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Many companies feel that, by giving each member of staff some instruction in workplace safety, they are sufficiently equipped for a crisis. The truth of the matter is that, regardless your industry, a basic education in safety legislation and risk asessment just isn’t adequate. Equipping employees, choosing a good supervisior and facillitating regular practise are all essential factors. Each team needs a great supervisor to oversee the work area, yet this person also needs to fulfill a greater purpose. Your choice of supervisor must be a good communicator and also see health and safety instruction as fundamental.
In addition to checking conformity with health and safety regulations, the individual supervising also should make certain that each employee works efficiently. This isn’t a easy task. Excellent industry knowledge is a requirement in a supervisory role in addition to a very high standard of experience with the latest legislation involving safety, risk assessment and emergency assistance techniques.
It’s just not adequate to offer your staff health and safety instruction. To successfully identify a safety risk they need to put their new-found knowledge into practise. Employees need to know how to eradicate hazards and knowing what to do when the unexpected happens. Staff are only protected when everything has become automatic. The right safety apparatus is just as necessary to the your employees’ well being as any training. When they do not possess the proper equipment or alternatively if employees discover that supplies are not functioning properly only after a crisis has happened, all the training there is to offer is not going to help them.
It’s a good idea to schedule regular inspections to ascertain if you have all the essential gear and also to check that it is functioning correctly. If you have a fault with your supplies, make sure it is repaired or serviced as soon as you can. Health and safety education is important for the health of your staff, but in addition they also require good quality equipment, regular practises, and a supervisor who can motivate your staff. And then following all the safety regulations become a natural part of life in the workplace and no longer something everyone has to make an effort to remember.
Escrow is a routine in a sale of a property that requires the buyer to deposit funds as payment for the property and the seller to deposit the documentation and legal instruments of the asset. An escrow company addresses and oversees these deposits impartially. Usually, the seller and the buyer need to agree on which escrow services provider they would hire although in most instances it is the vendor who selects. The escrow firm selected should make certain that both parties concur on the stipulations of the sale and sign the needful papers. To make the shift of ownership done properly, the escrow service provider fulfills what is obligatory of it as found in the escrow contract.
Utilising escrow will give both purchaser and vendor the accompanying gains: both parties are promised that their deposits are secured as accomplished by the escrow firm; whatever their duties are as found in the sale contract, escrow makes certain they are done; the asset being sold is looked into and made positive it is free from burdens.
The escrow service supplier will be rendered the escrow contract after it is accomplished. An escrow account will then be made on behalf of and for the parties. The buyer will then be required to deposit funds to pay for the property while the seller is required to deposit the property deed.
The escrow company makes definite that the deed or title of the property is loose from all interferences. This furnishes safety to the buyer as he or she takes on possession of the property. In addition to the duties already referred, the escrow supplier also handles certain provisions the agreement may have which include repairs and renovations, date of close, insurances, loan payments and date to empty the property.
An escrow can be canceled if either party senses it is not functioning as projected. Before they can do this, they must both concur and indicate so in writing. If the escrow agreement is cancelled, the escrow provider will collect service fees for functions furnished. A legal hearing may be done to handle the cancellation.
A flourishing business depends heavily on efficient people management skills. You may succeed in learning these techniques. Having a intuitive skill for getting along with people and forming relationships is a plus, all the same you can do some things that will make this procedure simple. Relationship Building: Start by memorizing the names of the workforce. Engage in conversation; look employees in the eye as you’re speaking. Have a respectful attitude, and be sure to be attentive to the other person’s point of view, even if you don’t agree or have another point of view. Acquiring the ability to listen is one of the greatest things you can do to improve your people management skills. Show an interest in what everyone can offer the business organization.
Live up to promises: Keeping your promises is crucial. When you don’t keep your word, the delicate bond of trust is broken, and nobody will offer you their best without trust. When you make a statement or make a promise, you are squandering your time if you don’t act with integrity. You will find, if you can’t be depended upon, you can be sure they will behave in the same fashion.
