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Will You Add? - What Does Your Staff REALLY Want? Part 3
I am a home-based entrepreneur. I own a tutor referral service in Southern California and have been a tutor broker for eight years. I just launched my second business. I authored a book about how to begin a tutor referral service and packaged it with a customized website and Accounting Software, support, ads, etc. and am selling it via the internet nationwide and in Canada. Having started two businesses, I have learned about small business planning and strategies for success. Here are my suggestions:1) Outsource, outsource, outsource!Small businesses don’t have the capital to devote to entire payroll departments, legal departments, etc. Outsource to independent contractors whenever possible. In the long run it is cheaper and is definitely a smart business decision.2) Network as much as you can.Join networking groups comprised of individuals who are entrepreneurs or small business owners. Not only might you find some professionals that wil
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of
We bought a house and the builder never said “thank you.” May I repeat? We bought a shiny, beautiful new house, met with the builder on many occasions, and he never said thank you. Not when we made the down payment. Not when we were picking which shade of black countertops, and not when we closed and moved in. Not one single time.It begs the question, did he appreciate our business? I guess we’ll never know; however, imagine if he had sent a small gift card to the Home Depot! We would have told everyone, thus creating great word-of-mouth advertising for the builder. Even a housewarming card, orhe could have just stopped by to say hello. Any small token to show his appreciation would have been appreciated by us - and productive for himDo you appreciate your customers? If so, do they know it? How is your business etiquette? When I teach companies how to “Hit the Grand Slam” with customers, I stress the importance of appreciating your custom
And what constitutes employee empowerment? I believe it comes down to a few basic principles, the third of which is effective communication.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Millions of words have been written on this subject, and yet it’s still a huge problem, especially in the legal world. Why? Think about how attorneys are educated – they go to law school and learn how to be adversaries and advocates, keep secrets, and always look for the hidden agenda. That’s not exactly the best education for an environment that usually thrives on teamwork, knowledge, and trust. Attorneys are also expected to be good managers and effective businesspeople, and yet that’s not taught in law school, either.
I’ve worked at firms where communication with staff was discouraged; in fact, attorneys weren’t allowed to even take their secretaries to lunch unless it was their birthday or secretary’s day. Obviously, that firm was not concerned with effective communication with their staff unless, of course, it was strictly one-way communication (and in that firm, it was). It was a difficult firm to work for because staff never really knew what was going on, knew they were not thought of (much less treated) as equals, and were not encouraged to challenge themselves in any way.
I also worked in a firm that really went out of their way to communicate the firm’s culture, goals, and current financial status. Needless to say, it was a much more open environment where creativity was rewarded, training was available, and the firm’s actions were much more understood since the staff was informed of the firm’s financial status.
What did the second firm do differently and how could communication be even more effective?
• Have a real ‘open-door’ policy. Everyone is familiar with the ‘open-door’ grievance policy. It’s in every policy and procedures manual I’ve written, reviewed, or consulted on. So that means it’s practiced, right? With grievances, it usually is since they’re concrete issues that must be dealt with. However, I find that many times the ‘open door’ is overlooked in any other aspect. If staff feels like they’re not being heard, an advocate for them is necessary but will only be sought out by the most vocal people. A good way to really know what’s going on in a firm is to just walk around and ask everyone how they’re doing. After you’ve done it a few times, you’ll actually get answers and more of the staff will be coming to you to keep in touch.
• Look for teamwork opportunities. Every firm should be based on teamwork, but in actual practice, few are. In most firms, staff feels like they’re not told the status of cases, the actual practice, or issues that may affect them. Due to client confidentiality issues, not everyone on the staff should be aware of everything that goes on in a case; however, the ones that are actually working on the case should be informed of the general status of events and be included in the victory (or commiserating), thank-yous, and acknowledgments. If staff is made to feel a part of the legal team, they’ll be much more conscientious and forgiving. And this attitude doesn’t just extend to the actual practice side – it’s imperative on the administrative side as well. Decisions that involve staff should be explained to them. And the best way to explain is to…
• Remember the WIIFT rule. Everyone wants to know ‘What’s In It For Them.’ The very basis of teamwork is knowing your part in the overall goal and how the result will affect you. Does this mean the result will always be beneficial to you? No. However, prior knowledge of expected results makes everyone feel “in the loop” and that’s really what most people want. Not many like to be surprised when it comes to issues affecting their livelihood.
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of
What is a Remarkable Business?My definition of a remarkable business is - a business that serves its customers like no other on the planet.The only purpose of any business - whatever the size - is to provide the highest possible service, value and result to every single person that inquires of you, asks advice from you and buys or invest from you.If your business is a remarkable one, your competition will have no chance. Your business WILL be the compelling choice to your customers! You and Your business will be constantly written about, interviewed and publicised.Let me share something by Seth Godin:This is an essay about what it takes to create and sell something remarkable. It is a plea for originality, passion, guts and daring. You can’t be remarkable by following someone else who’s remarkable. One way to figure out a theory is to look at what’s working in the real world and determine what the successes have in common. But what
I’ve worked at firms where communication with staff was discouraged; in fact, attorneys weren’t allowed to even take their secretaries to lunch unless it was their birthday or secretary’s day. Obviously, that firm was not concerned with effective communication with their staff unless, of course, it was strictly one-way communication (and in that firm, it was). It was a difficult firm to work for because staff never really knew what was going on, knew they were not thought of (much less treated) as equals, and were not encouraged to challenge themselves in any way.
