30th September
2010
Copyright (c) 2010 Shona GarnerThere's much talk of talent management in organisations these days, and HR and L & D departments wrestle with the most effective way of developing a talent management programme which truly delivers the required outcomes.One frequent question managers ask me is: "How do I manage someone who is just not the right "fit" for the role?"Getting square pegs into square holes is always a challenge - even for the greatest managers - but there are some things you absolutely ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
29th September
2010
Education
29th September
2010
Copyright (c) 2010 Shona GarnerWhat is morale like in your organisation?What is morale like in your team?And if an organisation is facing a lot of tough challenges, restructuring, or jobs are under pressure, is it possible to maintain strong morale despite the situation?Whilst the tone for the type of place you work in has to be set at the very top, it's the job of the managers to implement day in, day out. They're the "front line"; their behaviours and expectations will set the standards for ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
28th September
2010
Every money making opportunity that you see boils down to one
common thing: idea. As you know the best ideas pay. The most
creative ideas pay.
The best thing about ideas is it's free and everybody has the
capability to think of ideas.
In order to be creative and innovative about ideas, you have to
have knowledge. Knowledge is important. You need to know
thousands of things to be creative.
Below are steps that you can take to come up with profitable
innovative ideas:
1) Read and study as many ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
28th September
2010
Education
27th September
2010
As infants it's our parents guiding us, teaching us to eat, talk, walk, study. An undivided attention is what we get. Then as we grow up, we slowly start being the controller of our own lives. Bt in our life there comes situations when we wish we could be guided like infants, taught us what to do and what not to do, teach us ways of achieving our goals, guide us to the path of success, believe in our goals and see that our self-confidence never goes for a toss. Here comes the role of a Life ...Read the rest of this entry »
Self Improvement
26th September
2010
Networking ' it's the latest business trend. Or is it?
Actually, business owners have always engaged in the art and
science of networking. Only years ago it didn't have a name.
Business owners would get together, shake hands, and smile and
chat about themselves and their businesses. Same thing with
'coaching.' I've been a sales trainer for 40 years, but it
wasn't until five or six years ago that someone said, 'Milt,
you're not a sales trainer, you're a coach.' I always thought
coaching was ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
25th September
2010
Business is business? That's what they say'but business is being
done a new way. Massive technological connectivity and access to
tidal waves of information is causing a shift in society,
workers attitudes and how business is done.
Rapid changes in technology are causing disruption in the way
corporations do business. Communication is now digital. Products
are now digital. Marketing and delivery of product and services
must be done in a different way.
Added to that, the evolution of global ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
25th September
2010
Education
24th September
2010
Marketing
24th September
2010
If you're a self employed professional like I am, you know how
tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning.
Doing a full business plan is a must if you're planning to seek
financing or investors, but most solo professionals don't need
anything that complicated.
Don't get me wrong, business planning is one of the most
important things you need to do to succeed in your one man or
woman show. Without planning you'll drift aimlessly from one
crisis to the next and one idea to ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
23rd September
2010
Copyright (c) 2009 Shona GarnerWhat does the word ?culture? mean to you?If someone asked you to describe the culture of your team or organization, how would you answer them?Not sure how you?d answer? Maybe you?ve never really thought about it that much ? and you wouldn?t be alone. And yet every day, in hundreds of organizations you?ll hear people talk about:? ?Oh yeah.... they (the managers) talk about having an ?open door?, and wanting to listen, but that?s just talk. They only listen to what ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
22nd September
2010
Education
22nd September
2010
Copyright (c) 2009 Shona GarnerEmotional Intelligence skill number 2: Self control.There is a well-known proverb: act in haste, repent at leisure.We all do it sometimes: when we are under pressure we can often feel frustrated, upset, annoyed or some other such negative emotion. As a result, we may say or do things in a way which have a negative impact on others. The problem with this of course, is it can begin a chain reaction of negativity which is more than likely going to take time and ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
21st September
2010
Education
21st September
2010
How does one become a better corporate leader? This is a question that's dogged many a CEO or President. Finding the answer to this question is critical not only to the success of the company they lead, but also to their career. Many people assume that once someone reaches the position of CEO, they've reached the pinnacle of their career, but I can guarantee you that most in this position will strongly disagree. There is a hierarchy of companies and industries, with a huge variation in ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
20th September
2010
Education
20th September
2010
Let's say you have more than 20 years experience in your chosen field. For the sake of this article, let's say you have been in the nonprofit field for 25 years and are at the very top of your game. And let's say you're a bit bored with the humdrum day-to-day routine of being an executive director. You love nonprofit sector, but you need more of a challenge and you yearn to help people grow and achieve success in their nonprofit careers. Plus, you'd like to earn a little bit more money and are ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
19th September
2010
Recently one of my clients told me the chaos swirling through
his company was the result of poor cash flow. If only he had
more money, his company would run better.
