Focus on Business
There is No Such Thing As Unethical Business Theft
Jul. 26, 2010
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You are on an airplane and you strike up a conversation with the person next to you. She is the decision maker of a company that buys your competitor's products and services. You have such a great exchange during the flight that she asks you for your card and gives you the opportunity to bid for their business. You do and you win the account. Ethical or unethical way to liberate business from your competition? Every single one of you should have said very ethical. But, it is not. more»
Eight Key Budgeting Tips
Jul. 19, 2010
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Most companies don't use budgets to help them meet profit goals. Why? Well, most owners and CEOs reason that the effort required to learn how to build and use workable budgets is just too much. They seem to feel that learning how to budget is more frustrating than just hoping the numbers will all work out — if they only sell enough widgets or services or whatever.
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Keep Your Workday Sanity
Jul. 12, 2010
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Those who are still employed face a tough dilemma. On the one hand, they're grateful for their job, but on the other hand, their workload may have become too much for one person to bear. In fact, many people are now doing the work of two or even three people. They have more responsibility than ever before, and they feel that there's no way they can keep up. Their mantra has become, "There's simply never enough time."
more»Skeptical About Leadership?
Jul. 06, 2010
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Leadership has been arguably the most well-read and certainly the most written-about topic for business executives in the last several decades. We know intuitively that leadership makes a difference. Then why are so many business executives so skeptical about leadership? While we know intuitively the power of its effect on business results, too much whimsical and anecdotal writing about leadership has left many a business executive stuck between the "magic" of mythical leadership and the "muck" of misrepresented activity that isn't leadership at all. more»
The Business Case for Open Book Management
Jun. 28, 2010
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What if there was a way for you to get your employees truly invested in helping your company earn a profit and achieve its key goals? You'd just tell your employees what you’re trying to accomplish and how you're progressing, and they'd become rabid fans and supporters.
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Accountability: The New Normal
Jun. 21, 2010
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Continuous improvement, TQM, seven habits, six sigma, five whatever. All of these are good concepts aimed to improve results, instill greater productivity or profitability. Unfortunately most of those processes ended up in three ringed binders that were put on the shelf until the next new process came along because the last one didn't work. Sometimes the leadership in organizations becomes mesmerized by that shiny object, caught in the lure that this process will really get the organization in shape and position it for the future. more»
5 Keys to Negotiating a Personal Guarantee in Tight Credit Markets
Jun. 14, 2010
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If you are a significant shareholder or owner of a small to mid-sized business and refinancing debt or a bank loan or leasing a facility or new equipment, chances are that the lender or lessor will require you to sign a personal guarantee. For several years prior to the recent recession, credit was easy and it was possible to obtain a line of credit or lease new equipment or space without having to personally back-stop the liability — not today. With rare exception for those businesses with extraordinary financial strength, obtaining credit of almost any type for emerging growth or middle-market businesses, i.e. those from start-up through $100 million in sales, will require guarantees by the owners with 20 percent or more of the equity in a company. This means that you need to be prepared to come out of your own pocket if your company no longer can make the scheduled debt payments.
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How to Have a Perfect 10-Day
Jun. 07, 2010
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When buying property realtors tell us "it's all about location, location, location." Well, to have a perfect 10 day, relationship experts know that it is all about attitude, attitude, attitude! It seems easy to comprehend but is it hard to accomplish? Maybe it's not as difficult as you might think. Let's break it down into some simple tasks that make for the Perfect 10 attitude! more»
Secrets to Employee Retention in Difficult Times
Jun. 01, 2010
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Across the U.S., employers and employees alike are struggling. Businesses are fortunate if they experienced growth in 2009. Many are flat in growth or have declined and employers are faced with these tough choices: Lay off employees or cut hours, decrease benefits, reduce pay or freeze salaries.
more»Why You Should Create a Business Plan
May. 24, 2010
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We all nod knowingly when anyone talks about the importance of vision, mission and business planning — and then most of us go back to what we were doing before the interruption. As it happens, I often ask small business owners if they believe business planning is an important management tool. I don't think anyone has ever said "No." But when I follow up with the question, "Do you have a current business plan?" only one in 10 answers "Yes." more»
