At one time I read about Jack Welch’s six key rules in Forbes magazine. Jack Welch was the CEO of General Electric for 20 years. He was instrumental in leading General Electric into a higher level of dominance in the marketplace. Let me share with you the real estate application to these six rules.

1. Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be. This rule has a few key components for REALTORS®.

A. Today is the only reality you have. What are you going to do today to generate new business and provide higher levels of service to your customers? Last week, last month, last year is in the past. If you plan to be a successful person you must focus on the future and take one more step today.

B. Too often you don’t look your financial reality in the face. Financial reality is line 36 on your tax return. It doesn’t matter what you gross in commission or how many millions of dollars of sales have you made. Your business is contained on line 36 of the 1040 form. Don’t get sucked in to the gross income show.

C. Reality is some of the numbers in your business. You need to review these numbers monthly.

• Gross income
• Numbers of listings and sales
• What you make per hour (Gross income ¸ hours worked)
• Cost per transaction (Expenses ¸ units sold)
• Number of listings that expire
• Percentage of buyer sides versus seller sides
• Where the business is coming from (i.e. referral, open house, sign call, and ad calls)

You have to know the reality of your business at all times to make sound decisions.

2. Be candid with everyone. Tell the truth to all people you work with. Tell the sellers they are over priced. Be truthful with the buyers if they expect too much. Tell them if the property they are searching for will be bought before they even hear about it. Don’t hope the news will get better with time. Deal with the problem or issue now.

3. Don’t manage…lead. Leadership is a lost art. Anyone can manage…few people lead. Managers are a dime a dozen. Leaders are a priceless commodity. Work to develop your leadership ability. You have to be able to lead prospects, clients, staff, and other Agents. Work on your leadership skills today.

4. Change before you have to. We are living in an economic time where change is a constant. Our only choice is to change or get out. There has been much change in real estate in the last 24 months. Here’s the question: is change going to slow down or speed up? Your answer to that question and application of your answer will cause you either to be in real estate or out of it in the next 24 months.

5. If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete. Many Agents and companies in the new millennium will have little competitive advantage. When they realize this fact, they will be forced to compete via price. Work to develop your competitive advantage. Increase your level of service to your prospects and clients. Don’t assume because you may have a competitive advantage now that you will enjoy one in the future. People and companies have to work constantly to maintain their competitive advantage.

We have the competitive advantage over all other real estate coaching companies. I can assure you we are not sitting on our laurels. We are constantly creating new services and tools that help our Agents increase their revenue, profits, and quality of life.

6. Control your own destiny or someone else will. You can’t rely on your company, broker, or staff to shape your success. They are all looking to you to create your own success. The most successful Agents realize that their success or failure is contained in their attitude, daily disciplines, plan for the future, and their implementation. The market has little control over your success. You can make money in any kind of market conditions.

If you place your destiny in other hands, you will receive what they have planned for you. Most of them have very little planned for you. They are never going to be focused on your success like you should be. There will be mentors and coaches who will help you tremendously during your life, but you are the one who needs to implement your plan for success.

If we all applied these six rules by Jack Welch, we would dramatically improve our life and income. Start the process with step one today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dirk_Zeller

We are all leaders; in our families, churches, temples, lodges, clubs, businesses and fraternal organizations.

Have you ever heard of a Cult Manager? Yet where have we ever seen more loyalty, commitment and blind obedience? No such thing as a Religious Manager. There’s a huge difference between management and leadership. “Semantics”, you say. When I went to Hotel School I was taught how to be a Hotel Manager. I found that I had to become a Leader in order to gain the loyalty and commitment of my staff.

When I first arrived to work as a manager in a hotel in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, the staff did the usual hotel staff things to test me. The cashier would mix up the cash register, and see if I could sort out the problem. The night chefs would stay home, and see if I could handle the kitchen at night and prepare the breakfast. I had to prove myself.
How does a manager cope with that, as opposed to a leader? I was called in to a meeting of my management peers and they told me to fire a certain Functions Manager. He was a rebel and no good, they said. Lazy. Obstinate. Get rid of him! His name was Oral, I’ll never forget. I watched him at work. His staff of waiters would set up the conferences and do all the work perfectly while he sat outside, smoking. I called Oral into my office and fired him. Then I said, “Oral, I’ve done what everyone here wanted me to do. I fired you. Now, I’m rehiring you on my terms. Here are my terms: You can sit outside and smoke all day. You never have to enter the hotel. As long as the job gets done to my satisfaction, I’m happy. If not, we will talk. How’s that?” Oral beamed. He thanked me profusely. He was happy. He did a great job. I was happy. And one day he saved me from being badly beaten up. Oral, you see, was a natural leader. He understood leadership. Suffice is to say that after a while I had a loyal following instead of an obedient staff.

When I was 17 I was drafted into the army. I saw what leadership was and I saw what psychopaths did. The psychopathic, racist South African army officers got people to do things by force. They achieved very little. The true leaders in the army got a lot more done, without fear, manipulation or force. They got soldiers volunteering for things. When your people are motivated and have a vision and a goal, they will achieve their goals and your goals together. Without pay, if necessary. Financial rewards and incentives are not the most powerful there are.

