ideally suited for groups of six to eight people from one company or organization. It would provide the organizational leadership, such as department heads, an organized forum during which they could review their 2015 accomplishment and set their goals for 2016. Our program for the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce will include representative from a number of diversified business and is described in the last month’s article.…