Benjamins Yarn

I once was part of a group of management professors who often taught in executive development seminars. Other non-management professors in the school ran these. Occasionally these non-management professors would approach someone else in the management group to express their concerns about our teaching - they wouldn’t approach the person who had taught for them.

For example, if I had taught the session, the professor - let’s call him Larry - would approach my colleague Dick and tell him that he was concerned about my performance. After Dick tested his assumption that Larry hadn’t given me this feedback, Dick asked what led him not to talk directly with me. Larry almost always said that he didn’t want to upset me. Sometimes Larry or another professor would tell Dick that they wanted him to tell me their concerns, but not tell me that they had told him. Other times, they would request that Dick not tell me.

At this point Dick would ask, “What is your purpose in telling me if you don’t want Roger to know?” Dick did not agree to their conditions - he held them accountable for their views. More about this later.

Different story, same organization: When the school was looking for the equivalent of a new Dean, there were three final candidates, all internal to the school. The search committee told the faculty that they would accept letters evaluating the three candidates, but that they would only give weight to signed letters.

I was in a bind. I very much wanted one candidate to get the position, and was very concerned about another candidate getting it. I wanted to write a letter, but I was an untenured assistant professor. I had reason to believe that if I signed it and the candidate I had great concerns about got the position, my tenure might be in jeopardy.

I checked with my colleague Kurt, who was also a member of the search committee. He said to me, “Roger, you teach this stuff - you don’t have a choice.” He held me accountable for my views. More about this later.

Both of these stories focus on the Skilled Facilitator principle of joint accountability. Being accountable means you are responsible for addressing your problems with others directly with them rather than avoiding them or asking others to handle them for you.

Joint accountability also means that you share responsibility for a situation, including the consequences it creates. If you are working with others on a task, you are jointly accountable to each other for performing the task and the consequences of your joint actions. If things don’t work out as planned, rather than seek to blame others, you recognize that because you are part of a system, your actions contribute to either maintaining the system or changing it.

Chris Argyris’ research and our experience at Roger Schwarz & Associates tells me that though this kind of accountability feels risky, people get far better results when they consistently apply it.

In many organizations I work with, senior executives call for people to be accountable for the work they perform, but not for the relationships that create the work. This is particularly true about joint accountability between co-workers. When someone has a concern about a co-worker, rather than talk directly with the co-worker, they talk to others about the coworker. This approach often gets them results they find totally unacceptable - yet they continue to apply it!

That’s what was happening in my first story. My management faculty colleagues and I agreed that we would not allow colleagues to give feedback indirectly - we wanted more accountability.

We agreed that when Larry told Dick he didn’t want me to know, Dick would say that I needed to know, otherwise I couldn’t improve my performance, which was Larry’s interest. Dick would agree to coach Larry on how Larry could give me feedback and Dick would even agree to be present to help Larry give me the feedback. If Larry still said he didn’t want me to know, Dick would say that he couldn’t honor an agreement that would withhold important information about my performance. Dick would tell Larry that he (Dick) planned to give me Larry’s feedback and that I would likely come visit Larry to find out first hand what Larry’s concerns were about my performance. When Dick gave me the feedback, I went to Larry’s office and, with genuine curiosity, asked about his concerns with my performance. By working in this way, my management colleagues and I asked our other colleagues to be accountable to us directly and we were accountable to them.

And the second story? Kurt told me that if I was going to walk my talk, my only choice was to write a letter and sign it. I wrote the letter evaluating all three candidates using specific examples, and sharing my conclusions about their leadership ability based on the data I had. After emailing the letter to the search committee, I emailed a copy to all three candidates. I told them that, as my peers, I owed them the same feedback about their performance that I gave to the search committee. My only request was that if they had questions or concerns about what I wrote, that they talk with me directly.

Ten minutes after sending the email, the candidate who I was most concerned about knocked on my door and asked to talk. We had a difficult but productive conversation. He agreed with my data but came to different conclusions about his leadership ability. He thanked me for sharing the letter with him. We remained good colleagues as he became the equivalent of Associate Dean. And I got tenure.