A leader understands that she is leading personalities with value systems, goals, fears, hopes and dreams. She knows that she can get people to work 24/7/365 when she pushes the right buttons. I once worked for a hotel owner for nine months with one day off in all that time. He was a true leader. Arthur Honey. He was Roger Bannister’s second when Roger Bannister broke the 3 minute mile. He could inspire, motivate and encourage people. He never ran, raised his voice or panicked.
Here are some questions we should be asking the people we intend to lead:

1. What is your greatest fear and your greatest dream? Why is that your fear? Why is that your dream?
2. If you had a million dollars and lots of time and energy, what would you be doing right now?
3. What feelings do you want to experience, and what feelings do you want to avoid in your life?
4. What’s the best book/movie you ever read/saw?
5. What are you most proud of about yourself? What is you greatest skill? What do you do best?
6. What are you weakest at?
7. If you could have any job, what would it be, and why?
8. What is your greatest worry?
9. How do you feel about…?
10. What would you change about this business/organization?

Ask open ended questions; draw them out. “Tell me more? What do you mean by that, exactly? Why do you say that? And? Yes?”

The true leader knows that she has to know a lot about the people she wants to lead. She has to empathize and care. Show them how to measure their progress. She has to be sure that she treats them fairly and that there is a consistency about the way she leads. Regularity, honesty and consistency is important. And there must be clear guidelines, consequences and reasons for what happens. Everyone must understand why they are to do what they do, what the outcome is supposed to be, the consequences for failing to do the right thing and the BIG PICTURE. The vision, the overall strategy, should be understood by everyone concerned.

Most of all, each team member should know that, by reaching the company or organization’s goals, they will reach their personal goals as well. They should have a vested interest in the success of the venture. This is vitally important.

Mortimer Adler was quoted in Time Magazine in 1974 as saying, “In Aristotelian terms, the good leader must have ethos, pathos and logos. The ethos is his moral character, the source of his ability to persuade. The pathos is his ability to touch feelings, to move people emotionally. The logos is his ability to give reasons for an action, to move people intellectually.”

I hired my last secretary in a restaurant. She and her husband asked me for a Job Description. This was my answer: “Francesca, this is your job description. Whatever it takes, 24/7, total commitment and loyalty and total honesty. Whatever it takes. I will be as committed to you, as you are to me. Take it or leave it. What salary do you want?” She wanted $2,000 per month. I knew that she would settle for $1,800. So I offered her $2,500. I got a fantastic secretary and a very supportive husband. She left when I emigrated.

Very few managers know how to lead. It’s never too late to change. Leaders are firm, flexible, value-driven and honest. They have Magnificent Obsessions, driving goals and clear action plans. Their followers feel loved, secure, cared for and lucky. Together, we can do amazing things.

Find out more about Joint Ventures and how to find great Joint Ventures Partners at www.jvwisdom.com.

Author: Robin J. Elliott

About the Author:

For more than 20 years, Robin J. Elliott has worked with thousands of businesses in over 49 industries across the United States, Canada, and Africa to help small business entrepreneurs build wealth and gain access to new markets and profit centers through Joint Ventures. Make Money Using Joint Ventures – Watch the free 90 Minute video about how anyone can make money using Joint Ventures at www.jvwisdom.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – From Management to Leadership

When I was a newbie in the internet business, “how to make money online?” is the question I kept asking around and looking for the answer either from online and offline. I believe many of the beginners who are interested to earn money from internet have the same question, but not every of them find their answer correctly. You may find the answers saying that making money on internet is an easy task, everyone can do it and make money fast; but in reality, it is not. That’s why most of beginners who have tried their fortune in internet business tend to give up at last. How a beginner can successfully make money online? You definitely want to know if you are interested in to earn money from internet.

As a beginner to the internet business and to be successfully making money online, first of all you need to understand what the actual concept of online business, and how it works so that you can set correct expectation when you start the business. There are many books available online and offline that you can read to enrich your knowledge about how to make money online and what you should expect from it and how to success in the business.

In fact, the formula to success in internet business is simple, but unfortunately not many are able to follow the formula successfully. Statistic shows that 95% of beginners of the online business have failed to make any money from internet. Some of them even making a loss because they have spent more money in advertising and marketing on their business than the money earn from the business. Most beginners of online business have a miss mindset about making money online, they treat it to be a “get money quick” scheme and hope to make money overnight or within very short period of time without putting efforts. As a result, they are disappointed and quit because they did not earn the money as expected.

At school, you learn the knowledge through the guide of your teachers; whereas, at internet world, you can learn to make money from internet marketing gurus. Copy the success from the other people will help you to reach your success within the shortest path. There are many eBooks about how to make money online written by famous internet marketing gurus who have succeed in their online business which you can follow to achieve your success faster by avoiding the common mistakes made by most online marketers who have failed in the business.

