Business Management

Office furniture procurement and purchasing departments can have similar responsibilities. Generally, procurement departments are more prevalent in large corporations, universities, and governmental agencies.
In addition to purchasing responsibilities, procurement staff can determine standards for the office furniture used in their facilities. This office furniture procurement staff could work with a combination of their own design and planning department, an architectural firm, a design firm, their office furniture dealership, or furniture manufacturers to determine standard furniture products.
Setting standards can be beneficial to your organization. It is a time consuming process, but it will save you a great deal of time later on. Some of the benefits are:
Appearance Of Your Facility: Standardized products, finishes, fabrics, etc. give a much more professional appearance.
Cost Savings: Companies or organizations that purchase a large quantity of furniture can negotiate a special pricing contract with a manufacturer when the majority of your purchases are made by that manufacturer.
Better Service: If you have a purchasing contract, the staff at one dealership will handle your account. You will get to know the staff who handles your account as well as the delivery and installation staff.
Benefits From The Office Furniture Dealership: Certain services that can be additional charges (such as CAD, inventory, measuring, reconfigurations, etc.) will be performed at no charge.
Simply Your Process: This can save your organization a huge amount of time and money. Once standards are determined, they can be put together in a manual or on a web site.
If you responsibilities involve the purchasing of office, there are several things I would take into consideration before signing on the dotted line.
First - All fabrics, wood finishes, laminate finishes, paint finishes, product lines, etc., must be popular and there are no plans to discontinue the finishes you select. This is really important and I suggest that you request (in writing) how this will be handled by the manufacturer if something is discontinued.
Second - The manufacturer's quick ship program would be another consideration. When you place a very large furniture order, quick ship usually doesn't apply. However, certain products, finishes, fabrics, etc., are available on quick ship for smaller add on orders you need to placed later. Even the pull style or edge detail could determine if a certain product is available on quick ship. Again, if quick ship is an important feature for your company, bring it up in your initial meeting and request that this information be included in your contract.
Third - If you are interviewing for an office furniture dealership, don't let that decision entirely up to any other person or company. You must be involved in this selection process. It's nice to meet the principles of a dealership, but it's more important that you speak with the people who will handle your account. Ask someone in the group how long they have worked together. If your company has special needs or critical time restraints, make sure you bring that up during the meeting.
Finally - Ask for several references for anyone you don't already have an ongoing relationship.

I have been fascinated over the years by the debate, research and discussion about leadership and management. Increasingly there seems to be a focus on the differences between leadership and management and it seems to me that this has developed in part because of deficits in one or the other.
Most of us would like to become, or to think of ourselves as, strong leaders. There is something appealing about the idea of creating and pursuing a vision and influencing others to support the necessary transitions. True enough, if it wasn't for good leadership, nothing would change or improve.
However, not as many people seem to be as drawn toward being a good manager. Maybe I am misreading the "climate", but management is often associated with the mundane, the routine and a whole range of "left-brain" activity for which the kudos are few.
There appears to be a perception that one can be a leader or a manager, but not much acknowledgement that those skill sets can reside in the same individual. I believe this is an erroneous view.
My view of leadership and management is that they do require different skill sets, but must co-exist in order for any change to occur effectively. It is like a hand and a glove. Put together they make a great partnership.

With the rising emphasis on employee retention and reducing organizational turnover costs, more and more organizations are using exit interviews as a means to better understand why employees choose to jump ship. An organization will subsequently use this information to help improve any existing employee retention program it may have. The typical exit interview involves the employee's direct supervisor, HR manager, or both, questioning the employee as to his or her motives for leaving the organization. The idea is that the insights gained from the exit interview can be used to improve the chances of retaining current employees as well as new hires in the future. This approach is great in theory; however in practice it has some serious shortcomings.
An important question that must be asked is how candid is a departing employee likely to be with his or her employer. It is understandable that an employee is likely to be less than forthcoming with any negative comments he or she has about a manager or the organization. The reason for this is simple: the employee may have to rely on his or her former employer as a job reference in the near future and will seek to avoid burning any bridges a prospective employer may have to cross in his/her decision to hire the departed employee. The result is an interview where the departing employee essentially tells the organization: It's not you, it's me.
It's not you, it's me – five words immortalized by Seinfield character George Castanza. In a most memorable episode George's girlfriend tells him she wants to break up. When asked why she replies "It's not you, it's me." George of course flies off the handle claiming that he invented that very breakup line, and that if anyone is to blame, it is most definitely him.
This scene is essentially an exit interview set in the context of a typical relationship. George's girlfriend no longer wants to be with him, so to make it easier for both parties she uses the line it's not you, it's me. The end result is that George never really learns why he was broken up with.
This is the primary downfall of relying on the information gathered in an exit interview. It is, by human nature, difficult to tell another individual the reasons for terminating a relationship. Because of this many departing employees offer vague or roundabout answers to questions about their former employer. Instead of giving the real reason for their departure, an exiting employee might give reasons such as: a desire for a career change, the need for a substantial pay increase, or a desire to work closer to their home or family. In some cases these might be legitimate reasons for choosing to leave an organization, but many times what an employee is really saying is: the work wasn't challenging or stimulating enough, you couldn't pay me enough to put up with my supervisor any longer, or that my work environment was so unpleasant that and I couldn't stand thinking of coming to work one day longer.
In many cases there is a huge difference between what an employee says is the reason for his or her departure and the true reason that he or she is leaving. This disparity can be devastating for an organization that relies too heavily on what a departing employee claims are the reasons for his or her exit. The reasons one employee states for leaving do not necessarily translate to reasons that other employees may choose to leave. The truth is that what bothered one employee may not necessarily bother another in the least bit. Furthermore, correcting the complaints of one employee may adversely impact the work conditions of a dozen or more currently satisfied employees.
Another serious shortcoming of using exit interviews to improve employee retention and reduce turnover costs is that the information gathered is done after the employee has already left or chosen to leave the organization. Consider this: you take your car into a mechanic after the engine seizes up. The mechanic informs you that you failed to use the correct weight of oil needed to properly lubricate your particular engine. While this is likely information that you could use in the future were you to own another car with the same type of engine, it does little to remedy your current situation of owning a two ton paper weight or make up for the large financial loss you have incurred.
What if you had known in advance that your engine required a different weight of oil than most other engines on the market? Surely you would have purchased the correct oil to prevent the inevitable engine failure. At the same time however, if you were to rely on the mechanic’s feedback about one particular engine and use the specially weighted oil in your spouse's car and any future car your family might own, you could well be setting yourself up another catastrophic engine failure. The point of the metaphor is that what works for one employee might not work for others and may actually repel them from your organization.
What if you were able to know in advance what would or wouldn't work in your efforts to retain individual employees in your organization? Wouldn't it stand to reason that your rate of employee retention would improve substantially?
You are probably saying to yourself, "That is great, but how exactly am I supposed to get that information?" Thankfully, The Rainmaker Group has some of the most powerful tools available to provide managers with this critical information about their employees. Through the use of a powerful set of personality assessments measuring an employee's behaviors, values, and personal talents a manager can obtain a wealth of information about each employee in three easy to understand reports.
With this information in hand a manager can better understand the factors important to retain each individual employee. This is the information an exit interview seeks to uncover except this time it is objective and forthcoming with the employee outlining the reasons her or she will stay with the organization as well as the reasons why he or she will be likely to leave. The great thing is that the information is all available in a timely manner that can be implemented immediately.

