In utmost sincerity, as an assistant, your job has nothing to do with how much you like (or dislike) your boss; how much you're paid (or not paid); how much praise you receive (or don't receive). Whether you're the assistant to the neighborhood drycleaner, an intern at a media outlet, or the executive assistant to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, the good assistant knows it's all about the business. Period.
In fact, the "job" isn't to appease the employer, rally behind the team or make sure there are donuts on Friday mornings. The "job" is always to consider, "Is it good for the company?" If you ask yourself this question each time you hear idle gossip, each time your employer asks for your honest opinion, or simply answering the phone, you'll never go wrong by considering first, "How will this effect business?"
The good assistant knows that the boss isn't necessarily the person who signs your paycheck, or the person whose name is on the door. Your boss - your real boss - is the corporation itself. As an assistant, you have a higher calling than many even in upper management. You are likely privy to more information than many department heads. You're probably one of the first to know that a new candidate will be hired - or that a long-term employee will be fired - long before the information is made public. You can never take your position for granted.
The good assistant knows there's a fine line between 'lunching' with her colleagues and 'hanging out' with the gang. While she appreciates sharing encouragement with others over a meal, she recognizes that after-hours social events could cause confusion among those same peers, especially those who are not mature enough to respect her clearly-defined position within the organization. Letting her hair down, particularly among co-workers, could diminish respect for her in the eyes of others. To the good assistant, respect is key to her success, and she guards it closely.
The good assistant knows when idle chit chat is fun and when it's disturbing. She's never in the company of others who are tarnishing another's reputation, but she's good for a joke or two, and even enjoys a harmless prank (that doesn't detract from getting the job done).
A good assistant knows when to keep silent. She knows it's not important for others to know what she knows, but it's equally important for her to know what others know...and what they think they know. At the same time she's a trustworthy colleague.
She understands that everyone has a bad day once in awhile, and doesn't pre-judge simply because someone's made a thoughtless comment. And if she's the offender, she knows how important it is to apologize - and be sincere when she does.
The good assistant is tactful, never tacky...and always reveals truth as she knows it to be...even if that truth is painful to reveal, and even more painful to hear.
She's encouraging and helpful, and her compliments are seasoned with good taste and fine words...not simply sugar-coated to hide her true feelings. If she says it, she means it.
She has the admiration of others in the company since she's proven to be valuable in times of distress, a pleasant breeze after "it" has hit the fan, and strong shoulder to lean on in times of professional strife and personal duress.
Her humor is always tasteful. And her poise is matched by her consistent attire, always clean and classy. Her wardrobe is not gaudy or trashy. You won't get a glimpse of her underwear, and her cleavage is never revealed. To her, "Dress Down Day" doesn't mean flip flops and bare midriffs, though she might dress in attire that is more casual than usual.
Her nails don't resemble eagle's claws, but are clean and manicured.
The good assistant does whatever comes next. She isn't above emptying the trash, cleaning the kitchen or stocking supplies in the restroom when necessary.
She's the heart of the organization, the confidante to the person in charge, and defender of all those in need of support.
And lastly, while the good assistant knows that she's a valuable asset to the company and that it simply couldn't thrive without her, she's gracious enough not to say it.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Writing For Business and Marketing
Whatever it is you need to write for your trade or business, it deserves your complete attention for your business to prosper. Anyone who can hold a pen or can sit in front of a computer can write something to make his intentions known, but for the writing to take effect immediately and forcefully, a writer needs to take into account a few essential points.
Before you start to write, arranging your thoughts is an absolute necessity. You might like to take notes while you think. During this process, you will need to:
* Analyze your readers by thinking about these questions: What age group is the audience and what are their needs in relation to your business? Then, evaluate the readers' viewpoints. What do they want to know? What do they need to know? Also imagine what details, if any, need to be included.
* Analyze your own credibility. Are you being ethical? Are you hurting your company by writing to others private information or technical knowledge that is not copyrighted yet? Are you hurting someone or some group by holding back information? Are you trying to exaggerate a point unnecessarily or omit some crucial data? Can you increase your credibility by providing proof that supports your proposal or the point you want to make.
* Even if you put forward a perfect proposal or a perfect report, what type of questions can you anticipate afterwards?
Then, make a list of the things you are going to write, and organize them in groups of similar ideas. This will be, roughly, the body of your text.
Before you start writing the initial draft, make sure you understand these basics:
* Decide what the main idea is and put that down first. Make sure your purpose in writing this proposal, ad, text, etc. is immediately clear to the readers.
* Readers remember the first sentences best and the ideas introduced the earliest. In other words, first come first served. Put the least important ideas at the end of the text.
* Start each paragraph with a strong sentence that introduces or summarizes what the paragraph will contain. Then, you can reinforce it with supporting sentences. One idea per paragraph is the way to go. Do not flood a paragraph with different ideas.