I must respectfully disagree.
Poor business processes produce chaos. Chaos leads to poor cash
flow. Fix the poor business processes and the cash flow problems
disappear.
What business processes am I talking about?
1. Having a clear picture of who your client is.
Here's what my client looks like: My client is a small business
owner ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
18th September
2010
Copyright (c) 2009 Shona GarnerWhen you become a manager, is it your IQ, your technical skills and your knowledge of the industry you?re in which is paramount ? or your ability to influence, inspire and engage others? Or do they both matter equally?Generally speaking, we promote people to manager or supervisor because they?re good at what they do. Generally speaking, you don?t get to be finance director without knowing how to count, do a balance sheet and understand how to handle money ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
18th September
2010
Education
17th September
2010
You've been personal training for a while and you believe you're ready to open your own personal training studio. You've dreamt about it for a long time and wonder if now is the right time to consider flying solo and leaving the security of your job or the comfort of low overhead. Before you take the leap into studio ownership there are five questions you should ask yourself. While owning a studio can be a rewarding and fulfilling step, there's plenty of sweat equity wrapped into making it ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
17th September
2010
Education
16th September
2010
In today's time where each and every organization wants to remain aggressive to survive in the market, we cannot understate the accent of business coaching. It has become a necessity rather than a just appearance management. But to actualize an abiding relationship with customers and to achieve preset goals, it is important to go with such a business coach who will fill the coaching profile adequately.
To maintain the aggressive bend in the market, there are assorted strategies adopted by ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
15th September
2010
Education
15th September
2010
Copyright (c) 2009 Shona GarnerOK, so I have a vested interest. Yes, I am a trainer and coach - and yes, I increasingly find myself helping managers hone their people skills. But when I started out in coaching and training I hadn't particularly decided that was to be my focus.My focus on people skills developed because the problems, issues and challenges which people presented me with were all challenges caused by lack of confidence or skill in dealing with people. I found managers struggling ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
14th September
2010
I know at first glance this sounds obvious, but it may be worth
it for you to think about your prices. At least just for a
moment.
How did you decide on your current pricing? Did you conduct
market research to understand what prospects would pay? Or did
you compare yourself to your competitors and base your price on
that? Or was it a crapshoot, and random shot in the dark?
These are the ways most people do it, and they are all wrong.
Because the price you set for your products and services is ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
13th September
2010
Team building is the key to a powerful mid-size business. This article will provide you with information that can help you put the right team leader in charge of the right group of people so that they can achieve the balance, chemistry and vision needed to succeed. Whether you're an owner, an executive or a manager, the following information will be beneficial to you. Team building solutions for mid-size businesses will help you build a team with great chemistry by identifying the core ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
13th September
2010
Self Improvement
12th September
2010
Aren't you tired of sitting around waiting for something to
finally happen?
I just got off the phone talking with my friend James. We spoke
about how his business was doing, and I asked what he planned on
earning this year. His response surprised me:
'Making money's not my focus now. I don't really think this is
the right time--I'm planning to just hold on until things get
better.'