Document management can mean many things to many people, and can serve a variety of purposes. The intention of this article is to list the components involved in document management and to briefly describe each one. At the conclusion, there are also some important factors to help in selecting a document management system.
If you've never used a document management system, then it is entirely possible that you aren't aware of how valuable these products can be. Companies and individuals who manage a diverse array of documents have found that document management systems serve to simplify their lives and make both storing documents and later obtaining those documents much easier. n cause a document to disappear into a virtual black hole, never to be seen again.
The entire process of document management can be broken down into four categories: file capture, file processing, file management and file storage. A company may require one, two or all four of these processes.
File Capture
File capture may consist of scanning paper documents, capturing existing electronic files (ex: .doc, .pdf, .tif and scanned documents), and capturing documents from applications with print drivers.
Scanning – if you have a large quantity of paper documents that need to be scanned and introduced to a DMS (Document Management System), then you must consider:
1. How you want the information to be retrieved and stored; and
2. How you want indexed information to be introduced to the DMS.
The manner with which you plan to access the documents later will determine which file format type the files will be saved under. The most common types for scanning output are .tif and .pdf.
The advantage of .tif file types is that they are the smallest file types and therefore take up the least amount of storage space. The advantage to .pdf file types is that they provide better options for content text searching (searching every word of a document), are easier to edit, and are overall more flexible.
The method of introducing indexed information (any field used to search and categorize documents) can range from fully automated to fully manual to somewhere in between. The more automated the process, the more file processing will be required. Extensive automation will make your project more complex and costly, but if you handle a large volume of documents, the automation will quickly pay off in the form of reduced manpower.
The actual physical scanning of the documents can also be fairly automated with batch scanning, bar codes, and database validation. Batch scanning reduces the labor in introducing the documents to the scanner. Instead of the scanner operator separating every document, scanning it separately, and then saving the file into a directory, the operator simply places all of the documents into a feeder by the bulk. The scanner then detects a document change by a blank sheet, bar code, or some other indicator.
Bar codes can also be used to represent a group of information or a client or project to populate multiple indexed fields. If you have an existing client database in your current ERP system or even QuickBooks, this data can also be used to populate or validate indexed fields.
Capturing electronic files – Existing electronic files - such as .doc, .xls, .dwg, and .dgn, - are easier to capture into a DMS. These files contain hidden properties called metadata, which can be mapped to a field in the DMS. This information might include created date, author, title, title block, and other useful information.
Once this data is mapped, these fields will be automatically populated when the electronic files are introduced. These files may be saved to a directory into which the DMS imports them, files may be dragged into the system, or a mass import may be used to bring in legacy documents.
Electronic files may also be captured through print drivers. If you commonly print reports from an application or save them to a directory, you may use a print driver to introduce them to the DMS, which will ultimately save time. Faxes may also be saved to a directory from which the DMS can pick them up for distribution before they ever go to paper.
File capture is relatively easy, but a simple digital file without any additional processing isn't much use. You may take the file and name it and file it in Windows Explorer, but when you are cataloging hundreds or thousands of files, this is not a feasible system. Human error, if nothing else, will prevent every single file from being named correctly and stored in the proper location. Even one misplaced file can wreak havoc for a business.