* Short sentences and short paragraphs make the text easier to read. A short sentence is twenty words or less. The shorter the sentence, the greater the comprehension; therefore, it helps to keep the introductory sentence of each paragraph short. Then, vary your sentence lengths to make the text interesting.
* The tone of the text is also important. Always be aware of the tone you are using, because tone shows your attitude. Stay away from negative tones like condescending, accusing, angry, etc.
* Use active voice. Active voice talks to the reader directly, and it makes the writing sound more sincere and less boring.
* Use transitional words like, moreover, consequently, in addition, etc., to link ideas together.
* Use headings and subheadings so the reader can find the content more easily.
* If what you are writing is a business letter or you are addressing a specific person but you are not sure of the title ( Mr. Dr. Mrs. or Ms. ), leave out the title and use the person's first and last name; e. g., Dear John Doe.
* If you are using a template, do not use the words or phrases of the sample. You need to be original to make your point.
Things to avoid, because they will either be boring or they will be misunderstood:
* Jargon and curse words
* Words with double meanings
* Clichés
When the situation allows, write in a friendly, conversational style. Write as if you are speaking to a specific person. Business writing does not need to be formal all the time.
Then, your method of writing should not be hasty. Write the first draft without correcting, so you do not lose any fresh ideas. Afterwards, go back and revise your text. When you revise, read what you have written aloud, and listen to find out if the writing flows well, or you may use a tape recorder and listen back.
The visual design of the text is important, too. The text should be centered on the page and each page should look balanced.
Effective writing is not only important for facilitating your business, but also, it shows the image of your company and the kind of person you are; therefore, it is necessary you take every caution with it.
Before you start to write, arranging your thoughts is an absolute necessity. You might like to take notes while you think. During this process, you will need to:
* Analyze your readers by thinking about these questions: What age group is the audience and what are their needs in relation to your business? Then, evaluate the readers' viewpoints. What do they want to know? What do they need to know? Also imagine what details, if any, need to be included.
* Analyze your own credibility. Are you being ethical? Are you hurting your company by writing to others private information or technical knowledge that is not copyrighted yet? Are you hurting someone or some group by holding back information? Are you trying to exaggerate a point unnecessarily or omit some crucial data? Can you increase your credibility by providing proof that supports your proposal or the point you want to make.
* Even if you put forward a perfect proposal or a perfect report, what type of questions can you anticipate afterwards?
Then, make a list of the things you are going to write, and organize them in groups of similar ideas. This will be, roughly, the body of your text.
Before you start writing the initial draft, make sure you understand these basics:
* Decide what the main idea is and put that down first. Make sure your purpose in writing this proposal, ad, text, etc. is immediately clear to the readers.
* Readers remember the first sentences best and the ideas introduced the earliest. In other words, first come first served. Put the least important ideas at the end of the text.
* Start each paragraph with a strong sentence that introduces or summarizes what the paragraph will contain. Then, you can reinforce it with supporting sentences. One idea per paragraph is the way to go. Do not flood a paragraph with different ideas.
* Short sentences and short paragraphs make the text easier to read. A short sentence is twenty words or less. The shorter the sentence, the greater the comprehension; therefore, it helps to keep the introductory sentence of each paragraph short. Then, vary your sentence lengths to make the text interesting.
* The tone of the text is also important. Always be aware of the tone you are using, because tone shows your attitude. Stay away from negative tones like condescending, accusing, angry, etc.
* Use active voice. Active voice talks to the reader directly, and it makes the writing sound more sincere and less boring.
* Use transitional words like, moreover, consequently, in addition, etc., to link ideas together.
* Use headings and subheadings so the reader can find the content more easily.
* If what you are writing is a business letter or you are addressing a specific person but you are not sure of the title ( Mr. Dr. Mrs. or Ms. ), leave out the title and use the person's first and last name; e. g., Dear John Doe.
* If you are using a template, do not use the words or phrases of the sample. You need to be original to make your point.
Things to avoid, because they will either be boring or they will be misunderstood:
* Jargon and curse words
* Words with double meanings
* Clichés
When the situation allows, write in a friendly, conversational style. Write as if you are speaking to a specific person. Business writing does not need to be formal all the time.
Then, your method of writing should not be hasty. Write the first draft without correcting, so you do not lose any fresh ideas. Afterwards, go back and revise your text. When you revise, read what you have written aloud, and listen to find out if the writing flows well, or you may use a tape recorder and listen back.
The visual design of the text is important, too. The text should be centered on the page and each page should look balanced.
Effective writing is not only important for facilitating your business, but also, it shows the image of your company and the kind of person you are; therefore, it is necessary you take every caution with it.
The Enlightenment - Apply For a Business Credit Card
I was scanning the contents of the classified ads one day when I stumble upon the section where it says "Apply for a business credit card now". So I called a friend of mine on the phone who happens to have a small business. She owns an internet café. I asked her if she has a business credit card. She told me she don't have one. I asked her how she financed her company with no credit card at her aide. She said that she sought the help of a money lending establishment instead of going to the bank and applies for a business credit card.