How does your organization or the organizations you consult to handle this kind of accountability? How do you handle it yourself? Please join our free Mutual Learning Action Group (on our website) and post your thoughts so others can learn from you as well.

© 2005 Roger Schwarz

Roger Schwarz, Ph.D., is author of the international bestseller “The Skilled Facilitator: A Comprehensive Resource for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers and Coaches” and co-author of the recent “Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook: Tips, Tools, and Tested Methods for Consultants, Facilitators, Managers, Trainers, and Coaches,” both available on Amazon.com and via other quality booksellers.

You can subscribe on our site to Fundamental Change, Roger Schwarz & Associates’ free, monthly ezine: http://www.schwarzassociates.com/fundamental_change.html In exchange for subscribing, you’ll receive a link to a free .pdf copy of “Holding Risky Conversations,” a chapter from our recently-published fieldbook.

We write Fundamental Change to help you create workplaces and communities that are simultaneously highly effective and that improve the quality of life.

Every month we:

* Address issues important to you as practitioners and leaders
* Share client examples and case studies
* Offer tips and tools for challenging situations
* Offer resources to help you become more effective.

How would you handle communication if your business or practice got into a crisis situation?

I was pleasantly surprised when my Internet service provider responded competently and quickly to a technical crisis. And, we can learn to communicate more effectively by studying its response.

The crisis occurred when hackers attacked its system at the same time that the company was upgrading its systems to meet increased customer demand. And while customers experienced no dramatic shutdowns, some customers faced delays and difficulty getting online.

In response, the company quickly sent out a newsletter containing a single article, an open letter from the president.

First, the president acknowledged there had been a problem. And, the company took responsibility for the problem. While it attributed at least some of the problems to malicious hackers, it nonetheless took responsibility for the system’s integrity.

Most of us find it refreshing when a company steps up and does those two things. It communicates self-confidence and it communicates sincere concern for customers. All too often, organizations make poor excuses or point fingers at suppliers and customers; that just makes customers more dissatisfied.

Second, the company apologized. In the first sentence of the article, the president said he was sorry for disruptions that subscribers had experienced over the preceding two weeks.

By doing that he allowed his readers to get through the rest of the letter with less resistance. They weren’t mentally concocting rebuttals - they were reading what he had to say. That’s crucial any time you want to make an important point.

Third, after taking responsibility and apologizing, the president explained what the company was doing to fix the system.

His description of the fixes also took the right tack. He made no attempt to describe the technical nature of the fixes, nor did he try to impress us with how hard he and his people had worked. He simply explained that backup and warning systems were being put into place, and should prevent further outages from the same sources.

Fourth, he promised that the affected customers would get two weeks of free service, to compensate for their inconvenience.

That’s an excellent way to communicate a company’s sincerity. While the apology and acknowledgment would satisfy many customers, the offer of compensation underlined a genuine interest in customer satisfaction.

So, this effective communication strategy had four parts: first, it acknowledged the problem and took responsibility for it; second, it offered an apology; third, it explained what it was doing to fix the problem; and fourth, it offered compensation to those who had been affected.

Of course, simply communicating in a crisis situation won the company some recognition. And having communicated well made the initiative that much effective.

In summary, crisis situations make special communication demands on organizations. This company rose to the occasion by not only fixing the problem, but also by communicating effectively with the people who were affected.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott’s Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at:
http://www.communication-newsletter.com

Understanding where you can spend time most effectively requires concentration in three areas:

1. Doing what you enjoy

2. Concentrating on your strengths

3. Understanding Job Excellence

Let’s start with doing what you enjoy. Your quality of life is in many ways dependant on how much (or little) you enjoy your job. While every job has aspects that you may not enjoy as much as others, overall your job satisfaction should be high. The higher your job enjoyment, the more effectively you will be in getting things done.

