The Dangers of Procrastination

The Dangers of Procrastination
Putting off something that should be done now until a later
time is what we have come to think of as procrastination.
You might associate procrastination with someone who
doesn't take the garbage out right away, or someone who
puts off cleaning the storm drains until there is a real
clog.

However, procrastination is present in business situations
as well. Some of the most brilliant, work oriented people
are guilty of procrastination in business. Here's a bit of
a story about a man named John.

John was a very clever, resourceful and smart entrepreneur.
Upon deciding to open his own company in a niche that he
wasn't very familiar with, but that was really hot at the
time, John began researching. Of course, in the beginning
John was only interested in finding the best ways to
operate his company but his research turned into a means of
putting off the business venture.

He researched target markets, different companies that were
similar to the one he wanted to start, common prices for
services and products in this niche, etc. The more he
researched, it seemed like the more he found that needed to
be researched. In fact, in a short period of time, John
became quite the expert in this niche.

As he continued to research, he began research on using the
best available products for his business that he could
find. He looked at the statistics on business endeavors
and employees.

While most people think that research is a great thing,
John ended up researching to the point that he was
procrastinating. Whether he was nervous to fail at the
business or he just had a compulsion to know each and every
detail that had to do anything with his niche is unknown.

The point is that this kind of cycle is very easy to get
into with entrepreneurs and others. Some of the most
successful business men and women are the ones that jumped
right in and learned as they went. Of course, this is not
the best method to take either. A beneficial middle
between these two is the most desirable way to go.

Business is full of risks. This is one reason that people
are so drawn to business and in fact, some people were
simply born for the rush and the adrenaline of starting a
new business venture or taking a new risk. In order to be
truly successful, we have to escape the trap of
procrastination and jump headlong into the risk.

Of course, some education is needed in order to understand
the workings of what we are diving into, but too much can
paralyze us. And, too much education that really is not on
purpose can be too much of nothing.

----------------------------------------------------
Steve Scott is a business/life coach and a business
development consultant. He specializes in teaching
entrepreneurs and solo and sales professionals to create a
business and life with greater freedom and abundance.
http://www.progresssetfree.com

The Secret To Getting Your Team Engaged

The Secret To Getting Your Team Engaged
Many supervisors, managers and team leaders bemoan the fact
that their team is not totally engaged with what he or she
is trying to achieve. Is it poor communication on the
boss's part? Lack of direction? Lack or little motivation
from the team members?

A recent survey by the Corporate Leadership Council
reported that from a study of 50,000 employees worldwide,
only 11% reported that they felt fully engaged in their
current work, 76% felt neither engaged nor disengaged and
13% felt fully disengaged.

Where do your team members stand?

* Fully engaged?

* Neither engaged nor disengaged?

* Disengaged?

Before you answer that, or perhaps start putting the names
of some of your team members into the three categories, it
is worthwhile revisiting the definition of the word
"engagement".

Engagement:

1. The act of engaging, pledging, enlisting, occupying, or
entering into contest.

2. The state of being engaged, pledged or occupied;
specifically, a pledge to take some one as husband or wife.

3. That which engages; engrossing occupation; employment of
the attention; obligation by pledge, promise, or contract
an enterprise embarked in.

I believe we can gain some ideas about engaging our teams
by taking a lead from each of the three definitions -
namely, "external contest", "pledge to take on" and
"engrossing".

What happens in practise? Do organisations engage their
people by "defining the contest", "getting them to pledge
their commitment" and "providing engrossing challenges"?

In their studies of some 300 organisations who were
actively working on engagement strategies, the Corporate
Leadership Council summarised the strategies of the more
successful organisations. Can you see the three elements
of engagement in their strategies?

The successful strategies were:

* Diagnosing the urgency of the engagement challenge

* Determining the organizational strategy that engages
managers and employees

* Creating engagement opportunities to enable employee
contribution

* Framing an engaging structure that builds organizational
credibility with employees

* Benchmarking engagement over time for continuous
improvement

Here are some tips for building engagement within your team
that I have used successfully.

