Business Record - Iowa Biz

Concensus or Chaos?

Your day begins and one of your key management people informs you of a policy change.  The day continues and another management person informs you of the policy, but states that they totally disagree with the decision.  By the end of the day the rest of the management team has informed you of the policy change, but another management member tells you they disagree with the policy.

Soon you are thinking, what a bunch of idiots.  They make a decision and then tell everyone they disagree with it.  You are not alone with this way of thinking.  To many companies have not developed their leadership teams to a level where they fully support decisions.

If this scenario is prevalent in your organization, you have some serious issues to deal with.  Issues need to be debated, discussed and disagreed with.  Once that process is completed and the decision is made, then the group backs the decision 100%.  If it is not 100%, then I guarantee you will have organizational chaos.

This will allow those "thorny people" in your organization the opportunity to thrive.  They will see these differences and use them to back their own agenda or use them to try and topple a key management person.

Be sure your decision making teams in the organization have laid the ground rules for how they support decisions even if they disagree.

Flickr photo by rstrawser

Do you smell smoke?

Life in these United States recently posted a top ten list to check yourself to see if you are suffering from "Job-related BURN OUT."

Here are a few...

5.  Visions of the upcoming weekend help you make it through Monday.

3.  You leave for a party and instinctively bring your ID badge.

2.  Your DayTimer/Work Planner exploded a week ago.

The list made me laugh and cringe... all at the same time.  Can you relate?

I wouldn't be surprised.  More than half of the workers surveyed in a recent study claim to be working under a great deal of stress…while 77% say they are burned out!!

Can you smell smoke around your office?  Is black soot from burn out a badge of honor in your company's hallways? 

Or... maybe you work from home and you thought burn out would be a thing of the past... only to realize that checking e-mail at 10:30 pm is more the norm now than it was when you had a cubicle or a corner office! 

Geeeesch.  What's a person to do?

Well... one of the most important things you can do is acknowledge that it's an issue.  It sounds so simple but this is key.  Let's just say that it's the first step... and maybe the most important step.

Are you wondering if this is you?  Here's a simple test I give my clients. 

First step: Rank the following items from 1 to 10 (1 being least important and 10 being most important.)

_____ Spiritual Life

_____ Relationships/Family

_____ Relationships/friends

_____ Health and exercise

_____ Income

_____ Upkeep of home

_____ Continued learning and personal development

_____ Career

_____ Volunteering… church/community involvement

_____ Other: ________________________________

The Second Step:
Now think about how you spent your last 24 hours... your last week... even your last month.  Does your schedule reflect your ranked priorities? (Note: This is tough. For most of us, it doesn’t. This is one of the reasons why we tend to feel a lack of balance in our lives and why we burn out.)

How did you do?   

If your ranked priorities and your schedule didn't align... you might be seeing the orangeish hue of the burn-out flame.  Because... when our lives and our priorities don't match up and/or when we are not in our sweet spot... burn-out tends to be around the corner.

If this is you, check out some of these on-line resources:

• Umet.net's 5 strategies
• Dr. Potter has some ideas too
• Mayo Clinic even has some recommendations

The main thing is... acknowledge it and do something.  Work with a friend suffering from the same thing and get out of it together.  Talk to a friend who has dealt with it... and see how they did it.  Or... dare I say it... work with a coach to address it before the flame engulfs you. 

It's critical and if it's not dealt with, it can have lasting impact on your commitment, your focus and your calling... let alone your health and your relationships.

So... sniff sniff... see if you smell smoke.  If you do... take some action because where there's smoke... there might be burn out!

Join in the convo... if you've had some success with dealing with work-related burn out... click comments below and let the world know!

Photo credit and kudos to: superlocal

Will your business auto policy cover you in a rental car?

Here’s a short quiz:

1. Are you a business owner that uses your vehicle for both business and personal use?
2. Is your vehicle titled to your business entity?
3. Is your vehicle insured under your business auto policy? 

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then you will be surprised to learn how this affects you when renting a vehicle.

This subject was sparked by a recent meeting I had with a prospective client. As we discussed his vehicles and coverage, I learned that all of his personal vehicles were titled to his business.

While he had them insured under a business auto policy, he did not have the proper endorsement that would cover him should he rent a vehicle.

Now, you might be thinking "how often does that happen?"

Well in my most recent spring break travels, like many others, my family took a road trip this year. As we were driving down the freeway, I noticed many rental vehicles on the road. At the hotel, we met a family that owned a small business in Texas. We ran into them again later at a nearby outlet mall and I noticed that they were traveling in a rental vehicle. After noticing that, I wondered if they were at risk.

So what does this mean to you? Well, it’s simple. If you answered “yes” to the questions above, you may not have coverage if you rent a vehicle.

What can be done?

Just be sure that you have the hired auto endorsement on your policy.

The cost is minimal and will ensure that your liability insurance is carried over in the event that you need to rent a vehicle. It is also a good idea to review your vehicle use with your agent.

As Brian mentioned in a previous article, keep personal, personal. Therefore, if you no longer use your vehicle for business, then it may be beneficial to re-title the vehicle and insure it under a personal policy.