Welcome any comments: Feedback must be a two way process. People management skills mean being open to all feedback. Being approachable and open demonstrates that other’s opinions matter to you, your ideas will be appreciated in the same manner. Supporting discussion in addition encourages evolution of creative problem solving, ways of fulfilling the mission of the team, and develops the company dynamic. By giving the staff some input, the success of the business will become important to every employee. Communicating is the key: Dealing with your team comes down to the same thing - communication. Be approachable, listen closely to other people’s views, remember to welcome employees to express their ideas, and give team members a chance to express themselves. Inspire staff not only to speak with you, but also with each other. The sharing of thoughts is important in the creative process, and through communicating with one another, it is much easier to find issues before they become problems, and measures can be put in place before matters get out of hand. Some effort is necessary, however the dividends achieved far outweigh the effort. By building the bonds of a good team and developing effective listening skills, you can easily accomplish a successful business.
Competent people management techniques are critical for business success. People management can be improved and studied. Having a spontaneous affinity for getting along with people may be an advantage, even so there are a lot of things you can learn that will simplify the process. Build relationships: Addressing people by name should be a beginning. Encourage conversation; make eye contact when you are talking. Show respect, and be sure to be attentive to what the other person says, even if you don’t agree or have a different point of view. Acquiring the ability to listen is among the most effective things you may do to develop your talent management skills. Welcome any contributions from your team members.
Live up to your word: Keeping your word is very important. When you don’t deliver on what you have promised, the delicate bond of trust is wrecked, and without trust people certainly won’t offer their best. When you say something or give your word on something, you are wasting your time unless you keep your promises. To be honest, if your people can’t depend on you, you can be assured they will act in a similar manner.
Welcome any observations: It’s a two-way street. People management skills mean keeping an open mind to all feedback. If you can show approachability and openness, you show that you appreciate your co-worker’s feedback, and they should value yours. Supporting conversation in addition opens doors to new ways of thinking, ways of achieving goals, and develops the team dynamic. If your co-workers have a voice, each member takes an interest in the results. Encourage communication: Good communication is fundamental to dealing with individuals skilfully. Be approachable, listen attentively to other people’s views, remember to welcome feedback , and give all of your employees an equal voice. Employees must be inspired to speak to each other not just with you. The growth of any business depends a great deal on the open exchange of opinions, if the employees communicate well, you can recognize any problems early, and corrections can be implemented before things get out of hand. This may require time, but the rewards far outbalance the work. By establishing the bonds of a good team and developing effective listening techniques, a flourishing business can be achieved.
Do you manage or direct a small or medium business? You ought to understand web conferencing because you could be decreasing your expenses by exploiting this internet meeting technology.
Let’s commence by giving an explanation and specification of web conferencing. In a nutshell web conferencing is a technology that lets any collection of persons participate in web meetings and gatherings. It takes advantage of the internet and inexpensive accessories like microphones to make web meetings inexpensive and effortless.
We will now move on to discussing why your operation will profit if you analyze the suitability of web conferencing technologies. All enterprises conduct meetings and conferences. The smallest one-person shops still have to confer with their customers and vendors. In bigger companies internal meetings among co-workers are more common. In both situations, the participants may be separated by a few steps, a few miles, or thousands of miles.
The most conspicuous large dollar expenditure when folks come together from various locations is travel. Airfare isn’t the only cost. Hotel accomodations and meal costs can really become important also. With a web meeting or online conference call, all the travel costs just disappear.
Specific travel expense is only the beginning when it comes to calculating the actual cost to your business. There’s also the less immediate cost of non-productive time devoted to traveling.
You now appreciate that you will be able to save your business appreciable cost by capitalizing on online meeting technology, so why not try it for your next gathering?
I’ll give you one more reason to decide now. You can now get a 30-day free trial of the top rated GoToMeeting interactive web conferincing service. And with this GoToMeeting Promo Code you get $10 off the subscription fee after the 30-day trial. You now have no excuse not to try it in your business.
Business today requires more ingenuity in operating profitably than ever before. High costs are not just related to labor, pensions and corporate benefits. Excessive costs can be found throughout the organization and take many forms.
