3. June 2010 by Monique Guilford.

That’s right folks, there is no way around it. The world is constantly changing around us. We have gone from the Agricultural Era to the Industrial Era. We have gone from women working mainly in the homes to holding a political office. Once upon a time, technology was a strange, new tool to us, but now it has become a tool that is essential for our survival. Change is inevitable, but it is how we handle that change that makes the difference.

Recently, I finished reading a book entitled; Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell. Today, Keith Harrell is one of America’s most popular motivational speakers, but before this notable title, he was an inspiring NBA player from Seattle University. Once he was not afforded the opportunity to play for the NBA, he went for the next big challenge, working as a salesman for IBM. After a few years of training and conducting workshops at IBM, Keith decided that it was time for him to focus mainly on what is was called to do…motivational speaking. Mr. Harrell was about to endure a major life change, but he was determined to succeed with his “whatever it takes” attitude.

It was not easy for Mr. Harrell to reach his goal. The road ahead proved to be very tumultuous and there were a lot of “nay sayers” along the way. However, he kept a positive attitude and he refused to become a victim of “changecosis”, a disease that threatens your ability to enjoy life and to develop your full potential (p.181). Again, I understand how ‘scary’ change can be; the unknown can be frightening. We must remember though to keep a positive attitude when change is occurring in our lives. Keith Harrell (2000) suggests ten strategies for creating a positive attitude about change that can be adopted into our lives daily.

1. Tap Into the Power of Your Subconscious.
The mind is a powerful tool and it can be trained to work wonders for you. Take the time to program your mind with a positive attitude about ongoing change. Jump out of bed each morning grateful that you have lived to see another day and be ready to seize it. The author used the example of how he wakes up each morning, clapping his hands a few times to welcome the new day and to get himself “psyched” for the new challenges. This is a good attitude to have towards work. Instead of saying, “Oh no, is it Friday yet?”, try viewing workdays as another opportunity to strengthen your work skills, thus making you a viable employee.

2. We live in a culture of reflection.
Reflection is a powerful tool used by educators to better themselves in the field.  The author encourages us to elevate our standards and overcome our limitations through this process. During this reflection period, we should be cautious to monitor our inner dialogues and be aware of any negative inner thoughts and cease them immediately. It may be helpful to keep a work journal in which you record your actions and tasks, then review them at home to seek ways to improve.

3. Keep Your Long-Term Goals in Mind.
Well-defined goals will keep you focused. Visualization is a great tool to help you in this process. Focusing on your goals helps you to regain a sense of control over your life. It also increases your self-esteem and your outlook on life. I know that when I visualize myself as Dr. Guilford, it makes me that more determined to finish my doctoral program. I have even gone as far as printing out a picture of a scholar in the doctoral regalia and placing my face on the body. If you are hoping for a new promotion on the job, visualize yourself receiving that promotion and keep yourself encourage during the process by remembering things that you have done to enhance the company.

4. Avoid Learned Helplessness.
If you don’t find direction in life, it will direct you. We may not be able to stop unwanted change from occurring in our lives, but we can program ourselves to take positive actions and make the most of it. We are not helpless! We have enormous power to act, set goals, and to go after them. You may not be able to control the fact that your job is down-sizing and that you may be affected soon, however, you can remain positive about this change and make the most of it.

5. Maintain a Balance.
It is important to maintain a physical, mental and spiritual balance. Remember, you are no good to the world if you don’t take care of yourself. Rest, healthy eating habits, and regular exercise are vital in keeping a positive attitude. When we feel overwhelmed at work, quality time with friends and family can easily help us put things back into perspective. Companies today are becoming more and more in tuned with meeting the whole needs of the employee and offer fitness courses that employees can participate in during their lunch breaks. The key here is being in tuned with yourself to know when you need to regroup and to use the words of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin “reload” (without guns of course!).