I asked her why not? She answered that she doesn't trust business credit cards because of its hidden charges and interests. Plus it will take so much of her time applying and wait for several days for the approval. And it is difficult for her also for her to have a business credit card because she doesn't even own a personal credit card. Going to a lending establishment is more to her preference and she wanted a fast and swift response for her financial needs.
I told her maybe she just needs a little more information regarding the matter. It would be better if she was informed appropriately so she would not be skeptical in applying a business credit card.
And so, I asked her if she can come with me. We will be credit card hunting and maybe I might get to change her mind. And she agreed to come with me. She admitted that maybe its time for her to have a credit card. she confessed that she already paid her balance at the lending establishment and she would like to try for a credit card this time.
And then I told her, we could go to her shop the search for credit cards online. That way, she can both look out for her business and at the same time explore for possible business credit cards. She readily agreed. We decided we go out tomorrow.
The next day, I went to her shop and my friend was busily talking to her staff, giving out instructions. I greeted her and she looked up and she told me to get inside her little booth. I waited for her there. And then she came in and we work on her computer.
We found a website that offers many business credit cards. We run through the selection and we scrutinized every credit card we found until we found something that caught her attention. We read the terms and conditions, the promotions, the rewards and then she hit the "apply now" panel.
It's a good thing I made her to apply business credit card. Because right now, she is enjoying the credit card that she applied online plus the rewards she earned can be redeem anytime.
I asked her why not? She answered that she doesn't trust business credit cards because of its hidden charges and interests. Plus it will take so much of her time applying and wait for several days for the approval. And it is difficult for her also for her to have a business credit card because she doesn't even own a personal credit card. Going to a lending establishment is more to her preference and she wanted a fast and swift response for her financial needs.
I told her maybe she just needs a little more information regarding the matter. It would be better if she was informed appropriately so she would not be skeptical in applying a business credit card.
And so, I asked her if she can come with me. We will be credit card hunting and maybe I might get to change her mind. And she agreed to come with me. She admitted that maybe its time for her to have a credit card. she confessed that she already paid her balance at the lending establishment and she would like to try for a credit card this time.
And then I told her, we could go to her shop the search for credit cards online. That way, she can both look out for her business and at the same time explore for possible business credit cards. She readily agreed. We decided we go out tomorrow.
The next day, I went to her shop and my friend was busily talking to her staff, giving out instructions. I greeted her and she looked up and she told me to get inside her little booth. I waited for her there. And then she came in and we work on her computer.
We found a website that offers many business credit cards. We run through the selection and we scrutinized every credit card we found until we found something that caught her attention. We read the terms and conditions, the promotions, the rewards and then she hit the "apply now" panel.
It's a good thing I made her to apply business credit card. Because right now, she is enjoying the credit card that she applied online plus the rewards she earned can be redeem anytime.
How to Start a Business on a Budget
Often we are hear many lies about starting a business. For many the term 'you need money to make money' comes to mind. And though this maybe true in some respects, it is not the case for the many businesses which actually start and succeed.
What is a business? A business in its simple sense is a value creator. In the form of products or services the point is that the business creates value. And this value does not simply need to be to a consumer, it can be to other businesses, in an intriguing way. For example a company that has stocks will be able to trade shares, and this in a way inadvertently creates value.
The main point above was to dispel the view that you need money to make money. You are a business in your own right. You create value, and as an entrepreneur you create value. This value can be immense.
For example, you may not have much money, but with that money, a man or woman with an idea and a plan, can easily raise the money to start a business. This business can have its funding from business loans and even from venture capital or angel investors. The point is that you don't need the money to start a business, whether that is small, medium or big.
By far the easiest way to get into business is with a home business. The benefit is that it is more self contained. You don't need to write big business plans, you don't need to get funding, and you can fund the business easily. If you only have a few hundred dollars, you can easily start a home business, and the benefits are immense. With a home based business you will not need expensive rent on retail or office space, you can get the business off the ground in your bedroom or a spare room - like how I and many others who have created successful businesses started.
I simply love home business, the concept and idea and for many reasons. The first is that for many people, they feel like if they only had the money, they could get office or retail space, and make money with it, because they had what is needed, but this is far from the truth. The fact is that many people who start a business fail, because they believe that with money they can make money.
A home business also gives you access to many successful home business opportunities. These opportunities are ready to run. Many of them have created big success, and can do the same for you. The added bonus is that these opportunities show you a plan that has made that business successful.
Another option for home business is that of freelancing. Instead of working for one employer, freelancing to many clients can help you earn more, and at the same time not have to wait so long until you start earning money in a business.
As always all these options allow you to grow in your own pace. A business, even in retail space requires time to get established. A business from home allows you to test and grow your business, and when it reaches the necessary size can be put into a retail or office location and soon get staff and expand.
What is a business? A business in its simple sense is a value creator. In the form of products or services the point is that the business creates value. And this value does not simply need to be to a consumer, it can be to other businesses, in an intriguing way. For example a company that has stocks will be able to trade shares, and this in a way inadvertently creates value.
