Will You Add? - Business

Resume-Avoide These 5 Common Mistakes
Followings are 5 common mistakes you’ll see in a below-average resume, or… a rather poorly constructed resume.1. Over elaborate.A typical resume ranges between 2-4 pages; it could be more if you’re already in a senior position. Make sure your resume is compact and concise, with all key information to be conveyed to the reader is there. Never elaborate too much on your job descriptions, and don’t make it too wordy. As a rule of thumb, use 6-8 bullet points to describe your position responsibilities.2. Tells the reader how much you’re earning now.This is a major mistake. Worse is to list down all the benefits you’re getting (Yes, we have this type of candidates). Your key objective of letting your resume being read is to excite the interviewer and to show that you have the skills, qualifications and background to take up new position in their company.3. Tells the reader how much salary you’re expecting.The prospective employer is yet to appreciate your value, and if they think that you’re too expensive or too cheap, you’re not in good position to elaborate to them why you worth that much. Let them evaluate your skills and achievement, before going too fast on the salary subject.4. Write confessional descriptions on your job. Write “Occasionally exceeded normal working hours to ensure all customers’ complaints are resolved in timely manners” rather than “The current job requires me to work long hours and I have to cope with a lot of issues especially complaints from external customers.” Never indi

uch as sales or on-time project completion or keeping to budget or case loads, and for doing what they were told. But this is not the only type of organisation that exists, and not the only way to manage people's performance.

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

Leadership coach Shelley Holmes, from The Centre for Breakthrough Leadership (2), says "organisations need profit in the same way that humans need oxygen, but it's not their reason for existing". Their reason for existing is to help people fulfil their potential. So are people really another asset or resource of the organisation? Or are they its purpose? If we treat people as assets (even if we say they are our greatest asset) or as resources, we are treating them as objects that need to be controlled by the organisation. Assets are owned, people are not. (I personally prefer the point of view that people control organisations in a way that makes their lives, and the lives of others, more meaningful.)

An organisation whose leaders instil these values might be said to have a "collaborative project" worldview. What is important is equality, actualisation, service, autonomy, dignity and justice, ethical accountability, personal authority, empathy and generosity. And this puts performance management into a very different light. If performance management was instead value management, it would be about how the organisation can better serve the needs of the humans for which it exists.

You can see this kind of worldview in organisations like The Body Shop, which designs it processes around the social needs of its employees, customers and suppliers. They have cr?ches for their working mothers, they develop their products from resources that don't harm the planet and that support local communities. The organisation's purpose is not to make skincare products, it's to enrich and dignify the lives of all people

Keeping Older Workers is Essential and -
When I started in the search business in the early 1970's, it didn't take long for me to notice that there were very few people in their 40's who were working in technology (my focal point at the time). I remember asking myself, "What happens when people turn 40 in this business?"Today, this is no longer an issue as firms have discovered that in the age of labor shortages, older workers are essential to firms achieving success. But a new problem has been created that few firms are addressing.By aggressively doing things to hopld on to the baby boomer generation, Gen-X workers are roadblocked and becoming increasingly frustrated with their increasingly limited advancement options.And when companies hire people, companies often make the mistake of focusing on the boomer issue of needing to earn more when they could be adding the Gen-X issue--What's my advancement opportunities with your company. After all, one of the issues they have is being squeezed by the enormous generation of boomers who won't quit or retire yet and the up and coming explosion referred to as Gen-Y.What happens to this smart. self-reliant group of Gen-X adults?So, as you look at your staff, what are you doing to create advancement options for your staff in their 30's? What are you doing to cultivate their skills.And, as you look to hire someone in their 30's, speak to the upside that will exist for them and not just the money.

Two schools of thought on using performance measures to manage people in organisations.

INTRODUCTION

Performance Appraisal, Individual Performance Review, Personal Performance Development Plan. There are numerous names for this artifact of the post-1990's organisation, but they are names for basically the same concept: the measurement, review, evaluation and management of the performance of an employee. And it is one of the most contentious management processes of them all!