1. Define the external contest

People often work best together and pull together as a
team, when they are faced with some kind of external threat
that is common to everyone in the team. You may have
experienced this yourself at some stage. For instance,
this often happens in cases of takeovers and mergers where
people who might previously have been a loose working group
(sometimes with not a lot in common) are suddenly faced
with an external threat that they can't quite understand or
manage. Often in these situations, they focus on the
things they can manage and the things they do have in
common. The external "they" or "them" becomes the common
enemy that they can all relate to - they rally around one
another to fight this common enemy. Something out there in
the environment has come to be seen as a common threat and
so, they bond successfully together as a team to fight the
common enemy.

But people can also pull together and become very effective
as a team when they have a common positive external
pressure, such as winning a contest, or being seen as the
"best" team. As a team leader, the secret is to identify
what in the external environment might be the threats and
opportunities the team can bond around.

2. Get team members to pledge their commitment

Does this mean getting them to sign a formal document, or
have them all stand and sing the company song? Hardly
(although I have heard of organisations doing just that).
What it does mean is getting your team members on board by
being attuned to their values and motives and aligning
these with your team direction. How do you do this? At
the end of this article, I will outline how you can run a
workshop that embodies commitment.

3. Provide engrossing challenges

It will be extremely difficult to get team member
engagement if the work that your team members do is dull
and boring. All the studies of motivation over the last 50
years include at least the following to build motivation:

* Achievement - people need to see results for what they
do. Make sure that their work is able to be measured,
preferably by each team member themselves.

* Recognition for achievement - praise and recognise team
members for the work that they do well. Encourage team
members to praise one another. Set the example and build a
culture of recognition by finding at least one of your team
members doing something well every day and praise them for
it.

* Responsibility - encourage people to take responsibility
for their actions. Allow them to make decisions (without
the need to refer to you) within their area of
responsibility.

* Meaningful, interesting work - ensure the work is
meaningful to each individual. Assign people to work that
they find satisfying. Look for ways to make the work more
interesting - get your team members involved by asking for
their ideas on how to make their jobs more interesting.

* Growth and advancement - provide team members with the
opportunity to develop themselves both personally and
professionally. Your aim is to have the most marketable
team members in the organisation. You will know when you
are successful at this, when your fellow managers keep
wanting your people to join their team. When you develop
this type of team culture, you'll have people lining up at
your door wanting to be part of the most successful team.

How to get started? In addition to some of the points
mentioned above that you can implement immediately (e.g.
daily, look for someone doing something well and praise
them for it), plan and run a workshop (preferably off site)
to set the tone for engagement and to gain commitment. I
have used the following process with many teams and found
it embodies all three of the engagement principles -
"defining the contest", "getting team members to pledge
their commitment" and "providing engrossing challenges".

The Ideal Team - a workshop process:

Ask your team members to write down (preferably prior to
the workshop) answers to the following two questions:

Picture yourself at your normal place of work -

1. What drives you to succeed at work? List as many things
as come to mind.

2. What are the aspects about your work (or place of work)
that you value?

At the workshop, ask people to contribute points from their
answers, e.g. "Keeping in mind the work values you have
just identified, develop a picture of our team as it might
look if you could describe it as my ideal team"

1. What do you want our team to look like in six months
time? This should be a team that will enable you to
achieve your goals and provide job satisfaction.

2. What are the things that we can do (or not do) that will
help make our team more like your ideal team?

3. What are those things that will work against the team
moving towards your ideal?

4. From the list, what are the 2 or 3 most important things
we must do to achieve this ideal team status?

5. On the other hand, what are the 2 or 3 things we must
avoid doing if we are to achieve our ideal?

6. Develop an action plan with time lines and check points
over the next 6 months to assess progress. Make sure you
follow up on these regularly.