Leaders are often metaphorically compared to eagles. Rightfully so; because like eagles leaders posses a keen since of vision and have a tremendous strength of character. However, the misnomer is when leaders assume they should be found alone like most eagles. The sighting of a noble leader may be rare; however a good leader should never be alone. When a leader acts as a lone ranger, taking all the responsibility upon himself; it is neither good for him or for the people. Both he and the people will eventually wear out.
The power of team leadership in business is that there is more strength in numbers. TEAM when taken as an acronym means Together Everyone Achieves More. Team leadership manifests the backbone of leadership – empowerment. Through training followers to become leaders, the leadership is replicated.
The replication of leadership in a group allows for more productivity in the same amount of time. For example when a leader is tasked with solving problems that his people are having, he may be able to meet with three people in an hour. However, if he has trained three of his people to be additional problem solvers, together they can see twelve people in the same hour. That is a four hundred percent increase in productivity.
The core discipline in leadership is problem solving. The leader is responsible for providing strategies that overcome the obstacles that seek to impede progress toward the goal. When team leadership is employed the burden of the obstacle is dispersed and the power for productivity is increased.
There are 3 steps to producing powerful team leadership.
Step 1Create a New Identity
The leader must begin by changing his priorities with the team. He must no longer allow himself to be burdened with lower level problems; but must reserve himself to be available only for the most difficult problems. This is one the critical differences between progressive organizations and stagnate groups. When the pattern is set that the leader will solve everything, the members of the group are stifled; and are crippled from developing their potential.
Step 2Develop a Training Culture
The leader must teach all his people all the principles and strategies he employs in making decisions and solving problems (fearful leaders are always scared of giving away trade secrets for fear of being replaced). It is important that he teaches his people to share with their peers their learning for reinforcement (this is critical to develop a culture of training). Open sharing is necessary to promote team because it builds trust. It is secrecy that breeds contempt and conspiracy.
Step 3Initiate New Leaders
The final step is for the leader to empower his most initiated people to the role of problem solver. The new leaders would be responsible for solving all other problems in order to reserve the most difficult problems for the primary leader. The replication process of team leadership makes it uniquely powerful because of its inherent succession plan; thereby eliminating the break in continuity of leadership should the primary leader be absent or displaced.
Leadership is a powerful tool; it must be in order to get the team to overcome all its obstacles. Therefore, its power should not be horded by one person. Absolute power corrupts the best of intentions. However, the power of leadership dispersed throughout a team and harnessed by the unity of mission is the best medium for use of this power in business.

"The only kind of leadership worth following is based on vision" writes Don Midgett, author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. "For a business to succeed in the unpredictable and competitive 21st century it's important to have leaders with vision; leaders are responsible for what happens in the future. It is in their leadership that they will develop a vision statement which serves as the heart of any size company-from the self-employed to a department of a multi-tiered organizational conglomerate."
Todd Buchholtz, in New Ideas from Dead CEOs: Lasting Lessons from the Corner Office writes of the experiences of the l0 most revered business leaders of the 20th century; their ups and downs, effects on their given industries and their relationship to modern day management practices. The singular characteristic present in his choices was their passion for something newly created, either in product or way of business. It was their passion to create something new "to excel in their chosen industry behind something they fervently believed in" above a need for wealth or power. They, like other visionaries, understood their mission and desired future or vision for their company.
A businessman named Fred Smith had an idea to deliver important documents over night. He imagined airplanes from all over the country flying in to a central hub city after midnight, sorting their cargoes and flying off. He named his business Federal Express, Fed-Ex for short. His vision statement: "A vision of truly reliable mail service."
For Steve Jobs, of Apple Computer it was to "start a revolution in the way the average person processes information." With the successful Nordstrom family it was to "create an experience with our stores."
"It is the business visionary who, having focused his passion on the mission of his business and created a mission statement, then seeks to formulate and implement his desired future with a clearly stated vision statement. This is followed by effective communication, clarity and commitment, to both his management team and employees," said Midgett. It is very important for leadership to have a mission statement that clearly defines one's purpose, as well as a vision statement that unmistakably defines the company's desired future.