Where does the company start to look for waste and excessive costs? What cuts that will assist, which will harm? The smart executive team must always understand their costs and weigh their options before making the decisions necessary to maintain competitiveness. To be effective and not threaten the stability of the business, executive management must set the example for the business. They must be as open to, and accept examination as they expect the balance of the company to be. Change starts at the top and flows down.
Cost cutting is not just about reducing staff, salaries and benefits. Indeed, these activities will reduce costs but they also send a terrible message to employees, No job is safe! As this fear spreads, productivity will suffer, you may even be in jeopardy of losing key employees that the business requires. Replacing these people will increase costs in recruiting and training while producing a further negative affect on morale. Instead of placing salary and staff cuts topmost on the list of reductions, they should be left until all other options have been exhausted.
Waste takes many forms; excess office supplies, inventory and redundant activities, to name only a few. Tasking the department leaders to find and identify excesses is an approach, but may not be the most effective method. First, they are too close to the operation and may not see the excesses. Second, they may not want to identify waste in their department, it isn’t always in their best interest.
Employees’ self interest and fear of corporate politics make it difficult to be objective. Admitting one’s faults or errors to another coworker is difficult at best, therefore, internal investigations are usually ineffective. Any individual going against the “politically correct’ beliefs and attitudes held by the company or fellow employees, will be in jeopardy of damaging their career. For that reason alone, it is easier to report to management what they want to hear rather than the truth.
The efforts of staff can ensure the business succeeds through implementing workarounds. The workarounds address the immediate problems, but do not solve the problem long-term and usually contribute to more complexities than are necessary. Tasks that benefit the business’s bottom line may be sacrificed due to lack of time. The employees work hard to make the business a success, but are they working as smart as they should be?
Process improvements and metrics measurements are excellent tools for identification of excesses and lead the way to implementation of cost cutting and continuous improvement. The detailed examination of process and data flow within the company will uncover areas that can be improved and assist in reducing complexities. Management may be aware there are problems within the organization, but the extent or depth of the problem likely is not known thanks in part to dedicated employees.
As mentioned above, employees’ and their self interests may hamper the examination of the business processes. Combine this with the belief that they are going to fall behind on their regular duties and the natural result will be a less than thorough evaluation. The business will not be fully served and the effort will likely become just another incomplete initiative.
To fully serve the interests business and perform an accurate examination, hire a consultant experienced in this type of work. The cost associated with this individual will be more than offset in several ways. The impact on your staff will be minimal, allowing them to continue with their regular duties. The consultant will not be influenced by politics and will deliver an accurate assessment of costs and potential savings.
Simultaneously with the process examination, the consultant should mentor the staff and transfer the knowledge necessary to perform continuous improvements. To make the best use of these activities, the management team must empower all employees to participate in a free exchange of ideas for business improvements.
Following this outline will provide the answers you need to decide “Which cuts that will assist, which will harm?”
William Wood is an independent consultant specializing in assisting small and medium sized businesses who require premium level consulting service. Mr. Wood has over thirty (30) years of business experience and is trained in multiple methodologies. His website is http://www.amberwoodconsulting.com.
In some ways this article is a continuation of Managaging Your Team (Part 4) in that ‘influencers from a position of authority or expertise may be guilty (consciously or unconsciously) of ignoring inputs from team members or, just as damaging, putting down / under-valuing the contribution made and the contributor who made it.
Unfortunately, all of us may be guilty of this behaviour from time to time and often this attitude and behaviour will be accompanied with…
“C’mon, I was only joking! Don’t be so sensitive”
One of the main root causes of this behaviour, as I have touched on previously is based on our value system.
We live, breath, and act our own values - they are who we are and, therefore, are extremely important to each of us whether we are fully aware of them or not.
In context, think of some practical examples…
You’ve guessed it, not surprisingly, these are values that are very important to me in both my personal and business lives. Yours may be the same or totally different. To illustrate the point…
Punctuality is extremely important to you, it is one of your primary values. So, how do you feel when team members regularly turn up late to your meetings? How do those who turn up on time feel when you wait until everyone has arrived before you start the meeting? What message are you sending out?