WHY ORGANISATIONS DO IT

There are many reasons why managers continue to use individual performance appraisals, despite their love-hate relationship with them:

- to motivate staff to perform better, to contribute more to the organisation's results
- to reward and recognise great performers
- to validate decisions to get rid of (or manage) poor performers
- to give staff the opportunity to continually learn and develop
- to make the organisation and its processes perform better
- to inform succession planning and promotion decisions

The intentions behind almost every employee performance management system are good and just. It's about making things better. But are they really making things better, the way most organisations currently design and implement them?

WHY PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR HELP

It seems that the majority of organisations will claim they have some kind of individual performance evaluation process, but that it doesn't work the way they want it to. There are some very common criticisms about it. For one, when they come to doing the evaluation or appraisal, managers don't have much objective evidence about how the person performed, what they really produced or the size of their contribution to team or organisational outcomes. In such cases, the appraisal process leans to shaky subjective impressions of the boss, or a tick-and-flick review of the actions that the person was supposed to take. Objectively isolating the value the person contributed to the organisation is impossible.

Another common criticism is that the appraisal process drives the wrong behaviours. People know they can only be judged on how much they do or contribute, so they try to do a lot, or try to do things alone in order to isolate their contribution from the contributions of others. Outcomes and team work are not the focus, and the organisation actually suffers as a result. Resources are wasted on activities that don't improve business growth or customer service. Conflict and competition arises between employees that should otherwise be collaborating for the betterment of the organisation. This can result in performance actually getting worse, not better. There is a lot of activity, but not much in the way of results. There are a lot of people striving to get quick, local results, but often at the expense of the larger organisation or the long term.

Then there can be the problem where people can't agree on what the performance standards are or should be. They have different ideas about what is possible, about what is achievable, and therefore what can be judged in the performance appraisal process. People don't want to be held accountable for the results they contribute to, because they are not in complete control of those results. And in many instances, the performance appraisal reduces to a check of whether or not activities were completed, as opposed to the size of the impact those activities had on organisational performance.

And, in general, we just don't like criticizing each other, or taking anything away from others. Especially when performance reviews are tied to remuneration, managers can find themselves in an ethical quandary when the numbers say that someone doesn't get their bonus, but their gut feel is that the numbers are missing something more important. People who stick to their performance plans are rewarded, and those that stray from the plan and produce innovative solutions to organisational problems are not able to be rewarded. People who follow the safe road of predictable results are rewarded, and those that make mistakes that contribute to organisational knowledge and learning are "performance managed". People whose performance measures achieve targets despite their inaction are rewarded, and those that have diligently monitored, analysed and managed root causes to turn around a bad trend (but which hasn't yet achieved its target) are not rewarded.

Managers conducting performance appraisals are not finding it to be a meaningful process-they are just jumping through the hoops (especially if their organisation has a KPI like % of performance appraisals completed on time). One of the objectives of individual performance appraisal is to develop people, but very few examples exist of where it dignifies people.

Because of all this criticism about performance appraisals, some have put their thinking caps on and tried to come up with improvements or alternatives. What I have found interesting is that the different schools of thought regarding the measurement of people are tied to very different world views, or belief systems. And this affects the success rate of different approaches to performance appraisal in different organisations.

THE FIRST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE PEOPLE WORK BETTER FOR THE ORGANISATION

People are our most expensive resource. People are our greatest asset. These are the catch-cries of organisations with what Colins and Chippendale (1) might refer to as having an "institutional" worldview.

With this worldview, the leaders of the organisation collectively instil such values as patriotism and loyalty, self-worth, upholding tradition, achievement and success, administration and management, family and belonging. And employee performance management is about making sure that employees are managed just as other organisational assets need to be managed. Just as other organisational assets are owned, so too are the people. The organisation is the subject, the priority organism, and the people are objects, the servants to the organisation.

These organisations, even if with the best of intentions, adopt a controlling relationship with their workforce. At one extreme, employees are almost a consumable, bitten off, chewed up and spat out when they are no longer needed, become difficult to handle or when they are so burned out they can no longer endure the organisation's impact on their lifestyle and health. This dynamic is glaringly obvious in many sales oriented businesses, small businesses whose owners are not capable managers and leaders, or any bureaucracy that is lead by a tyrannical productivity maniac that believes the only information he needs to manage the organisation is this month's and last month's financial results.

