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The Big Picture of Business – Pave and Refine the Company Way, Corporate Culture

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StrategyDriven Corporate Cultures ArticleI was at a service counter, and the clerk was bad-mouthing the customers. “I don’t know what their problem is,” he declared. “Every one of them has a problem today.” He then pointed to others standing in line, not yet having been served. He added that “every one of them has a problem.” No, he has the problem and is projecting it on the paying customers. Each clerk at that company makes their personal behaviors the norms at their desks, and this is one of the largest organizations in America.

As customers, we smile and give positive strokes to those serving us. When you say to a clerk what a beautiful day it is, the lazy ones will reply, “Yes, I can hardly wait to get out of here and enjoy it.” The better response would be: “It is a glorious day because customers like you choose to visit us.”

Customer service must be constantly addressed and improved. Above that, Customer Focused Management needs to be implemented, meaning that all actions and decisions should be tied to customer outcomes. Above that, corporate cultures need to be fine-tuned, in order to avoid situations where customers are put on the defensive or made angry.

Corporate cultures are rarely nurtured. They evolve, meander and veer off course. Biggest cause of the problem is where individuals bring certain demeanors and behaviors to the company, and these traits often erode the positive and pro-active actions.

Warning signs for sluggish corporate cultures:

  • Where people take on negative attitudes.
  • Where employees spend too much time on what is best for them, instead of the customers.
  • Where mid-managers buy the hype of the marketing slogans but stonewall the progress that would enable the company to live up to its claims.

A company’s way is built, nurtured, recognized and implemented. In steering company cultures back on course, I recommend several steps in the process:

  • Discourage street talk, slang and trite phrases out of the mouths of your staff when interfacing with customers.
  • Write your company’s own service lines. Do not harass customers with tired questions like “are you finding everything.” Instead thank them more often and early in the transactions.
  • Declare personal cell phones, on-line shopping and the like to be off-limits in locations where customers are. They cannot see distracted employees, nor should your company tolerate it.
  • Hold training about personal demeanor.
  • Show individuals how they embody the whole of the organization.
  • Cut the weeds who will bring down the standards of the company and cast doubts on your team.
  • Celebrate great customer outcomes.
  • Honor the employees, who in turn honor the organization.
  • Since 92% of all problems in companies stem from poor management decisions, do a better job of training managers to be leaders.
  • Always recognize the Big Picture aspect to all business decisions. Each one influences the other and the whole of the enterprise.
  • Always remember and trust that the customer is king.

Everything we are in business stems from what we’ve been taught or not taught to date. A career is all about devoting resources to amplifying talents and abilities, with relevancy toward a viable end result.

Business evolution is an amalgamation of thoughts, technologies, approaches and commitment of the people, asking such insightful questions as:

  1. What would you like for you and your organization to become?
  2. How important is it to build an organization well, rather than constantly spend time in managing conflict?
  3. Who are the customers?
  4. Do successful corporations operate without a strategy-vision?
  5. Do you and your organization presently have a strategy-vision?
  6. Are businesses really looking for creative ideas? Why?
  7. If no change occurs, is the research and self-reflection worth anything?

Failure to prepare for the future spells certain death for businesses and industries in which they function. The same analogies apply to personal lives, careers and Body of Work. Greater business awareness and heightened self-awareness are compatible and part of a holistic journey of growth.

About the Author

Hank MoorePower Stars to Light the Business Flame, by Hank Moore, encompasses a full-scope business perspective, invaluable for the corporate and small business markets. It is a compendium book, containing quotes and extrapolations into business culture, arranged in 76 business categories.

Hank’s latest book functions as a ‘PDR of business,’ a view of Big Picture strategies, methodologies and recommendations. This is a creative way of re-treading old knowledge to enable executives to master change rather than feel as they’re victims of it.

Power Stars to Light the Business Flame is now out in all three e-book formats: iTunes, Kindle, and Nook.

