Using "Illegal" Subcontractors Makes You a Target for Prosecution

Using "Illegal" Subcontractors Makes You a Target for Prosecution
Of all the employment issues we advise our clients on, the
subject of proper hiring practices is becoming more and
more critical. Just the other day in Des Moines, Iowa, 390
people were arrested for immigration violations at a
meatpacking plant. According to ICE (US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement) this was the largest workplace raid in
US history. The Associated Press reports that the raid was
aimed at seeking evidence of identity theft, stolen Social
Security numbers, and people who are in the country
illegally.

While the politicians wrestle with what to do about illegal
immigrants, Homeland Security has announced a
"comprehensive immigration enforcement strategy for the
nation's interior." In 2007 alone ICE "dramatically
increased penalties against employers whose hiring
processes violate the law, securing fines and judgments of
more than $30 million while making 863 criminal arrests and
4,077 administrative arrests." According to Julie Myers,
head of ICE, "ICE has no tolerance for corporate officers
who harbor illegal aliens for their work force."

OK. I can hear you saying, "I don't hire illegal aliens!
So why should this matter to me or my company?" While it
is obvious that hiring employees who are in the country
illegally is a crime, you may not know that using illegal
subcontractors can also subject you to the same punishment.

YOU BETTER KNOW WHO YOUR SUBCONTRACTORS ARE!

As you may know, Walmart was just was recently fined $11
million dollars for using subcontractors that had hired
illegals. Why? Because it is alleged that a few Walmart
managers knew that some of the subs were not here legally.
If someone in your company's management knowingly hires a
subcontractor who uses illegals, your company will be
subject to civil penalties. Furthermore, you will probably
end up getting really bad press!

CAN YOU SAY RACIAL PROFILING?

Because law enforcement hates to be accused of racial
profiling, I can almost guarantee that at some point, a few
businesses who have never hired anyone outside of a 5 mile
radius will still be investigated. How will they
investigate? Almost certainly someone will be sent to your
company to peruse your I-9 forms. Because an employee must
place his social security number on an I-9 form, examining
these forms allows ICE to see if any of your employees are
using a false social security number. A smoking gun.

CHECK YOUR EMPLOYMENT FILES - NOW!

Current law requires that all employees correctly and fully
complete an I-9 form upon being hired. Not retaining forms
or not having forms completed correctly can subject your
business to fines. If you've ever needed some
"encouragement" to double check your files, NOW IS THE TIME
TO GET YOUR RECORDS IN ORDER.

BUT I DON'T COLLECT I-9 FORMS FROM MY SUBCONTRACTORS

Most companies don't because they're not required to.
However, in light of the Walmart case, best practices may
dictate that you start. If ICE ever does investigate your
company, you can show that not only do you not hire illegal
aliens; you go the extra mile to make sure your subs are
not illegal either.

As the stepped up law enforcement surrounding this issue
shows, it's not going to go away any time soon. Therefore,
our duty as risk managers and insurance agents is to keep
our clients informed about these types of developments so
we can help protect them from all of the risks they face.

----------------------------------------------------
Eric D. Patrick, is an attorney and Chief Operating Officer
of Consumers Insurance Agency Inc.
http://www.consumers-insurance.com . He also engages in
insurance consulting and legal work through The RiskAssure
Consulting Group. Please contact him for further
information.

The Universe follow sthe Law of Attraction

The Universe follow sthe Law of Attraction
This morning we received a message from Mac Anderson,
founder of Simple Truths Inc., an organization in the
business of encouragement and inspiration. AMC has been a
subscriber to Mac's service for some time and always
everybody is interesting to see, read, and learn about the
products and services he has to offer. Today's situation
was a little different...

We get a lot of messages via email from marketing gurus and
organizations that try to sell stuff. Often, we don't even
open them or just briefly glance at them. Some things, on
the ohter hand, we actually wait for, like Mac's messages
or the ones from Michael Angier and Christian Mickelsen.