At the other extreme of the "institutional" worldview organisation, employees are taken under the organisation's wing and nurtured, supported and developed, but still in a way that serves the organisation's greater purpose. Something like a "father knows best" philosophy presides, and the higher a person is in the hierarchical ranking of the organisation, the more wisdom they are assumed to have, and the better placed they are to know what is best for everyone under their care or command. The military comes to mind as an example of this kind of organisation, and organisations like the mafia, and organisations that are based around a profession like engineering or medicine or law.

Performance management of people in the "institutional" worldview organisation is usually to avoid the risk of carrying people that just don't produce results for the organisation. People will be judged by the results they individually produce, such as sales or on-time project completion or keeping to budget or case loads, and for doing what they were told. But this is not the only type of organisation that exists, and not the only way to manage people's performance.

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

Acquiring a Family Business
A family business is defined as one that has 2 or more members of the same family working for it, the business is run for the benefit of the family. Generally speaking most family business does not last longer than 25 years, or 1 generation.There are advantages and disadvantages to working in a family business, one of the main disadvantages are; if thing go drastically wrong it can ruin a family relationship forever; there is also sibling rivalry to take into account. On a positive note family members will be loyal and have a willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of the business. For these reasons it is important the right business is selected when looking to acquire.One of the main things that should be considered when looking to acquire a business is simply; why is the business on the market? Is it because there is a fundamental problem or are the owners simply ‘cashing out’.Other considerations:How will the family business be managed? In an ideal world every family member would have an equal share, however in reality this is not practical as someone needs to have overall authority otherwise decision making could become too problematic, this is one of the factors to consider in choosing the right business.What is the long term plans for all members of the Family? Some family members may want to retire in 10 years time others in 20, these are all worthwhile considerations.Financial situation – This may require one member of the family providing the finances to purchase and run the business, this c

son was supposed to take. Objectively isolating the value the person contributed to the organisation is impossible.

THE FIRST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE PEOPLE WORK BETTER FOR THE ORGANISATION

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

Business Intuition: Avoiding the Cosmic 2 x 4's
What’s a cosmic 2 x 4 you ask? It’s actually a phrase that’s been used in the ‘new age/ metaphysical’ world for the past 15 years or more. It refers to the lessons we learned the hard way when we didn’t listen to our intuition.In the process of our intuitive development, we learn to listen more deeply and follow the guidance that comes from within. Because conscious awareness is building during that time, whenever we choose not to listen and go against our intuition, the lessons learned seem twice as powerful and painful than if we had listened.When it happens, it feels like a 2x4 hitting you right between the eyes. It’s especially powerful because ‘you should have known better’. These are lessons that are meant to get our attention either consciously or intuitively. It is infinitely preferable to have it come through the intuitive realm, then take action upon it.Choosing to ignore, or bypass your intuitive sense will have repercussions that can lead to self blame, resentment and red ink in the business world. Have you ever sat in a business meeting and listened to a proposal knowing the entire time that it ‘felt wrong’ somehow, yet you didn’t say anything? Later you aren’t surprised to watch the plan fail, thinking you should have said something when you had the chance before the company took a loss.Intuition is like our inner guidance system or a GPS. We all possess intuition. We didn’t exactly come into this life with a set of operating instructions, however we do have

heir performance plans are rewarded, and those that stray from the plan and produce innovative solutions to organisational problems are not able to be rewarded. People who follow the safe road of predictable results are rewarded, and those that make mistakes that contribute to organisational knowledge and learning are "performance managed". People whose performance measures achieve targets despite their inaction are rewarded, and those that have diligently monitored, analysed and managed root causes to turn around a bad trend (but which hasn't yet achieved its target) are not rewarded.