7. Finally, ask each team member to nominate publicly "The
one most important thing I can do to help us become the
ideal team is . . . "

I'm sure that adopting and implementing the three
principles of engagement in everything that you do as a
team leader will soon have your team mentioned around the
organisation as "the ideal place to work". Watch out for
the rush!

----------------------------------------------------
Bob Selden is the author of "What To Do When You Become The
Boss", a practical "how to" for managers. If you have a
management challenge, visit Bob at
http://www.whenyoubecometheboss.com to find an answer.
Alternatively, you can phone Bob on +41 61 921 66 51
between 9 and 5 (GMT +1)

How to Be the Go-To-Gal of Your Organization

How to Be the Go-To-Gal of Your Organization
Catapult your business into a hugely successful and
profitable business this year by transforming yourself into
the Go-To-Gal for your industry or organization.

You all know that one person in whatever organization you
belong to that totally stands out from the crowd in a
positive way, right? They consistently are at every event,
they volunteer their time and they seem to always get
highlighted for something or win some award or something.
You can't really be mad at them either because they are so
willing to give advice and referrals to you or anyone they
can about what it is they have expertise in that they are
just too nice to get mad at.

For some reason too you always seem to be reminded of them
- either someone recommends them to you or to others when
the topic of their business comes up in discussion or they
send you a mailing or email to follow up. You might also
see their business cards at various other clients or
friends offices because that person knows them too.

Is this starting to sound familiar? Do you have someone
specific in mind?

Do you know why they are on "Top of Mind" with you? It's
because they are so good at keeping in touch with their
contacts, networking, keeping "in your face" and reminding
you to refer to them. They probably take advantage of key
publicity or promotional opportunities too that you may or
may not even be aware are out there and might be free to
you.

I am sharing my 4 Key Attributes of Being a Go-To-Gal
because I reached that status a couple years ago and it has
literally launched my business into huge success and you
can do it too.

The 4 Key Attributes of a Go-To-Gal:

1. You're everywhere and everyone knows you

2. You have a professional and recognized brand

3. You're extremely knowledgeable and it shows

4. You ACT on opportunities!

If you're everywhere and everyone knows you, you do a lot
of networking, meet and stay in contact with a lot of
people. You belong to numerous organizations or groups and
attend them often. People tend to start saying to you
"wow, you're everywhere!".

You have a professional brand if you get comments all the
time from people you don't know like "I feel like I've seen
your stuff before" or "I recognize you from your website".

People recognize you as highly knowledgeable when you start
getting asked to speak at events or in front of your target
market type groups. You often give freely of your advice
and tips as well when you're out networking; you're very
generous.

When you ACT on opportunities that come your way or you
specifically seek out exposure and business building
opportunities is when you finally start becoming "Top of
Mind" with everyone that knows you - hence the "Go-To-Gal"
for your industry or organization!

Don't worry, you don't have to be good at sales or even
that outgoing to be the Go-To-Gal in your industry or
organization - BUT YOU MUST BE MOTIVATED TO IMPLEMENT AND
WORK "ON" YOUR BUSINESS RATHER THAN JUST "IN" IT!

----------------------------------------------------
© Copyright 2008 K.Sawa Marketing
Katrina Sawa is an Award-Winning Relationship Marketing
Coach who's helped hundreds of small business owners take
dramatic steps in their businesses to get them to the next
level in business, revenues and life. She offers one-on-one
coaching, group coaching and do-it-yourself marketing
planning products. Go online now to get started with her
Free Report and Free Audio at
http://www.GetFreeMarketingTips.com !

10 Management Tips for Managing Difficult People

10 Management Tips for Managing Difficult People
"When managing difficult people, if it isn't written down,
it's as if it didn't happen." Colleen Kettenhofen

Many managers and supervisors are promoted to management
positions based on their hard skills. Yet few of them have
had training in the area of managing people. Especially
managing difficult people. In conducting seminars on
managing people, one challenge I hear managers and
supervisors face nowadays is how to manage a difficult
employee. You can't control them, but you can control their
environment in the hopes of coaching the employee to better
performance.