James is usually pretty optimistic and 'survival' is not part of
his normal vocabulary, so I started wondering ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
12th September
2010
Education
11th September
2010
Copyright (c) 2009 Shona GarnerPart 1 - The human face of changeWhat changes are you going through in your organisation at the moment? Re-structuring? Shedding staff? Asking staff to work reduced hours? Changing processes? Changing environments and work spaces? Docking bonuses?The list of potential changes is endless!For some, it seems like one never-ending move (or "lurch", depending on your perspective!) to another.I can't remember who said it - but I'm sure someone did - that change is ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
10th September
2010
Many business owners consider a company's brand to be one of its greatest assets. How can you create a brand for your small business that will deliver this value premium? How much will it cost? And, perhaps most importantly, is it worth it?Branding: Inherent Part of a CompanyA brand is more than simple logo development, although the way the company name is displayed is an essential component. Every customer interaction contributes to their perception of your brand - from communicating with the ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
9th September
2010
Gone are the days when several executive aspirants and professionals used to vie their personal and professional aims with the help of traditional forms of learning and training. Now-a-days, directors and managers of most companies are embracing a refreshing, self-empowering and motivational experience of what is called a sound executive coaching. Yes, an executive coaching is widely recognized as one of the very few services that aim towards delivering a high return on investment, and at the ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
8th September
2010
When people think of leadership they usually come up with two scenarios. Either they are doing the leading or they are being led. Whether you are starting up your own business or running your own business the leadership you demonstrate will be critical to your success.When you are leading others, whether it be employees, contractors, vendors or potential clients or customers that you hope to turn into sales it is critical that you are aware of the process and your impact on it. If you aren't ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
7th September
2010
Education
7th September
2010
In the first part of this series we looked at the effect prices
have on profits. A change to the upside can have a wonderful
effect on profits while reckless discounting and careless price
reductions will surely have a disastrous one. If you don't fully
understand the implications, or haven't read Part 1, go back and
do so now. (http://www.paullemberg.com/higher-part1.html)
By now you may be asking yourself, "What should my prices be?"
Before you go start changing prices, you need to clarify a ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
6th September
2010
One of the chief questions that arise in the executive community is whether you require an executive coach or not. Coaching is a procedure which involves learning, transforming and growing into a new individual. It is the nucleus of executive development. It is an implicit prerequisite of any person who desires to progress. The idea behind the whole concept is that in right environment and with individual interaction a focus on third party dimensions can be provided which may not be necessarily ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
5th September
2010
Executive coaching for the whole person should include a coach who provides the benefits of reflection, listening, perspective, balance and encouragement in the coaching process. This will help you survive and thrive in good times and bad. To do this - you must include the whole person or you'll never reach the potential that excellent coaching can help you achieve.
Executive coaching for the business, community, sales or professional leader is both the same and different for each person. All ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
4th September
2010
I am most thankful that Ms. Anne Miller sent me her book "Metaphorically Selling" in 2005 when I was the Business Coach Host - Editor - Writer at Bella.
Anne is the founder of Chiron Associates Inc., a widely respected sales and presentation speaker, executive coach, seminar leader, consultant and author. She assists high profile Fortune 1000 companies in media, financial services and business sectors, including Yahoo! and over 100 consumer magazines. She sells products and services worth ...Read the rest of this entry »
Marketing
3rd September
2010
Education
3rd September
2010
Many of my clients own home-based businesses. If that's you, then not only are you committed, passionate and serious about what you do, you are also committed to creating a lifestyle that reflects your values. You want to own your time, and be able to carve out quality time for family and friends. You want to work to live, not live to work, right?
It's often hard to figure out how to use your time effectively when you start a business. If you have small children you may experience frequent ...Read the rest of this entry »
Business
2nd September
2010
Education
2nd September
2010
Leadership development in the form of Executive Coaching has well and truly arrived in Singapore, but what is it and what qualities do you look for in a good Coach?
Three years ago a small band of qualified Coaches formed a local chapter of the International Coach Federation, a global, self regulating body for professional Coaches. There were just twelve members and we met at the chapter President's apartment. Now there are almost seventy members, a mixture of Life, Career, Business and ...Read the rest of this entry »
Self Improvement
1st September
2010
Education
1st September
2010
Knowing when and how to say "no" is a constant battle for many people. This becomes especially difficult for business professionals who are looking to please and impress higher-ups. Almost from birth, the world has conditioned us to do what others ask without question for any number of reasons. We, too often, get pushed and pulled in all sorts of awkward directions that had not been on our intended agenda due to the inability to confidently speak that singular two-letter word.
Why do we allow ...Read the rest of this entry »
Self Improvement