The main point above was to dispel the view that you need money to make money. You are a business in your own right. You create value, and as an entrepreneur you create value. This value can be immense.
For example, you may not have much money, but with that money, a man or woman with an idea and a plan, can easily raise the money to start a business. This business can have its funding from business loans and even from venture capital or angel investors. The point is that you don't need the money to start a business, whether that is small, medium or big.
By far the easiest way to get into business is with a home business. The benefit is that it is more self contained. You don't need to write big business plans, you don't need to get funding, and you can fund the business easily. If you only have a few hundred dollars, you can easily start a home business, and the benefits are immense. With a home based business you will not need expensive rent on retail or office space, you can get the business off the ground in your bedroom or a spare room - like how I and many others who have created successful businesses started.
I simply love home business, the concept and idea and for many reasons. The first is that for many people, they feel like if they only had the money, they could get office or retail space, and make money with it, because they had what is needed, but this is far from the truth. The fact is that many people who start a business fail, because they believe that with money they can make money.
A home business also gives you access to many successful home business opportunities. These opportunities are ready to run. Many of them have created big success, and can do the same for you. The added bonus is that these opportunities show you a plan that has made that business successful.
Another option for home business is that of freelancing. Instead of working for one employer, freelancing to many clients can help you earn more, and at the same time not have to wait so long until you start earning money in a business.
As always all these options allow you to grow in your own pace. A business, even in retail space requires time to get established. A business from home allows you to test and grow your business, and when it reaches the necessary size can be put into a retail or office location and soon get staff and expand.
How Good Does Your Business Look?
While there are many different aspects that go to make up a great business, appearance is the one that can sometimes get less attention than it deserves.
Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.
If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.
But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.
In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.
And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.
But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.
It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.While there are many different aspects that go to make up a great business, appearance is the one that can sometimes get less attention than it deserves.
Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.
If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.
But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.
In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.
And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.
But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.
It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.
Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.
If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.
But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.
In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.
And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.
But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.
It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.While there are many different aspects that go to make up a great business, appearance is the one that can sometimes get less attention than it deserves.
Yet it is also one of the most important. It doesn't matter whether the business is situated in a warehouse or in one of the most modern office blocks in the area, appearances do matter and if you don't pay enough attention to it your business will suffer as a result.
If you have ever visited the offices, warehouses, studios or shops owned by another company and they have been less than impressive when it comes to appearance, you will know how that makes you feel. The business itself could be one of the nicest and most efficient ones in town but if that doesn't extend to the tidiness (and worse, the cleanliness) of the premises, then it doesn't exactly make you feel good about doing business with them.
But it is completely different when you enter a building owned by a company that does all it can to look after its clients and customers. The feeling of cleanliness is evident from the moment you walk through the door and it conveys a feeling of care and attention. Any company which puts this much effort into how it looks is obviously going to be paying attention to every detail of their work too.
In this sense, the way you present your business to your clients is an extension of the way you actually do business with them. If you take care and pride in your appearance then people will naturally assume this extends to everything you do.
And in turn, if you don't make any effort to keep your buildings looking fresh, clean and tidy, that doesn't project a very good image to your clients. You've probably been into an office which has looked disorganized and untidy and it doesn't exactly make you feel relaxed and comfortable. What's more, if your office looks like this it is much harder to clean and more dangerous to work in anyway. Just imagine tripping over that huge stack of paper you keep hidden behind your desk, for example.
But it's not just the interior of your buildings that needs attention. Don't forget that people will see the exterior long before they even reach the front door, so it's just as important to keep that looking just as good. Regular window cleaning, good exterior maintenance and perhaps even planting and greenery if your building has the grounds for it can all help to convey a positive image that draws people in and makes them feel confident that you can do a good job.
It's unfortunate that some people are so focused on doing their jobs and driving their business forward that they miss the little things that can make all the difference to everyone else. And they will improve your own view of the business you have worked so hard to build as well, which is never a bad thing.
Conscious Business - The Secret Principle Helping You Integrate Your Spirit and Your Vision
You may be asking how to walk this fine line between creating a hugely expansive vision, and not having it bring up negative emotions. I want to share a principle here that will help you walk this line with ease, trust and joy. This is something I learned walking through my own challenges along the entrepreneurial journey. Because, let's face it, it's not easy to create a whole new and exciting vision for your business (and your life) when you may not know where our next month's rent (or sometimes your next day's meal) is coming from.
The principle is that of speed. Often, when you think of speed, you think of executing an action in the physical world. The speed in which you make a follow-up call, gather information, get a product to market, make more money, build your website, etc. It's all about the physical, tangible world of "making things happen."
But, the speed I'm talking about here, to keep you energized and inspired about your vision, is the speed in which you reconnect to your Source when the feelings of fear, doubt, despair or lack creep in. When you're able to raise your awareness to the infinite supply of the Universe and to the Divine Perfection of your life, you'll see that whatever is happening in the moment is part of the Divine Plan. You'll be able to manage the negative emotions more easily and rise back up into the higher emotional states much more quickly.