If you are working in a job that you don’t enjoy, you have two choices. The first is to minimize those things you don’t care for. This does not mean you no longer do them, but you look for the positive things about those individual components you don’t like. Over time you should be able to reduce the number of negatives and increase the positive aspects. This will automatically increase job enjoyment.

If you are certain you will never be able to enjoy your job, it’s time to consider option 2, changing jobs. This is a drastic measure and should not be done without careful thought. However studies continually show that people who do make a decision to change from jobs they don’t enjoy to jobs they like almost immediately experience a better life with less stress.

Second, concentrate on your strengths. It is important to recognize where both your strengths (talents) and weaknesses are. Some people successfully use a matrix commonly called SWOT.

The SWOT technique is a helpful matrix that helps you understand where your Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats are.

For your “STRENGTHS” list only what you believe your strengths are but also include what others think your strengths are. Include the available resources that you use to your advantage and those activities you do well.

“WEAKNESSES” are areas you and others around would identify as areas where you are not as strong. Things that take you away from productive activity may be considered a weakness if they interfere with your goal.

“OPPORTUNITIES” are areas where you see a trend changing that may affect your goal. Don’t forget to look at technology and changing demographics when working in this dimension.

“THREATS” are considered to be the specific obstacles that you currently face. Those obstacles can range from cash flow to technology. Look for anything that may detrimentally affect the way you do things now.

By analyzing the completed SWOT matrix you may be surprised as to the areas you can focus on to reach your business goals.

The third focus in setting your work priorities is to become an expert at your job. Being an expert is going beyond academics and entering into the real world of your business. Keeping up with trends, competitors, market and demographic changes are critical areas where you should strive
to be regarded as an expert.

In addition you need a plan to keep on top of your field. You must learn to make and keep good goals that are complementary with your company’s growth.

This requires that your goal and the goals of your department be in total sync. Set a meeting with your manager, make sure you both are in agreement and the goals you are setting are the same, or are a part of, the department goals. The department goals should be the same as the company goals.

Here are some good questions to get clear answers on that will help you set priorities:

– What is the purpose of this job?

– How am I measured for success?

– What does exceptional performance look like?

– What are the specific priorities and deadlines?

– What resources are available?

– What is your budget?

– How does what you do relate to other people?

Carefully consider this time of year to get a fresh start on the fall and your sanity at the same time. After all, it may not be Time Management that is keeping you from accomplishing everything you think you need to do. It may be doing what you enjoy and concentrating on your strengths.

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© 2004 TrainingConnections.ORG
All Rights Reserved

John Robertson is a Professional Trainer with over 20 years experience in Mid to Sr. Level Management in several Fortune 500 companies. His real world experience will bring credibility to your meetings. TrainingConnections.ORG focuses on three major categories of Employee Performance Improvement; Leadership, Management and Sales Training. Contact us today for more information or check our web site: www.TrainingConnections.ORG.

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This newsletter may be shared with others in its entirety. However credit must be given to John Robertson and TrainingConnections.ORG and the following text must be included.

Super Preparation -
Keys to Getting a Great Start to Every Presentation

Novice and expert presenters alike have had the experience of feeling a little (or may be a lot) nervous before giving a talk. In working with hundreds of people to help them improve their presentation skills, one consistent theme has emerged: once people get started, assuming things go relatively well, they begin to relax, become more natural, less self conscious, and therefore more effective.

Since the opening of any presentation is critical to the message and the presenter’s credibility, and since this is often when presenters are most nervous and cautious, it makes sense to have strategies to make that opening the best it can be.

I call the strategy “Super Preparation”.

How to Do It

Here are the steps to Super Preparation:

1.Design a dynamite opening. This article isn’t focused on how to build the best possible opening, but that is where you need to start! Make sure your opening is clear, focused, attention getting and full of audience benefits. You want the people listening to become truly interested in what you have to say. When you have a great opening planned, your excitement and confidence will rise, already making you less apprehensive.

