Are You A Great Contractor or Simply A Good Contractor?

Are You A Great Contractor or Simply A Good Contractor?
Why do some contractors do extremely well in their
construction businesses and some barely "limp along" year
after year, never really achieving greatness in their
business? The majority of times the answer is very simple;
they are great technicians at their trade, but they are not
willing to reach for greatness in their management
techniques. A great technician at a trade will always have
a good job; a great technician AND a great manager will
have an exciting and profitable business.

Good contractors keep accurate records and manage cash
flow. Great contractors review data with experience and
insight in order to better understand their firms'
performance and identify areas for improvement.

Computers are great at tabulating numbers. They've made it
possible for contractors to keep track of far more
information than earlier generations would ever have
thought possible. Today job costing, estimating, and
accounting can be done with an amazing degree of accuracy
and detail.

But managing your company's finances goes beyond simply
keeping track of income and expenses and making sure that
more money comes in than goes out. Good judgment must be
exercised, and decisions must be made every day. That
requires an understanding of financial statements and the
ability to use that information to make better decisions,
both short and long-term.

For example, compare day-to-day productivity with long-term
productivity. When you include call-backs and reworks in
performance, you might find it better to budget additional
hours upfront to get the job done right the first time.

Also, along this line, how many times have you started into
a job and realized that you had bid the job much lower than
you should have bid to make a profit, but after realizing
your error, jumped into the job on "all fours", took the
"bull by the horns" and managed to squeak out a meager
profit? After getting by with the skin on your teeth, you
vowed never to get yourself into that situation again only
to find yourself there sometime in the future.

The majority of time that this happens is because after
having the initial problem and carefully managing the job
and working our way through our mistakes to make a small
profit, we had to jump right into the next job and we never
took the time to truly analyze our estimating shortcomings,
and as a result we never saw the next train wreck coming.

We have all heard the saying, "Insanity is doing something
the same way over and over again and expecting different
results." I am afraid that many of us think that is exactly
what the "other guy" is doing when in reality our not
"closing the back door" of our estimates and tracking
historical data against bid estimates is exactly that!

Forecasting is another key activity. It might be considered
planning for future financial management. While no one can
predict the company's future with certainty, it's important
to make some thoughtful estimates from time to time. Those
'best guesses,' such as whether to buy or lease equipment
or improve your internal computer software tools, can be
factored into decisions made each day.

Great contractors understand the cause-and-effect
relationships of their successes and their failures, and
that "pinching pennies" today often leads to expensive
corrections tomorrow. By actively managing the company's
financial affairs rather than just keeping good books,
contractors can build and maintain a strong foundation for
future prosperity for both the company and its employees.

----------------------------------------------------
Phillip P Gilliam has been helping professionals in
construction estimating software, marketing, finance and
business management for over 37 years. Phil has a wife and
three daughters and resides in Florida. He attended WSU in
Dayton, Ohio and obtained a CmfgE in Robotics. He presently
is the CEO and President of Discover Software Inc.
http://www.easyestimating.com

Why your Business Brand Shouldn't Be An Exact Mirror Image Of You

Why your Business Brand Shouldn't Be An Exact Mirror Image Of You
"Mirror, Mirror on the wall... Who's The Fairest One Of
All?" The wicked witch uses this line to ask her magic
mirror about her beauty, and time and time again, the
mirror always says, "Why, you are, of course!" Then, one
day, the mirror answers "There is one fairer than you—and
her skin is white as snow." This simple truth sends the
witch on a rampage. She disguises herself, poisons poor
Snow White, and puts her into a magical coma.

This tale of jealousy and deception cautions children
everywhere that nothing good can come of vanity. But if you
ask the average small business owner what differentiates
their business from the competition, one of the first
answers you'll hear is "Why, I do. I'm the best at this in
the land!"—or some variation on that refrain.

Vanity is not the "fairest one of all."

Vanity, even when backed by your business acumen or
experience, is never pretty. And it's not universally
attractive to customers—unless they've worked with you in
the past or know you socially. The fact that it's you
running your business probably won't mean much to the
average new customer.

Customers and prospects are more concerned about their
needs, their businesses, and their situations than they are
about how good you are. What they want to know is how
you're going to help them. And if you're a one-person
business, they're likely to be more concerned about the
fact that you're the only one there rather than being
thrilled about your experience.

And this is where a brand steps in.

Your business brand's job is to take your one-person
business and make it seem established and stable—rather
than fly-by-night and risky to work with.