No matter how difficult a challenge you may be facing, the ability to connect with Source quickly is the key to moving through it. This principle really showed itself to me when I experienced a miscarriage with my second baby. I had wanted nothing more than to bring another child into our family. So, you can imagine my despair when I miscarried the day after Christmas in 2006 (after having announced the pregnancy as a gift to our families on Christmas day). I remember when the loss finally hit me on a deep emotional level four days later; I simply crumbled into a pile of tears on the cold tile floor in my bathroom. I sobbed uncontrollably at the depth of the loss I experienced in miscarrying.
But, during my intense and cathartic cry, I somehow made my way to my journal and began to write about what I was experiencing. Through my writing, I was able to reconnect with Source and the feeling that somehow, this too, was happening in alignment with my Divine Plan. I shifted how I related to my loss and despair and gained a new perspective in which to move through this experience... right in the middle of the moment I was feeling it the deepest. The speed in which I consciously connected to Source was integral in the rapid and radical transformations I made in my life and my business as a result of this loss in my life.
I trust you're beginning to see how it is possible to create a vision larger than anything you've dreamed of before, while being able to manage any negative emotions that come along with that vision. You maintain a conscious awareness of the infinite abundance of the Universe/God.
In the world of high performance sports training they do something called speed drills, where the sole focus of the exercise is to consistently increase speed. Consider this your own personal speed drill. It may take a while to strengthen your speed "muscles" because they may have become atrophied over time. Right now you get to recondition those "muscles" to respond to heavier and heavier loads. The "load" in this case is the size of your vision, and the negative emotions that may surface when you're scared of it. The more expansive your vision is, the heavier the load is which means you have more resistance to work with. The beauty of this is that it's an opportunity to delve into your spirituality and connect with Source more deeply than ever before.
The principle is that of speed. Often, when you think of speed, you think of executing an action in the physical world. The speed in which you make a follow-up call, gather information, get a product to market, make more money, build your website, etc. It's all about the physical, tangible world of "making things happen."
But, the speed I'm talking about here, to keep you energized and inspired about your vision, is the speed in which you reconnect to your Source when the feelings of fear, doubt, despair or lack creep in. When you're able to raise your awareness to the infinite supply of the Universe and to the Divine Perfection of your life, you'll see that whatever is happening in the moment is part of the Divine Plan. You'll be able to manage the negative emotions more easily and rise back up into the higher emotional states much more quickly.
No matter how difficult a challenge you may be facing, the ability to connect with Source quickly is the key to moving through it. This principle really showed itself to me when I experienced a miscarriage with my second baby. I had wanted nothing more than to bring another child into our family. So, you can imagine my despair when I miscarried the day after Christmas in 2006 (after having announced the pregnancy as a gift to our families on Christmas day). I remember when the loss finally hit me on a deep emotional level four days later; I simply crumbled into a pile of tears on the cold tile floor in my bathroom. I sobbed uncontrollably at the depth of the loss I experienced in miscarrying.
But, during my intense and cathartic cry, I somehow made my way to my journal and began to write about what I was experiencing. Through my writing, I was able to reconnect with Source and the feeling that somehow, this too, was happening in alignment with my Divine Plan. I shifted how I related to my loss and despair and gained a new perspective in which to move through this experience... right in the middle of the moment I was feeling it the deepest. The speed in which I consciously connected to Source was integral in the rapid and radical transformations I made in my life and my business as a result of this loss in my life.
I trust you're beginning to see how it is possible to create a vision larger than anything you've dreamed of before, while being able to manage any negative emotions that come along with that vision. You maintain a conscious awareness of the infinite abundance of the Universe/God.
In the world of high performance sports training they do something called speed drills, where the sole focus of the exercise is to consistently increase speed. Consider this your own personal speed drill. It may take a while to strengthen your speed "muscles" because they may have become atrophied over time. Right now you get to recondition those "muscles" to respond to heavier and heavier loads. The "load" in this case is the size of your vision, and the negative emotions that may surface when you're scared of it. The more expansive your vision is, the heavier the load is which means you have more resistance to work with. The beauty of this is that it's an opportunity to delve into your spirituality and connect with Source more deeply than ever before.
Magazines on Business and Administration
Business journalism is a dedicated segment of journalism that tracks, records and analyzes and then interprets the economic changes that take place within the business society. Dedicated magazines on Business and Administration include everything on personal finance and business within the local and international markets and at the malls, performance analysis of well-known and not-so-well-known companies and overall business reviews.
Magazines on Business and Administration and related content offer investors, both big and small, the opportunity to deliberate and carefully invest, instead of blindly plunging into the finicky and fluctuating business world. This form of journalism covers news and reviews and special feature articles about people, places and issues related to the every field of business. The publishers of these magazines publish content on the who's who of the business world and the various set ups within the industry causing a revolution in manufacture.