2.Practice the opening. You need to “own” the great opening you have developed. Practice the first 3-5 minutes of your talk thinking about everything: the words, vocal inflection, gestures, movements, pace and more. Know the flow of your words, find the best places to pause for emphasis. Your goal is to have the first few minutes so well prepared in your mind and heart that your nerves and apprehensions about getting started are greatly reduced. You won’t reach that goal without practice.

3.Visualize success! Spend some time thinking about how successful the opening will be. How engaged and interested your audience will be. How confident and relaxed you will be. Visualizing those things are a big step towards making them happen.

4.Rehearse. I know, I already told you to practice. These rehearsals are the final mental run-throughs that incorporate both the practice and the visualization. These rehearsals might be in your car, the shower, as you lay in bed, whenever!

5.End with a “make.” When shooting baskets after practice my basketball coach always said, “Don’t leave the court on a miss. Always finish with the result you want.” That is my advice to you on your mental rehearsals. Always finish with a rehearsal where the opening went great! This will solidify the result you want in your brain and add to your growing confidence and excitement.

6.Don’t memorize! All this talk about practice and rehearsal may lead you to think, “I just need to memorize my opening.” Nothing could be more wrong. When we memorize, we focus on the words. If we mess up the words we’ve lost it! Super Preparation is about preparing for a super result - and super results in presentations are always focused on the audience, not ourselves. Forget the memorization. Remember the audience. Focus on the message, your approach and your desired outcome.

Results

The results of utilizing Super Preparation include:

•Greater confidence
•Less apprehension or nerves at the start of your talk
•A much more credible first impression of you, your skills, and message by theaudience
•An opening that has great impact

Aren’t those reasons enough to try it?

The Rest

Will take care of itself. You will have set yourself up to succeed with greater confidence and energy, which allows you to build on the great opening, rather than trying to recover from a poor one.

Try the Super Preparation approach to your next presentation and prepare to persuade with greater effectiveness than you ever have before!

©2004, All Rights Reserved, Kevin Eikenberry. Kevin is the President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps their Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/training/training.asp to learn more about customized training and workshops on Presentation Skills or contact Kevin at toll free 888.LEARNER.

So, you’re a manager. So, you know you have to run a training session or a team meeting for your team (for the first time) that needs to be motivational and you’re not a professional trainer. So what! With a good plan and a well structured session, training can be enjoyable and most of all rewarding for both you and your team. Here’s how …

1. Get people involved in the topic before the session - issue what the professional trainers call “pre-work”. This can be as simple as asking people to jot down some answers to one question about the topic.

For example, let’s say that you need to improve the service to customers provided by your team, then your pre-work question might look like:

“Assume that we have just had a very successful year, and that we have received heaps of feedback which suggested our service given to customers has been first rate over the last twelve months:

• What things did we do to get such great success?

• What problems or challenges did we have?

• How did we solve these problems and / or meet these challenges?”

Note: for more information on these pre-work questions, see my article “Meetings - Management Meetings - Why are they such a waste of time? How to follow the 80/20 rule and five steps to success!” (www.nationallearninginstitute.com)

2. Agree groundrules for the session - if it is to be a discussion session, discuss and agree the role of the facilitator (you). Ask “Think about some of the more enjoyable and rewarding training sessions you have been in. What did the facilitator / trainer do? What did the participants do?” Ask people to quickly jot these down, then draw out the two or three things that you believe will be most important during the session for both the facilitator’s role and the participants. Write these two lists up in view of everyone and stick to yours - when people get off the track, remind them of the groundrules.

3. Involve people in the discussion very early in the session. Avoid a long introduction, just a brief intro, then straight into the groundrules.

4. For maximum participation, start the discussion or activity in pairs or small groups, then move the discussion/feedback to the main group. For example you could ask people to discuss their answers to the pre-work question in small groups and come back to the main group in 6 minutes with the three most relevant points.

5. Use questions to stimulate discussion. You should prepare these in advance. I always suggest that you prepare 15 questions that you could ask. Why? There’s no science or research to the number 15, just that I know through experience that not only will you have some great questions to ask, but in the process you’ll probably also develop the answers to any question you might be asked!