Let's start at the beginning: We have found, and we believe
many of you might be able to relate, that we listen to
certain things when we are actually in need. If things are
going well and we are healthy, we don't listen much to all
the healthier eating and diet advertisements. When we feel
good, we don't pay much attention to the ads about new
pills or pharmaceuticals. A similar thing applies when you
are in business. When lots of projects and contracts are in
the pipeline and you actually have a waiting list or can
barely cover all the commitments you've made, you don't pay
much attention to all the messages about how to improve
marketing, become more successful, and improve your
situation.

When, on the other hand, money isn't rolling in on a
regular basis, prices keep increasing, and you begin to
wonder how to make all the payments for the bills you know
will come in at the end of the month, a certain level of
desperation begins to set in. The movie "The Secret"
provided a nice solution on a theoretical level for such
circumstances. It basically said that there is a universal,
natural law that governs what we receive.

It is called the "Law of Attraction".

This law is supposedly followed by all the energies in the
universe. When we think about all the things that could
cause us to fail, from the little things like failing to
find a parking spot in front of the store in the pouring
rain, to the big things, like making enough revenue to pay
the help and the bills, we will attract this negativity and
the associated circumstances, and what we are afraid of
will actually happen.

If, on the other hand, we think and believe in the good
things in the world, keep our hopes up, channel our
positive energy towards success even when things aren't
going perfectly, the universe and its' Law of Attraction
will bring those things closer to us that will actually
allow us to reach our goals and succeed.

Many people have actually experienced this situation more
than once, and its always amazing. anybody can admit that
it isn't always easy to keep a positive mind set and think
the positive thoughts. Not too long ago we got into a
situation where several projects all came to an end at the
same time, and we began to wonder if we will have any new
work any time soon.

Knowing that dwelling on the possibility of failure
wouldn't help, we began to activate our network, listen to
what gurus in the field say and suggest, and worked very
focused on developing new opportunities. Guess what - the
universe listened and now we have a number of new projects
in the pipeline that have us more excited than ever.

For anybody who has read previous articles for any length
of time, you will know that we are always for letting
others participate in achievements. In this case that means
that our anxiety to run into trouble and its solution
should be turned around into something positive. Mac
Anderson couldn't know that things had already turned into
a very positive movement when he sent us his message this
morning. We still watched what he had send us because one
never knows when you need a solution in future desperate
times.

More importantly, we weres able to forward Mac's movie to
a friend who's daughter was scheduled for surgery in just a
few days, and to some other people who are currently
struggling. That made all of us feel good because we have
hope it has helped them, and we believe it made them feel
good, because they now know that others care about them and
their lives.

Whether your are in a bad situation or in the best place in
your life right now, we like to encourage you to use the
link below and watch the movie Mac sent to us. If it
applies, use it to motivate yourself to get back up and
keep moving forward. If it doesn't currently fit, download
it or save the link, so you have it when you need it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmfKlXMbTw4

----------------------------------------------------
Axel Meierhoefer is an experienced performance coach,
author, educator, consultant, and the founder of Axel
Meierhoefer Consulting LLC (AMC LLC). His motto is" Helping
others help themselves achieve success". If you like to get
on his VIP E-mail list to receive more articles, or if you
like to receive his FREE special report, go to
http://www.meierhoefer.net/special or email
AM@Meierhoefer.net

How to Be a Millionaire

How to Be a Millionaire
So, you want to be a millionaire.

It's a big goal, and for most people there are only four
options to make it happen. You can inherit money, win
money, save money or earn money.

In other words, you can inherit money from a rich relative,
win the lottery, save for most of your life, or earn a
million in your own business.

Inherit Money

This one is pretty straightforward. You either come from
money or you don't. Movies are full of stories about
people inheriting millions unexpectedly from long-lost
relatives, but don't count on it. Even if you do have rich
relatives, you could wait years and years before the
millions become your own.

Bottom Line: It's not your money, so don't waste your life
waiting for it.

Win the Lottery

The odds of winning the lottery in a single state lottery
are about 18 million to one. Looking to win one of the
multi-state Mega-Millions? Your odds of winning jump as
high as 120 million to 1.

