Latest Articles by cbdaily1 http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us Including a corporate chaplain in your toolbox http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/including-a-corporate-chaplain-in-your-toolbox.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/including-a-corporate-chaplain-in-your-toolbox.html Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
This year I was in Reno, Nevada, meeting with some of our key business owners for dinner. The subject of a corporate chaplain came up. They wanted to know if hiring a chaplain took away from the CEO’s responsibility to minister and serve the employees. I told them that the CEO still has that responsibility from God as do the other believers in the firm. But, all are needed to do the job. The chaplain, the CEO, key Christian executives, and any employee who is a follower of Jesus all have the responsibility and opportunity to model Christ daily and proclaim His Word to fellow employees, customers, and vendors in a non forceful way. I wish that every pastor and church staff person would serve one day a week as a volunteer chaplain to the firms of the members of their congregation. If this was done, our churches would increase in size overnight. We would be much more connected to the real world as we relate to the problems of the community as we encounter them in the reality of the daily workplace.

Boe Parrish is a workplace executive. He believes so much in the value of corporate chaplains, that he served as a part time chaplain for some local firms for the last twenty years. He spent an average of four hours a week doing this service. I asked Boe how many people came to Christ over these last twenty years. I was shocked when he told me that approximately 700 people had prayed to receive Christ during that period. I wondered how many small to mid sized churches had seen 30 to 40 adults come to Christ every year for the last twenty years. I wondered what would happen if we changed how we did church and trained all of our members to be workers, executives, and some to be chaplains in the workplace. Not only did these people turn their lives around but they became better employees and more loyal to their employer who cared enough for them to provide a free chaplain service.

Boe shared the following story with me. “I had been on the job about 2.5 weeks when I received a call from the HR director. He explained that the 13 year old son of a couple, who both worked for the company, had committed suicide. The younger ten-year-old brother had just come home from school and found his older brother dead in their bedroom. The trauma from this discovery was almost unbearable for the young boy. The parents were devastated and the entire company of 350 employees was in shock. Immediately I raced across town to be with the family who had no church affiliation and no network of support to lean on. Their grief was so heavy and impossible to carry alone. Hours turned into weeks and weeks turned into months of walking this tough walk of love with this family. Over the course of the next three to four months God used this tragedy and turned the curse into a blessing. The mother, father, and younger brother asked Jesus Christ into their hearts. God turned things around for many of the employees, with eight employees also inviting Christ into their hearts.”

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Failing forward http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/failing-forward.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/failing-forward.html Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
J.M. Barrie said, "We are all failures--at least, all the best of us are." In my 30-plus years of leadership experience, I've come to the conclusion that one of the most valuable but underestimated abilities that leaders can posses is the ability to do what I call "failing forward." It's more than having a good attitude about your mistakes, and it's a step beyond simply taking risks. Failing forward is the ability to get back up after you've been knocked down, learn from your mistake, and move forward in a better direction.

You see, everybody makes mistakes. But the real difference between average people and achieving people is their PERCEPTION OF and RESPONSE TO failure. Nothing else has the same kind of impact on people's ability to accomplish their dreams.

What do you dream of accomplishing? Unfortunately, no matter how gifted or knowledgeable you are, you will make mistakes along the way to your dream. Failure is the price you must pay on the road to success. That's just how it works. But the good news is that the better you are at failing forward, the sooner you can accomplish your dreams.

Before you put away your list of resolutions for this year, look at the following misconceptions about failure. Take an honest inventory to determine if your perception of failure is what it should be. If you share any of these misconceptions, add to your list the resolution to change the way you think about failure.

  1. PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS AVOIDABLE. IT'S NOT.

    You've probably heard the saying, "To err is human, to forgive divine." That was written by Alexander Pope more than 250 years ago. And he was only paraphrasing a saying that was common 2,000 years ago, during the time of the Romans. Things today are the same as they were then: People make mistakes.

    Don't buy into the notion that mistakes can somehow be avoided. They can't be. Accept that you will err because you're human, but don't let that keep you from pursuing your dreams.