There are a number of online and offline resources for magazines on Business and Administration and related content that can be identified today. There are general newspapers and magazines, ezines and the radio and television news channels that carry news dedicated to a particular business segment. These magazines offer investors the opportunity to scrutinize the industry they are interested in and weigh the pros and cons of the investment, which could involve all that they have at hand.
By reading these magazines, you can review the content of each segment carefully and avoid an unnecessary bankruptcy by taking the right steps at the right time. These magazines provide detailed and in-depth information on different types of businesses and financial publications.
Business coverage within the magazines on Business and Administration and related content gained prominence in the 1990s. This was subsequent to, and arose out of the world wide investment in the stock market and genuine investments in various business undertakings. A popular business magazine is the much and rightly hyped Wall Street Journal. The content of the magazine is appreciated all over the world and their journalists are widely respected for the accuracy of predictions made and the sneak peak reviews they make possible to the Bulls, Bears and Sharks of the business world.
Today, it is possible to access the content of these magazines both online as well as offline. There are a number of dedicated resources all over the world that make this access possible. You can thus analyze and segregate information within the business world to add to the percentage of guaranteed profitability. The online Magazines on Business and Administration and related content make it very convenient to access and assess the information from the comfort of your living room or bedroom, and in the privacy that is to take important investment decisions.
Magazines on Business and Administration and related content offer investors, both big and small, the opportunity to deliberate and carefully invest, instead of blindly plunging into the finicky and fluctuating business world. This form of journalism covers news and reviews and special feature articles about people, places and issues related to the every field of business. The publishers of these magazines publish content on the who's who of the business world and the various set ups within the industry causing a revolution in manufacture.
There are a number of online and offline resources for magazines on Business and Administration and related content that can be identified today. There are general newspapers and magazines, ezines and the radio and television news channels that carry news dedicated to a particular business segment. These magazines offer investors the opportunity to scrutinize the industry they are interested in and weigh the pros and cons of the investment, which could involve all that they have at hand.
By reading these magazines, you can review the content of each segment carefully and avoid an unnecessary bankruptcy by taking the right steps at the right time. These magazines provide detailed and in-depth information on different types of businesses and financial publications.
Business coverage within the magazines on Business and Administration and related content gained prominence in the 1990s. This was subsequent to, and arose out of the world wide investment in the stock market and genuine investments in various business undertakings. A popular business magazine is the much and rightly hyped Wall Street Journal. The content of the magazine is appreciated all over the world and their journalists are widely respected for the accuracy of predictions made and the sneak peak reviews they make possible to the Bulls, Bears and Sharks of the business world.
Today, it is possible to access the content of these magazines both online as well as offline. There are a number of dedicated resources all over the world that make this access possible. You can thus analyze and segregate information within the business world to add to the percentage of guaranteed profitability. The online Magazines on Business and Administration and related content make it very convenient to access and assess the information from the comfort of your living room or bedroom, and in the privacy that is to take important investment decisions.
Legal Documents - 8 Situations When Your Business Needs Them
If you are the owner of a Small to Medium Enterprise, it's likely that the last thing you want to do is worry about the fine details of legal documents, contracts, business agreements, and similar pieces of paperwork. You may want to get on with the running of your business, but if you don't have the correct legal documents in certain situations you pay a high price, whether it is in legal fees, settlement costs or simply lost business. Here are eight common business situations in which you should have accurate legal documents, either through consultation with a lawyer or by using business document templates.
You are moving into new offices...
To fully comply with health and safety regulations, you'll need a number of legal documents if you move into new premises, including a fire safety assessment and a health and safety risk assessment.
You are dealing with an outside company...
In addition to a clear and accurate business contract, giving clear descriptions of the product or service that you expect to receive, you may also want to consider getting a confidentiality agreement if you are working with other companies and independent contractors, especially if they are likely to have access to sensitive company information as part of their work.
You are hiring...
You need to make sure that your employee contracts are properly drawn up legal documents that clearly define the responsibilities, expectations and conditions of employment.
...or firing...
If one of your employees isn't pulling their weight, you might want to show them the door straight away. But it isn't that simple - ignore the legal requirements for dismissing an employee and you could leave yourself open to costly litigation. You need to follow a clear process of official verbal and written warnings - these warnings and the dismissal need to be carefully worded business documents.
You need a written company policy...
Discrimination against age, religion, gender and sexual orientation can all cause businesses a serious legal headache; a clear and comprehensive equal opportunities policy is a vital document to refer to in any dispute or disciplinary issue you have with your staff. Equally important can be company policy documents concerning maternity leave, harassment and bullying, and drugs and alcohol.
You receive a flexible working request...
Any adult carer or parent with a child who is 16 or under has the legal right to apply for flexible working if they've worked for your company for more than six months. If you do reject an application, you must give a legitimate business reason for the refusal, and give them the right to appeal. Make sure any communication you have with the employee is compliant with the laws on flexible working.