Your odds of being struck by lightening are about 2.65
million to one. You are 6 to 45 times more likely to be
struck by lightening than to strike it rich on your next
lottery ticket.

Bottom Line: Buying that lottery ticket is about as
productive for your financial future as striking a match to
that dollar and watching it burn.

Save Money

Finally, a guaranteed way to become a millionaire! If you
discipline yourself to save and safely invest 10% of your
income from the time you are 18, there is absolutely no
doubt in my mind that you will have accumulated at least a
million dollars by the time you are ready to retire at 65.

That means you need to be sensible and practical your
entire life. No splurge spending on your dream car, or
vacations in paradise. After all you are saving for your
future!

Saving for your future is a great habit. But most of us
just don't have the self-discipline to be successful at it.
Personally, I would rather earn money fast so I don't have
to sacrifice to save. I want to spend money on things that
make my current life rewarding. Patience has never been one
of my strong suits. If you can make the save and invest
method happen, I applaud you.

Bottom Line: You can become a millionaire by saving
wisely. But life is not guaranteed. How do you know you
will be around to benefit from all your scrimping and
saving?

Start Your Own Business

As far as I'm concerned, this is really your own option.
The first three methods are either out of your control, or
take so long that it may not be worth the wait. Generating
extra income through your own business gives you the best
odds of success.

Owning your own business gives you control over your
income. Your success is solely dependent on your efforts.
You don't have to be dependent on your boss for your next
raise, fate to give you the winning ticket, decades of time
to earn interest and dividends, or death to take away a
family member.

Owning your own business also gives you the opportunity to
spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on ineffective
marketing programs, training materials, and overhead
expenses. If you have dabbled in business ownership at
all, you know that running a business can cost big bucks,
too.

Bottom Line: The best guarantee of generating income in a
business is finding a product or service that people want
to buy. Forget all that feel good fluff about "finding
something you love". Get rolling by starting something
that is tried and true, find someone experienced to help
you along, and be willing to work.

Becoming a millionaire is a big goal. But there are more
millionaires now than at any other time in history. If
millionaire status is your dream, there is absolutely no
reason why you can't achieve it.

At the same time, positive mental attitude and luck does
not create millionaires. You have to have a plan and work
your plan in order to make your dream a reality. Most
importantly, expect that you will make mistakes, have to
backtrack, and sometimes even have to start over.

Start researching your options now. Your best bet is to
find a business you can start part-time. Keeping your day
job limits your financial risk. Give yourself time to
start making sales and generating income. If you don't
need the business income to survive, you can invest
everything back into your business at the beginning. This
will give your business extra capital to grow more quickly.

It all starts with your vision. If you want it bad enough,
and are willing to do more than want and dream, your vision
can become your reality. Earning extra income is not
dependent on luck or being born into the right family. You
need to be willing to do whatever it takes, and stop
settling for less.

Set aside just one hour a day to work on your business. I
challenge you to schedule one hour each day as your
Millionaire Hour. Start with research, but as soon as
possible, find a product or service you can market, and
start selling! Quit dreaming about being a millionaire,
and start doing.

Where will you be one year from today if you have invested
365 hours into starting and running your own business? In
five years, you would have worked a total of 1825 hours in
your business, simply by spending just one hour a day, or
seven hours each week on your business rather than the next
prime time TV show.

Or, you can keep dreaming and keep on buying next week's
lottery ticket.....

----------------------------------------------------
Todd Jensen, "The Profit Engineer", has helped hundreds of
business owners make their business more successful and
profitable. For tips and strategies on how to boost your
business success as well as increase your profits, visit
http://www.theprofitengineer.com or
http://www.freebusinessstartupinfo.com

2 Easy Ways to Increase Your Revenue

2 Easy Ways to Increase Your Revenue
Are You Ready to Find out the Easiest 2 Ways to Increase
Your Revenue???? Ok, I've done this myself, I've seen it
done by my friends and peers and I've recommended this to
clients many times with HUGE SUCCESS!