  2. PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS AN EVENT. IT'S NOT.

    Think about your school days. If you or someone you knew received an F on a test, the tendency was to think that you failed at that moment. However, that's not the case. The F shows that the test taker neglected the process leading up to the test and the result was a poor score. The truth is that you don't receive F's for failing a test, but for failing to prepare for a test.

    Failure is just like success - it's a day-to-day process, not someplace you arrive one day. Failure is not a one time event, it's how you deal with life along the way. Yes, you will make mistakes, but you can't conclude that you're a failure until you breathe your last breath. Until then, you're still in the process, and there is still time to turn things around for the better.


  3. PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS OBJECTIVE. IT'S NOT.

    When you forget a meeting, miss a deadline, damage a relationship, or make a poor choice concerning your children, what determines whether that action was a failure? Is it the size of the problem it creates, the amount of money your company loses, or how much criticism you have to endure? No. The truth is that only you are the only person who can label what you do a failure. Failure is subjective. Your perception of and response to your mistakes determine whether they are failures.

    According to Tulane University business professor Lisa Amos, entrepreneurs fail in an average of 3.8 business ventures before they finally make it. They aren't deterred by mistakes or adversity because they don't see setbacks as failures. They recognize that three steps forward and two steps back still equals one step forward. Determine to see your mistakes as merely temporary lapses, and start using them as stepping stones to success.


  4. PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS THE ENEMY. IT'S NOT.

    Most people try to avoid failure like the plague. They're afraid of it. But it takes adversity to create success. NBA coach Rick Pitino says, "Failure is good. It's fertilizer. Everything I've learned about coaching I've learned from making mistakes."

    If you desire to be a high achiever you can't see mistakes as the enemy. Musicologist Eloise Ristad emphasizes that, "when we give ourselves permission to fail, we at the same time give ourselves permission to excel." She's right. Begin to perceive mistakes as opportunities rather than opponents.


  5. PEOPLE THINK FAILURE IS IRREVERSIBLE. IT'S NOT.

    There's an old saying in Texas that goes: "It doesn't matter how much milk you spill as long as you don't lose your cow." In other words, mistakes are not irreversible. The problems come when you see only the "spilled milk" and not the bigger picture.

    Tom Peters wisely acknowledged, "If silly things were not done, intelligent things would never happen." When you make a mistake, keep things in perspective. Understand that on the heels of every mistake is a valuable lesson and another opportunity to improve.


Washington Irving once noted, "Great minds have purposes; others have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them." If you tend to focus on the extremes of mistakes and fixate on particular events in your life, make a resolution to gain a new perspective on failure. See errors and negative experiences as a regular part of life and determine to learn and grow from them. If you can do that well, you may find that your dreams are much closer than you think.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> What you need to know about people http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/what-you-need-to-know-about-people.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/what-you-need-to-know-about-people.html Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
You can have strong people skills and not be a good leader, but you cannot be a good leader without people skills. In my thirty plus years of leadership, I've discovered that many people in leadership positions fail to ever gain a proper understanding of the people they lead. As a result, neither they nor their people ever reach their potential.

But successful leaders are able to discern the needs of their people instinctively, then take action to meet them. The following is a list of the most common needs of people and how to meet them effectively. Though every item may not be true of the people you lead, take the time to determine what items do describe them. Then commit to take the proper action to put you and your people on the road to success.

  1. PEOPLE LIKE TO FEEL SPECIAL... COMPLIMENT THEM.

    The highest compliment a person can receive is one given by his or her leader. Mark Twain said, "One compliment can keep me going for a whole month." Take the time to notice your people's work and don't hesitate to tell them when they've done a good job. Make a habit of being generous and sincere with your compliments.


  2. PEOPLE LOOK FOR A BETTER TOMORROW... GIVE THEM HOPE.

    Jean Kerr said, "Hope is the feeling we have that the feeling we have isn't permanent." In other words, when your people are having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, remind them of the purpose of their work and help them envision what their work will accomplish. With hope your people will work harder and longer to see a task through to completion.


  3. PEOPLE NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD... LISTEN TO THEM.

    Every leader would be wise to heed the Cherokee saying: "Listen to the whispers and you won't have to hear the screams." Don't judge what your people want to tell you before they've told you. Take time to understand their point of view and listen to their suggestions. It's the best way to ensure that they've been listening to you and it opens the door to innovative ideas for improvement.