Everyone can start an online business easily. In fact, you can start to make money even without having any website, but as I said earlier to be successful in making the amount of money that can replace your day job income, it is not an easy task. You need to work on it smartly such as copy the success of other online marketers; and put the efforts to work it out by implementing some proven success strategies for online business.

Summary

Everyone can successfully make money online if they do it right. You can only do it right if you understand the online money making concept correctly and know what to expect from the online business.

Author: Scott Bamboo

About the Author:

Scott Bamboo is an author from http://www.clickbankblueprint.info. His website provides useful information and resources for those who are interested to make money online.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Make Money Online – the Right Concept for Beginners

Warren Buffett is a great inspiration for all entrepreneur out there and learning about his success should be mandatory for all CEO wannabe out there. There are many great books about him and we could recommend the Warren Buffet way as a good starter.

Superior business leader and American investor Warren Buffett is often called “Oracle of Omaha” or the “Sage of Omaha” and philanthropist. (Wikipedia, 2007) Buffett is the CEO, and the biggest shareholder of the Berkshire Hathaway Company. Buffet’s has an estimated current net worth of approximately $52 billion in US funds. Forbes Magazine ranks Buffett the third richest person in the world in September 2007 behind Carlos Slim and Bill Gates.
Warren Buffett is known for his economical and plain lifestyle. Buffett still lives in the same Omaha, Nebraska house that he purchased in 1958 for $31,500 with a current value of $700,000. In 1989, Buffett spent $9.7 million of the Berkshire’s funds on a corporate jet. He jokingly named it “The Indefensible” because of his past criticisms of such purchases by other CEOs. (Wikipedia, 2007)

Warren Buffett decided to make a commitment to give his fortune to charity back in June 2006. Buffet’s charity donation is approximately $30 billion, which is the largest donation in the history of the United States. The donation was enough to more than double the size of the foundation with 83% of it going to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett believed that his family had enough money to get started in life so Buffett decided to give his fortune to charity. Buffet’s annual salary in 2006 was only $100,000. In 2007, Buffett was listed among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. (Wikipedia, 2007)

What makes Warren Buffett a good business leader? This is what everyone wants to know because Warren buffet is so successful. It all starts with leadership. Warren buffet is a true leader where his leadership makes a difference in the world. Leadership is very much related to change and Warren Buffett has the capabilities of leadership change to fit the changing world. Warren Buffett has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to map read in the irregular waters of change. Is Warren Buffett born a leader? The authors of this paper believe not. Experience and research has shown little evidence that an individual who comes to power is a “born leader.” Warren Buffett took the falls that any other leader has to take. Warren Buffett learned from his mistakes and turned his mistakes into a positive thing. Warren Buffett shares his leadership at all organizational levels and Buffett is empowered to share leadership responsibilities. In the world of business, many titles related to leadership roles are actively used in business and Warren Buffett wears those titles to make him effective in multiple leadership positions in business. Distinction between good leadership and good management is made often. Managers are made to be organizational, controllers and budgeters. Warren Buffett has leadership in all three departments and one must have these traits to be a good business leader.

Another important trait in Today’s business leadership is communication. Warren Buffet is a skilled communicator in all aspects of life. Communication is the real key of leadership. Skilled communicators have an appreciation for positioning in the business world. Warren Buffet is experienced at positioning himself at the right place at the right time. Warren Buffet has the understanding of the people he is trying to reach and what he can and cannot hear from the people. Knowledge of audiences’ needs and wants gives the orator the ability to listen. Warren Buffett is an excellent listener with the ability to convey his understanding.

When Warren Buffett talks, people listen. Warren Buffett can send a message through an open door and does not have to push the message through a wall.

Leadership is crucial to any successful business and good leadership is what Warren Buffett is all about. This is what makes Warren buffet a good business leader.

Mr. Warren Buffet’s investment strategies and course of leadership are shining examples of characteristics shared by cognitive theorists. Cognitive theory is an approach of explaining behavior through perception, anticipation, and thinking. Mr. Buffet’s continual approach of analyzing both possible investment choices, market trends, and the ability to place management resources of the right caliber in the right position has consistently brought this investor to the forefront amongst peers and the marketplace. At the core of every sound investor is a creative innovator.

Innovation demands creativity. Creativity in turn draws on our cognitive faculties, across the full amplitude from emotion to reason. In the number-heavy world of global investing, innovative thinking is critical. Innovative investors decipher future trends, spot likely winners by combining science (financials) with art (acuity and perception) and continuously mitigate risk. They assess user needs, product features, the proper deployment of money, professional organizational structures and risk management. (Kore Kalibre, 2006)

Mr. Buffet’s instinct and ability to interpret market trends is also held by tight reigns. Despite over 50 years of growth, Mr. Buffett always adheres to one of the most basic business principles: “…only compete where you have a competitive advantage. Warren Buffett refers to staying within your circle of competence. Social psychologists tell us, though, that we are prone to overconfidence when it comes to assessing our abilities…” (Arthridge, 2006) A man of Warren Buffett’s position and track record could easily be derailed to a sense of over confidence. The principle of only competing within your range of competitive advantage is a principle that can be applied to many other areas in life, and Mr. Buffet’s ability to work and live by this idea has allowed him to continue forward with minimal bruising.