A brand should also make your business seem more
"businesslike"— and that means credible, dependable, and
customer-focused. A business brand can help you position
your business as helpful, concerned about clients, and
capable of delivering.

Finally, a brand allows you to speak about and present your
business as a separate entity—instead of constantly talking
about your, you can talk about your business. In other
words, a brand helps to take the spotlight off the
entrepreneur and give the business a personality of its
own. This allows you to do a bit more "crowing" about your
business, without seeming as if you are bragging about
yourself.

Keys to separating your business brand from you.

1. Think about how big you want your business to eventually
be. If you're planning to stay a one-person business, then
your business's brand can probably be closer to your own
personality than if you're planning to grow your business
and eventually hire employees. If you are planning to hire
people, make sure that your employees will be able to
demonstrate the brand characteristics you choose.

2. Look at other businesses in your industry and how they
present their brands. This can help point you in the right
direction for your brand and also help you make sure your
brand will stand out. Look at the things they talk about
and how they talk about their businesses.

See which business's materials and brands you're most drawn
to and the lessons or suggestions you can pull from their
materials and repurpose for your own. Just don't copy them
exactly, or your brand won't be unique. Look at the
pictures they use and the words they describe their
businesses with—both elements contribute to your brand.

3. Figure out which of your personality traits are most
valuable to your business. The best way to do this is to
think about your target audience and the reassurance it
needs to go from being interested in doing business with
you to making the committment.

Some of these traits are likely to be those expected of any
business worth working with—fair pricing, good service, and
the list goes on and on. So you also need to think about
the factors that differentiate you from your competition.
You also want to focus on factors that make you appealing
to the people you want to hire you.

This is a pretty tall order, but try out your brand on your
target audience and see what resonates with them before
"carving it into stone"—which, in the case of your brand,
means before you print any marketing materials. Test your
ideas out with temporary materials or by incorporating them
into an elevator pitch at your next networking event. At
the very least, call up some of your best clients and run
your ideas by them.

4. Consider creating a logo as the face of your business.
If you use a photo of yourself as the primary graphic for
your business, it suggests you're always going to take
personal care of all client accounts—which isn't a message
you should send if you're planning to grow your business or
hire subcontractors or assistants. Using a photo also
brings in the vanity aspect again. "Look at me, I'm here to
do business with you." may not be the best message to send.

If you keep these 4 steps in mind and create a brand that
leaves you and your vanity out of the picture, your
business won't come across as a wicked witch. Instead,
you'll create a brand that will make your business "the
fairest one of all" to your best clients and help you live
happily ever after.

----------------------------------------------------
Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big
visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf
design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand
out in front of their competition and attract more clients.
Her "Define Your Difference Branding Workbook" will help
you with your brand definition - the most important step in
the logo design process.
http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html

Why giving clients more choices means they'll never buy.

Why giving clients more choices means they'll never buy.
You're really wanting to be thoughtful and accommodating.
You want to make your clients and customers comfortable, so
they can have things the way they like it.

So you start making up offers, each with different options
and flavors. Eventually you have a menu of ten options.

And no one's buying. Is it your marketing? Or your menu?

A child with no ice cream.

Hot summer day. Cool ice cream shop. An eager child. The
sign says '37 flavors.'

What happens next? That's right- you sit there while this
little cherub thinks, and wonders, and decides, and goes
back and forth wondering which flavor of ice cream to get.

Either that, or he just ignores all the many flavors and
gets the old-standby: chocolate, with sprinkles.

What are choices? Choices are where we express power. By
making a choice, you're expressing how you'd like things to
be. This requires a certain confidence and clarity.

Add to this problem the fact that most of us in Western
culture have had our imagination squashed out of us. In
school, in jobs, we're taught to regurgitate what we're
told, to maneuver through multiple-choice tests, and to
pick our path from limited options.

This may seem like a bad thing, and it can certainly be
painful if someone is limiting your options in an
artificial manner. But the truth is that your clients like
limits.

Huh? That's nutty- they don't want limits, they want to get
past the limits of the problem they are facing.

Well, sure, that's true. They do want to solve their
problem and keep moving. But, when faced with a problem, a
problem they can't solve, do you think they are feeling
much clarity or confidence in their heart?

Probably not. And yet, what are the two main qualities that
are needed to make a choice? Clarity and confidence.

Hmmm... do you see the same problem I see?

Limiting choices creates more safety. Don't give your
clients a menu of ten different options, even if they are
similar to one another. As Henry Ford said, "They can have
the Model T in any color they want, as long as it's black."