NOW, let’s say you have just given your views, made a suggestion to the group and it is completely ignored. How do you feel?
Who’s guilty of plopping - you are - you’ve just plopped! Everyone else continues with the group discussion which bears no relevance to the inputs you’ve made.
You’re left sitting there (or worse standing there) wondering what the heck has just happened.
O.K. in the overall scheme of things it will happen to all of us at some time and by understanding that fact, we won’t get things out of perspective or over-react.
However, we do need to focus on the challenge or issue when a team member is ignored or under-valued repeatedly by the rest of the team or one individual frequently under-values other team members
You could argue that the title of this article should be…
Who’s Guilty of Making Me Plop?”
Just maybe…
So, one theme you’ll find in a number of these articles is our duty of care to our fellow team members. It is encumbent on all of us to guide our team colleagues, respect their contributions, seek clarification if necessary - don’t discount it or them, and where appropriate, provide constructive feedback to those who are consciously or unconsciously undervaluing other team members.
And, what can I do as team leader?
“Before we move on, I think what Joe said is worth consideration so let’s spend some more time discussing it”
Managing Your Team (Part 6) will look at “You Two, Stop Fighting”
Andrew has over 20 years experience providing personal and business coaching specialising in strategic planning, continuous improvement,personal development and lifelong learning.
Providing a focused problem solving approach through our personal and business coaching (especially to small businesses). Our primary theme and overriding goal is to provide you with the right choices that fit your needs, solve your problems.
Our website http://www.youraffiliatecoach.com is content rich with useful information, articles and resources.
More importantly there are free to subscribe opportunities to help you by answering questions, offering guidance and replying to your specific requests.
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We live in very progressive times, one only has to look around at the changes on the internet each day to see that this is true.
We see changes also happening within the world around us as well, sometimes for the better sometimes not. We sometimes can feel frustrated in that it appears that we can do nothing to make the changes that we would like to see.
It is only through banding together that we can make our influence felt, when you look back over the history of mankind it would appear that all the significant changes came about by team effort.
>From the first groups that gathered together in caves for mutual protection against the forces of nature and the dangers of the wild, to today with groups working together to help our journeys towards the stars.
While most of us may never be going on journeys to stars, nor have to fend off the forces of nature, there are exceptions to every rule, we can find ourselves in a situation where being independent doesn’t help.
It is in these times of need that we find that being part of a team and co-operating as a team with a single purpose creates a greater good.
So when we go looking for an on-line business that we can participate in, we need to look at the existing teams within that business. How well do they interact? How well do they assist newcomers?
Unless these factors are thoroughly researched one can find yourself struggling not only to work out what you should do to work this business, but can actually find that others may be negatively impacting the way we work.
Now I know that it is easy to say find a group to work with, however not all personalities can work well together and so you not only need a good program, you need people that you are comfortable to work with and that you get along with.
This all takes time which is a significant reason why nearly every GET-RICH-QUICK scheme fails, this type of program is an individual domain not a team effort. It is only in the team oriented system that true value is placed on individuals and their worth to the team as an integral part of a well oiled machine.
Our planet requires this team effort as well, it is no good trying to do things by yourself. You need like minded individuals to create significant change. Although a single spokesperson may be associated with an event it is the team that is behind that person that achieved any of the successes.
I am not taking away from the individual, some are born entrepreneurs and if you can find one who is willing to mentor you then by all means latch onto their coat tails, I am sure that journey will be worthwhile.
However if you were to remove the team behind the one I can say without any fear that the results would be thousands of times less then with them.
So being part of a team is really a pre-requisite for a successful business on the internet, but how do you find that team? How will you start? What do you need to do?
The first step is to work out if there is an existing program that already has a team in place and whether this group meets your expectations of what you want to do.
If not move on find one that does, now I am not suggesting that you jump from one idea to another not at all, do your homework on the program prior to joining, talk with those already involved, find out what makes them and this particular program tick.