By establishing the previous examples, the authors can reinforce the principles of cognitive theory in that Mr. Buffett behavior patterns are clearly dictated by thought processes, which include interpretation, analysis, and foresight. “As experiences and events gain meaning and value, the process becomes increasingly top down as the mind in (a) attempt at an orderly process influences perception though beliefs, goals and external process” (Gardener, 2007)

Warren Buffet’s is a self empowered leader, because he is loyal, sets goals, plans a strategy for achievement, and stays committed until he accomplishes his purpose. Up to date, he is the greatest stockbroker of all-time. He is a very conservative investor that prefers to invest in companies that sell name brand products that he uses. For example, Coca-Cola, Gillette Razors, See’s Candy, Gulfstream Jet, and GEICO are the major companies he invested in. In the nineties his assets quadrupled in less than five years. He is a smart investor that usually does not take big investment risks. For example, he will not invest in internet stock, because the return is unpredictable. He likes to invest in companies that he is sure will be successful 20 years later. He buys the company with the intentions of keeping it forever. Usually, the management team of each company is the same staff that sold it Warren Buffett from the beginning. He stays loyal to his partners, and the team works their best to keep him happy.

After Warren Buffet’s wife died, he decided to donate 85% of his money to charity. However, “he wants his money to be used the same year he donates it”. (Harris, 2006) The requirement will accelerate the process to help the world. According to Fortune magazine, five-sixths of his money will go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This foundation which focus on finding cures for diseases that are common in poor nations. The rest of the money will be split among four other charities, that are each run by his three children and one that is in his late wife’s name.

Warren Buffett is not a huge spender. In fact, he still lives in the same house he bought 40 years ago. Warren “told ABC News “Nightline” that being born into wealth did not entitle his children” (Harris, 2006). In addition, he told Fortune magazine that, “A very rich person would leave his kids enough to do anything, but not enough to do nothing.” (Harris, 2006) In other words, he wants his children to work earn their money and value hard work and smart choices.

In the year 2006, Warren’s first annual donation to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was $1.5 billion and the rest was divided among the four charities. He was the first person to make a donation better than Bill Gates, the richest man in the world. It seems as if Bill Gates and Warren Buffett set a good example and lead others to be more generous, because now the Barron Hilton has committed to donating half of his fortune to charity also. Barron Hilton is the founder of the Hilton Hotels and is worth $2.3 billion. Hopefully, a trend started among the fortunate to give to the less fortunate.

The personality of Warren Buffett ties to the Social Cognitive Level, because he tries to understand and make sense of other people. He observes the differences in social knowledge when dealing with people. Social cognition refers to making sense of ourselves, others, and how the information is used. In the sixties and seventies Albert Bandura and Walter Mischel were psychologists, studying personality development. They found that social learning and cognitive principles improve ones abilities to self-regulate and to follow goals. Warren investment choices were successful, because he conditioned his the way he processed information, choices, and expectations.

References – Do Not Strip Article References

Gardener, J. (2007). Cognitive Behavior Theory. Retrieved December 26, 2007, from http://www.cognitivebehavior.com/theory/index.html

Harris, D. (2006, June 26,). Warren Buffett’s Unprecedented Generosity. Retrieved December 31, 2007, from http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=2118501

Kore Kalibre (2006, March-April 2006). Warren Buffett’s Innovation: Staying away from Rapid Product Innovation. Retrieved December 26, 2007, from http://www.korekalibre.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&task=show_magazine_article&magazine_id=26

Legg Mason Value Trust (2006, October 26). Legg Mason Value Trust (LMVTX) Letter to Shareholders. Retrieved December 26, 2007, from http://markets.kiplinger.com/kiplinger?GUID=323448&Page=MediaViewer&Ticker=LMVTX

Wikipedia (2007, December 25). Warren Buffett. Retrieved December 18, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Buffett

Researched and Authored by: Michael J. Spindler of Local Music Hits!

About the Author:

About the Author: Michael J. Spindler Michael has a multitude of interests, from Local Music Bands, Arts, Psychology, Sociology, Business Techniques and many more… As time goes by, most of my articles will focus on the world of Local Music. But at this time, I would like to share with you my other varied interest.
Local Music Hits- Search Local Bands, Local Musicians and music of culture hits in your city and across the Nation!

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Superior Leader – Warren Buffet

Transforming a group of diverse individuals into a high-performance team is a monumental task. Although teams have both strengths and weaknesses the ability to constructively exploit the strengths while improving upon the weaknesses is a challenge that most organizations will ultimately face. Accordingly a group that transcends these difficulties will eventually go on to develop the attributes that will effectively allow it to become a high powered team. While there are numerous models that can help to illustrate the elements necessary for team building Bruce Tuckman’s Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing Model of team development seems to illustrate this process with the most clarity.

The Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing model of team development was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965, who maintained that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for a team to grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results. This model has laid the framework for subsequent models of team dynamics frequently used in management theory to describe the behavior of existing teams.

Forming

In the first stage of Tuckman’s model a team is selected and the team leader takes an active role in outlining and defining the team’s objectives. At this stage team members receive most of their direction from the authoritative figure usually a manager because the team leader lacks direction and they are just becoming accustomed to their new team environment.

Storming

In the storming stage there is an active role on the part of management in delegating duties and responsibilities. This is the idea stage. During the storming stage individuals will exchange ideas and determine how they will work collectively. Identifying problem issues and evaluating each others perspectives is central to this phase of team development.

Norming

This stage of development is where the ground rules are set for team performance. In the Norming phase a pattern develops which begins to lay the framework for a cohesive environment. Additionally, ideas are agreed upon and shared and common ground is established. Management continues to play an active role at this stage however, their involvement is generally participative and the team has more decision-making ability.

Performing

During the Performing stage team members have reached the pinnacle of performance. The team has a set of standards in place. They have established a charter or way of conducting the business of the team and conflict is handled in a constructive and dynamic fashion. Furthermore, management no longer plays a central role in governing the team and the decision-making process is in the hands of the team itself. Teams that reach this stage often exhibit a synergy that did not exist previously.

Adjourning

This fifth and final stage of Tuckmans model of team development commonly referred to as Adjourning, suggests that a radical transformation can occur as the result of the synergistic qualities of the team begin to become evident. According to Bruce Tuckman A team that manages to remain together may transcend to a transforming phase of achievement. Transformational management can generate key changes in performance through team synergy and is considered to be more far-reaching than transactional management.

Models such as Tuckman’s can help to lay the framework for team development yet supporting and strengthening the team dynamic is ultimately up to the team itself. Therefore it is essential that team members be encouraged to contribute collectively to their mission. Encouraging collaboration within the team environment is a key component to ensuring that the team is functioning optimally and also allows team members to take ownership and responsibility for their successes and failures.

While a high powered team can come from diverse backgrounds that team must also share common attitudes towards achieving their objectives. A team’s ability to recognize and adapt to opposing attitudes and differences can help improve performance and at the same time create an environment that is conducive to achieving the team’s objectives.

Opposing attitudes and differences often have a shared correlation with demographic characteristics and culture which can in a manner of speaking contribute to or detract from a team’s performance. Simply put decision-making and problem-solving are approached differently depending on one’s cultural background. Hence knowing which personalities work well together helps to identify which individuals will likely be cohesive together. Developing an attitude that stimulates cohesion is essential to helping the team to direct their energy towards their objectives. For that reason it is necessary to encourage the interpersonal growth of the team through team support functions. Contributing to the team’s objectives collectively and seeing positive results enhances the team dynamic by encouraging cooperation and partnership. It should also be noted that encouraging cohesion through team support functions helps to augment the teams overall performance. In the end the synergy that results from this encouragement will help sustain open communication and encourage a lasting and solid commitment toward organizational objectives.

Today, most organizations, large and small operate in a global economy. In this global context, different groups with diverse backgrounds and/or diverse factors (e.g., gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, and religion) bring differences in perspectives, values, work ethics and ways of working into an organization as well as differences in language, national origin and culture. Some aspects of diversity may be evident while others are less noticeable. Diversity of thinking usually leads to a better overall result, as the needs of diverse customers will be considered. Further, challenges regarding managing workplace diversity in a global context are often related to underlying differences that affect intercultural relations in the workplace, such as stereotyping, degrees of language and cultural fluency, nonverbal communication, and different cross-cultural communication styles. The level of cultural diversity is also a factor in the complexity of intercultural communication and understanding. For example, culturally, there are different ways to make sense of a situation or convey bad news or different degrees to which one mixes business with personal life.

Author: Kamal Hamdy

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - 

A couple of years out of college, my future wife, Anne, moved to Washington State from Wisconsin where she’d been living. She and her roommate pulled a large U-Haul trailer with all their worldly possessions on the long trip. They reached the Continental Divide, and it was Anne’s turn to drive, as they headed toward the western side of the mountains. The beauty of the pristine snow against a piercing blue sky, the crisp air and the dramatic vistas of the Rocky Mountains refreshed them from their many hours on the road.

After traveling down the steep grade a few hundred yards, the trailer began to rock violently, pushing the car from side to side. Other cars traveling in both directions tried to move out of the way of what appeared to be a catastrophic accident in the making. Anne fought unsuccessfully to control the car, the tires squealing as the trailer tossed the car in every direction. Just as Anne started to step on the brakes, her roommate screamed, “Anne, don’t step on the brakes, step on the gas!” Anne later said that accelerating the car went against every instinct—she wanted the car to slow down before they crashed. Within a few seconds of stepping on the gas the trailer settle down and began to roll smoothly behind the car.