Ol' Henry set that up to keep his costs down in the
assembly line factories he had. However, this principle
applies even more strongly to businesses in the limitless
choice world of seventy million Google results.

By limiting choice for your clients, they only have to
muster up enough confidence and clarity to do one thing-
hire you, instead of having to wend their way through all
37 flavors of your offers.

It works. But isn't it kinda boring to just have one or two
offers? What happens to the creativity in your business?
And how do you handle different types of clients?

Hold on to your ice cream cone. I've got some ideas for you.

Keys to Dishing out the Options.

• Limit the recommended intro offers.

If you have one or two specific offers where you recommend
beginners start, that's the place to send'em. Foundational
offerings that cover the basics, and begin to walk them
into your world.

• Create a gazillion offers, but understand the sequence.

If you have a hundred offers, that's great. But then
organize them in some kind of a sequence, at least for the
first few. Understand how one of your offers links to the
next links to the next.

Now, your clients' progress won't always be linear, and so
you don't have to put all one hundred offers in sequence.
There will come a point where, through the help they've
received from you and elsewhere, that they regain some of
their lost confidence and clarity, which will give them
greater decision-making ability.

Plus, after they've done the first two or three offers,
they'll have more familiarity with what you do, and how you
do it, so it will be easier to choose from many offers.

• For custom consulting, still limit your offers.

When you are quoting out a custom consulting project to
someone, you still don't want to overwhelm them with
options. The same lack of clarity and confidence applies to
these decision-makers, no matter how sharply they're
dressed.

By setting one or two options in front of them, you're
showing your own expertise and confidence, and that is one
more bit of trust they will have in you.

Although it's tempting to want to create a groaning board
table full of all kinds of delicious offers, it will lose
you clients. Instead, limit their choices, and watch them
happily walk out with your chocolate ice cream cone.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the
globe succeed in business without lousing their hearts. Get
three free chapters of the book online:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com

Gross Weight? Tare Weight? Wait! Which Weight?

Gross Weight? Tare Weight? Wait! Which Weight?
Gross Weight

A basic tenet of shipping is that freight is rated on its
gross weight. Gross weight is simply the weight of the
product and its packaging. For example, the glass vase,
packing peanuts, carton, sealing tape and label combine to
make the gross weight.

Even when you attach your freight to skids or pallets for
ease of handling, pallet weight (which can be considerable
as anyone who has tossed them around a dock will testify)
must be included in the gross weight.

Net Weight

The weight of the product itself without packaging. (The
vase by itself.) Net weight is rarely a factor in shipping
unless a carton is overpacked and splits open. (Check the
seal on the bottom of a standard shipping carton for the
maximum weight the carton will hold safely.)

Tare Weight

Tare weight is the weight of an empty vehicle or container.
Normally not something that a shipper is concerned with but
it's a term everyone should know.

Volumetric Weight - Air freight

International airfreight shipments are usually rated per
pound or per kilogram. However, what the airlines are
really selling is space aboard the aircraft. Therefore,
they have a volumetric equivalent for shippers of
lightweight articles. Consider how much space 100 kgs of
ping pong balls would consume vs. 100 kgs of anvils.
International air shipments are figured on both the actual
gross weight and volumetric weight and rated at the higher
of the two. To determine volumetric weight for air:

Multiply length x width x height in inches and divide by
366. The result is the volumetric in kilograms.

Example: 20" x 20" x40" = 16,000 cu. inches

Divided by 366 = 43.7 (round up to 44 kilograms)

If the gross weight of the shipment is 35 kilograms, it
would be rated on the volumetric 44 kilograms. If the
actual gross weight is 50 kilograms, it would be rated at
50 kgs.

Weight/Measure ' Sea Freight

Many sea freight shipments are rated on a Full
Containerload (FCL) basis. However, Less-than-Containerload
(LCL) and the occasional FCL shipment are rated on a metric
"Weight/Measure" in most trades. This formula is based on 1
cubic meter (35.3147 cubic feet) versus 1,000 kilograms
(2,204.6 pounds), whichever yields the greater revenue to
the carrier. Let me save you some time. Unless your
shipment is extremely dense, it's going to go on Measure.
I've shipped tractor parts that went on Measure. Weight
basis shipments are rare.