Once you are satisfied make a commitment to stay with this program for a sufficient amount of time to give it a fair go, we are not talking weeks or months here but a long term commitment of at least 12 to 36 months.
This is the only way that you will establish your own niche in any program.
The next step and I am sure that you have heard this many times before, start to build your own list of people to share with, people that can like yourself become part of your team.
There are many ways that you can go about building your lists, and being a newbie myself I am still learning, however one very good method that I have found is by having my own newsletter. http://oneperfectday.net/newsletter.htm
You can build a list using this method within a few months from 10 or 12 to over 400. In time you can build this list into the 1000’s that you see others creating.
One thing I will mention here if you do go this path, you must have something of value to offer your subscribers, so that they will keep coming back to hear what you have to say in your newsletter/ezine.
Other methods of creating opt-in lists are in creating reports or eCourses and offering these free to anyone that wants them, of course you need to make sure that they have a perceived value or else you will not have any one join.
You could also create capture pages and offer a something of value for your subscribers name and email address, this works well but I have found that the other methods are superior in my own experience.
Another way is to do this what I am doing now write an article about something that you know about and submit it along with your resource box, the part in your message that contains the details of your own business.
eZine and Newsletter editors are constantly looking for new articles that are of value to their subscribers and could supplement what they are doing on the internet, it is this cross sharing that can also help build your opt-in list.
Especially if what you have written is helpful to others, one thing that sticks in my mind is a saying “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”–Zig Ziglar–
This is so true, in fact you can virtually guarantee that if you help sufficient people along the way you too will grow in your business acumen.
So go out there and find your Team to work with, begin creating your list and create and share your wealth, whether that is in the form of money or knowledge.
About The Author
Ray Cooney has been involved in on-line marketing for over five years now. He has worked in many areas of the IT arena and is currently part of the administration for the Permaworld Foundation.
http://permaworld.org/members/join/
He also publishes his own newsletter to assist people in their on-line marketing efforts.
http://oneperfectday.net/ezine
He is also a supporter of the Feeding Kids Organisation through the promotion of the PermaSHARE Program.
http://permaworld.org/members/helpingkids/
ray@oneperfectday.net
Gantt charts are useful tools for analysing, planning and controlling complex multi stage projects.
Gantt Charts can:
Assist in identifying the tasks and sub tasks to be undertaken
Help you lay out the tasks that need to be completed
Assist in scheduling when these tasks will be carried out and in what order
Assist in planning resources and needed to complete the project,
Assist in working out the critical path for a project where it needs to be completed by a particular date.
When a complex or multi stage project is under way, Gantt charts assist in monitoring whether the project is on schedule, or not. If not, the Gantt chart allows you to easily identify what actions need to be taken in order to put the project back onto schedule.
An essential concept behind project planning is that some activities are dependent on other activities being completed first. For example, it is not a good idea to start building the walls in an office block before you have laid the foundations; neither is it a good idea to put the cake mix into the tin without greasing the tin first.
These dependent activities need to be completed in a sequence, with each stage being more-or-less completed before the next stage can begin. We can call dependent activities ’sequential’.
Other activities are not dependent on completion of any other tasks. These activities may be done at any time before or after a particular stage in the project is reached. These activities are called are nondependent or ‘parallel’ tasks.
To learn more on how to draw up a Gantt Chart; refer to my previous article on Gantt Charts.
Sometimes it is necessary to complete a project earlier than originally planned or than your previously drawn up Gantt Chart says is possible.
In this event you will need to take action to reduce the length of time spent on each task and stage. This is called fast tracking.
One way to fast track a project is to pile resources and funds into every single project task to bring down the time spent on each task. This would probably consume huge additional resources and is a very expensive way to complete a project. In my early days as a chemical engineer on a huge Chemical plant, this method was normal.
A more efficient way of fast tracking would be to look only at activities on the critical path. ie Fast track only those tasks which are dependent on other tasks being completed.
A construction example is using tilt slab concrete walls which are made at the same time as the foundations are being laid.
Resources are added only to those activities which are on the sequential critical path. Costs would still increase but in a more planned and controlled manner.