It's actually very simple.
1. RAISE YOUR RATES
2. OFFER PAYMENT PLANS FOR YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

I just had a client last week come to me who was charging
way under market value for her services and I basically
told her to suck it up and increase her rates by 400%!!
Yes, I told her to raise her rates by 5 times what she was
charging clients now. She almost fell off her chair (I
think, as we were on the phone).

This new rate was actually the going rate for what she was
doing. In fact I am paying someone to do it in my business
right now every month!

Actually this happens all the time with services and
products I actually need. When I run across people that I
actually pay or could pay for what they do, I open my mouth
and suggest they raise their rates! Am I a dummy or what?
I could be paying much less for stuff if I would just shut
up! Oh well....it's for the greater good.

So, this client of mine; if she takes my advice, she could
literally increase her income by FIVE TIMES with no more
work!

It could be that simple if you are not charging enough OR
if your perceived product or service value is a lot higher
than what you are charging. If you don't know what your
value is or what the going rate is - ASK ME PLEASE. I see
a lot of different businesses every month and I know how to
get you these answers.

As for payment plans; many peers of mine in the
info-product industry (selling online products and
services) find that they get a lot more orders and
purchases if they offer payment plans - especially
OUTRAGEOUS PAYMENT PLANS such as 18 payments of $19.95 or
something like that. I do this for some of my products and
services even if delivery of those products or services is
well before their last payment due date and all of the
payments are made online of course too by automatic payment
which is the key. You don't want to go trying to collect
checks after the fact, that's for sure.

----------------------------------------------------
© 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.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !

ISO9001 Internal Audit

ISO9001 Internal Audit
This ISO Standard contains an element (8) intended to
encompass a range of features which together support a
mechanism to improve the performance of the management
system. Internal audit forms part of this set, but only a
part, yet is probably the only element readily recognisable
to the average person. Internal audit is significant, not
because of the results it delivers but because the ongoing
registration process for ISO9001 companies ensures that
Internal Audit is subject to regular scrutiny. It is our
contention that the impact of internal audit on the average
company is minimal to the point of being useless.
Primarily this is due not to the concept of audit, but the
manner in which it is managed and conducted.

Generalising, quality management processes are tolerated
rather than being welcomed. They are part of the cost of
doing business, primarily due to the failure of the systems
to deliver any tangible benefit beyond the marketing
advantage said to arise from the registered status of the
organisation. A calm examination of the detailed
requirements built into the Standard should provide the
assurance that the benefits of a controlled work
environment will be achieved by following this text in a
manner that matches the specific nature and ethos of the
organisation. But it just doesn't happen. More
specifically, it doesn't happen often enough to provide the
evidence of unfailing benefits for the adoption of the
standard.

With a Standard that is International in both origin and
application, how can this be? To understand this it is
necessary to examine the role of those who see their role
as one of policing the management system. Often carrying
the title of Quality Manager, this individual (sometimes
with a team of helpers) is held responsible for the
integrity of the documented system and implicitly at least
for the quality of the outgoing product or service.
Quality Managers have their roots in a manufacturing
function whose equivalent would have been the Chief
Inspector. The name alone provides an indication of the
status - perceived or actual- of this individual. He was
unquestionably the final authority regarding the acceptable
quality of the company's product. Acceptance or Rejection
was his decision. Without having physically been there, to
many of today's quality managers behave in much the same
way. With little real understanding or appreciation of the
management function, and certainly not the executive role,
they fail to speak the language of their local leaders,
with clear consequences.

It is a management responsibility to define company
objectives and policies, and management will establish - or
have established for them - systems to support these
policies and objectives. Their need, although seldom
expressed, is for an assurance that the systems are
providing the controls and benefits they planned for. They
need reassurance. The Internal Audit should provide
information specific to the operation of the management
system and focussed on this management need, but it seldom
works that way. For the most part, the reports of internal
audit activity contain a multitude of trivial failings
packaged as 'non-conformance', frequently to a requirement
that is not specified or is imaginary, and having little
bearing on the needs of management. Is it surprising that
Internal Audit is seen as a necessary evil, conducted to
satisfy the ISO auditor, but having little relevance to
life in the real world of commerce and industry?