Trucking Density Rates

Motor carriers also sell space on their trailer, even
though the rates are on a weight basis. Domestic LTL
(less-than-truckload) rates are usually charged per one
hundred pounds ("cwt"). However, think of those ping pong
balls again. Many trucking rates factor in density. Plastic
items and commodities of a similar nature have tiered rates
that are based upon the density of the product. The tariff
may read something along the lines of:

Plastic Items NOIBN (not otherwise indexed by number)
Density under 10 pounds per cubic foot

Rate $10.00/ cwt.

Plastic Items NOIBN Density 10 to 20 pounds per cubic foot,
Rate $8.50/ cwt

The difference between motor carrier density rates versus
air or sea volumetric rates is that the motor carrier
density rates apply only to select commodities. They're
universal in air and sea shipments.

GROSS MEASUREMENT

For air and sea freight, the LxWxH measurements are
stretched to the farthest point. For example, an automobile
length would stretch bumper tip to bumper tip. Therefore
it's advisable, whenever possible, to "square off" the
package. Say you're shipping a stove with a chimney
attachment. Remove the chimney before shipping and lay it
flat alongside or inside the stove. If you are shipping an
automobile, remove the radio antenna.

----------------------------------------------------
http://Howtoshipanything.com is and online resource
dedicated to help you ship both domestically and
internationally. W.E. Reinka, an international shipping
consultant, may be reached at
http://www.howtoshipanything.com/w-e-reinka/

Call Center Assessment Test

Call Center Assessment Test
An assessment program is an essential tool that would help
improve and organization. It is designed to identify the
areas that need special attention. An expert or a
professional in the field of assessment is employed to do
the job. Call Center Assessment providers provide experts
who have call center leadership background and understand
fully the operation of the industry. He is expected to
identify the specific areas that need attention and provide
the organization with an expert solution.

Call center assessment could be likened to an executive
medical checkup where early detection of any sign of health
problem could be addressed and further problem could be
prevented. So call centers health is assessed so that early
detection of minor inefficiencies could be addressed and
corrected. To effectively assess the call center's
performance, each area in the operation is specified and
reviewed and these are the following:

- Review the call center structure if and whether it
supports the vision and mission of the company
- Customer Relations. The customer satisfaction is assessed
through survey forms or customer feedbacks.
- Employer ' employee relationships. Satisfied customers
are result of good service and good service are result of
satisfied employee. The satisfaction levels of employees
are gauged.
- Quality assurance and performance. Quality assurance
forms and reports are analyzed and study how quality data
is applied. The analysis is made to improve the performance
level.
- Effective coaching and supervision. Observe if coaching
sessions are effective.
- Training. Analyze and identify the ways to improve the
efficiency of the training program.
- Hiring and Staffing. Analyze how hiring are conducted
and identify the areas which needed improvement.
- Staff Utilization. It should answer the question of
having the right person on the right position all the time.
- Work Order Management. These would lead to the study of
workforce management processes such as:

1. Forecasting methodology
2. Staffing and scheduling
3. Real time management practices
4. Effective workforce management team.

- Process and Information Management. Observe and analyze
call ' handling.
- Service Level Management & KPI's. Key Service Indicators
of KPI's shows that the SLM is properly functioning. The
weak areas must be improved.
- Call Management. The call routing is observed in the
following stages Site by site routing rules Menu choices
Prioritization of queue Transfer volumes and protocols
Skills-based routing rules Technology

- Security Management. Assess the scope of security and
disaster recovery (or business continuity) plan and the
ability to meet objectives during a crisis.
- Interaction Management. Analyze how effective customer
interaction is managed
- Web Self Service. Assess how effective this e- support.
- Contact Center Management. It is the central point of
contact with customers. Contact center applications are
tools that will help improve the critical first impression.
Customers should be given access options and alternatives,
streamlining customer transactions and creating a system
that would facilitate easy follow ups.
- Analysis And Reporting. How effective is the reporting
system? Is the system providing the needed data for
analysis?
- Technical. Is the system current and up to date? Is the
system running smoothly and operating at the peak
performance?

The final presentation includes recommendations and risks
and input on suggested action plan. All of these is a
result of several days of assessment work which is done
with in the work area. Assessment identifies and at the
same time recommends solution to the problems found.