THE FIRST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE PEOPLE WORK BETTER FOR THE ORGANISATION

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

Finding Accounting Services in Your Area
What is the best way to find accounting services in your area? Whenever I look for any service, there are certain processes I go through. Though services may vary, many of the strategies I use to find different ones are pretty much identical. The best thing you can do when seeking accounting services in your area is to do your homework. Do some research so that you know what your options are inside the scope of what exactly you want and at what price you want to get it. Finding an accounting service is really no different than finding any other service in your area. Here are some tips that may even help you do just that. When you begin looking for an accounting service in your area, you should first figure out how far away you can afford for the provider to be. Do you plan to travel to see your accounting service provider often? If so, are you willing to travel a little farther to get a service that truly fits your needs? These are questions you should ask yourself first when considering your options for an accounting service in your vicinity. Set some geographical parameters for yourself before you even begin your search. That way, you can easily eliminate the accounting services that are too far away since you will have already defined the general distance you are willing to work with. The next thing you may want to do is get online. On the internet you can do a search for accounting services in your area and see if any have a website. If the provider is in the area you have outlined, a website may be a sign that they care

ement is about making sure that employees are managed just as other organisational assets need to be managed. Just as other organisational assets are owned, so too are the people. The organisation is the subject, the priority organism, and the people are objects, the servants to the organisation.

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

Benefits of S Corporations
The owners of any business, irrespective of the size, can benefit from incorporating. With the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the S Corporation became a highly desirable entity for corporate tax purposes. An S Corporation is a special tax designation granted by the IRS to corporations. Many small business owners and entrepreneurs prefer S corporation because it combines many of the advantages of a sole proprietorship, partnership and the corporate forms of business structure. One person can form an S corporation, but is restricted to no more than 75 shareholders. The corporation must be formed in the United States and all shareholders must be individuals. The advantages of S corporations include limited personal liability, pass-through of losses, no corporate taxes and no shareholder FICA tax on net income.When S corporation is elected, the income, losses and other elements of tax treatment, flow directly to the shareholders. S corporation generally provides employee benefits and deferred compensation plans. The stock of S corporations is freely transferable. Free exchangeability of interest means that shareholders are able to sell their interest without obtaining the approval of other shareholders. S corporations may be advantageous in terms of self-employment taxes. S corporations can save their owners self-employment or Social Security/Medicare taxes.If your corporation desires to retain earnings, S corporation status can be used to avoid penalty taxes that could be imposed on an unreasonable accumulation of earnings. S corporation

THE SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: MAKE THE ORGANISATION WORK BETTER FOR PEOPLE

These organisations don't make the fundamental assumption that each individual's impact on an organisational result can be isolated, singled out, independently and objectively assessed. How can this be so, when each of us interacts constantly with each other, sharing knowledge, sharing ideas, helping each other out, working on the same activities, collaborating to produce the same results? This line of thought gives rise to some other ideas about how to better motivate and reward people for the value they add to the organisation. Role-modeling, coaching, encouraging, rewarding and celebrating behaviours like sharing knowledge, sharing ideas, helping each other out, working on the same activities, collaborating to produce the same results, seeking regular feedback, acting on feedback to improve results, are more the flavour of performance management in "collaborative project" worldview organisations.

BORROWING FROM THE SECOND TO IMPROVE THE FIRST

The one-size-fits-all approach to managing the performance of people clearly doesn't work. And there is enough research suggesting that traditional approaches are certainly not working for everyone. At best, there are some basic flaws in how those 'people measures' are designed. And at worst, the whole concept of measurement of people performance is completely a waste of time.

The debate shouldn't, in my opinion, be about which people performance management approach is the correct one. It's more about which approach achieves the intent you have for your organisation and your people, from the points of view of all stakeholders. And this means understanding the diversity of values that people in your organisation have, and the worldview that this collectively gives your organisation as a whole. So you won't likely find an approach that does work for your organisation, unless you can answer quite thoroughly several important questions:

- Why do you want to measure the performance of people?
- What is the end result you want it to create?
- What are the unintended consequences, or risks, of getting and having this end result?
- What other ways could you create this end?
- What worldview does your organisation have, and hence how is the relationship of people to the organisation understood?
- What values do the individual people in your organisation have, and what does this say about what will really motivate them (and keep them motivated)?

REFERENCES

(1) New Wisdom II, Colins & Chippendale, Acorn Publications, 1995
(2)The Centre for Breakthrough Leadership is at http://www.breakthroughleadership.com.au
(3) Abolishing Performance Appraisals, Coens & Jenkins, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2002

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