This method works also well when a deadline on the project is missed, and remedial action is needed to gain time and catch up to the original timetable.
Liz Cassidy, founder of Third Sigma International is an author, Speaker, Trainer and Executive Coach dedicated to facilitating results in the businesses, professional and personal lives of her clients. For more information http://www.thirdsigma.com.au
How do you increase your visibility by focussing on ‘high pay off’ activities to build your profile and profits?
Speaking in public is the fastest way to attract, win and even retain more profitable clients.
It is a ‘one to many’ activity that delivers an enormous return on investment for your time and effort.
It also builds your expert power and recognised authority status.
When combined with a good media relations plan it is one of the most powerful and cost effective marketing strategies around.
Here’s a personal case study of how to turn a five minute speech into $200,000 worth of media coverage.
“Malaysia - Opening doors to Australian Business” was the theme for a business breakfast held on March 10th 2006.
Malaysia is Australia’s ninth largest trading partner, with two-way trade between our two countries currently standing at almost $10 billion.
As a Perth-based international business speaker working in Malaysia, I joined James Wise, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia (left hand side) and Peter Kane, Australian Senior Trade Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei (right hand side) on the platform at a breakfast function “Meet The Ambassadors” to share firsthand insights on how to tap into the second strongest economy in South East Asia.
The marketing copy for the event was impressive.
“James Wise is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has been Australia’s High Commissioner to Malaysia since 2003.
Peter Kane has served as Austrade’s Senior Trade Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur since 2005.
Peter has a wealth of experience gained from assisting Australian exporters in diverse markets across the world for nearly 20 years.”
More than 250 people turned up to the breakfast. Including a columnist for Malaysia’s most influential media vehicle, the The Star newspaper.
So why did the columnist choose to write a full page article about my five minute speech and not the two other more eminently qualified and experienced speakers?
Well, I believe there were five essential ingredients that made it irresistible to the media and journalist.
Here are the insider’s secrets so you can achieve the same amazing success with your next speech.
1. Emotional Connection.
As US speaking coach Doug Stevenson says when he talks about strategic storytelling - making content come alive, “emotion is the fast lane to the brain” and you must feel genuine emotion to connect with your audience.
2. Tell A Story.
Relevant stories are a powerful tool to illustrate key points.
My most relevant personal story to my Malaysian message was my ‘walking barefoot on hot coals experience’ at an Anthony Robbins Unleash The Power Within seminar I attended in Kuala Lumpur with 4,000 other delegates.
Even the world’s most powerful communicators use personal stories. Take for example British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
He was in Australia for the recent Commonwealth games and gave a speech to federal parliament on March 27th.
His speech was covered in the Australian media and here’s part of that speech and in particular a personal story.
“Australia may not be in my blood, but it surely is in my spirit. My earliest memories are Australian. From the age of two, till five I lived in Adelaide … At uni I was reintroduced to religion by an
Australian Peter Thompson, and introduced to politics by another, Geoff Gallop, both dear friends to this day. I’ve been back many times. I love the people, love the place, always have and always will. Australia is just a very special place to be.”
3. See, Hear and Touch.
Use descriptive words to create visual, auditory and tactile anchor points for your audience.
Paint the picture and create the movie in their minds.
4. Make It Personal.
Share something personal from a place of vulnerability and you create instant rapport with your audience.
5. Have A Strong Call To Action.
Make sure your audience take action after listening to your speech.
If you go to my blog an unedited version of my “Meet The Ambassadors” presentation is available now for you to listen to.
And, here is the story Personal touch to success, Insight Down Under: By JEFFREY FRANCIS that appeared in the Star newspaper.
And how did I come to value this story at $200,000. Well to take out a full-page advertisement in the Star newspaper would cost $50,000. But editorial coverage is four times more credible than an advertisement and you need to multiply the advertising cost by a factor of four.
Now this method is not recommended by industry bodies such as the Public Relations Institute of Australia. But it does provide a useful framework.
And of course, the story is available for the world to see on the Internet.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries. You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom’s blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com