----------------------------------------------------
Now as your call center up and running you will need to
assess its' performance and efficiency with the contact
center assessment tool at http://www.steptocallcenter.com

Calculating the Right Strategic Alliance for Your Company

Calculating the Right Strategic Alliance for Your Company
A strategic alliance can significantly open your market
opportunities, connecting you with a desired audience.
Forming a strategic alliance should begin with taking an
honest look the many aspects that make up your business -
and making sure the other partner fits those elements well.
Finding the right strategic alliance is crucial. The
concept of two minds being better than one can work, but
make sure to take a look at the following:

Vision: Assess what the company wants to become. Then,
based on current practices, compare the vision with the
company's potential to achieve its vision. With that
information, you will have a clear idea about what the
company needs to achieve that vision. Core Values:
Determine the organization's values. Ask what it cares
about and who will it benefit. These answers will play a
key role in choosing your alliance, as you'll want to find
a company with beliefs comparable to your own. Evaluation:

Evaluate your strengths and be objective about your
weaknesses. Determine where you succeed and where you are
challenged. Your time is most valuably spent doing what you
do best. If you spend more time doing things you struggle
with, you are losing money. Find an affiliate company who
succeeds where you struggle. Chances are an alliance with
them will also come with added value to your own clients
and would give you time back to do what you do best.

History: Evaluate when the company started, its major
successes and failures. Make sure your understanding of
their history is detailed and complete.

Real Issues: Now it's time to start thinking about the real
issues the company has. Make bullet points of everything
that is happening internally and externally. Include
economic conditions, legislation, and public perception.

Goals: The company's goals should be not be to make money,
but to provide a tangible benefit to someone or something.
Making money is a symptom of filling a need. Strategic
alliances could enhance the benefit to your clients, which
will equally greater profits.

Key Publics: This may be the most important aspect to
consider when shopping for an affiliate. Pick at least ten
of your key publics and prioritize them. Define their
importance: who they are and why they are important. When
two companies have mutual publics, they have a common goal.

Message Statement: Consider the perception your public will
have about your company. Now ask yourselves what are the
top three things you want to be known for. Forming an
alliance can create or re-enforce the essential message you
want your clients to hear. Sending the desired message is
invaluable and many companies have used alliances as a
creative marketing tool ultimately getting the attention
they desire.

When considering forming a strategic alliance, there are
many issues to consider. Once you've collected all the
data, analyzed the company's current situation in
comparison to where they are going and ultimately where
they want to be, you may find an alliance a great vehicle
to get you there.

----------------------------------------------------
Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A strategic
Collaboration Marketing consulting firm. He empowers
business owners to discover and implement Integration,
Alliance, and Joint Ventures marketing tactics to solve
specific business challenges. He demonstrates how to create
your own Collaboration Marketing Strategy to increase your
sales, conversation rates, and repeat business.
Contact: christian@christianfea.com
http://www.christianfea.com

Are You Ready for a Work From Home Business?

Are You Ready for a Work From Home Business?
Working from home is a great way to save money, save on
taxes, and get a home based business off the ground.
However, it takes a lot of commitment to actually work when
you have a home based business simply because there are so
many other things that need to be done around the house. As
a result, you need to figure out how to create an
environment that will work for a home based business. You
may not know how to make it work at first, but if you
implement the following tips then you will find you can
avoid a lot of mistakes and downtime.

Tip #1 Create an Office

Whether you change your guest room into an office or
transform the garage you need a workspace. This is the area
where you "go" to work each and every day. You will keep
all of your business related items in this area. You might
revolt against the idea of creating an office in your home
at first because your idea of a home based business is one
where you can work wherever you want. In addition, while
this does sound great it really is not feasible. You will
waste a lot of time looking for items that you left
somewhere in the house. You will be disorganized and you
will simply find that your home based business is not
growing as you hoped it would. However, if you create an
office where you have all your office related items and
information and you work in this area on a daily basis you
will find it works better for you. Give it a try and you
will certainly embrace it!

Tip #2 You are at Work

When you have a home based business you will find there is
no end to the favors people need during the day. Your
family and friends will call you first when they need a
favor because they are at work and cannot leave, but you
can. Or, at least that is how it is in their minds. Before
long you will find yourself picking up prescriptions,
taking people to doctor's appointments, getting the oil
changed, and hanging out at someone's house waiting for the
cable guy. It is hard to say no to people, but in order for
your home based business to succeed you msut learn to say
no and make others realize you may be at home but you are
working and unavailable.

Tip #3 Business Hours

You probably like the idea of working from home because you
can create your own work hours. Many people think they will
work less with their home based business, but this is
rarely the case. In fact, most people end up working more
because they can never get away from work. As a result, it
is important for your personal relationships and life in
general to set some business hours and try to follow them.

These are just a few suggestions to help you with your home
based business. It is not easy to work from home and it
takes a great deal of work and commitment to find a
schedule that works. However, if you implement these
suggestions you will find they do work very well and will
save you a lot of headaches in the future.