I also worked in a firm that really went out of their way to communicate the firm’s culture, goals, and current financial status. Needless to say, it was a much more open environment where creativity was rewarded, training was available, and the firm’s actions were much more understood since the staff was informed of the firm’s financial status.
What did the second firm do differently and how could communication be even more effective?
• Have a real ‘open-door’ policy. Everyone is familiar with the ‘open-door’ grievance policy. It’s in every policy and procedures manual I’ve written, reviewed, or consulted on. So that means it’s practiced, right? With grievances, it usually is since they’re concrete issues that must be dealt with. However, I find that many times the ‘open door’ is overlooked in any other aspect. If staff feels like they’re not being heard, an advocate for them is necessary but will only be sought out by the most vocal people. A good way to really know what’s going on in a firm is to just walk around and ask everyone how they’re doing. After you’ve done it a few times, you’ll actually get answers and more of the staff will be coming to you to keep in touch.
• Look for teamwork opportunities. Every firm should be based on teamwork, but in actual practice, few are. In most firms, staff feels like they’re not told the status of cases, the actual practice, or issues that may affect them. Due to client confidentiality issues, not everyone on the staff should be aware of everything that goes on in a case; however, the ones that are actually working on the case should be informed of the general status of events and be included in the victory (or commiserating), thank-yous, and acknowledgments. If staff is made to feel a part of the legal team, they’ll be much more conscientious and forgiving. And this attitude doesn’t just extend to the actual practice side – it’s imperative on the administrative side as well. Decisions that involve staff should be explained to them. And the best way to explain is to…
• Remember the WIIFT rule. Everyone wants to know ‘What’s In It For Them.’ The very basis of teamwork is knowing your part in the overall goal and how the result will affect you. Does this mean the result will always be beneficial to you? No. However, prior knowledge of expected results makes everyone feel “in the loop” and that’s really what most people want. Not many like to be surprised when it comes to issues affecting their livelihood.
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of
Layoffs and fewer job opportunities have made the Washington job scene a buyer’s market; there is a glut of good candidates. Relax, with all of the layoffs, if you are out there looking, you’re probably one of them. As always, though, landing a good job means going through the dreaded job interview. Some of them are friendly. Others are meat grinders. In any case, here are ten tips for wowing ‘em and making them want to call you for a return visit. Research, research, research. Know the company cold. Find out what its pain points are and be ready to explain how you can help ease them. Be on time. Arrive 10 minutes early so you won’t be huffing and puffing into the office at the appointed hour. People are human. Most of them will decide within the first five minutes whether they want to hire you. Be yourself -- but not the same YOU that your wacky beach house friends find so adorable. Demonstrate a sense of humor, but don’t do 20
What did the second firm do differently and how could communication be even more effective?
• Have a real ‘open-door’ policy. Everyone is familiar with the ‘open-door’ grievance policy. It’s in every policy and procedures manual I’ve written, reviewed, or consulted on. So that means it’s practiced, right? With grievances, it usually is since they’re concrete issues that must be dealt with. However, I find that many times the ‘open door’ is overlooked in any other aspect. If staff feels like they’re not being heard, an advocate for them is necessary but will only be sought out by the most vocal people. A good way to really know what’s going on in a firm is to just walk around and ask everyone how they’re doing. After you’ve done it a few times, you’ll actually get answers and more of the staff will be coming to you to keep in touch.
• Look for teamwork opportunities. Every firm should be based on teamwork, but in actual practice, few are. In most firms, staff feels like they’re not told the status of cases, the actual practice, or issues that may affect them. Due to client confidentiality issues, not everyone on the staff should be aware of everything that goes on in a case; however, the ones that are actually working on the case should be informed of the general status of events and be included in the victory (or commiserating), thank-yous, and acknowledgments. If staff is made to feel a part of the legal team, they’ll be much more conscientious and forgiving. And this attitude doesn’t just extend to the actual practice side – it’s imperative on the administrative side as well. Decisions that involve staff should be explained to them. And the best way to explain is to…
• Remember the WIIFT rule. Everyone wants to know ‘What’s In It For Them.’ The very basis of teamwork is knowing your part in the overall goal and how the result will affect you. Does this mean the result will always be beneficial to you? No. However, prior knowledge of expected results makes everyone feel “in the loop” and that’s really what most people want. Not many like to be surprised when it comes to issues affecting their livelihood.