Here are 10 Management Tips for Managing Difficult People:

1. Document, document, document. As far as the courts are
concerned, if it isn't written down it's as if it didn't
happen. Even if you have a prospective employee sign a form
saying they know they can be terminated at any time,
without cause, and without warning or reason. You never
want to terminate without proper documentation. Terminating
an employee without cause, reason, or prior warning, can
make it easier for the difficult person to win a wrongful
termination lawsuit.

2. Document training and coaching. Any type of training you
provide for your difficult employee is considered coaching.
In managing difficult people, many managers assume the
documentation is to build a case for termination. It is
not! It's really to show everything you did to try and
salvage the difficult employee. This includes any and all
training. Whether you trained the employee, someone else
trained them, or you sent them to a seminar to be coached
to better performance.

3. Avoid the word "attitude." In managing difficult people,
why would you want to avoid saying something like, "Pat, I
don't like your attitude?" Because it's too subjective.
It's not specific enough.

4. Focus instead on specific behaviors or the quality of
their work. For example, what should you do if every time
you delegate a special project to the difficult person,
they fold their arms, exhale loudly, roll their eyes, and
sarcastically mutter under their breath, "Okay, whatever?!"
You would want to say in a low controlled tone something
like, "Pat, every time I delegate a special project to you,
the arms are folded, you're rolling your eyes, muttering
under your breath, 'Okay, whatever.' What seems to be the
cause of this?" Notice I listed specific behaviors. So
focus on facts.

5. Be objective, not subjective. As mentioned, when
managing difficult people, be objective by mentioning
specific behaviors, or specific declines in the quality of
their work. For example, when documenting the employee's
"attitude," you might document the following: "Every time I
delegated a special project to Pat so-and-so, he/she would
fold their arms, exhale loudly, roll their eyes, and mutter
under their breath, "Okay, whatever!" Now, if this were
ever read by a jury, or your Human Resources department if
you have one, or your manager, they would have a clear
picture of this person's attitude.

"When managing difficult people, it's imperative that you
make their goals and objectives measurable, specific,
quantifiable, and in writing for accountability."

6. Provide specific examples of the behavior or quality of
work you want. Put it in writing for accountability. When
managing difficult people, it's imperative that as their
manager or supervisor, you're making their goals and
objectives clear. For example, if they're doing clerical
work, they are to, "Correct and proofread all required
reports for the quality control department." Or if they're
in customer service, and example of a measurable,
quantifiable, specific goal would be that they are to,
"Respond to all customer complaints within 48 hours of
receiving them." If they're in manufacturing, they are to,
"Produce 35% more wingbats by December 15 of this year. "
You get the idea.

7. Be aware of how you present yourself. When managing
difficult people, remember, you are their role model. Be
aware of your eye contact. Typically look at the person for
two to five seconds. You don't want to stare at them bug
eyed! But you also don't want to avoid looking at them
because you'll come across as too passive, too wishy-washy.
They'll sense you're fearful of confrontation.

Having lots of eye contact can be difficult for some people
because in some cultures, children are brought up that it's
disrespectful to have eye contact with their elders. It can
be difficult to unlearn these habits. Also, watch your tone
of voice. Use a low controlled tone. Be aware of your body
language, too. Study after study shows that fully 93% of
what people notice and believe about you in face-to-face
communication is based on your tone and body language.

8. Be very clear and concise in spelling out the
consequences of what could happen if they don't improve.
For example, if this is a verbal warning, you might say to
the employee, "You know our policy here, and right now this
is a verbal warning. As it says in our handbook, if there
isn't sustainable and maintained improvement including and
beyond the next thirty days, it could result in further
disciplinary action. Or, it could even result in
termination." In managing difficult people, one of the
golden rules is you don't want the employee to ever be able
to say that they "weren't warned." Or, "I didn't know. You
didn't tell me that."