The incidences of psychopathic behavior in Australia and around the world have substantially increased in the last 10 years.
It is reliably estimated that 10% of managers or co-workers in Australia exhibit and engage in psychopathic behavior of some type. Psychopathic incidences are rising rapidly in the workplace where pressure is common place in order to survive.
1. What is a Workplace Psychopath?
They look and dress the same way as most businessmen they may even use the same language. Some of these people are fairly persuasive, they can manipulate, they’re very charming, some of them even charismatic. And a lot of people, they like them, they think they’re kind of fun to be around, but it takes a long time before you can figure out that something is really amiss here. (Professor Robert Hare).
Insincere, arrogant, untrustworthy, manipulative, insensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others, remorseless, shallow, meaning the person seems not to have feelings, is incapable of experiencing or understanding the feelings of others. Tends to blame others for things that go wrong, has low frustration tolerance and is therefore impatient with things. Erratic, unreliable, unfocused, and is selfish, parasitic, they take advantage of the goodwill of people they work with as well as the company itself. (Dr. Paul Babiak).
2. Psychopathic impacts on your business
a) Increased friction and general unrest at your business,
b) Increased absenteeism,
c) Decreased productivity,
d) Decreased profits despite sales,
e) Excessive customer complaints,
f) Increased ‘grapevine’ and rumour mill traffic,
g) People regularly resigning from their positions,
h) Low levels of trust,
i) Higher employee turnover than is normal for your industry,
j) Cash Flow issues, insolvency and in some cases bankruptcy,
k) Stress and relationship issues (workplace and private),
3. Psychopathic impacts on your Employees
Victims of a psychopath can suffer;
a) Insomnia,
b) Anxiety and stress,
c) Social withdrawal,
d) Nervous Breakdowns,
e) Family and social conflict,
f) Loss of self esteem and in extreme instances suicide.
Psychopathic behavior comes under occupational health & safety and the employer has a legal obligation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all persons attending the workplace.
4. Possible Psychopathic Indicators
1. Does your boss or workmate come across as smooth, polished and charming?
2. Do they turn most conversations around to a discussion about them?
3. Do they discredit or put others down in order to build up their own image and reputation?
4. Can they lie with a straight face to their co-workers, customers, or business associates?
5. Do they consider people they’ve outsmarted or manipulated as dumb and stupid?
6. Are they opportunistic, ruthless and hating to lose and playing to win?
7. Do they come across as cold and calculating?
8. Do they sometimes act in an unethical or dishonest manner?
9. Have they created a power network in the organisation, then used it for personal gain or against you the employer?
10. Do they show no regret for making decisions that negatively affect the company, shareholders, or employees?
5. How to manage a suspected Psychopath
a) Investigate Carefully!
b) Speak to workers and managers that have worked with the suspected person and get their opinions.
c) Realise that many psychopaths work on the premise that their behaviours and conduct go unnoticed. This is their Achilles’ heel.
d) Have other trusted employees keep and eye open on the person and pass on examples of inappropriate behaviour to you.
e) Keep thorough documentation.
f) Ensure your workplace health and safety systems are working and in place.
g) Ensure your employees are aware of your grievance procedures and act swiftly if you receive a complaint. Complaints need not be written.
h) Take professional advice – Biz Momentum can assist you. You must ensure you comply with many regulations and a myriad of legislation so as not to be caught up in the litigation trap.
6. Dealing with a Psychopath
a) Act by calling a meeting with the person,
b) Say to the person ‘Something is not right here and it is affecting our business. I need to get to the bottom of it and have some concerns about the negative behaviours and comments that you seem to be displaying’.
c) You must confront the person with cast iron proof, giving examples of actions and behaviours you are concerned with,
d) Allow the person to put their side of the story to you and consider what they say.
e) Decide what to do on your evidence and the person’s response,
f) If you decide to terminate employment, terminate the employment relationship after taking advice as there are pitfalls you need to ensure you are covered against which overlooked may provide legal/industrial redress against your business,
g) Ensure you have all the facts well documented and take advice before you proceed with your decision. An ounce of prevention is preferable to a ton of cure.
h) In some cases put the Police on notice (we have on behalf of clients).
Biz Momentum have assisted many businesses successfully resolve or remove employees who have caused havoc in the workplace through psychopathic behaviour and are able to assist your business receive positive outcomes. We are experts in this area and have many clients who can attest to this fact! Dealing with difficult people requires lots of experience and finely honed skills.

Store image and sales are greatly affected by the method (or lack there of) of merchandise displays. Window displays create traffic while in-store displays really sell the products. To be effective with retail store display, it is vital to really understand your business from the inside out. What does your store stand for? What kind of image do you exemplify through the types of products, pricing, and quality? Knowing your business also includes researching the clientele. By examining demographics, conducting price comparisons, and recording customer reactions to promotions, a manager or owner will begin to feel the pulse of the market. Once all of these things are understood, tackling the display design will take the business to a new level. Store display designers must have a firm grasp on fixture types, materials, props, lighting, color, and balance, while considering the many factors affecting the business in the big picture.
Acquiring displays and fixtures for the interior of a retail store is similar to hiring new employees. Their contribution to a sale is almost as high as a human associate, and so much care must be taken to choose wisely. A poor retail display can have the same affect as a bad employee, or even worse. Interior displays should capture the attention of customers, create activity, and influence a buyer's desire. Every inch of the store should be considered a potential display space. Study other successful displays and sketch out product display ideas on paper ahead of time. While mapping it out, break the store into display sections, or focuses. One should be in the main aisle, another in a high traffic area, and the last near the checkout counter. Most displays should consist of a grouping of similar merchandise or sale products. The most popular merchandise is likely to keep customers searching for more. Store fixtures like showcases, slatwalls, gridwalls, hanging racks, tables, floor stands, and baskets commonly used for product grouping. Departmentalize various displays so that impulse buys are near the check out, specialized goods near the back, and small, expensive products in showcases.
External and window displays play a huge role in creating traffic for the store. Displays that are viewable from the outside should be changed a dozen times during the year or more, thus requiring some planning. Each exterior display must be interesting to the demographics you are targeting. It is as if an exterior display were like a human face, the first thing people see when meeting a new person, and first impressions are very important. Window displays are considered one of the most valuable assets for a retailer, and some creativity will go a long way. A window display should have props (possibly mannequins), a background, and signs to set the tone, but product positions, lighting, humor, and drama will make a window display complete. There is no limit to the effectiveness of a creative window display. Resist the urge to clutter up the display with too many products, and keep it simple, unique, and fun.
The decisions you make on interior and exterior displays should reflect your knowledge of your customers, your products, and your desired image. There is definitely a learning curve to creating great store displays, but the value of these displays should not be underestimated.