Anne admitted later that the steep downhill grade made her drive tentatively. Gravity took over and the heavy trailer began to move faster than the car. It quickly stepped out of its rightful position as a “follower” and attempted to pass the car with nearly disastrous results. Stepping on the gas caused the car to pull the trailer as intended, but Anne had to speed up to get the car to move ahead and reassert its position as the “leader.”

Organizations today face some of the most difficult conditions imaginable…the turbulence index is off the charts. News reports warn of a new impending disaster every day. While leaders understandably are uncertain and tentative, now is actually the time to step on the gas. Now is the time to lead…to get out in front, perhaps as never before.

What can leaders do to “step on the gas?” Four actions come to mind:

1. Provide inspired direction—remind members of your organization of the mission. Help them to remember why the product or service you provide to your customers is valuable, noble and meaningful. If paid fairly, people will always work harder for meaning than they will for money.

2. Provide your followers with the opportunity for an “emotional exchange.” Let them express their concerns, worries, and uncertainties. A worker’s act of expressing a concern goes a long way toward mitigating the anxiety that worry creates. When you as the leader listen deeply to people’s concerns, it conveys respect. Don’t you work harder for someone who conveys respect for you?

3. Build trust with the member of your organization. You do this by keeping your commitments—do what you say you’re going to do. Also, make sure you run by the same rules you expect all members of the organization to observe. Authenticity builds trust—you don’t have to be the “Shell Answer Man.” You may not know the answer, so don’t try to finesse your way through.

4. Communicate your plans—make your thinking visible. Members of your organization need to know what is happening, why, when, how, and who is affected. Even though the news may not be what people want to hear, they value candor.

Your natural instincts may be to slow down and be cautious given the gravity of the circumstances, but the counterintuitive answer is right. Step on the gas. Get out in front. Your organization needs skillful leadership today—“for such a time as this.”

Author: DrTimIrwin

About the Author:

Tim Irwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker, and leading authority on leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and executive selection. Learn more at www.DerailedLeader.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com –

Worsening unemployment, reduced availability of credit and our static housing market all combine to keep the economic environment subdued. Certainly, during this period, UK retailing has had to
cope with lots of difficulties.

However, perhaps the recession’s most insidious impact lies in its brutal assault on trust and confidence. Indeed, where occasional fragments of good news do emerge, our misgivings often remain.

Yet, against international comparisons, British retailing is one of our most advanced, innovative and resilient sectors. Our 2.8 million employees comprise 11% of the total UK workforce, delivering sales in excess of £287bn last year.

The sector has no shortage of dynamic and charismatic leaders – not only at the top of companies but in our stores in cities and towns throughout the country.

And many retailers give personal time and other resources to community involvement, often seeking to address education, social inclusion or other needs in local neighbourhoods. So it’s unsurprising that stories about retail and retailers feature every day in the news – there’s a lot going on across our sector.

So why doesn’t retail have a more positive image as an employer? Time and again, employment within our sector is described in faintly disparaging terms. The interpersonal and planning skills associated with successful retailing too often are imperfectly understood.

Yes, working in retail is demanding. At times, considerable physical effort is required. Standards and goals tend to be specific and measurable. Most of our staff do not operate in quiet offices, but constantly can be accessed by customers and other visitors to our stores.

Yet here, too, is the enjoyment and opportunity. Independent surveys affirm that retail staff generally enjoy the natural human experience of face-to-face communication, particularly in seeking to provide high quality service to customers, or by “going the extra mile”.

Equally, personal fulfilment is gained from being part of a dedicated team. Many long-term friendships arise from working with colleagues or customers in a retail environment. Our sector can meet our staff’s personal skills and career development aspirations. Some superb formal training programmes are supplemented by ongoing practical coaching and mentoring from knowledgeable and experienced colleagues.

The route to store or area management is tangible and provides a considerable degree of autonomy. Similarly, entrants to our sector can explore prospects in buying or merchandising, logistics or supply chain, marketing, HR, finance or IT.

We already have a number of trade associations that are well-equipped to communicate opportunities in retail and to support learning and development initiatives. So let’s spread the good news a little more confidently and let’s encourage our colleagues to provide active support – not least by our own participation.

• Leo McKee Chief executive, brighthouse

Author: Rodrigo Prose
About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Retail is a positive place to be

As a consultant, I’ve deliberately avoided making too big a deal about this recession we find ourselves in because.

First it doesn’t help a great deal to dwell upon problems when really you ought to be thinking about solutions; and secondly, you’re probably hearing plenty about it from everyone else.

I’ve been getting a lot of emails and calls from business owners who are having an extremely bad time of things at the moment. Everyone, it seems, is asking the same question: “can you help me survive the recession?”

Hmm. Well, first thing I’ll say is this is a hell of a time to ask. The time to be looking for new business is when you’re busy, not when things are rapidly going creek-wise and paddleless. But, there’s no point in worrying about what you can’t change. You can’t change the wind, but you can change the set of your sail. The economy is like it IS, so deal with it in that way.