When material such as this is provided to managers who see
no real value in the investment, it is not just the audit
that is ignored but the perpetrators of the audit also. A
direct consequence of this failure to identify the audit
customer's need is a rejection of much that has a Quality
Management implication. Managers and quality department
staff universally complain of lack of management commitment
(an ISO9001 requirement), and a general lack of personal
advancement opportunities. But improvement is possible,
even radical improvement, and it requires a change in
strategy for both Executive Managers and those purporting
to be Quality Professionals.

The change process:

1. The organisation must recognise that every manager and
employee has a responsibility to perform in accordance with
the requirements laid down for their work. Nobody else can
be responsible for the quality of this work.

2. The title Quality Managers is clearly not a true
indication of the function of this individual. Holding the
QM responsible for a failure in product of service is
clearly wrong unless that delivery was by its nature part
of his (or her) normal function.

3. Internal audits should be a recognisable independent
assessment of each business function, carried for the
function's manager and reported to that individual alone.
(The functional managers have the responsibility for
achieving a selection of business objectives, and it is
they who need the information to support these objectives).

4. It follows that the auditors, while being independent of
the function being audited, should also understand the role
and responsibilities of senior managers, and speak at that
level.

5. These changes require the dissolution of the existing
audit regime, and some re-education of the management team
who are responsible for allowing the adverse situation to
exist.

6. Professional auditors with a wider experience than that
obtainable within one or a limited number of organisations
alone can provide the assurance and service level needed by
an effective management team.

----------------------------------------------------
Meon Consulting, founded by Ed Bones, was formed to assist
clients with managing their businesses in a manner
compliant with ISO9001/14001. Ed had earlier held a number
of senior posts with Hi-Tech companies in the UK, Europe
and the USA. He has written and lectured on full range of
topics on quality improvement and TQM.
http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk . To obtain your FREE
Presentation please visit
http://www.rent-an-auditor.co.uk/contactus.html

How to Create a Memorable Leave Behind or Handout for Your Networking

How to Create a Memorable Leave Behind or Handout for Your Networking
I am assuming that you ARE networking somewhere! You had
better be - it is the best way to meet new people and build
those relationships that turn into repeat sales and
referrals. Now the question is - What do you bring, pass
out or display when you network?

Obviously, you are going to bring a lot of business cards.
What else can you pass out that will be memorable or useful
for the people you meet? Most of you know about my FREE
Networking Calendar (if you do not, go to the Resources
page on my Web site and check it out) and I assume you use
it to schedule your networking each month. This is a great
example of a creative and useful tool. I hand this calendar
out to the new people that I meet. It catches their
attention and entices them to sign up for my email
newsletters so that they can receive it every month. It is
a marketing tool that works for me.

What can you develop, create, write or design that is
creative, useful, and something that people (meaning your
target market, not just anyone) will want? This item
should also be easy for you to print, buy, and/or reproduce
at a low cost.

This does not mean, for example, that if you are a mortgage
consultant or realtor, that you should develop a list of
homes that have sold in the area last month or a sheet with
today's rates on it. That is no fun and people really will
not care about that. Instead, it means to create something
that is truly unique.

The following are some examples that you could tweak for
your business.
1. A checklist of things people need to know in regards to
your product or service.
2. The top 5 -10 mistakes people make in their ____________
(fill in the blank).
3. The top 3 things to do in your ___________ (fill in the
blank) to make more (money, save time, etc.).
4. A list of resources that pertain to your business
somewhat, but that are useful to help others save time or
money.
5. A Special Report on _____________ (fill in the blank)
whatever 'hot buttons' your target market has regarding
your product and/or service).
6. ____________ (fill in the blank) Guide or Worksheet
7. A list of questions to get people thinking (before they
buy a certain product or service for example).
8. A CD recording of yourself providing tips or free advice.