9. Get at the root cause of what is causing the employee to
be difficult in the first place. For example, do they
simply not like their job? Would they rather be in a
different department? Are there personal issues going on
with the difficult person that you need to know about?
While it's not your business to know what they do outside
of work, it is your business if it's something that's
affecting their work performance.

You can simply say to the difficult person, "Is everything
okay? Is there anything going on that I need to know about?
Because this drop in performance just doesn't seem like
you. As your manager/supervisor I want to see you succeed.
And I've noticed a real decline in the quality of your
work, for example...." Then, give very specific examples.
Remember, be objective not subjective. Focus on facts.
Attack the problem not the difficult person. Attack the
behavior not the person.

In managing difficult people, a lot of this is
common-sense. Yet, as mentioned earlier, most managers,
supervisors and team leaders are promoted to leadership
positions based on the fact that they were doing a great
job. But that doesn't mean they know how to instinctively
manage difficult people.

10. In managing difficult people, have follow up
performance-related meetings with the difficult employee.
For two reasons: First, it's what the courts want to see.
Second, it does the employee a great disservice if they
make a big turn-around and you don't acknowledge it. Have
a date and a time in writing for when you and the difficult
person are going to meet again. And do meet! According to
research one of the main reasons employee improvement plans
fail is lack of follow-up on the part of the manager.

"When managing difficult people, most of us know what to
do. We just don't always 'do' with what we know." Colleen
Kettenhofen

----------------------------------------------------
Colleen Kettenhofen is a Phoenix, Arizona speaker,author
and workplace expert. She is co-author of The Masters of
Success, featured on NBC's Today Show. For free video
clips, articles, e-newsletter visit
http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Colleen is available for
keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by calling
(800)323-0683. colleen@colleenspeaks.com
http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com

Flammable Products

Flammable Products
It has been known for decades in the furniture industry
that the design and manufacture of upholstered furniture
with polyurethane foam is unsafe. The Consumer Product
Safety Commission has estimated that over 800 people die
every year in fires where upholstered furniture was the
first item ignited. In just a matter of minutes a sofa fire
can turn a living room into an inferno which fills the
house with thick dark smoke and toxic gases which inhibit
and prevent the occupants from escaping the fire.

Temperatures from upholstered furniture fires can exceed
1400 degrees within minutes. If you are in prison, a
hospital, on an airplane, living in California or the
United Kingdom, your chances of surviving a furniture fire
are dramatically higher as fire retardant foam is required
in these places. In California, a state that adopted flame
retardant foam standards "California Foam" in the 1970's,
there has been a 25 percent drop in deaths involving
upholstered furniture beyond the national average.

Polyurethane has been dubbed "solid gasoline" by numerous
fire marshals. Once ignited, the foam will burn rapidly at
temperatures in excess of 1400 degrees. Most significantly,
when it decomposes and burns, it emits hydrogen cyanide
gases, a fatal asphyxiate. Hydrogen cyanide produces anoxia
(absence of oxygen). When it is combined with carbon
monoxide, the effects of the hydrogen cyanide are
multiplied. An individual may become disoriented in this
type of situation, which could increase the risk of death.
Ensuring the materials of furniture in a home is one way to
prepare and protect oneself from such a threat.

Statistics clearly indicate that the greatest threat to
building occupants is the spread and exposure to toxic
gases. This becomes highly significant where the victims of
the fire were attempting to escape, but due to the effects
of the toxic gases the normal escape responses become
impaired and, accordingly, increase the lethal aspect of a
fire. The limited escape time and the failure to appreciate
the extreme hazards of rapid flame spread and propagation
leads, often times, to tragic consequences.

Individuals who may have flammable furniture should replace
the furniture to ensure safety and may want to speak with
an experienced attorney who can provide insight into how
these unsafe items made it to market with so little warning
from manufacturers. Additionally, keeping at least one, if
not more, fire extinguishers in the home as well as
checking batteries on smoke detectors is imperative in case
a fire should ever occur.

----------------------------------------------------
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