How To Decide If Working Abroad Is Right For You

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article
 
When looking to move abroad for a job opportunity, you’d be forgiven for succumbing to the stress of the entire process. When moving in general, there is plenty you need to consider but when it comes to going overseas, you could have to think about visas, location, language and even culture.. To get you started, here we are going to help by looking at how to decide if working abroad is right for you.

Research

When looking to make the move abroad for work, finding the right location for your new home that isn’t too long of a commute away from your new workplace is a must. With thorough research into your new location, you can make the move a success with relative ease, helping to ensure that you are buying a property that is in a nice area with all of the necessary local anemities nearby. The research will also help you to find out more about the area so you can settle in quickly after your move.

It is also important to make sure you research in great depth. After all, you’ll be moving here, not just jetting off for a holiday! It is important that you pack what you need for every weather condition such as wetsuits in the summer and coats for the winter as you will need to be prepared for anything. The more research that you put into your location, the more likely you are to settle in comfortably.

Opportunity

When moving abroad for a job, it is important to look into every aspect of the role as this could be the difference between accepting the offer and staying where you are. Moving for work is no menial matter and it is therefore important to make sure that the move is worth your while with opportunities for progression in your field. If there is room for progression and you feel like this would be an unmissable opportunity, then it is well worth moving. However, if the job that you are being offered has no room for progression or you’re apprehensive about what you are being offered, it may be worth rethinking.

Additionally, the economy of the country you are moving to should be a contributing factor to our decision, as there may be limited chances for you to progress due to the state of the economy. What’s more, the exchange rate for all your finances could cause you to lose money so take this decision with care in these instances.

Finances

When organising to move abroad, it is important to ensure that you are thinking about every element of the process and this includes your finances. The exchange rate into the currency, the cost of housing and the price of other additional taxes are all important to research and calculate before you move, as they can make moving abroad very expensive. With plenty of financial advisors available to help you, it is made a lot less stressful to ensure that you have all your finances sorted and secure for if you decide to move.

It is important to also ask your potential new employer how much you will be earning before you accept. This will help you to work out what you can afford and ensure that the move is cost effective for you as this could be a main contributing factor to the job role not being quite right or worthy of a relocation.

With all this in mind, it is important to really consider the job role that you are looking to take before you take it to ensure that it is right for you and will leave you as financially stable as possible.

How To Decide If A Career In Healthcare Is Right For You

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article

A career in healthcare offers various opportunities – including becoming a doctor, nurse, chiropractor, physiotherapist, and dentist, to name a few. If you are reading this article, you may already be thinking about pursuing a career in healthcare but are not yet completely sure. The same way you would choose any career path, you need to think about the choices you are making, and thus weigh the pros and cons. Although, in this case, you need to consider what entering the healthcare industry means, including the money aspect, job security and even time required. The three most notable factors to keep in mind are education, your strengths and the lifestyle choice itself.

Education

What type of education do you need for a career in the healthcare industry? As with all industries, the different career options require different degrees. While some nurses may only require a college degree, becoming a doctor requires medical school and is a longer process. Yet another option in today’s day and age is advancing or completing a degree online. This is beneficial in order to gain work experience and school knowledge at the same time. The online MHA program is one example of this, allowing you to obtain a Master of Healthcare Administration online while continuing to work in your current field. When thinking about education, one of the most important considerations is that of time spent. How long will it take to obtain the degree? It is for this reason than an online degree is often beneficial. Read more

An Employee Ascending Is A Leader In Waiting

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The working world is not two-tiered. It’s not workers and seniors, it’s a multi-layered and complex professional world. It’s akin to a soup, you need the overall flavor to come through, and the base to provide body but, there are lots of other different components that bring out the best in the dish. Here’s where people get flustered. Sometimes there are unofficial roles that have almost the same power as the intended purpose they serve. However, since they’re not official, this means that there are many people that hold greater power than the average employee, but aren’t quite middle management or senior higher-ups. It’s called employee ascension. Slowly, you’re being recognized as someone who potentially has leadership qualities, but since there aren’t roles open in the middle management and no positions open for middle management to be promoted to a senior role, then you are in effect in limbo. Don’t worry though, you need to keep up your progress and maintaining your upwardly climb.