This can give you broader coverage and save you money.

Implied Complexity

I've always loved the story about the NASA pursuit to find the perfect pen for astronauts.  Independent businessman Paul Fisher spent one million dollars of his own money to develop a writing utensil that could be effectively used in space.  Wow!  What an impressive project!  Fisher must have felt so proud to have accomplished such a feat that would move the space program forward exponentially.  That is, of course, until it was publicized that the Russians had beaten them to it.  The Russians used pencils.

How about your project scope?  Are you making your project scope way too complex?  James P. MacLennan wrote a post advising project managers to keep things simple to avoid scope creep.  His comments made me smile:

Keep It Simple, Sir! Feature creep is the greatest enemy of the short-term project. Some features (like quality / testing) are not what you'd want to negotiate out of the project. Thinking about cutting short on documentation? You naughty, normal person ...

But how do you keep it simple?  How do you avoid complexity in your project scope?  How do you avoid adding too much too soon?  I like Rosa Say's approach.  Ask "why"... A LOT.  Asking the right question can lead to a much simpler project scope than asking a lot more of the wrong questions.  If NASA had just asked for a writing utensil that can work in space, they may have come up with the pencil solution.  Instead, they added a constraint (pen) which added complexity to the scope.

What questions do you need to ask about your projects to keep the complexity in check and prevent scope from getting out of hand?

Carpe Factum!

...You Might Be a Call Center!

I'm spending the week call coaching with a client who operates two "call centers" to help them improve their customer service.

They are a small company with 15-20 people in each location taking customer service calls. That's not a lot of Customer Service Representatives, but they are still a team of people who spend most of their day answering customer's calls. That makes them a call center.

Many people think of "Call Center" and they think of huge, cavernous floors of cubicles with hundreds of people answering calls 24/7/365. But a call center can be defined in much broader terms. I've had several managers, who will walk me through their operation of 50, 80, 100 people who do nothing all day but answer the phone, emphatically say to me, "We're NOT a Call Center."

And Denial is not a river in Egypt.

If you have one person in your company who spends the majority of his/her time talking to customers on the phone...you might be a call center.

If you talk to customers so much you invest in headsets...you might be a call center.

If you have to route customers to the appropriate person or department...you might be a call center.

If you are taking orders over the phone...you might be a call center.

If you are providing after the sale service via the phone...you might be a call center.

You might not like the term, but perhaps you should embrace it. The Call Center industry has a whole wealth of knowledge and expertise that can benefit Call Centers of 1 as well as Call Centers of 1,000.

Using Twitter to network yourself and your business

The concepts of networking and being connected have been critical components of doing business for ages. Technologies like LinkedIn and Facebook have allowed us to expand our professional networks online.

However, the one social network that I've derived the most professional value out of thus far has been Twitter, hands down. For those that aren't familiar with Twitter, it's a growing social network of about one million users, built upon short, 140-character status updates (or "tweets") between participants.

Twitter is virtually spam-free and has connected me to dozens of like-minded people working in similar industries here in Des Moines, and beyond. Eventually I've ended up meeting most of these connections in real life, either through Des Moines Twitter Meetups (we call them "TweetUps") or at industry conferences.

So, if you're a freelancer, a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or in a sales role, I would absolutely recommend adding Twitter to your social networking toolbox. (I'm assuming you already have a presence on LinkedIn - but if not, you should do so.)

One thing to note about using Twitter: Unlike LinkedIn, you're expected to not just have a presence there, but participate in all the conversation going on. Twitter's value comes from the quality of conversation you engage in and the quality of connections - not the quantity.

Happy tweeting!

Nathan T. Wright

Extending a helping hand

Today, many businesses are using their charitable giving as a marketing tool. And with good reason. For many companies, the dollars they donate to various charities would add up to a sizable advertising budget.

Some companies, however, are looking to do even more with their charitable dollars. They want to partner with a non-profit that somehow ties back to their product or service. They want the charity to fit their image and audience.

If you are looking for a charity that’s just the right fit for your organization, there’s a website that can help. Network for Good has a search engine that will allow you to use key words, charitable categories, and geographical perimeters to find charities that are a good match. If you happen to be a non-profit, you might check to make sure you are listed. While you’re there, visit their section specifically written to help non-profits make the internet work for them.

A great example of how powerful these partnerships can be is playing out right here in Central Iowa.  NCMIC Group (and this blog's sponsor Professional Solutions Insurance Services is also a sponsor) is announcing today their presenting sponsorship of the YESS Derby Duck Race to benefit the Youth Emergency Services and Shelter non profit.

From the charity's perspective, they get brain and brawn from NCMIC Group as they launch this brand new event (dumping 10,000 ducks into Jordan Creek Township's lake and holding a duck race).  Some lucky duck (sorry...can't help it) will win a brand new Toyota Matrix.  YESS couldn't pull this off without NCMIC Group's support and helping hands.

From NCMIC Group's point of view, not only do they get to raise money for a fantastic charity -- but they also get lots of media exposure and good will. 