I also distribute little books to put your business cards
in (mine are red and black with my Web site and logo on the
front of the holder to match my brand). I have found that
people love these. I also try to give them to 'newbie'
networkers since they do not hold that many cards. More
established networkers need much larger books.

Consider talking to a promotional products company.
Brainstorm with them to select something that is creative
(other than pens, paper, magnets, and calendars) that you
can distribute. Be sure that it is something people will
want to hold on to, keep handy or pass on. Take some time
making your selection. If you do not, you will just end up
ordering the same old pens - BORING!

----------------------------------------------------
© 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.jumpstartyourmarketing.com !

Presentation Power

Presentation Power
One of the most daunting experiences for business
professionals is facilitating a business meeting. Many
would rather fake death rather than give a presentation. In
recent conversations with clients I took note that meetings
increased by over 40%. To that end, there is a compelling
need to discover your strengths so that you structure,
operate and facilitate a productive meeting.

Before you coordinate any meeting it is vital to ask three
questions:
1) why is the meeting necessary
2) who will attend
3) what is the intended outcome?

Meetings today are run too haphazardly and without purpose.
Productive meetings most have aim. Think of your meeting as
the tip of an arrow, the more the focus, the more effective.

Meetings revolve around four success factors. These
foundational techniques will assist to frame your message
for clarity. Ensure your message is pithy and can evoke the
required audience interaction and action.

Audience Analysis

Audience demographics are helpful in building reciprocal
programs. First, your success is contingent upon providing
an articulate message. Your audience must not only
understand but internalize content. It is vital to hone in
on behavior, communication style and listening habits so
that words delivered are word received.

Second, it is your job as facilitator to know whom you are
speaking. Ensure that your messages are delivered to the
proper person.

Create the Message

Agenda. Create a pithy articulate message with the use of
an agenda. Always use an agenda. Ensure success with a
listing of no more than three to four topics per meeting.
How many meetings have you attended where 10 plus items
were listed? The best meetings are short and time bound.

PowerPoint. Refrain from the senseless overuse of
PowerPoint. Use slides only when required. Too many
facilitators use this tool as a crutch, my advice lose it
and be free! Have a conversation not a rehearsed lecture.

Create an outline. A rule exists that states tell them what
you will tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told
them. This simple three-step method ensures focus for your
agenda and does not allow you to stray. Within each point
you might include statistics, charts, testimonials and
other useful data for backup. One you conclude each point
offer a short summary as you transition to your next point.

Tools. A number of people that attend meetings are visual
and typically need to "see" information. When appropriate
offer handouts and overhead visuals to keep them engaged.

Summary. When you complete your presentation ensure success
with a summary. Take your entire presentation and divide
into learning points or objectives. Participants tend to
recall three items rather than a long list.

Create the Action

Numerous meetings end without proper action steps. Ensure
success by holding people accountable for activities. This
includes post meeting too.

Follow Up

It is appalling how many meetings run without proper
follow-up. While actionable items are required, people
frequently forget about required tasks, it is imperative
that project reports and milestones are established to
complete tasks related to the meeting.

Simple Rules and Techniques

There is a rule for presentations known as "3S". This
acronym is best known for the following: Simple,
Sequential, Specific. Similar to the KISS method, the 3S
rule ensures productivity by relating simple information in
a sequential format for participants. Even if the
presentation requires intense content, it is best to
separate data categorically or by topic. Participants
loathe large amounts of data and placing it into smaller
bites enables better recall.

Lessons learned from 27 years on the platform

Match your presentation to your audience. Know in advance
who will be in attendance.

Encourage interaction. Adults desire to be part of the
session, most learning theory supports this.

Eliminate the podium. Have a conversation not a lecture.
Provide examples from the real world. People will trust you
if you make the information relevant.

When possible, provide breaks throughout the session.
Lengthy sessions require breaks every 75 to 90 minutes.

Keep the session moving. This requires a good agenda, time
limits and if necessary a time keeper.