  4. PEOPLE LACK DIRECTION... NAVIGATE FOR THEM.

    Don Herald said, "Unhappiness is not knowing what we want and killing ourselves to get it." Part of your job as a leader is to help your people figure out what they're most passionate about, then help them pursue it. Sometimes that may involve a position change within your organization or even allowing a person to pursue another opportunity. But when you understand that effectiveness comes as a result of surrounding yourself with people who love what they do, it's not difficult to let a person go who doesn't enjoy their work. Spend your best time developing and giving direction to those who are passionate about the work your organization is accomplishing.


Tom Peters said, "Techniques don't produce quality products or pick up the garbage on time; people do, people who care, people who are treated as creatively contributing adults." Before you ask anything of your people, make sure you've taken the time to understand and meet their needs. In doing so, you will give yourself a decided edge in maintaining their continued support.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> 4 tips to maximze your dollars http://www.articletrader.com/finance/4-tips-to-maximze-your-dollars.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/4-tips-to-maximze-your-dollars.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
1. If you’ve got your money sitting in a savings account, you might as well stuff it under your mattress. Some banks are paying only .2% on your money. That’s almost nothing. So it’s time to find a better way. I’ve told you in the past that many local banks offer short-term CDs that pay out about 5.5% to 6%. But if you want a straight savings account, check out www.INGdirect.com. They offer a great online savings account that’s paying 4.5%. In today’s world, that’s about as good as it gets.

2. Gold has been a great investment the last few years. If you decide to buy some, be careful! There are plenty of scam artists and charlatans out there in the gold business. Recently, a new type of “money” has made the circles that you need to be aware of. It’s called the Liberty Dollar. The thought behind the Liberty Dollar is interesting. A company called “Norfed” makes the dollars. The company claims that each dollar is backed by silver and gold, which it keeps locked in a vault in Idaho. The trouble is, the Justice Department says the Liberty Dollars are illegal. So if you try to pay for something with these coins, you likely will be arrested. I’m all for “just weights and measures,” but according to our government, these dollars aren’t worth the gold that supposedly backs them.

3. It’s tax time, and we all need to maximize our charitable contributions to lesson our tax burden. Bankrate.com says, “If you think your tax deduction for charitable contributions ends when you write a check to your church or drop that box of clothing off at the Salvation Army, think again. You may be cheating yourself. The Internal Revenue Service allows several different ways to take tax advantage of your goodwill….”

4. And, finally, if you’re getting a tax refund this year, here are a few things to consider. First, increase the number of deductions you claim on your W-4 form. You don’t want to give the government an interest-free loan – and that’s what a tax refund is. You overpaid your taxes last year and the government doesn’t give the excess back until you file your taxes. Second, don’t go on a spending spree with it. Instead, pay off debt. If you don’t have any debt, invest it. If you stick it in your IRA, it will give you a break on next year’s taxes.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> The investment that always gives you the best return http://www.articletrader.com/finance/investing/the-investment-that-always-gives-you-the-best-return.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/investing/the-investment-that-always-gives-you-the-best-return.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
In fact, it’s not real estate. It’s not the stock market. It’s not options. It’s not treasuries. And it’s not commodities.

The investment is giving to your church and other charities. If you don’t believe this investment will always outperform every other investment you make, let me share a story from Dr. Joe Morecraft, a pastor friend of mine.

Joe was on the board of directors for a fairly large company. At the annual board meeting, one of the board members, an elderly man who had amassed a sizable fortune, made a stunning announcement. He told the board that he had far more money than he could ever use and no heirs to give it to, so he was going to give away his entire fortune over the next year.

The rest of the board was stunned!

Well, one year later, the board came together again. But this time, there was a noticeable buzz in the air. Everyone wanted to know if the man was able to give away all those millions of dollars.

When the man entered, the room fell silent. Then came the announcement. A very red-faced board member had to tell all those influential people that he had failed in his task. But what he said was even more stunning than his original announcement.

He told the board that through the course of the last year, he gave away millions upon millions of dollars. He established a pace that, he thought, would enable him to quickly get rid of everything he owned.