You need a disclaimer...
Whatever your product or service, it is likely that you will need some kind of disclaimer to protect yourself if this product or service is misused or causes injury. Even a single legal loophole in a document like this can be highly damaging to a business - make sure any disclaimer that you have is a carefully worded legal document that fully protects your business.
You need to make a complaint...
Complaints to other companies need to be carefully worded. If the dispute becomes serious, any correspondence you send or receive may become vital and if you make a mistake early on it could come back to haunt you.
You are moving into new offices...
To fully comply with health and safety regulations, you'll need a number of legal documents if you move into new premises, including a fire safety assessment and a health and safety risk assessment.
You are dealing with an outside company...
In addition to a clear and accurate business contract, giving clear descriptions of the product or service that you expect to receive, you may also want to consider getting a confidentiality agreement if you are working with other companies and independent contractors, especially if they are likely to have access to sensitive company information as part of their work.
You are hiring...
You need to make sure that your employee contracts are properly drawn up legal documents that clearly define the responsibilities, expectations and conditions of employment.
...or firing...
If one of your employees isn't pulling their weight, you might want to show them the door straight away. But it isn't that simple - ignore the legal requirements for dismissing an employee and you could leave yourself open to costly litigation. You need to follow a clear process of official verbal and written warnings - these warnings and the dismissal need to be carefully worded business documents.
You need a written company policy...
Discrimination against age, religion, gender and sexual orientation can all cause businesses a serious legal headache; a clear and comprehensive equal opportunities policy is a vital document to refer to in any dispute or disciplinary issue you have with your staff. Equally important can be company policy documents concerning maternity leave, harassment and bullying, and drugs and alcohol.
You receive a flexible working request...
Any adult carer or parent with a child who is 16 or under has the legal right to apply for flexible working if they've worked for your company for more than six months. If you do reject an application, you must give a legitimate business reason for the refusal, and give them the right to appeal. Make sure any communication you have with the employee is compliant with the laws on flexible working.
You need a disclaimer...
Whatever your product or service, it is likely that you will need some kind of disclaimer to protect yourself if this product or service is misused or causes injury. Even a single legal loophole in a document like this can be highly damaging to a business - make sure any disclaimer that you have is a carefully worded legal document that fully protects your business.
You need to make a complaint...
Complaints to other companies need to be carefully worded. If the dispute becomes serious, any correspondence you send or receive may become vital and if you make a mistake early on it could come back to haunt you.
How to Be a Good Recruitment Consultant
In order for someone to be good as a recruitment consultant they require a blend of several types of skills, without these the role can be very demoralising and unsuccessful.
It is not hard to land yourself a role in recruitment, after all recruitment is a sales role and therefore does not necessarily require a strong academic background. But for many being a good recruitment consultant is incredibly difficult - so I will try to explain why it is so difficult and how you can position yourself to be the best possible success you can be. Remember as with any other sales positions the 80/20 role generally applies. So 80% commission will be earned by 20% of the sales team, if you want to be part of that 20% then read on and hopefully you can fine tune your recruitment skills.
This is more prevalent in agency side recruitment as there is a whole other breed of recruiters whom work internally and on-site for clients/Recruitment Process Outsourcing companies. The same attributes will still be relevant for both types of consultant but it is a slightly different role meaning a slight difference in approach and behaviour. I will go through some areas of differentiation though and tips for both types of consultant.
Firstly, let's explain why the role can be difficult. Recruitment consulting can be very boring, mundane and repetitive on a day-to-day basis, I'm not really selling this to you am I!
The type of character required to be successful as a consultant must be prepared for this and deal with that aspect of the role. On the flip side it can come with much reward; you actually deal with people everyday giving you a great insight into human nature. You can earn high commission, probably earn salaries not nearly possible in other positions at a very young age; making a deal gives you a good buzz and sense of fulfilment when a candidate is truly grateful for (helpful to) your assistance in finding a new role. Therefore if you are considering going into a career in recruitment take note of the above. Really have a look at yourself and ask yourself if it is really what you want to do, then assess whether you have the right background to succeed. I'm not saying if you don't have every attribute naturally you can't succeed but then if you are willing to work hard and learn new skills you will be successful. The basic background behaviourally to be a good consultant is determination, the ability to listen, resilience, honesty, pro-activity, monetary drive (not with everyone but it will help) and competitiveness.
The two that are most important here are determination and the ability to listen, without these two you will find life very difficult.
So you think you have the behavioural attributes and you are keen to start a career in recruitment, now let's assess the skills you can develop on the job and tips to be successful. If you are working as an agency side recruiter you will be exposed to much more of a sales position and with a sales position comes hard targets/high expectations to deliver. You will be expected to develop business from scratch (most of the time) and start making money for your employer as soon as possible.