6. Acknowledge Change.
The author encourages us to never ignore change. We make greater strides in life when we let go and strive for something better. Letting go empowers us to release past hurts, rejection, and frustration. This reminds me of someone whom I used to work with that I will refer to as Sally. Sally was a good employee at company ABC, but her demeanor was not received well by other employees and/or customers. Although Sally received excellent employee evaluations from the company, her employee contract was not renewed during the renewal period. Sally and I were good friends at ABC and one day during lunch, she confided in me that she believed the reason for contract not being renewed resulted in her poor attitude and resistance to change on the job. Sally is a good employee, someone I would hire to work for me if I had my own business, but I am afraid that her attitude may prevent her from getting the job that she deserves in the long run.  Accepting change is not over night, it is a gradual process.  Ultimately the only thing that we can change is ourselves and that makes a world of difference.

7. Convert Threats into Opportunities.
When change seems threatening, try to look at it as a new opportunity to make a difference in the world. When we are given new tasks on the job, exposed to new technology, or even a new boss, we should view these changes as an opportunity to widen our experience and expand our knowledge. Think about it, how impressive will your resume look to future employers now that you have experience working in a different department or with a new tool in technology.

8. Turn the Change into Challenge.
The challenges in life teaches us something about ourselves.  It forces us out of our comfort zones. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man [or woman] is not where he [or she] stands in the moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. If your manager changes your work agenda at the last minute, do not panic! View this change as a challenge and remember that you have the ability to remain professional and make the most out of it.

9. Keeping your mind in a constant positive state requires a tremendous amount of work.
Create affirmations to say to yourself throughout the day or make a list of positive quotations to stay on track. Some places of work have opportunities in which managers and employees empower one another before the day begins. If this is the case for you, I would suggest that you take advantage of that opportunity each time. Empowerment for the mind is like Vitamin C for the body. It will also help if you composed an A-Team which will consist of positive mentors that can help you “snap” out of a negative mood. The A-Team should be diverse and consist of people from all ethnic groups and social classes.

10. Seek Support from Members of You’re A-Team.
As mentioned previously, it is important to have nurturing relationships that are dependable in times of need. Avoid those that a “busy bodies” at work. Surround yourself at work with people who enjoy life and want to make the most out of it. People who truly care about you want you to lean on them in difficult and challenging times because they know that you would be there for them in return. Remember, no man is an island. We can all help each other achieve our goals.

I have decided to refer to this book as my “mini-bible” on attitude. Keith Harrell reminds us that attitude is everything and it impacts everything that we do. A good attitude can lead us down the path to having everything that we desire in life. Whether starting a new job, getting new boss, or dealing with a natural disaster, keeping a positive mindset will help you through adverse times. Jim Rohn said, “If you learn to set a good sail, the wind that blows will always take you to the dreams you want, the income you want, and the treasures of mind, purse, and soul you want. ”Having a positive attitude especially when it comes to change is one way to achieve that. 

Source:
Harrell, Keith (2000).  Attitude is everything: 10 life-changing steps to turning attitude into action.  Harper-Collins Publishers, Inc.

Rohn, Jim (2010).  Retrieved from http://www.jimrohn.com

Posted in Hiring Process, Customer Service, Creating the Culture, Training | Print | 1 Comment »

20. April 2010 by deblee.

Newbie is a slang term for a newcomer or somebody inexperienced in any profession or activity. I am the newbie. I have worked at my company for a very long time, but have recently changed positions, so although I am not inexperienced in my profession, I still have a lot to learn, which is why I was looking forward to mingling with my new division members at some recent meetings.

My plan was to learn as much as I could from my peers, how do they do their job? What tools do they use? What do they enjoy about their work? What resources do they use? I got loads of new information to take back and put to use.

Although most of the information I received was positive and helpful, one comment sticks out in my mind. When asking one person about their job, they told me, “I haven’t gotten any development from my Manager”.  This made me think, ”What exactly is a Manager’s role in development, and why do some employees flourish, while others flounder?”

I started thinking about managers I have had in the past, both good and bad, and I came to the conclusion that development was something you do yourself…the best managers I had simply gave me the tools and resources I needed…the rest was up to me.

So, I have decided that “not being developed” is simply an excuse.  If there are tools and resources available, and an employee chooses not to use these tools or resources, then the lack of development falls back on them. But what do I know, I’m just a Newbie.

Posted in Hiring Process, Creating the Culture, Training | Print | 5 Comments »

10. January 2010 by Noel Guilford.

OK, so now you’ve found your way down that long path to business ownership. First, congratulations! You have done something that many only dream of and even fewer have the courage to pursue that dream. Over that rise, past your opening day, lies a expansive land full of responsibilities and challenges…many of them daily. For those people with enough foresight and vision it gets easier over time. The reality is that most business owners have no experience and often feel lost even after many years of running their first or even second business. If any business owner should find themselves in this position there is no shortage of assistance out there for those that look.