Then something happened that he didn’t expect. He started making more money than he had ever made previously in his life. All of his investments were moving up faster than they ever had. The man had to tell the board that he was, in fact, far wealthier after that one year than he was when he made the original announcement. But what he said next was one of those lessons we all need to learn.

The last thing he said was, “What I learned this year is that I can’t out-give God.” As hard as he tried, he couldn’t get rid of his money faster than God was blessing him.

So if you’re looking for a way to get the best return on your money, give it away. The return won’t always be monetary. And there are times when you won’t see the rewards this side of heaven. But the reward will always be far greater than the investment.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Negotiating customer agreements http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/negotiating-customer-agreements.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/negotiating-customer-agreements.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500 "Do two walk together unless they agreed to do so?" (Amos 3:3 NIV). Some agreements are pretty basic, such as a customer placing $5.00 on the counter and walking off with two gallons of milk.

Not all agreements are so simple. Many require some type of negotiation. Keep these factors in mind as you negotiate with your customers:

First, realize your goal is not to squash the other person. Rather, you want to win, and winning is coming to an agreement that is beneficial to both parties. Jesus said, "For by your standard measure it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38 NASB). If you force your position on others, you may win today, but your victory will last only as long as you maintain that advantage. Competitive games create a winner and loser, while negotiating should aim at creating two winners.

Second, develop a clear understanding of what you want. This may seem silly in the sense that you want sales generated out of successful negotiations, but knowing your priorities will help you stay focused. If cash flow is slow, you may offer a lower price in return for cash payments. Or you may lower the price in return for a long-term contract or higher volume. Also, if inventory is high, a price reduction may help move inventory and generate cash.

Third, you need to understand what your customer needs and wants. What are the payment terms, delivery schedules, quality, quantities, and pricing that works for your customers? When bargaining with Wal-Mart, price will be the key factor as they buy from the low cost supplier. Other customers may want you to store inventory and ship as needed. Each relationship will be different and establishing customer empathy is a key step in successful negotiating.

Fourth, be prepared. King Solomon wrote, "He who restrains his words has knowledge..." (Proverbs 17:27 NASB). When your preparation is thorough, you can use that knowledge effectively. For example, when a customer raises an issue, you need to be ready to explain the rational for your position. If a customer pushes back requesting a lower price, you need to know the pricing of the competition. If your price is excellent, you can communicate that to customers. For example, when a concern is expressed with the three-month lead time required to order a specialized machine, you need to explain why the time is needed and the benefits of waiting. If you can’t clearly justify your point with facts, you probably hold a weak position.

Fifth, prioritize your needs and wants. Nobody gets everything they want, but a need is something you must have. For example, suppose a customer wants to special order an item. Since you probably wouldn’t sell this item to another customer, you may need a 50% deposit. Your customer has a want and you have a need. On other regular purchases, you may want cash up front, but a credit-worthy customer may want extended terms. You want cash up front for regular purchases, but don’t necessarily need it (with credit-worthy customers). Being able to differentiate between "needs" and "wants" will help you negotiate better.

Sixth, ensure you build trust. A Psalmist wrote, "How blessed are those who keep justice..." (Psalm 106:3 NASB). Without trust, why should anyone do business with you? If you sense distrust, simply ask the question, "How can I validate my good faith?" Negotiating an agreement with a customer without trust is nearly impossible. For example, if you don’t trust someone to honor your invoice, would you do business?

When you take the step of planning and executing your customer negotiations, you will build relationships that will generate long-term business. When you stay focused as to what’s important and approach each discussion with a "how can we both win?" attitude, you will be well on your way toward successfully negotiation.



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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> I'm laid off??!! http://www.articletrader.com/business/career/im-laid-off.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/career/im-laid-off.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the company two weeks or twenty years, the budget was cut, the position was eliminated, the department moved and your career focus has been altered.

How, if at all, can you adjust to this sudden change? The answer, as any good Scout Leader will tell you, is to be prepared. In today’s marketplace, “I’ll do this later” is now not an option. There are three areas of preparedness I’d like to stress: mental, physical, and financial. They are in that order intentionally, as one begets another.