Shopping is not just a necessity. It is a pastime. Millions of Americans choose to shop for reasons of entertainment, relaxation, and enjoyment. The lighting, colors, textures, and products create an atmosphere that many people find fun and exhilarating. As a shopper purchases new merchandise, there is actually a release of endorphins that produce emotions of enjoyment and satisfaction. Obviously this is not true of all merchandise, but it is those exceptional products that make the whole shopping experience worthwhile for most people.
These exciting products and merchandise luxuries keep shoppers shopping, not just from a need for the actual product, but also from the emotional feeling of getting something new. Shopping exhilaration is further accompanied by successful "need" marketing. This type of marketing projects the value and need of a particular product for a specific demographic, or even the population as a whole. The shopper may need this type of toothpaste to have white teeth or perhaps they need the perfect outfit to appear successful, there are so many convincing forms of "need" marketing. Combined with the rush of the shopping experience, perceived product needs can be extremely helpful to retailers.
Producing a store environment that is attractive to the senses and appeals to the customer's perceived need does not have a quick and simple solution. It is a good idea to spend some time brainstorming the store's assets and how they apply to this kind of marketing before putting up a single shelf or placing any products. What will be the most appealing product? What kinds of colors, textures, and lighting can you use to enhance the shopping experience for a certain merchandise type? If a store sells baby clothes, the fashionable pinks and blues might work best for coordination, or if a store sells hardware or machinery, metal fixtures that appear durable my be best.
Once a basic design or theme is in place, the search for the perfect fixtures can begin. Product display is extremely important, and it begins with shelving. Shelving is the most basic type of display fixture, and if chosen wisely can be extremely effective. There are now so many choices such as gridwall or slatwall fixtures, wooden shelving, and stand alone systems. Some shelving systems are more flexible than others for particular merchandise. For example, slatwalls provide a large variety of accessories for virtually every type of product.
After some of the larger fixtures have been chosen, the lighting design can begin. All products must be well lit, and for this to happen, the right type and style of lighting should be used for different types of display fixtures. For example, spot lighting will not work will for wooden shelves, because this creates extreme shadows, and track lighting works well for jewelry showcases.
The basic idea of all retail store design is to make products extremely visible while keeping the environment enjoyable and appropriate for the merchandise. If this is accomplished, then the pre-established concepts of need and shopping as a pastime will carry over into the success of any retail store.

The time for complaining about the general public is over for those that desire to be successful retailers. It is no longer a seller's market, and the average consumers is more educated and more savvy to the advertising world than ever before. The customer must be the first priority. If there are no customers, then there is no business. This goes for every industry, retail or not. This does not mean that associates should just bite their lip and deal with the general public's incessant demands while retraining the urge to scream or strangle. Retailers who deal with customer faces every day must find a new way to provide great customer care while keeping a positive attitude and enjoying the work. Here are just a few ways to look at customer service that can really lend some patience and enjoyment to the job. It is important to keep reminding employees and sales associates of these things in order to keep happy customers and happy representatives.
Customer care is a great way to keep repeating customers. If sales associates work for a commission or some kind of bonus, this may be the inspiration they need to insure the customer will come back and buy something again. Shoppers are known to request the same associate in a retail store because they feel like their experience went well last time and they feel more comfortable working with them now.
A slightly less common but equally helpful strategy for helping sales staff enjoy their jobs is to lead by example and provide extra service just for personal enjoyment. Open doors for customers as well as employees more often, or bring someone a coffee on their break. You can even spend an afternoon helping an associate restock the slatwalls, or rearrange a showcase and get to know them a little better. Being in the mind of good service starts with an attitude toward serving others in life, just because it feels good. Satisfying a customer, who was screaming with frustration in the moment before, can bring a great amount of satisfaction. Having a manager that displays this quality will impact the rest of the sales floor, and it is not a bad idea for the owner to partake as well.
When dramatic customer situations arise, customer service should be at its best, not its worst. Teach service employees to calmly and quietly listen to a customer's requests in their entirety, rather than quickly trying to identify the problem and fix it. Many customers simply want to be heard and sympathized with. Sometimes a situation may be irreversible, but it may still resolve happily if a customer feels understood and appreciated. Remember that this is a paying job, and while some people are beating up their aching muscles roofing a house, this job exercises the muscles of patience and the ability to problem solve.
Maybe there should be a time scheduled to talk about some of these things with managers or employees so that everyone can begin enjoying their jobs rather than dreading the general public. Similar to the restaurant industry, retailing is a consumer driven service industry and it provides the things that people need and desire to live their lives. Don't let negativity and resentment put a damper on customer service, it could end up crushing the business.