Of all the obstacles faced, nothing compares to how difficult people-management can be, especially in today’s work force.  You can go absolutely mad trying. The most commonly used tactic is to find someone else to deal with it. Sounds easy right, well who is going to manage that person? If anyone needs sound and consistent leadership it’s the middle management. To manage a strong leader takes an even stronger leader. This is all considering that the right person can be found, hired, trained, compensated, and retained. I wont take the time here to discuss the possibility of doing that when there is a more effective and rewarding option available.

Unfortunately the “no wait, right now” society that we have become totally conflicts with the time and effort needed to effectively mentor anyone. Yes I said it! That person with the extensive resume and years of experience didn’t crash land in your lobby.  They were made just like me, just like you. Someone molded and honed the well qualified professional aspirant looking to fill a position in your business. Good thing you found them and they you. If you haven’t yet found a gem of a worker for yourself then make one.

Take the hand of an employee with the determination and drive to excel and push them. Some of my most rewarding experiences has been laboring over the spark of potential and watching it grow. The biggest benefit to hatching your own egg is you get the desired experience necessary to fit your needs and the needs of your business with the added factor of the earned loyalty.

This is the real world and these eggs hatch and sometime move on to bigger and better opportunities. What I will leave you with is this - If a protege of yours needs to grow beyond you and your organization and has the chance to do so consider it the highest compliment to your ability to lead that you will ever receive. So find an employee worth the effort and sit on them.

Posted in Hiring Process, Creating the Culture, Being the Boss, Training | Print | 2 Comments »

28. December 2009 by Susan Kempton-Smith.

How do you know for sure that you’ve made the right hiring decision? You don’t, or at least you can’t be absolutely sure until the new hire has passed the test of time. What you can do is take some practical steps to reduce your risk of hiring the wrong person.

Step 1 - Without a road map you’ll be flying blind, so make sure that before you begin your search for the perfect employee, you develop a job description that truly encompasses necessary hard and soft skills.

Step 2 - Eliminate the candidates whose resumes suggest a less than perfect fit.

• Does the candidate’s job history indicate stability, or someone who changes positions frequently?
• If a college degree is required, does the candidate possess a degree that’s job related?
• If relocation expenses are not reimbursed, then it’s best to focus on local candidates.
• If the candidate’s residence is far away, will the long commute be an issue?
• If the candidate lists himself as the CEO, owner, or president of a company, this could indicate that he has a small business on the side, which could present a conflict of interest for someone who may not be able to commit himself to the job.

Step 3 - Screen the candidates for hard skills. You can determine the qualification potential of applicants by devising questions that can be administered over the phone, saving both of you time and money. For example, if a job requires specific computer skills, you can ask software-specific questions to help determine their skill level.

Step 4 – Have the applicant fill out an application and have them email or fax it to you prior to the face-to-face interview. This process helps to answer several questions. When driving is a job requirement, then a space for driving history should be included on the application. This can reveal DUIs or excessive speeding tickets, which would be probable reasons for elimination.

• If more than a few days lapse before the application is returned, then I would question how serious the candidate is about the job.
• Did the candidate pay attention to detail?
• Was the application complete?
• A section for the salary required by the candidate can help to eliminate candidates with an asking price that is out of range.
• Does the job history match the resume?

Step 5 – The face-to-face interview. This is the time to get to know the applicant.

• Were they punctual?
• Were they dressed appropriately?
• Were they confident without appearing cocky?
• Listen to your gut and don’t ignore the signs.
• Why are they interested in the position?
• Why do they want to work for your company? Did they do their homework and at least look up your company’s website?
• Get them to relax by initiating casual conversation. You’ll be surprised as to the insight you can gain into a potential hire by talking about recent events, vacations, favorite restaurants, books, and movies.

Step 6 – Picture them in your environment.