6. Involve all participants - pose questions to the quieter members to provide answers from their pre-work or from their discussions they had in the small groups at the start of the session (this will enable them to answer from their prepared notes without putting them on the spot).

7. Paraphrase and summarise the group’s progress often. This is important to keep the session on track. List the agreed points on flipchart paper progressively throughout the meeting.

8. Have teams record results of their activities/discussion on flip-chart paper and post around the room - this provides a focus; a way of summarising; a sign that “action is happening”. It is also very helpful for you as the facilitator to refer back to from time to time to remind people what has been covered or to emphasise important points that they have already agreed on.

9. As much as possible, give the group the responsibility for running the session. Set an agenda, then give people roles to carry out, activities / exercises to complete. For example, appoint different people as leaders of their small group discussions with the responsibility of feeding back to the main group. Rotate these leadership roles regularly so that everyone is involved.

10. Ensure there is an “Action” at the end of the session. This could be applying a new skill or simply an Action Plan with key actions to be taken, responsibilities and completion dates. Ensure this is written up and distributed to team members as soon as possible after the meeting. Diary to follow up the agreed actions.

Finally (Did I say there were 10 points?), work as a “facilitator” not “the Boss”! Encourage open, positive, critical discussion. If you want to make this a motivational session, it is particularly important to accept all views (you don’t have to agree with them, but you do have to accept them for discussion). Avoid putting the counter argument by using words such as “But …” and “Yes, but …” Instead ask “How might that work in practise?”.

Putting on the boss’ hat and making decisions about what can and cannot be done, soon stifles discussion and enthusiasm. On the other hand, being open and receptive (although difficult at times) will make the session stimulating and rewarding. Above all, you will find that you have a committed team rather than a compliant one and that’s truly motivational!

Copyright 2006 The National Learning Institute

Bob Selden has been recognised as an outstanding trainer by peers, managers and most importantly, trainees. As MD of The National Learning Institute, Bob is keen to pass on to managers his experience and tips on how to make the most out of team training sessions. If you are a manager, send Bob an email with an outline of your suggested training session and he will be happy to provide some feedback and advice. Bob may be contacted via http://www.nationallearning.com.au

Negotiations essentially are dysfunctional small groups. They need to be managed to determine a common goal, establish objectives and set a course to obtain the desired results. Mediators are trained to manage such small groups and lead them to resolution. Negotiators and parents can adopt mediation techniques to improve their skills at handling conflict.

A mediator delegates responsibilities not only to get the job done but also to give everyone a vested interest in the outcome. By directing and delegating, the mediator effectively makes both parties more equal and more likely to be able to come to an agreement. In the right situation, using inclusion to integrate everyone’s needs into the solution can yield very positive results.

Mediators are masters of group manipulation. They must get warring parties to set aside their differences and reach an accord. Most people are used to being told what is right to do. A mediator is unable to make the decision for the group. He does not function as a judge or jury. He must enable each of the parties to make their own settlement decisions.

To succeed mediators must make others want to do things they don’t always want to do. Managers and leaders are often accused of being masters of manipulation. Getting people to do things they would not ordinarily want to do can involve, among other things, manipulation. But this is typically a subset of the use of effective leadership and management skills. While manipulation has a bad connotation of trickery or deceit, it can be simply good negotiating. When managing the negotiating process you are seeking to maneuver the other person into agreeing to your terms. You achieve this by informing, educating and convincing them of your arguments. If a little manipulation will get them to consider your arguments is required, then it is well suited to the purpose.

Being able to lead others, convincing them to hear what is being said, and to consider options is a mark of a good leader. Tricking others into doing your will is not. Use of trickery will likely lead to agreements that fall apart after the test of time.

In any dispute those involved make up a small group and are subject to traditional group dynamics. Groups need to be lead or managed. Filling this role is what makes mediators effective at resolving disputes. Similarly, negotiators who take the initiative to become the informal group leaders are most likely to have the best track record of achieving their goals.