Additional Do's and Don't's

Do's

• Arrive early

• Test equipment

• Get beverages

• Know Culture,Gender,Generation

Don'ts

• Arrive on time

• Not prepare your presentation

• Use visual aids as a crutch

• Use jokes

• Use platform for own gain

Presentations are not as difficult as they seem. They do
require a structured framework to ensure success and
productivity. If you consider a presentation as no more
than a structured conversation then fear is eliminated.
Further, if you engage your participants while also
providing accountables there is more inclination for a
successful meeting. Place some of these ideas into your
next meeting and immediately notice the change you want to
see!

----------------------------------------------------
Drew Stevens PhD assists organizations to dramatically
accelerate business growth. He is the author of seven books
including Split Second Selling and Split Second Customer
Service and Little Book of Hope. Dr. Drew is a thought
leader on sales and customer service issues. He can be
reached at http://www.gettingtothefinishline.com
Obtain a FREE White Paper on Sales Effectivenes - !0 Rules
for Selling Success. Email Drew at
info@gettingtothefinishline.com

3 High Payoff Tricks to Get Your Decisions Made!

3 High Payoff Tricks to Get Your Decisions Made!
Still Stuck? Not making any progress on that To Do haunting
you from the top of your list?

Our minds are very clever at running through the same ideas
over and over, like a needle stuck in a groove on a vinyl
record spinning over and over, around and around.

That's great for turning new information into knowledge or
skills. Our mind will keep busy, running images and ideas
in the background while our conscious attention is on other
matters. It's helpfully building our expertise. But it sure
gets in the way of coming up with new approaches to
situations that are stalled. In fact, the end result of
that 'helpful' mental activity is that...

We often give the available options no attention at all.
And we don't take advantage of the High Payoff information
available in the minds of other people around us.

And then no shift in understanding is made. No new decision
is made. No targeted plan of action is designed or
implemented.

But relief is at hand! I often say "God bless the guy who
invented the Post-It Note!" Those wonderful little sticky
pieces of paper have liberated our busy minds. Whether you
use sticky paper or scraps you tear up for yourself, you'll
want them on hand for the next version of our technique to

REFRAME - Change Your Frame of Reference

There are several versions of this technique. Two that I've
shared include

Version 1 - Add a new person with a different background to
the conversation.

Version 2 - Add a new 'setting' to the conversation.

Remember as you use those versions of Reframing - The less
similar the circumstances, the less similar the experience
of the new person you add to the conversation, the quicker
you'll see the assumptions you've been making that have
been preventing you from seeing the alternatives you could
pursue.

And here is a third approach. I've used it in boardrooms,
conference rooms, offices, park benches and on airplanes:

Version 3 - The Shuffle

Whether you're trying to solve a business issue for a
client, or the matter is internal to your own business
productivity, treat the information like pieces in a
Rubik's cube. Shuffling all the information into new
positions and changing their pairings lets you see them in
a new way. It can quickly reveal the assumptions that have
been stalling your progress.

Write all the issues and ideas on separate pieces of paper,
and pair them up randomly. You can use Post-It Notes, torn
paper, the back of business cards! On a separate piece of
paper capture each of the 'new' ideas that comes to mind.

If you're doing this as a team, using sticky notes up on
the wall lets everyone's mind join in, jotting, shuffling
and sharing the new ideas and realizations.

You'll fill pages of alternative ideas that you can let
yourself or your team continue to probe and play with, so
be sure to set a time horizon for The Shuffle and for when
you'll sit down again to sort through and prioritize those
new ideas.

You know you've got something your mind's been chewing on.
So grab this Reframe technique and apply it today and let's
get you moving again so you can boost your productivity
this week.

----------------------------------------------------
Management expert, consultant, and coach Linda Feinholz is
"Your High Payoff Catalyst" If you're ready to focus on
your High Payoff activities, boost your professional and
personal results and have more fun, get her FREE audio
mini-course "7 Quick & Simple Steps to Increase Your Focus,
Ease Your Effort & Accelerate Your Results" and the free
weekly newsletter The Spark! Visit
http://www.YourHighPayoffCatalyst.com