Now more than ever, you can put your professional skills to work. Just as a new assignment may be given to us, we must challenge ourselves to be ready for career changes or adjustments at any given time. This is your new assignment, approach it as such.

Mental Preparedness:

- Don’t become too complacent in your work environment. Continue to challenge yourself; continue to survey your surroundings. What is happening in other departments? What is happening in other companies? Where does your profession seem to be going in today’s market? Are there areas you can accentuate?
- Attend at least one educational class a year. This includes seminars, networking groups and the local community college. The goal is to be infused with new ideas and energy. Remember when you first began your job and you witnessed archaic methodologies that no one seemed to notice? This is the fresh set of eyes you want to bring back to your workplace.
- Those clients and vendors who are challenging? Patience, please. They may just be your next employer or referral!
- Prepare yourself that you may be challenged with a different assignment at any given time.


Physical Preparedness:

- Is your resume updated? Now - today? Your resume should be reviewed every six months and updated at least once a year. Even if it involves adding only one line of text describing a new responsibility or adjusting adjectives for a stronger delivery. Revise and have it ready. You will have many more credentials to discuss in your performance reviews as well.
- Engage in a physical activity at least once a week. This can be as simple as walking the dog (which is also a perfect time to meditate and pray) or as regimented as a health club (another place to network). The benefits of physical activity cannot be discounted; you look healthy, you exert energy, and you tend to be less likely to overindulge.


Financial Preparedness:

- Remember when your financial consultant asked you to have a separate “emergency” savings account equal to your household net income of 3 months? Do it! If you never have to dip into it during your professional working career – reward yourself with a luxurious vacation later!


But now it has happened – the unexpected.
Mentally, you’ve just suffered an emotional shock and a kick in the self-esteem. It’s hard not to take this personally. There are tens of thousands of people in this position right now as we speak. How we react will make the difference as to whether we are waiting weeks, months or years to obtain our next assignment. If you need to take a week to reflect and recover – even be irritated, allow yourself that. But do not take it further. Let’s turn the corner.

- Lay out your game plan, time lines, and goals. And remember, these are subject to change! Be kind to yourself.
- Network, Network, Network. If you didn’t previously partake in a networking group, find one now. Even meeting once a week will benefit you by keeping you in a professional environment, requiring your professional attire, and feeling professional. Check your local paper for group listings, call the Chamber of Commerce, the local Job & Family Service Agency, ask a friend or surf the web. Near Columbus, Ohio there’s a job networking group. You may have one in your area. It’s an avenue to get advice and network with others seeking a different assignment. It’s a way of getting your name and skills passed out to even more!
- Seek professional career counseling. If you feel less than confident about your abilities at this time, get the advice of a professional. They can be wonderful motivators and will find skill sets you overlooked! Additionally, most of them have a HUGE network! Be sure to check with your previous employer, as they may have contracted a firm already to assist their displaced workers through this process.
- Find a reputable staffing agency to work with. If you don’t know how to do that, ask a Human Resources Professional. Most HR Professionals have one or two favorites. Staffing agencies can assist in finding you not only permanent placement, but temporary assignments in the interim. They can guide on you on interviewing techniques and some offer free training on computer programs.
- Take some educational classes. These classes do not have to be in your professional area. They can be a second language, classes on traveling Europe, or abstract art. The focus is learning something new, exercising another part of your brain, and making more contacts. Renew yourself. It’s the perfect opportunity.
- Pray. Ironically, for some it’s difficult to pray when we need to the most. We may feel depressed, resentful, and unworthy. But try and remember how healing it is to talk to a good friend. God won’t spill any secrets and He will even give direction. If you can’t pray ask others that will. When I say others I’m including spouse, children and close friends. Their prayers will guide you into positive thoughts, ideas and faith. It will also promote healthy communication and more love than you ever thought possible.
- Physically, you won’t feel like doing anything. The best game plan seems like going to the couch from the kitchen with a bag of chips; timeline – now. Again, allow yourself this for one week. But get back in the groove. You will want to feel and look your best when you are called into your next interview!
- Now is the time to work on things you’ve not had time for before and that includes reducing expenses. When was the last time you obtained competitive quotes on insurance, long distance, home and credit card loans, internet/cable connections, medications, or personal care items? Something as simple as cutting coupons and watching for sales could make a great difference. Make it a family endeavor!
- Health insurance. COBRA rates are extremely expensive. With the time you are given to decide whether or not to commit to COBRA, check with a local insurance agent and get recommendations on the possibilities of a private health plan.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> The 'perfect' hire http://www.articletrader.com/business/the-perfect-hire.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/the-perfect-hire.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The market has evolved and so too, must our thinking. After surviving years of a declining sales cycle, businesses that have recovered are now challenged to hire the workers they had to displace. With a U.S. unemployment rate of 4.5%, this should be easy, right? But while the unemployment rate is up from the year 2000, I hear the same thing from clients, “There just aren’t any good candidates out there.” So what mindset are we encountering with the 2007 employee market?