The author is an assistant editor at How-to-Negotiate.com, a site featuring articles about business management skills required in the dispute settlement process and how people negotiate everything in their daily lives be it personal issues, parenting matters, social conflicts, or business or work related challenges. The site promotes the fact that conflict is a natural aspect of everyone’s life and we should all work at improving our ability to negotiate the curves life throws our way.

With the expansion of the internet and financial stability within the economy, many people are now taking the big step of starting up their own business. This article will look at a single personal attribute that is needed if you want to make that business a success.

Being organised is the most important attribute a person needs if they want to be successful in the world of business. Nowadays, many business managers are disorganised however these people generally rely on the services of organised assistants and secretaries. Many disorganised managers run financially successful companies; however is money the only gauge to measure the success of a business? My own thoughts are; having a successful business is NOT purely about money, there are other factors to consider. The happiness of your workforce, health issues (stress), customer relations and the long term future of your business/company.

The Happiness of the Workforce. People like routine especially when working; it gives them a feeling of comfort and security. Having a structured routine generally only comes about when a business is fully organised from top to bottom. Systems of work are put in place, these systems need to be understood and constantly monitored. Without a proper structure and understandable systems of work, your employees will not be happy perhaps resulting in them working in a stressful environment. The days when working practices are all in the Gaffer’s head, are well gone.

Stress. I am personally an organised person; in my working career I have managed large numbers of people, in difficult and trying circumstances. None of the businesses I have managed performed poorly. My wife however is disorganised, although also successful in her work, her personal disorganisation causes her and her workforce undue stress. Many business managers consider their companies a success, without even taking into consideration stress related illnesses or issues.

Customer Relations. Most businesses have dealings with customers, these customers will know very quickly if your business is organised or not, there will be no way to hide or cover this up. If your customers are unhappy because of your service it is generally because someone is struggling to cope with the customers demands. In today’s business world people do not want to wait for anything. They want quality work/products/service as fast as possible, only an organised business can provide these deliverables on a regular basis.

Long Term Future of a Business. Long term planning now seems a thing of the past for small businesses. Generally, business owners are looking to build up their business over the short term, and then sell it on. This has become common practise especially for online businesses. However if you are looking to set up a business for a longer period of time, you need to plan - known colloquially as a Business Plan or Through Life Management Plan. A person who manages an organised company, with set routines and practices will not only be able plan for the future, they will also be able to implement these plans with minimal fuss.

This article has just brushed the surface of this complex and complicated subject. The aim of the article is to make people aware; being organised in business will help you become successful.

http://www.bizseller4u.com

Interested in buying your own business business?

Every business must strive to provide quality products and services to customers. To achieve that objective the company must draw well thought out policies and procedures to ensure 100% achievement of the targets.

Here are some tips to ensure that your business attains and enhance quality:

Document Quality Objectives and Procedures

Quality management objectives, policies and guidelines must be set and published in manuals, in the business newsletter, on the notice board and wherever appropriate. This is to educate and remind employees and management and serve as guidelines. Even suppliers and customers should be informed on the company’s quality management policies and where appropriate be advised to adhere to them.

Educate Employees on Quality Requirements

For total quality management to work everyone in the business must be educated and trained in its principles. Everyone must be brought on board - from the cleaner, the gardener, the electrician, the clerk, and manager etc. Employees should be made to own the process and not to feel left out of the action. Employees should be organised in quality circles (groups) within departments to brainstorm and implement quality issues.

Foster a Policy of Zero Tolerance to Defects

One error could cause a thousand corresponding errors or negative consequences. Let’s take a typical example of a car. A loose nut on the tyre can cause the tyre to run inappropriately and cause an accident. The accident may affect you and whoever you are carrying in the vehicle and probably passers by and other vehicles. It may lead to deaths and injury. The multiplier effect may affect your life and other people’s lives without your knowledge just from a single defect. This is therefore to show every aspect of your business must be taken seriously.

All products and services must be checked for compliance to specifications and procedures. The business must foster a policy of zero tolerance to defects and all efforts should be made towards that end.