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of
Have you gone to tech school or been into computers all of your life and everyone calls you about their computer problems? Not sure what to do with your pc repair skills? When deciding what to do with your skills, sometimes you may lean toward opening your own PC Repair Business. What else do you need to know in order to run your business? That is what we are going to discuss in this article today.1. Do I have to pay taxes?2. How do I avoid the pitfalls of opening a new business?3. How much to invest?1. Do I have to pay taxes? The simple answer is yes. If you are planning on running this as a real business and you will be charging for the services you provide, then yes you will need to pay taxes on the money you make. There are many tax breaks available for new businesses, so make sure to talk to a tax professional, but suffice it to say, you should put aside 20-25% of all the revenue you generate for tax purpo
• Look for teamwork opportunities. Every firm should be based on teamwork, but in actual practice, few are. In most firms, staff feels like they’re not told the status of cases, the actual practice, or issues that may affect them. Due to client confidentiality issues, not everyone on the staff should be aware of everything that goes on in a case; however, the ones that are actually working on the case should be informed of the general status of events and be included in the victory (or commiserating), thank-yous, and acknowledgments. If staff is made to feel a part of the legal team, they’ll be much more conscientious and forgiving. And this attitude doesn’t just extend to the actual practice side – it’s imperative on the administrative side as well. Decisions that involve staff should be explained to them. And the best way to explain is to…
• Remember the WIIFT rule. Everyone wants to know ‘What’s In It For Them.’ The very basis of teamwork is knowing your part in the overall goal and how the result will affect you. Does this mean the result will always be beneficial to you? No. However, prior knowledge of expected results makes everyone feel “in the loop” and that’s really what most people want. Not many like to be surprised when it comes to issues affecting their livelihood.
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of
When was the last time you had encountered an unforgettable buying experience? There are instances when you had bad experiences with e-commerce sites that failed to respond on time with your email query.Or there could been times when a sales associate at your local community computer store did not even know what are the products he is selling. You might have also experienced being placed on hold over the phone for a long time when you called just to ask a mail order company about their toll free line services.These negative buying experiences are always associated to shoddy and low quality customer service. Is it really that hard to find good quality customer service support nowadays?Many companies have always put in their trademarks about putting people first. However, customer service is not very well offered the way it should be. In fact, with the many consumer groups criticizing low quality customer service support, many companies have put a
• Leggo the (m)Ego. This is one of the most difficult things to learn. We all have egos and feel that many times, we’re right and the other person is wrong or we’re smart and they’re a brick shy of a load. In the words of Dr. Phil, how’s that working for you? Really effective communicators take their ego out of the conversation. They concentrate on the result, effectiveness and clarity of the exchange, not on score-keeping. How do you know if you’re guilty of this? When someone is talking to you, are you thinking of what you’re going to say next? If so, your ego is getting in the way. True listeners are concentrating on what the other person is saying. Responses and questions will flow naturally if you’re really paying attention. The next time you find yourself thinking of the questions you’re going to ask, stop yourself. Don’t worry about looking clever – concentrate on the other person’s intelligence and thoughts, and let the conversation flow naturally.
• Just say what you really mean. In today’s litigious and politically-correct society, businesspeople are wary of talking clearly. They’re afraid of being misinterpreted or having their own words used against them. Attorneys are especially conscious of this, plus many are in the habit of using ten words when two will do. However, this is usually counterproductive. Most people want to know what you really mean. How do you know if you have problems with getting your point across? Count the number of questions and what’s being asked after giving an assignment. If it’s more than three questions and the answers seem obvious to you, you probably need to work on this. It’s not up to the secretary to figure out what you’re trying to say – it’s up to you. Communication is a two-way street, so ensure that your road isn’t blocked. Speak clearly, say what you mean, ask that the instructions be repeated back, and answer any questions calmly and fully. Acting exasperated or treating the staff as idiots will not accomplish your goal.
• Make it all make sense. The end goal of any communication is understanding – whether it be a process, idea, story, opinion, etc. The first time I saw “2001: A Space Odyssey”, I was very confused. The storyline just didn’t make sense to me. I felt that Stanley Kubrick had played a practical joke on me and wanted to make me look foolish. It was filled with all kinds of symbolism, pop-culture references, and futuristic technology. I just didn’t get it. However, when a friend explained the back story to me, interpreted the symbolism, and caught me up on the references, I got it. I went to see it again and had a totally different experience and really appreciated it. Sometimes we communicate the same way – we fail to fill in the back story, explain the references, and deal with the technology of what we’re trying to get across. Knowing where something fits in the puzzle makes our understanding much clearer. The next time you’re talking with someone and they get that vague look on their face, stop. Ask them what piece is missing for them. That one small piece of information will probably change the whole dynamic of the conversation and get the result you’re wanting.
Nothing is more frustrating to a staffperson than lousy communication. Many feel that they’re expected to just take the ball and run with it, but are never given the playbook. They feel that if they mess up, it’s their head on the chopping block. Are you having a communication issue with someone in your staff? If so, it’s not 100% their fault. You must take responsibility for your part and do something about it. Without effective communication, employees will never be empowered and will feel like they’re always on the defensive.
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