Most employees today understand that the employment market has changed. Gone are the days of uncapped salaries and fringe benefits. However, just like you and me, they still want to be recognized for their skills, knowledge, and experience. Likewise, employers are willing to concede on some issues, but want reassurance that their company will benefit from that employee’s skills, knowledge, and experience. How, then, can employers and employees reach this shared compensation?

As an employer you must now sell yourself. And you have a lot to offer! My clients who experience the lowest turnover and most productive workforce all have the same processes in common:

1. Being known as “A Great Place to Work”, no matter how large or small. Moral and ethical conduct is considered a core value.
2. Sharing the company’s goals, financial status, and growth with the entire organization. People can take bad news; it’s NO news that is scary.
3. Investing in the training of their people.
4. Conducting consistent performance reviews.
5. Recognize and rewarding results. Even a ‘thank you’ goes a long way.


Once you recognize and adhere to a company persona, identifying the productive and dedicated employee becomes easier. Now YOU have something to sell at the interview (and performance review) table! A job change is often not just based on financial gain, but emotional as well. I’ve managed these processes in several companies and when adhered to, they’ve resulted in significant company growth and employee commitment. The concept defies time, “You reap what you sow.” 2 Corinthians 9:6

While there are several measures to identify that perfect candidate, the real challenge lies in getting them interested in you. As you become more creative in your recruiting efforts, consider the following:

- Retain your top performers. These are the employees that have stayed with you through the uncertain sales cycles. They’ve shown their dedication; now continue to invest in them.
- Network – You hear it all the time. One of the best ways to find that perfect candidate is to tell people in your organization and your trusted business associates that you are looking. Keep the job posting in front of them consistently. People get busy in their everyday life. They will forget that their own company has an opening, let alone an associate 100 miles away.
- Initiate a referral bonus program. If you calculate a fair cost of what you might spend on finding the right employee, why not give some (or all!) of it to someone who is already working for you? Incentives and perks like this retain top performers and keep employees loyal.
- Don’t dismiss the mature applicant. Remember those previously displaced employees? They are still out there. My mother is 70 years old and is still working full-time. She is more computer literature than most people I know, takes pride in a job well done, and appreciates her job. There are thousands more like her.
- Hire less skilled personnel and take the time to train them. Chances are, your current perfect employee developed over time.
- Align with a great staffing agency to assist in your search. Get to know them and allow them to get to know you – intimately!
- Have to advertise? Research what avenues are the best. Some industries will experience a great deal of success with an ad in the local paper, where others need to concentrate on internet postings. Be aware of the circulation and industry popularity of those avenues.

Sound simple? It can be. There is help available. HR Consultants are an impartial, professional source that can address your immediate company needs or long-term goals. Whether you utilize outside help or not, it should be your goal to obtain the 6 processes above.


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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Building your network http://www.articletrader.com/business/networking/building-your-network.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/networking/building-your-network.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Well, they were pretty good friends and had started and sold a number of businesses, so I was intrigued and looked forward to the evening. After an intimate dinner, the doorbell rang and a couple whom I didn’t know or expect showed up. No one explained their arrival so I thought they just dropped in. Then another couple and another. They all knew each other. Something was going on and we were feeling a little uncomfortable. When the last fellow showed up, he had a white board, magic markers, and a big smile and apologized for being late. Late! Late for what? Everyone knew why they were there and everyone knew why we were there—except us!