Use TQM Tools and Statistical Techniques to Measure Quality

Total Quality Management Tools (TQM) tools are a necessary component if you want to measure and enhance quality. Tools such as checklists, flowcharts, Gantt charts, Ishikawa diagrams and the like are important in the quality management process. Statistical techniques help to measure quality levels. By applying such techniques you would have set your business on the quality path. Ensure that you have minimum and quality levels for your products and services. You can use industry, national or international quality standards. If your business attains such standards, inform your customers by publishing your attainment or displaying the quality mark appropriately.

BRAINSTORM PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

A good approach to solving problems and technical challenges is to form quality circles, which will brainstorm problems and solutions and forward to management for approval. Root problems should be brainstormed, key solutions to them proposed and forwarded to management for approval.

REDUCE WASTAGE

Research has shown that most businesses have a 20% wastage rate. Check your dustbin. What do you see? What about the stores? How many goods have been returned because of defects in the past three months? You should work to attain zero defect in your products or services. Ensure that goods are made to specifications. Use statistical techniques to measure quality. Reduce paperwork. Improve the design and substance of your goods and services. Tighten controls. Reduce pilferage.

DELIGHT THE CUSTOMER

Quality management is not static but is a continuous process with the aim of ever delighting the customer. Remember that your competitors are working overtime to get your customers and stay on top. You should work ever harder to get their customers and delight your customers often. You can do that by anticipating customers’ needs. Do surveys and research on customers’ needs and expectations. Check what competitors are offering. Take action to continuously improve your goods and services.

LEARN FROM THE GURUS

Total quality management embodies a set of rules, policies and guidelines which are best learned from the pioneers. Get yourself books and manual quality management especially from the gurus such as Deming, Juran Crosby, Ishikawa, Fergenbaum and the like to learn more. Most of their ideas may be about manufacturing or not directly relevant to your business but they could be adapted to your business needs and requirements.

BE ACTION ORIENTED

A problem plaguing many people and businesses is their failure to take positive action and be mired by rhetoric and apathy. Management is tied down in endless meetings, conferences ad seminars whose recommendations are never implemented.

Prepare an action plan of your recommendations and solutions with set time frames and review periods. Check what makes action impossible to implement or bottlenecks to implementation.

Your action plan should be divided into short term, medium term and long-term activities. It should be backed by a budget for financing it.

Quality management or TQM is a broad subject and you require to learn more than what is provided briefly here. TQM is not the panacea for all business problems but they can be reduced by 50% if you adopt it appropriately.

To succeed in business you need the right business plan backed by adequate capital, the right product or service, the right marketing strategy, the right location and the right implementation strategy.

Quality management if well implemented could set your business on the path to profitability and success.

About The Author

Abdallah Khamis Abdallah is a freelance copywriter. He provides quality marketing solutions that can boost your business sales and website traffic. Participate in contests to win prizes and get free gifts. For details visit his website at: http://www.qualitywritingsolutions.com

quantumpro@lycos.com

Who is Randy Gage? I first read about him in a newsletter by his friend, and another of my mentors and heroes, Stuart Goldsmith.

At first he came across as a bit too much ‘in-your-face’ for my liking but, as he was challenging some of my long held beliefs, I came to realise that I was in a state of denial.

I will always be grateful to him because, by forcing me to face up to reality, I made some major breakthroughs by changing my thinking about certain issues.

If you need to get over some hang-ups that are keeping you from the life you deserve, and you can stand a strong dose of the truth, then Randy is the guy to tell it like it is.

Randy’s message is that you can, just like he did, change just about everything in your life by changing your mindset. The story of his life as he came from being a ‘victim’ to becoming a self-made millionaire was an inspiration to me and whenever I stray off the ‘path’, I read or listen to Randy again to set me straight.

As Randy says: “The universe makes the light available to you, but you must still turn on the light switch.”

For Inspirational Quotes, Articles, Special Reports and e-courses by Randy Gage please visit http://www.4-inspirational-quotes.com/randy-gage.html