How do you know

Are you getting more and more tasks to do, despite no official word with you about them? This could stir up the feelings of resentment because it can seem as if you’re being bullied or perhaps being taken advantage of. However, if you can see that the other employees are getting the same amount of work as you used to, then perhaps it’s far from bullying. Notice that you are being asked to check over someone else’s work? Some work can seem like it’s in the middle of being classed as something the management should do and something that employees may also do. These are clear signs that you are being trusted to do work that requires a little finer touch and an increased skill level from the other employees. Continue doing this work for a few weeks, and then have a chat with your superior. Inform them that you have no issue doing the work but that it seems odd to be giving you a higher class of work. Most likely they will inform you that you’re being tested, which is basically a confirmation that a promotion is waiting in the wings for you.

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article
 
In your stride

Promotions can sometimes be a rocky road. Companies may want you to take on more work but they don’t have the salary expectations of a middle management or top worker to give away. Instead, you should take it in your stride and relish the opportunity to play a larger part in the company. If you work in the construction industry and your employer is looking for someone to take on a large role, you can apply for an excavator license test. The course teaches you how to use the latest machines and abide by the latest safety rules as well as effective techniques to speed up the work. You should be jumping at the chance to play a larger role while and based off of your performance, be ready to accept a promotion.

Ascending through the career ladder to get a better job is at first daunting. The first thing, however, is to get noticed and want to get noticed at that. This means taking on the added responsibilities when they’re given to you. Remember that it’s a test and should you pass you are in line for a leading role.

The Big Picture of Business – How Business Advice Turns Into Company Strategy

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StrategyDriven Big Picture of Business ArticleWithin every corporate and organizational structure, there is a stair-step ladder. One enters the ladder at some level and is considered valuable for the category of services for which they have expertise. This ladder holds true for managers and employees within the organization, as well as outside consultants brought in.

Each rung on the ladder is important. At whatever level one enters the ladder, he-she is trained, measured for performance and fits into the organization’s overall Big Picture. One rarely advances more than one rung on the ladder during the course of service to the organization in question.

  1. Resource: equipment, tools, materials, schedules.
  2. Skills and Tasks: duties, activities, tasks, behaviors, attitudes, contracting, project fulfillment.
  3. Role and Job: assignments, responsibilities, functions, relationships, follow-through, accountability.
  4. Systems and Processes: structure, hiring, control, work design, supervision, decisions
  5. Strategy: planning, tactics, organizational development.
  6. Culture and Mission: values, customs, beliefs, goals, objectives, benchmarking.
  7. Philosophy: purpose, vision, quality of life, ethics, long-term growth.

7 Levels of Authority Figure

  1. Self Appointed. Flash in the Pan. What they were doing five years ago has no relationship to what they’re now marketing. They reap temporary rewards from momentary trends. They’re here today, weren’t an authority figure yesterday and likely won’t be tomorrow. Yet, today, they’re demanding your complete trust, respect and allegiance.
  2. Temporary Caretakers of an Office. Public officials. Appointed agency heads in a government bureaucracy. Respect is shown to the temporary trust they hold.
  3. Those Who We Think Control Our Destiny… for the Time Being. Caretakers of corporate bureaucracies, departmental supervisors, short-term clients, referral sources for business development and those who dangle carrots under people’s noses.
  4. Those Who Remain Through the Peter Principle. Supervisors and public servants who made fiefdoms by outlasting up-and-comers. Longevity is due to keeping their heads down and noses clean, rather than excelling via special talents-achievements. Still living on past laurels.
  5. Those Who Really Empower People. These are a rare breed… the backbone of well-run organizations. Some do what they do very well in poorly-run organizations. They may not be department heads, but they set exemplary standards and inspire others toward positive accomplishments. Category 2, 3 and 4 authority figures either resent them and try to claim credit for what they do… or are smart enough to place them in effective, visible roles. Some advance into management and encounter similar situations there too.
  6. Have Truly Earned Their Position-Respect. Also a rare breed. Those who excelled at every assignment given and each stage of their career. Never were too busy to set good examples, share ideas with others and help build the teams on which they played.
  7. Never Stop Paying Dues, Learning, Sharing Knowledge. The rarest breed of all. Distance runners who created knowledge, rather than conveyed that of other people. Though they could coast on past laurels, for them, the best is yet to come.