Right, before you start your role do as much research as to your market, companies in the market and the skills profile to the type of person you will be recruiting on a day-to-day basis. The more you do at this point the faster you will hit the ground running. On starting, make sure you develop a disciplined day plan designed every morning/evening, break up the day into segments and make sure you stick to this. It is very easy to get sidetracked, but keeping focus is very important to being a success, the more focus you have the more identity you have for what you want to achieve which will mean better results. Be open and honest with everyone you deal with and treat people with respect, if you really do stay in recruitment for years you will be surprised how many times you will come across the same people, so remember what goes around comes around.
When developing new business, try to do something different and stand out from the crowd. I would say this is one of the ways you can really put yourself in that 20% of high achievers, don't just pick up the phone and mindlessly cold call. Do your research; read industry press, websites regarding fast growth companies, attend networking events in your sector, market your services via email in a way recipients will open their mail - use headings such as "as discussed" etc. You see you have to be slightly clever about doing things, if you employ a variety of tactics and work hard I guarantee you will see a healthy reward. The reasons for failure are on your shoulders ultimately, if things aren't happening for you then CHANGE your tactics.
I have really focused on the agency side consultant, so let's look at how to be a good on-site recruiter. You will be less sales focused from a new business perspective but still will feel the pressure of targets. To be good in this market you must be much more consultative and client facing (you may sit with a client), with the ability to multi-task successfully as often you will have a wide range of open requirements. You will be dealing with recruiters yourself so the ability to communicate effectively to them and handle other stakeholders in the process is important. On-site recruiters need to balance the use of external agencies and resourcing by their own methods successfully, as they are judged not only on filling roles but cutting costs - not making as much money as possible like an agency consultant. You should be communicative, open for trying new resourcing methods and pro-active in your approach.
Hopefully this provides an overview of what makes a good recruitment consultant and the little tips that could help you be more successful. Remember like any job it is not easy being successful, but if you have the drive and ambition to succeed then you can make anything happen.
How Do You Handle "Problem Areas" in Your Business?
I take one of four approaches to something I cannot do, do not like, or don't understand (any of these three reasons make it a "problem area" in my mind).
1) Learn it. I don't deal well with failure so I just do whatever I have to do to improve. Whether it's research online, practice/rehearsing, or calling in someone else to teach me to do it, there's a way to make it happen if I really need to learn something.
2) Get backup. If there's something that you absolutely can't avoid, find a way to have a "backup" available when you need it. I fill this role for my design partners for a cart I work with. If they get stuck on a design or coding issue, they know they can email me and I'll reply ASAP with a solution or help in the right direction. The end client does not ever need to know they were stuck. And when I get stuck with certain programming, I have a php expert who I can call in. Knowing that you've got a relationship with someone, a colleague or even a paid by the incident support team, can be a huge relief when you need that help.
3) Outsource it. If it can be outsourced, then I'll outsource it either to my VA or a hired temp for the specific project. Some familiarity though is needed on my part to outsource something, or else a very well established relationship of trust with the outsourcer, so I know whether they're completing the task properly.
4) Don't do it. It took me a while but I've accepted that option 1 (learn it) cannot be the answer for every problem area. There are a few specific services that I do not offer. If the problem area is created by a product or service that isn't essential, consider what would happen if you just didn't offer it. It might not be the end of the world.
Sometimes these are combined for a problem area. For example, my monthly accounting statements. I outsourced them until I found a system and learned to do it myself. Now I can do it in less than an hour instead of wasting half a day every month so I moved from option 3 to option 1.
There are my four strategies for handling problem areas in my business. Consider these next time you run into something that feels like a problem area in your business.
1) Learn it. I don't deal well with failure so I just do whatever I have to do to improve. Whether it's research online, practice/rehearsing, or calling in someone else to teach me to do it, there's a way to make it happen if I really need to learn something.
2) Get backup. If there's something that you absolutely can't avoid, find a way to have a "backup" available when you need it. I fill this role for my design partners for a cart I work with. If they get stuck on a design or coding issue, they know they can email me and I'll reply ASAP with a solution or help in the right direction. The end client does not ever need to know they were stuck. And when I get stuck with certain programming, I have a php expert who I can call in. Knowing that you've got a relationship with someone, a colleague or even a paid by the incident support team, can be a huge relief when you need that help.
3) Outsource it. If it can be outsourced, then I'll outsource it either to my VA or a hired temp for the specific project. Some familiarity though is needed on my part to outsource something, or else a very well established relationship of trust with the outsourcer, so I know whether they're completing the task properly.
4) Don't do it. It took me a while but I've accepted that option 1 (learn it) cannot be the answer for every problem area. There are a few specific services that I do not offer. If the problem area is created by a product or service that isn't essential, consider what would happen if you just didn't offer it. It might not be the end of the world.
Sometimes these are combined for a problem area. For example, my monthly accounting statements. I outsourced them until I found a system and learned to do it myself. Now I can do it in less than an hour instead of wasting half a day every month so I moved from option 3 to option 1.
There are my four strategies for handling problem areas in my business. Consider these next time you run into something that feels like a problem area in your business.
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