• Are they a team player, or do they need to work independently?
• Are they a self starter, and if not, how much training will be available?
• Keep the following in mind during the hiring process.
• Don’t be too hasty to hire. Your need to fill a position should not outweigh your need to hire the right person. It’s much easier to hire right the first time than to manage or possibly fire the wrong individual.
• A positive employee is a great marketing tool; however, a negative employee can have an equally or worse impact on your business and your bottom line.
• Can you see the potential hire becoming friends with other employees? Having a buddy at work can make all the difference when it comes to motivation.
• Will they mesh with their immediate supervisor? If you pair someone who seeks constant recognition with a manager who doesn’t adhere to that philosophy, don’t expect to get the very best from that new hire for long.
• If they’ll be working on a team, are they extroverts?
• Don’t sugarcoat the position or your expectations. It is better that they know exactly what they’re getting into than feel as if they were lied to during the interview process.

Finally, remember that skills can be taught. Personalities can’t. You can only expand what’s already there. It’s impossible to build on something that doesn’t exist.

Posted in Hiring Process | Print | 6 Comments »

19. August 2009 by The Original Bulldog - Bob Griffin.

The time when most people find out whether they are going to be good in business is when they are in school.  No, not college or even high school, but in elementary school.  That is when all the bad habits form and when the true nature of the entrepreneur rises.  In school you were taught to wait and follow the rules.  Line up, sit down, eat now, do this, go here or there.  All independent thought is squeezed out of you. 

The worst thing you could do in school was to look at the teacher because you may be called on to answer a question and being laughed at by your peers if you answer incorrectly - what a horrible thought.  So, you were taught to keep your head down, follow along, and do not speak up or question things.  Keep your head down and just follow the rules was your new mantra.

The true entrepreneur is that kid who asks too many questions. He finds ways to make things go more quickly and more efficiently, and is always, always in trouble for thinking for himself.  School, from elementary school to college, is NOT the place to ask questions or offer new opinions.  It is a place where real ideas go to die.

Can you tell I resent the waste of time I spent in those halls of supposed learning?

I tell my son, and I mean it with all my heart and soul, “Smart is what you do!”  Intelligence isn’t in a book even though you do need to know things from books to do a job well.  It also isn’t with a teacher who just rambles on about a subject, although there is something of value in those lectures (if you listen).  Intelligence is when you take something you learned and do something new with it to make your world better.  Entrepreneurs understand that from the day they are born. If more schools got kids out of their chairs and asked them to prove theories and create things the world would change overnight.

I have been supportive of my son who is a real entrepreneur.  I encourage his new ideas, his inventions (no matter how outlandish they are), and his experimentation (although I draw the line at what he wants to do to my car).  He is great with numbers, an outgoing person, and can see things that I do not.  I listen and let him tell me a story about what he wants to see happen.  At the age of three he came up with his own franchise. We are still working a few details out, but it will be great because in his mind he can see every detail. Can you imagine if you were given that kind of encouragement at a young age?

He gets in trouble at school for talking out of turn, for trying to do things he knows are right, and for doing things too quickly because he sees them as a time waster.  I know this is something he is not going to out grow, but rather something he is going to learn to deal with until his time is done there.  Smart kids figure out a way, don’t they?

Entrepreneurs drive people crazy (sorry teachers).  They can’t help it.  They think differently, act differently, and are not a ”follow the directions” kind of person.  We all know someone like this…some people just need to look in the mirror.  Entrepreneurs are the people who see past what is there to what we can do better.  Thank goodness for them.  I wouldn’t have the Business Bulldog brand if I had not seen how business could be run better.

I guess you would have to create a new sub-category for me and people like me, though.  I see how things are and spend my days working to help others create their own path to success.  Working with entrepreneurs is like herding cats sometimes and other times it is like running with the bulls.  Sometimes you are lucky to get one person on the right path and sometimes you are lucky to get out of the way while they are running down a path.

I am sure you have some people around you that drive you crazy with questions or ideas that may seem plucked from some science fiction book.  Do yourself a favor - shut up and listen.  Hire at least one person like this.  Encourage them to develop their ideas.  Encourage them to ask more questions.  Finally, encourage them to do something - Smart is what you do, right?!?

I want to encourage all of you to post a question on this site or even ask me a question directly.  I am at bgriffin@businessbulldog.com. 

Posted in Hiring Process, Creating the Culture, Training | Print | 2 Comments »