A great partnership for lots of very valuable reasons.  Who could or should your business partner with?  There's nothing wrong with creating a win/win situation that also benefits your company's marketing goals.

By the way....to adopt a duck (you do not have to be present to win) for your shot at the car or any of the other superb prizes....go here or if you're local, go to any QuikTrip, Panera Bread or Jordan Creek.

Define Yourself

The best things in life are free

At least when it comes to things like Ted Demopoulos' new eBook Ted Demopoulos' effective internet presence.  Ted is a National Information Security expert and author of several books on blogging and personal branding. His latest book walks you through transitioning from online obscurity to a well-defined internet presence. While limiting the impact of online defamation may not yet appear on your radar, by the time it does, it may be too late.

Getting people to see your radical transparency

Earlier this month I wrote about the importance of becoming radically transparent. By being proactive, you, and not your competition or a single vociferous customer will define your online reputation. While having a well-defined online reputation is great, it is of little value  relegated to obscurity. The key is to fill the first several pages of a Google search with the radical transparency you define.

Lots of free tools vs. One expensive tool

Paying a professional to increase your Google ranking overnight may seem like a simple solution. However, once you stop paying the professional, you run the risk of having your reputation free-fall back into search engine obscurity, leaving you again vulnerable to those who just might not define your reputation so eloquently. A much better solution, and a cheaper one as well, is to utilize an arsenal of free online resources to organically grow your online exposure.

The Right Tools

The internet is full of tools to increase your exposure. But which are the easiest, cheapest and most effective? Ted Demopoulos' effective internet presence explains how to leverage social networks, blog comments, lenses and even book reviews to expand your reach.  In addition to getting you seen by search engines, these tools also allow you to see what others are saying about you. Identifying and addressing potential reputational issues early is the key  to keeping them from spinning out of control.

It is going to get worse before it gets better

Stars like Sarah Jessica Parker and Dawn Wells are critically aware of how much more quickly attacks on reputation spread when compared to accolades. Now average Joes and Josephines are experiencing the international phenomenon as it spreads down the long tail of internet. Metablogs like Digg, Reddit and Fark are seeing an increase in both the quantity and quality of Schadenfreude hitting everyday people and businesses.

Before it is too late

Unfortunately, by the time you realize someone has commandeered your online reputation, it is often too late to start your building your online reputation. A solid, organic online reputation takes months or years to develop. The more time you take developing your presence, the better that presence will serve you in identifying and curtailing the impact of online defamation and critical news.

Even if a salacious story takes over the search engine for a while, a well-rooted online presence will weather the storm as the reputational attacks eventually slip down the search engine rankings. Just a little time spent each month implementing even a few of the tools Ted recommends in his free eBook will serve you better than a Hollywood publicist when you or your company is finally blind-sided by an online attack.

Brett Trout

Temptation

Believers around the world today celebrate deliverance from sin and the promise of forgiveness.  These concepts have yet to catch on with the IRS.

Temptation lurks constantly for the entrepreneur.  It can seem so easy to take tax deductions for personal expenses.  When they yield to the temptation, the IRS isn't known for mercy.

Wisconsin scrap metal dealer recently pleaded guilty to running over $800,000 in personal expenses through his company's expense accounts, including over $139,000 in personal travel.  The IRS caught up with him, and the 62-year old man is now serving an 18-month prison term.  In addition, he was hit with a $40,000 fine and civil penalties of $263,000.  Oh, and he also has to pay his $351,000 in back taxes, with $283,000 in interest.

When the IRS comes to audit small businesses, their examination program includes reviews of company expenses with just this sort of thing in mind.  That means business owners who run personal expenses though the business books have a reasonable chance of being caught on  examination.  Once they come after you, your odds aren't very good.

The Moral?  If you don't give unto Caesars what is Caesars when you file your return, he'll want a lot more if he catches you. 

Whose agenda are you on?

I was given a sales book some time ago. Well, not so much a book as a 6" X 10" flip chart.

It was a flip chart of effective rebuttals to common objections. It was an entire book on sales techniques and tricks of the trade. How to steer the conversation, how to close the sale and how to persuade someone to do something they don't necessarily want to do.

It was written by one of those guys who claims he could sell a freezer to a penguin or talk a dog off of a meat truck.

It never made any sense to me. Then a couple of years ago I read a book called Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play - The Demise of Dysfunctional Selling and the Advent of Helping Clients Succeed by Mahan Khalsa.

Mahan Khalsa, vice president of the Franklin Covey Sales Performance Group, says that it's intent that matters much more than technique. Is it your intent to get the sale so you can buy that new car you've had your eye on or to win the quarterly sales contest? Or is it your intent to create the right solution for your prospect even if it means referring the business elsewhere?

Whose agenda are you on?

I believe most business owners and business leaders have become very intuitive and discriminating in who they are willing to trust. Our clients quickly process our intent. If your client gets the sense your intent is self-serving, they will quickly shut you out and the sale will die.

Mahan says few people can fake intent. My wife, a native Texan, says if it looks like duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck...it must be a duck!

Do you realize your intent before making a sales call?