7 Levels of Advice Given

  1. Answers to Questions. There are 7 levels of answers which may be given, depending upon how extensive one wants: Easy and Obvious Ones, Knee-Jerk Reactions, Politically Correct, What People Want to Hear, Factual and Complete Explanations, Answers That Get Them Thinking Further and Deep Wisdom.
  2. Observations on Situations. These take the forms of “When this happened to me, I did X,” or “If this occurred with me, I would Y.” It’s often good to see things through someone else’s perspective.
  3. Subjective Viewpoint. Friends want what is best for you. This level of advice is usually pro-active and is influenced by the advisor’s experiences with comparable situations.
  4. Informed Opinion. Experts have core-business backgrounds upon which to draw. Advisors bring facts, analysis and methodologies of applying their solutions to your case. Niche consultants provide quality viewpoints… as it relates to their talents and skills. Carefully consider the sources.
  5. Researched Options. Investments in research (formal, informal, attitudinal, demographic, sociological) will avert unnecessary band aid surgery expenses later. Research leads to planning, which is the best way to accomplish tasks and benchmark success.
  6. Discussion of Outcomes-Consequences. Most actions and decisions in an organization affect many others. At this level, advisors recommend that sufficient planning be conducted… please take their advice. The more strategic and Big Picture in scope, then planning reaps long-term rewards.
  7. Inspiring Directions. This gets into Visioning. Planning and going to new heights are stimulating. The mannerisms and substance by which any organization achieves its Vision requires sophisticated advice, deep insights and creative ideas.

7 Levels-Tiers of Qualifying Consultants

  1. Wanna-be consultants. Vendors selling services. Subcontractors. Out-of-work people who hang out “consulting” shingles in between jobs. Freelancers and moonlighters, whose consultancy may or may not relate to their day jobs. (26%)
  2. Entry-level consultants. Those who were downsized, out-placed, retired or changed careers, launching a consulting practice. Prior experience in company environment. (19.5%)
  3. Grinders. Those who do the bulk of project work. Conduct programs designed by others. 1-10 years’ consulting experience. (35.49%)
  4. Minders. Mid-level consultants. Those with specific niche or industry expertise, starting to build a track record. 10-20 years’ consulting experience. (13.5%)
  5. Finders. Firms which package and market services. Most claim they have all expertise in-house. The more sophisticated ones are skilled at building and utilizing collaborations of outside experts and joint ventures. (3.5%)
  6. Senior level. Veteran consultants (20 years+) who were trained for and have a track record in consulting. That’s what they have done for most of their careers. (2%)
  7. Beyond the strata of consultant. Senior advisor, routinely producing original knowledge. Strategic overview, vision expeditor. Creativity-insight not available elsewhere.

About the Author

Hank MoorePower Stars to Light the Business Flame, by Hank Moore, encompasses a full-scope business perspective, invaluable for the corporate and small business markets. It is a compendium book, containing quotes and extrapolations into business culture, arranged in 76 business categories.

Hank’s latest book functions as a ‘PDR of business,’ a view of Big Picture strategies, methodologies and recommendations. This is a creative way of re-treading old knowledge to enable executives to master change rather than feel as they’re victims of it.

Power Stars to Light the Business Flame is now out in all three e-book formats: iTunes, Kindle, and Nook.