----------------------------------------------------
If you read this article in full then you know that you are
partially interested in a work from home business
opportunity. To learn more about the home based business
industry and many other home business opportunities, please
visit our website at http://www.homebasedbusinesst.com to
learn more how you can start today with a work at home job!

How to Survive In Corporate American With Dreadlocks

How to Survive In Corporate American With Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks in the business world attract much attention.
Co-worker, managers, and others may not understand or have
misconceived beliefs about the unique hairstyle. This, in
turn, could cause communication problems, avoidance, and
misunderstanding against the person with dreadlocks. By
proving yourself a hardworking and positive contribution to
the company helps others recognize your contributions and
not judge your hairstyle.

Here are tips to help you survive any job or career with
dreadlocks:

- Believe in yourself. Regardless of what happens during
the workday, keep confidence in yourself strong. Those who
hired you believe in your skills to help the company or
department meet goals. Stay focused on that purpose.

- Be professional and dedicated. "Professionalism is
knowing how to do it, when to do it, and doing it," quotes
Frank Tyger. In essence, this means doing what the company
hired you to do at the best of your abilities. Make a
habit of creating to-do lists everyday and complete many
tasks as possible.

- Build strong working relationships with coworkers. Be
friendly with everyone in the company and be a part of the
team. Have a positive attitude to be more approachable and
easy to work with.

- Have good work ethics. Work long hours and extra time
when the job or task needs it. And don't complain when you
have to work beyond your standard hours. Take pride in
your work and leave a statement of success in every task
you complete.

- Be on time. Get to work on time, or better, five to ten
minutes before. Punctuality is important to managers and
co-workers. It shows your respect for others who depend on
the work you do.

- Know your company. Take time to learn about your
company, its culture, long and short-term goals, and your
responsibilities to help reach those goals. Visit the
company's website often, attend all meetings, and ask
questions that will give you a better understanding of your
role in the company.

- Dress well. Make sure your clothes are clean,
winkle-free, and fashionable according to the office dress
codes. Shine your shoes and groom your dreadlocks. Men
should wear long dreadlocks in a ponytail behind the head.
Women are more flexible. A loctician or image consultant
can help you create a professional business hairstyle with
dreadlocks.

- Underpromise and overdeliver. Never take on more than
you can handle and research your tasks thoroughly. It's
always better to wow your co-workers and boss by doing more
than to apologize for not delivering on time.

- Improve your skills continuously. Keep current on the
changes in your industry and upgrade your skills match your
industry's standards. Sign up for online courses, use
computer based training (CBT) CDs, and attend seminars
about your job or career.

- Stay positive no matter what. Keep track of what you say
to you and others. Always try to end all conversations on a
positive note. Never say you cannot perform a task, but
rather, you will find a way to resolve the issue.

- Work gossip-free. Do not gossip with co-workers and keep
your life personal. Walk away, change the subject, or state
you don't like talking about others when someone tries to
gossip with you. If gossipers talk to you about others,
they also talk about you to others. Most managers know who
the gossipers are. Be careful.

- Learn the art of listening. You have two ears and one
mouth, try to listen more than you speak. When someone
approach you for help, advice, inspiration, or anything
work related, always give them your full attention with eye
to eye contact. If you can't fully attend to the person at
the minute for any reason, it is better to reschedule the
conversation.

- Limit alcohol consumption at company events. Drinking
alcohol creates alter egos you may not want co-workers to
know about. Also, drunken people make statements about
dreadlocks, play with your hair, or ask silly questions
making you feel uncomfortable.

- Expect some people to dislike your dreadlocks. Do not
worry about their thoughts of you or your life. As the
motivator Les Brown says "What others think of you is none
of your spiritual business." Remember, you are on a mission
to be the best you can be.

- Stay motivated for success. Take spiritual time everyday
to appreciate who your are and the gifts you have to offer.
Decorate your office with positive pictures, posters,
books, and quotations. Develop an attitude of gratitude
for your job.

Start today on making yourself more valuable to your
company with your dreadlock hairstyle. Leave a mark of
excellence in everything you do. When co-workers and
managers see your dreadlocks, they will also see a person
dedicated to the success of the company, their job, and the
team.

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Jeffery Bradley is the author of "Don't Worry Be Nappy! How
to Grow Dreadlocks and Still Get Everything You Want".
Visit http://www.howtogrowdreadlocks.com

for more
information of living successfully with dreadlocks.