Before he started sharing the business opportunity, he began talking about dreams. Big dreams. Really big dreams. I still didn’t know what company he was with, but it was obvious he had an agenda. When pressed for some detail, he indicated they were some kind of international concern with broad interests in a number of areas with sales in the billions of dollars annually. I was starting to recognize the tune and was pretty sure I knew the rest of the lyrics to that song. When he started spinning circles on the white board, my wife headed for the door and I soon followed as we came to grips with the fact that our “friends” had just ambushed us! Believe it or not, that multi-billion dollar company used to endorse this kind of approach and, along their way to building an empire, a lot of folks got used, hurt, or at the very least, quite turned off to what otherwise may have been an attractive business opportunity for many of them.

This and a host of other practices gave multi-level marketing such a bad name, they had to change the name to “network marketing”. Same guts. Different skin. It gets worse, though. You see, it spread gangbusters through the church and suddenly all the folks in network marketing were seeing all the folks who weren’t in it as prime prospects for their network. Hospitality began to abound, but with an agenda—to proselytize for their new found faith. It was faith in a product that inevitably helped folks lose weight, or cure cancer, reverse diabetes, regrow their teeth, or all of the above, and make them a fortune in the process. You know what they say about sounding to good to be true—it probably is!

It’s not that network marketing is inherently evil, nor is it true that all products sold that way are somehow inferior. There are many excellent products that are available only through network marketing and have no equal on the supermarket counters. There are also many ethical network marketing companies. It often comes down to the folks who get in the business and the reason they got in it in the first place. If you sell them on the idea of great riches with little or modest effort, you will attract many, but keep very, very few because it simply isn’t true. The folks who have made it in the network marketing business have worked hard to get their network to where it could support them well. For every success story in network marketing, there are multiplied thousands who fell far short of the dream they were sold.

Network marketing opportunities, then, are not for everyone. When you appeal to people with greed, or get-rich-quick, or get-rich-real-easy schemes, you recruit folks who are given to selfish ambition who, many times, are quite willing to use people to fulfill their own personal dream and thus give an otherwise good company a bad name. True network marketing is not about using people to fulfill your dreams; it’s about coming into sync with other like-minded, God-called, purpose-driven people who see God’s dream for the business and know their place in it. It’s about helping others reach their fullest potential and walking in the destiny God has for them in the context of that business opportunity.

What we often see in the Body of Christ are believers who use a single unifying factor (i.e. quick riches) and don't factor in the will, purpose, or design of God for the lives being invited into building the net. They often think that building the net is the business they are in. They have no concept of Christ's example of building relationally, and instead build by numbers. They mistakenly think the purpose of their net is to become financially independent (translation: I don't want to work—I just want to be rich). As a result, people are taken advantage of and the industry gets a bad rap! The net is a means to an end and the end needs to be in sync with the endgame the Father has in mind. Otherwise, it's just wood, hay, and stubble at best.

I suggest you examine why you are in, or why you are considering getting in on, the network marketing business. Is it merely about the economic opportunity you see? Certainly, that is an important consideration, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. Paul said in Ephesians 2:10 that we are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The first consideration, therefore, should be whether or not this is a good work that the Lord has prepared for you to walk in. There are a number of ways you can determine this. Certainly you should pray and wait on God for a confirmation in your spirit. If you lack inner peace about it, you should probably wait because the peace of God is to rule in your heart (Col 3:15). You should also ask yourself, what is it about your life experience that has prepared you for this work? Both Moses and David had extensive experience in dealing with stubborn, somewhat stupid creatures as shepherds and God used that experience to prepare them for shepherding His people.

You should also get the counsel of others, especially your spouse. Too many men go headlong into a business enterprise without bringing their wife along in the process. Even if it is of God to go into that business, the skid marks from your wife’s heals may cause some wear and tear on the relationship. Furthermore, make sure that the company you’re considering joining does not appeal to the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life to attract new network marketers. Doing that feeds the very things John tells us to shun because they are not of the Father (1 John 2:16).