Imagine you have just been asked to give a highly complex presentation to the Board of Directors. One of the biggest mistakes you can make at this point is to start thinking about what you will say. Instead focus on planning.
So how might start the planning? Here is a simple but effective 7 step process.
Step 1: Develop Objectives
Before you do anything get clear on your objectives for the presentation. Possible objectives might be:
• To inform the Board of the current financial position and future forecast
• To secure the funding for a new computer system
• To get buy-in to a new performance management system
• To secure support for an increase in staff numbers
Take the time to get clear on your objectives from the presentation.
Step 2: Assess Your Audience
Whenever you are assessing your audience, try to step into their shoes as the recipient of the presentation. Think about:
• The level of knowledge they have about the topic
• The level of resistance you are likely to encounter
• The perceptions or views they might have about you or your team
• Any insights that you have gained from others about the style or type of presentation they respond well to
Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas
A brainstorm is quite simply a dump of ideas on what you could cover. Remember the first step is to get all possible ideas down. It is not about evaluating at this stage. Keep brainstorming until you run dry on ideas.
Step 4: Identify Common Themes
It is likely that when brainstorming, you will have come up with similar things that you can group into an overall theme. For example, if it is a financial performance presentation you might have included budgeting, forecasting, treasury and working capital that you put under a theme called financial management.
Alternatively if it is a human resources presentation you might have included recruitment, selection, retention and personal development that you capture under a theme called talent management.
Step 5: Produce An Outline Structure
On one piece of paper sketch out the theme on each slide and the two or three messages you want to get across.
Step 6: Prepare The Presentation Materials
The key things to be aware of in preparing your presentation materials are:
• The appropriate number of slides- my rule of thumb is 5-7 maximum for a 10 minute presentation
• How much text to include- in my experience bullet points are best
• Use animation only if it adds something
• How you will deal with numbers- an excel spreadsheet is not appropriate so you need to think of alternatives if it is numbers based presentation
Step 7: Practise Practise Practise
Running through your presentation at least twice is an essential part of your planning. Don’t neglect it as it will serve you well when it comes to the real thing
Finally, remember that most of us are not that enthusiastic about presenting and thorough planning can make all the difference.

The Globalisation and Internet are the two major forces that are responsible for the radical changes that are going on among the business firms in Asia. Successful 21st century corporations responded
well to the threats and opportunities of the business environment. What makes these corporations different? Its the effective management systems in place that is responsible for their success.
Successful organizations, adopt effective management system and policies that are able to generate profit through their employees. Cascio (2006, p.27-29), in his book titled 'Managing Human resource: productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits'(published by McGraw-Hill) lists seven practices/dimensions that form part of the 'management systems that produce profits through people' . They are:
Job Security: Though the life-long employment is no longer possible, successful business organizations continue to offer high degree of employment security for their employees. Unless the organizational and HR policies reflect the organization's commitment to their employees' job security, it will be impossible to get the employees full support and commitment. There are organizations that take extra-ordinary steps to keep their labour force at the optimum number from day one, to avoid any subsequent lay-offs. To these successful organizations, hiring employees is a last option. This is radically different from those firms which hire and fire without any strategic HR planning. Job security to become a reality, HR managers and senior management need to adopt strategic human resource planning.
Selective Hiring: Not every Tom, Dick and harry get a job. A well planned and carefully administered recruitment and selection is the basis by which selective hiring to managed. According to Cascio, it is only possible to hire selectively when the following requirements are met.
There is a large number of potential candidates
Organisation is clear about its human skill requirements: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Attitudes, personality attributes and Talents.
Selection focuses on attributes of candidates that are difficult to change. If you can select the right candidate with the (Talent, Abilities, Skills and Knowledge) in the first place, you need not spend your time and resources to train them.
Decentralisation with Autonomous Teams: The traditional centralized structure depended on command and control approach to get things done. Employees working in teams are able to respond to the unique and demanding business situations much more effectively. Enabling employees to take responsibility and depending on other team members.
Comparatively high Compensation: Successful 21st century corporations pay well,
compared to their competitors. These organizations adopt unique and innovative compensation practices for all their employees
Comprehensive Training: Management systems that recognize the power of training invariably do well. Despite the fact that they practice selective hiring, successful organization know the importance of keeping their employees knowledge, Skills and Abilities current to suit to the changing needs of the enterprise. They focus both on technical and people related soft skills training. Training is seen by these firms as a competitive tool in terms of recruitment, retention and employee performance. Training is also a powerful tool that enable the employees meet their self actualization need, a top order need identified by Abraham Maslow as part of Hierarchy of Needs theory.
Active Involvement of Everyone regardless of status: The management systems of successful organization incorporate policies and HR practices that take full advantage of employees' ideas, talents, skills and knowledge. It taps the expertise of everyone in the organization. Recognizing the talents and skills of all employees and enabling and encouraging them to offer solutions and ideas for the well being of the organization, breaks the status barrier that is common among majority of the organizations. Every employee in the firm is made to feel important and their contributions are valued and recognized.
Practice Open Book: In successful organizations, the access to information is not restricted to a small group of elite managers. Successful corporations share information among the employees, so that they are able to use the information to make better decision. In the modern world, it is difficult to argue that knowledge is power, unless that knowledge is put to practice. To apply the existing knowledge to changing business situations, employees need information. Management systems of organization 'that produces profit through people' recognizes the power of information sharing.The qualities of management systems of successful 21st century corporations highlighted by Cascio can be the basis if you are serious to transform your business practices. Be practical. Identify one area from the above seven dimension, and work towards improvement. Start reviewing the current HR practices. To move forward you need to ask questions. The best way to unfold new ideas is to use the 5W + 1H model (What, When, Why, Where, Who and How) extensively. Welcome to the club of Successful 21st Century Corporations.
Once you get started, just remember you are on your way to join the elite club of successful 21st Century Corporations.