So, let’s do what I always find it’s best to do with any threat and that’s to face it squarely: there is some pretty bad stuff going on all over the world right now, the economy is dire, it’s probably going to get worse, and just what can we do about it?

Well, let me ruffle a few feathers and annoy a lot of people by saying right upfront I actually don’t believe it needs to be that much of a big deal for us. There are some very powerful things we can do to not just survive this recession but actually to thrive and come out the other side in an even better position than we were going into it. But, does it mean we can just carry on doing things the same old way we’re doing them now and perhaps have been doing them for many years?

No, it doesn’t.

We’ve had it pretty easy until recently, and we could afford to be complacent about marketing and getting new business through the door.
But now things have changed, and if you don’t change with them, then you’re going to have a rough time of it, even to the extent you might go out of business.

So we need to ask ourselves some pretty tough questions: exactly what challenges are we facing? What can we do about them? And how can we still think ‘big’ and grow our businesses and grow our profits, regardless of what’s going on around us?

First, look back over the last few downturns we’ve weathered, and notice something interesting. Notice while there were a lot of businesses struggling, and indeed there were a lot of businesses actually going out of business… there were a few, perhaps 1% or 2% which did very well indeed. Believe me, this wasn’t down to luck.

Here’s the question: what did they do differently?

The answer may surprise you. Because you’re going to find the biggest single factor determining your success or failure in the recession is your attitude, or ‘mindset’. The most important thing these successful business owners did was decide not to knuckle under to the recession. They decided to succeed, instead.

Now, this might sound like a bunch of hippy, New Age woo-woo rubbish, but it’s not. I’m not talking about affirmations or ‘The Secret’ or anything like that at all. If you want to read a highly entertaining and deeply insightful bit of real scientific research on this, I recommend Richard Wiseman’s ‘The Luck Factor’.

Basically, good and bad things happen to us all in roughly equal measure, and the difference between so-called ‘lucky’ and ‘unlucky’ people isn’t what happens to them so much as what they pay attention to and remember. If I can sum it up, I’d say ‘you get more of what you focus on’. See, when you’re surrounded by bad news in the papers and on the television, when almost every conversation you have revolves around the dreadful state of the economy, something happens to you: you inevitably get drawn into all the negativity and unconsciously accept all this doom and gloom as being an unavoidable truth.

Consequently, most business owners are approaching this recession with the view they’re going to ‘just hang on’ and weather the storm. I tell you now: if that’s you, then that’s the BEST you can hope for. We rarely exceed our goals and expectations. As the old saying goes, ‘if you want to hit an eagle, aim for the moon; aim for the eagle and you’ll hit a rock’.

So, the very first thing you need to be thinking about is setting some ambitious and positive goals (and remember I am not taking about tree-hugging here), and so instead of thinking in terms of just ‘hanging on’, think in terms of doubling or tripling your profits in the next 12 months. OK, so you might not actually hit that particular moon, but you will no doubt bag a few eagles in the process.

Once you set this goal for yourself, your brain, which has evolved to be an incredibly powerful pattern-matching and goal-seeking piece of equipment, will start looking for ways to achieve what you want.

OK, once you’ve set your goal, what now? What about those opportunities I mentioned? Well, the chief one is linked to what I just shared with you about people’s expectations.

Your competitors are worrying and fretting and setting their sights on just ‘getting by’. That means their actions and strategies are all aimed at just ‘getting by’. And that’s the best they can hope to achieve. But really, the customers out there still buying are just as scared by this recession as everyone else, and they want to be buying from someone bold and confident.

They want leadership and certainty. If you have set ambitious goals and are acting congruently with your words, then that’s what you offer them. Following on from this, you’ll notice in their fear and panic, most of your competitors will have curtailed their marketing and dropped their prices.

This is great news for you. First, because low price is almost never what really interests us; and secondly, if they aren’t marketing and you are, then you appear to be the only game in town.

Of course, now’s the time people start to complain and whine about how ‘expensive’ marketing is. Fooey. Not so. Some of the best and most effective marketing you can do is completely free, or as close to free as makes no difference. And don’t make the mistake of thinking in this case ‘free’ means ‘cheap and nasty’.

Think on it: how much does a recommendation from a friend cost, and how effective is it? You see my point, yes?

You may have noticed clients have changed their habits a little, but that’s OK. I’ve noticed it in my own business for sure: more clients than ever, but the jobs tend to be smaller and my clients more frantic.

That’s not my ideal situation, but it’s easy enough to cope with and cash flow has increased quite nicely, even though I’ve substantially raised my fees (because I get results and people are happy to pay whatever I ask – there’s a lesson in there for every business).

In short: I’m busier now than I’ve ever been.

So, pull your chin out of your chest, straighten your back and get out there and GET MARKETING!

The new entrepreneur may soon feel like they are in over their head trying to keep up with all the aspects of running a successful business. For many individuals who came from a corporate work background, it can be shocking to suddenly have complete responsibility for every part of operating a company. In particular, many former executives new to owning a business may have been used to delegating many of the more tedious tasks to underlings. The pressure to have to take care of everything on your own may be shocking! For business owners who find themselves in this position they may be able to benefit through outsourcing. This article will present a brief overview to opportunities available through outsourcing.