Ask yourself who is going to benefit from the product most? It should be the end user, not the seller. When considering possible recruits, look for folks who the Father may have been preparing for such an opportunity as this. Then, ask them to consider the same criteria you did, factoring in the will and purpose of God for their life. People don’t need to feel that your only interest in them is to get them in your network so you can win a trip to Vegas! Invite them to something higher, something eternal. Invite them to an opportunity where they can truly help people with a product or service, mentor others in kingdom principles of building a business, and make a good return for an honest investment of time and effort. Let them know what to realistically expect in the first year. If you set unrealistic expectations, you may win their involvement to start, but they will wither in the heat of the day as they discover there is much more to it than meets the eye.

The key is to invite or actively solicit only those who should be part of the net God is building through you. There are different kinds of nets depending on what you are fishing for. You don't want to weave certain strands of string (which are made for one purpose) in with other strands of string (rope) that are made for an entirely different purpose and try to build a net to catch tuna. The net will fail. Those in the net must have some higher, unifying grounds for building together such as purpose, calling, gifts, preference, etc.

To build a good net (network), there must also be some factors that disqualify folks from being a part of the net. If any old piece of string will do, the net won't accomplish anything of value. Jesus thinned out his crowds with what Dennis Peacocke calls "the Dracula Speech", in which Jesus said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” Many who are networking are only too willing to have any and all join the ranks because they somehow think that numbers will solve the problem. It’s never been about numbers. It’s always been about calling and it takes quality of character to choose that over so-called easy riches. Remember Gideon’s 300? They were so in tune with their destiny, it affected the way they drank water out of a brook. God uses mightily those who are in tune with their destiny and if that destiny is in network marketing, why cheapen it and miss the mark by inviting the weak in character, the ones motivated by greed, who use people to get things instead of using things to help people? Ultimately, your choice to go into network marketing should not be an economic issue; it should be a destiny issue. And if it’s destiny based, you will attract others with similar values and a similar destiny and create a net that will catch a lot of fish and feed a lot of folks.



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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Taking time to think http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/taking-time-to-think.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/management/taking-time-to-think.html Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Over the last five or six years, my wife and I would plan an extended weekend at the lake for study and writing about every six weeks. Last year due to a heavy U.S. travel schedule and several overseas trips, I did not get in all of these special times. This year I decided to remedy that. So I have put in the “big rocks” first into my schedule jar before the “pebbles and sand” of urgent issues fill up the space. I decided to spend every Wednesday that I am in town at home in study, prayer, and writing. This special time for wisdom and thinking is already on my schedule for the entire year. It will be a battle to stay with it, but I know how important it is to me. The result will be that I will be more able to keep my focus and my priorities in a world that continues to move far too quickly.

The bible tells us that God is the source of all wisdom. James 1:5 (Message) says, “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.” God will give us the answers if we take time to be with Him and seek Him. Throughout the book of Proverbs we are challenged to seek this wisdom. Proverbs 3:13 (M) says, “You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, when you make friends with Madame Insight. She’s worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary. Her value exceeds all the trappings of wealth, nothing you could wish for holds a candle to her.” Because I am taking this time several times a month, this means that I can write articles like this even though I am involved in several businesses. By doing the important things at certain times, I do not allow my life simply to be controlled by the urgent.

I was talking to another CEO this week. He asked how I still was able to have balance in my life even though I traveled a lot. I told him that early in each year I set aside times of a full week and several weekends alone with my wife. I set a week to be with our children and grandchildren in Colorado and several special weekends at the lake. We set times to be with other couples for special times together. We have an empty nesters weekend each summer, and this year we will celebrate our 40th anniversary with six other couples at a nice resort. By having these important times already set in my schedule, then it allows me to travel and work hard while maintaining my priorities. Although I love my work and could work many hours, I have a set time that I go home when I am in town. This gives my wife great security.

So, I am guarding my calendar so that I can do the important things that are a high priority to me. Why not begin now to put the big rocks into your schedule jar for the next six to twelve months? Then, you will have time with your family, your leadership team, and time to gain wisdom from the Father. It will be the best thing that you can do for your health, your marriage, and your business.

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This article provided by ChristianBusinessDaily.com -- The Online Network for Christians in Business. Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>