For many companies, training can drop off the agenda for a variety of reasons. The company may be going through a period of growth, with tight deadlines to be met. The challenges of the market place may squeeze resources for training. This begs two questions: firstly, when planning financial forecasts, is staff training considered a priority; and secondly when budgets are squeezed how can a company maximise its financial investment in training?
During periods of growth and high demand there are new challenges to be met, with customers demanding a high quality relationship with any service or product provider. Managers and staff will be asked to deliver customer service that will delight customers, to ensure customer retention and continued growth. This challenges organisations to attract and retain people who can deliver the growth the business needs. To use a sporting analogy, the team that wins trophies will not maintain peak performance without continued dedicated training and coaching. Training without coaching is not a viable option as the coach is there to create the desire to attain even more to ensure a winning mentality. In business, many companies fail to recognise this, focusing on training as a separate process, divorced from the key task of improving performance and building the motivation and commitment that builds a winning attitude across the whole organization.
For those companies who are facing financial challenges it is all the more important that there is a guaranteed return on investment when training is delivered. To spend thousands of pounds on training that improves performance for a few weeks is not a viable option for many. To avoid this, the impact of training packages can be enhanced by the inclusion of dedicated coaching, to ensure that staff can fulfill their potential. Coaching can make the difference and create a culture which will provide a motivated and enthusiastic work force that will exceed expectations and grow with the business.

Imagine if your local newspaper didn’t show up one morning because those operating the press at the paper just didn’t make their deadlines? How would you feel? What would happen to those employees the next day? Imagine if all of the local gas stations had bags over the nozzles because the deliver trucks were behind on their deadline and the pumps were empty? How would you feel?
We take for granted that some suppliers we count on always make their deadlines, so why are we not as expectant for our business deadlines to be met?
Routinely when working with executives reviewing strategic planning objectives, goals and targets, I hear “We’ve not got to that yet.” Over and over. Excuses often follow, and the justifications invariably are tossed around.
What happened to commitment? What happened to a deadline being a deadline? If leaders are quick to dismiss deadlines and not consider them a true end point, how will anyone else in the organization take targets seriously?
Deadlines are a managerial tool that when enforced requires people to take action or deal with the consequences. One of the reasons businesses get their butts kicked is because the front office has become slack in their drive for making things happen in a timely manner.
This year for the first time in my life my tax information didn’t get in on time. My accountant called to tell me he was filing for an extension, followed by lame excuses. Did he check with me first to see how I felt about this? No. Will he be my accountant after this? Not on your life. Slack attitudes toward deadlines means slack attitudes are acceptable in everything else. I have no room for those people on my team.
Deadlines are:
• A managerial tool to establish a date for something to be completed – no excuses.• A target time frame to keep everyone focused on an accomplishment.• An opportunity to separate the meaningful commitments from the hollow promises.• A way to keep people challenged and moving forward.• A method of keeping things from dragging on endlessly.• A way to establish yourself as a leader who plays to win.
How do you know your deadline is realistic?
Deadlines can often be set arbitrarily with a randomly selected date or with a focus of “I have to have it now” because an emergency is driving the deadline. (Said emergency is often caused by something else left undone or not on time.) Deadlines should be set with an expectation of being met. Based either on past history, or a clear understanding of exactly what is required to be accomplished, deadlines should have some input from those expected to execute it.
A marketing firm has a distinctive competence of magical deadlines. They can brainstorm with a company all day long and by morning have full prototype printed and ready for review by breakfast the next day. How do they do this? The team responsible for making this happen understands their hours are more night shift than day shift. They also understand that by meeting such aggressive deadlines they get to work with a company that creates buzz and can charge a premium and pay premium. It’s the understanding of what can be done.
Sometimes you have to make midcourse adjustments to your deadline. The key with such adjustments is the “why” the adjustment is being made? Did you set an unrealistic deadline? Was there a factor you forgot to include? Or, did something happen along the way to shift the target you were going after or the scope of what is being done by that deadline? Midcourse corrections because of oversights and lack of being realistic to begin with could erode the respect people have for your deadlines.
If you are making changes because of now important information coming to light, or changing the scope of the project and want to set a more realistic deadline based on the different tasks being added, then you are making savvy decisions your team will respect.
Deadlines are deadlines
Once deadlines are left to pass without any consequences, the management team soon realizes deadlines are merely suggestions and can be easily talked around. Next thing you know, opportunity is lost, laziness sets in and getting steamrolled by the competition is no longer feared – it is actually being invited – without even realizing the offer of the invitation; leaving executives to wonder, “How did that happen?”
Look at the deadlines you have on current projects, corrections of previous errors, and strategic initiatives and ask yourself – how seriously are these deadlines being taken? Now look in the mirror and ask the hard question: Why am I letting people ignore my deadlines?
Good leaders understand how to effectively set aggressive deadlines that have reach yet are obtainable. They also understand deadlines get things done.