Business owners looking to offload some of the workload have numerous opportunities available via subcontractors. Without getting into a discussion of the dynamics that make outsourcing a viable option or the ramifications, suffice it to say the differences in wages in foreign countries relative to the U.S. make it possible for business owners in North America to pay foreign workers much less than having the work performed here. Like many aspects of business, the decision on whether to outsource certain tasks comes down to the cost for you to complete the task yourself versus your ability and willingness to pay to have the work done for you. Some of the frequently outsourced tasks include schedule management, article writing, business promotion, sales, and numerous internet related services.

Should you do it yourself or pay to have it done? As mentioned above, many business owners and entrepreneurs simply have too many demands on their time to complete everything by themselves. Outsourcing allows you to free up some of your time to focus on revenue producing activities and still get all of the mundane but necessary work finished. Business ownership can be incredibly rewarding but can quickly turn into a 24/7 management nightmare if you are not careful. Begin to track where you spend your time. Try to identify tasks that take up too much of your time. You should have a rough idea of how much your time is worth, and if you are headed in the right direction, your time will become increasingly more valuable. Look for areas where you could pay someone who is less skilled less money than it would cost you. Once you identify a handful of chores that might be candidates for outsourcing, begin to shop around.

You can research available outsourcers by searching on the internet. Several popular websites have helped make the process quite simple. You can post the scope of the project you need completed along with your desired budget. In turn, workers will bid on the project. To help with your selection process, most of the outsource placement websites have a rating system for the workers’ past performance. In addition to only outsourcing the type of work that you might consider too tedious or time consuming, thanks to the difference in pay scale, you may be able to pay for skilled work you may not be otherwise able to accomplish on your own, such as website building, internet marketing, sales – anything outside of your area of expertise.

In summary, for those considering how to start a home business but who feel it may be too overwhelming, consider the benefits of outsourcing. Rather than trying to take on every aspect of running a home business, you have the option to offload some of the workload. Depending on your budget and schedule you may find it beneficial to have time consuming parts of your work performed for you to free up your time. Finally, due to the relatively low pay scale for most foreign outsourcers, you may find you can pay for highly skilled labor you would be otherwise unable to afford. Visit the author’s LifePath Unlimited business website for more help with outsourcing.

Author: Terence Byrd

About the Author:

I’m passionate about business and travel. I’m always looking for new ways to make money outside of a regular job to have more time and money to have fun.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Utilize the Power of Outsourcing In Your Small Business

We’ve all see the adverts for the as seen on TV products, which turn make a whole show out of describing the benefits of whatever it is they are trying to sell, and how it’s amazing that anyone has managed to get this far without owning one of these. In actual fact, they are some of the best selling products on that market, because their marketing strategies are so effective. Now imagine if you could get in on the profits by buying infomercial products wholesale?

Well, the good news is that you can. No matter whether it is the machine that promises flat abs, to slice carrots more effectively or the perfect chamois for your car – these items are in high demand and are readily available for you to resell and make profits from.

Wholesale suppliers have long been obtaining exclusive customer return contracts with retail stores, which gives them access to products such as these infomercial products. What this means for you as a retailer is that you simply purchase these products from your wholesale supplier and sell them to your customers.

You can even go one better when buying infomercial products wholesale and ask your wholesale supplier to drop ship the items directly to your customer, which means you won’t need to worry about storage space or the time it takes to pack and ship each item.

When you are selecting a wholesale supplier to work with, you should look for one that has been obtaining exclusive customer return contract with retail stores, as this means that they will have the products that you are looking for, and they will also be brands that your customers are familiar with. F you are buying branded goods you don’t have to worry too much about checking the quality or getting samples, because you will already know what to expect.

Probably the most important thing to do when making purchases from a wholesale supplier is just to checkout that they are genuine and that they have all the appropriate policies in place to protect you as their customer. If they have a phone number, give them a call, that just means that if you have any problems with buying infomercial products wholesale, you will be able to give them a call and talk to someone about your issues.

In fact, selling products this way can be one of the cheapest ways to get into business. You won’t have to do much advertising as your customers will be searching for the products by their brand name, so you can simply leverage off the advertising that the marketers are doing on TV.

Another great reason to get into buying infomercial products wholesale and utilizing the services of a drop shipper is that you don’t need very much money to start your business up. Because you don’t actually make any stock purchases until you have an order from a customer, it’s one of the cheapest ways to get into business these days.

New infomercial products are being marketed every day, and with this system half your work is already done – isn’t it about time that you took advantage of this money making system?

Author: JamesThomas

About the Author:

Author Bio: WholesaleNewsletter.com News and Sources for Wholesale Drop Shipping and Online Products Sourcing. Discover Drop Shipper Tips to Wholesale Marketing, and Finding Profitable Merchandise for Resell.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Buying Infomercial Products Wholesale And Reselling For Profit