Many big or small organizations had jump into the band wagon to look for a success formula for their business success. The Total Quality Management (TQM) is one of those formula. Though it has been a challenge to implement TQM, there are many success stories. What are some of the Critical Success Factors in implementing TQM?
Total Quality Management concepts is not new in the manufacturing industries. Many of them has witnessed successful organizations are also TQM organizations. If TQM can make an organization successful, who is it not all organizations adopting to the implementation of TQM?In this TQM article, I am delighted to share my experience acquired from companies that I have worked with as a consultant/Facilitator as well as implementer.
For a big organization such as Multi National Corporation (MNC), Electronic Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), there is a Vision and Mission Statement displayed prominently in pertinent locations. There is a systematic documentation system that provides policies and procedure in their operations. For many of them, besides been certified in ISO18000, ISO14000 and ISO9001, they have obtained several product certification such as CE Marking, UL, etc Due to these initiatives and its requirement for its maintenance, a systematic continuous improvement approach has to be in placed and evident throughout the organization in order to fulfill certification requirements. Many of them adopted improvement methodology such as 6-sigma, lean manufacturing, TPM etc. Besides, all of these systems, organizations are very much customer driven.While some of them adopted the TQM in full version (according to the TQM guru's), some has their own version of TQM as they often employee internal expertise.
For medium organizations, many of them has their Vision and Mission established too. And almost all of them are ISO9001 certified. On top of the Quality Policy, documentation system is in placed. For some, addition management system such as ISO14000 and ISO18000. They are fairly active in the compliance to these ISO system. Improvement initiatives are scattered across the organizations and to some extend, ad-hoc problem solving approach is been practiced. A Quality personnel is often assigned to maintain these systems and he is expected to drive it.
For small organization, many of them are ISO9001 certified hence has adopted a basic documentation system. There is a a minimum Quality Policy established due to the requirement by ISO9001. Basis documentation system is in place, compliance to the ISO documentation is often last minute effort. Adoption to systematic improvement methodology seems to be rare. Fire-fighting approach to solve problem seems to be a formula for continuous improvement. TQM is not an approach to be considered as it meant more manpower is needed. In many cases, production personnel is assigned to maintain these systems.
In summary: The adoption of the Total Quality Management system lies with the leadership in the organization. The variation in adopting TQM as a way to run business depends very much on the scale of the organization, leadership and urgency.
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Disclaimer: All rights reserved. This article is written by the author based on his practical application experience. All definitions and interpretation of terminology are his point of view and has it has no intention to conflict with experts in similar topic. The author holds no responsibility for the use of this article in any way.

Setting goals as the way to define priorities, whether in business or in personal life, is what leaders do to maintain direction and focus in their organizations and in their personal lives. Unfortunately, many managers take a tremendous amount of potential leverage out of their organizations by not prioritizing.
I had a boss whose standard answer to "What's the most important thing?" was "Everything's the most important thing." What a copout. We were in a crisis mode and there was a lot to get done, but what that "Everything is important" direction led to was a lot of counterproductive behavior - hunker down and keep the boss off your butt by being busy all the time - 24/7 - and ride it out. Do what you're told to do, and then ask "What's next?" After a year of that no leverage management style he was fired - but not until some very good people had left the organization.
Managers that take the "everything is Number 1" approach are often rewarded for being tough, no nonsense, aggressive problem solvers. The fact that many of the problems they solved were created by them seems to go unnoticed. Actually, instead of leadership, they use a brute force approach to getting things done. That often works in a crisis situation, but when everything becomes a crisis, those managers lose their effectiveness and their people become cynical about how they are treated. Brute force managers rarely have goals they share with people, and even more rarely do they have their people participate in any meaningful way in setting goals and priorities. To many of them, sharing information and open communication are threats to their control. Many of them are quite happy with a compliance level workforce - the "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it" people. There is no leverage in the Brute Force management style.
How do effective leaders create priorities that maximize their own effectiveness and the effectiveness of their organization?
They start with a clear understanding of what the three to five most important things are, personally or professionally. This is tough - there are always many more issues vying for attention than there are resources available to address them. The leader makes the tough decisions - the Brute Force manager doesn't.
Then the leader enlists people in the areas of importance to help arrive at ways to succeed in meeting the most important requirements.
Then the leader creates and communicates and negotiates goals that support the most important three to five issues, or challenges, or opportunities.
The goals are used to create supporting goals, expectations and understandings of importance in the universe of people that can contribute to meeting the goal.
Then leaders act - and expect action from their people.
Leaders protect their own time, and the time of their people, so that maximum focus can be kept on the critical few, and not frittered away on the unimportant many.
And then leaders evaluate, change if change is necessary, and continue to use the process as the basis for action throughout their organization.
And they insist that this process be kept as simple as possible - minimum bureaucracy here. Don't wait for an enterprise wide software system to capture all the data and signups and goal statements. More good goal setting systems have drowned of their own administrative weight than for any other reason. Leaders fight that. Leaders know the critical intersection in goal setting and prioritizing is at the person to person level - not at the form completion and submission point.
And the resulting action they get is so different from the "Tell me what to do and I'll do it" people. Lots of leverage in a shared goal environment - on both a personal and work level.
Leaders know most people want to help, want to contribute, want to be involved in a worthy enterprise, want to be recognized for their contribution. Leaders also know most people work best and most effectively where they have structure and an understanding of what needs to be done. Once they have that, great things start to happen! They no longer have to say "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it" - they know the priorities and what is most important. They can use the freedom that knowledge provides to keep their eyes on the few big balls - and not be distracted by all the little balls that will always bounce around and take up all the time people will let them take up.
Leaders also know there are times when brute force may be the only appropriate tactic - a public safety health product recall, a natural disaster, a systems failure, a fire - all call for everybody pitching in to get things done - whatever that means. But leaders know the brute force tactic is the exception to the rule, and is only used when absolutely necessary. And their people know it - and rather than take it as just another in a long line of fire drills, they pitch in and know their efforts will be part of a worthy enterprise's efforts to succeed. The result is maximum leverage when needed.
If you work or live in an "Everything is important" situation, be careful of burning out. If you can take what leaders do and apply it to your work and your personal situation two things will happen - you'll have more time for the really important things, and your personal and professional success will increase - I guarantee it. And on those brute force days, or weeks, keep the leader's model of goals to priorities firmly in your sights - and get back to it as soon as possible. Start today.