Archives For Employee productivity

How to save money on your next event

January 8, 2013 — Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again when businesses are looking for ways to improve performance and increase their bottom line. One of the best things any company can do to impact their bottom line, especially during tough economic times, is to bring in a professional speaker or coach to work with your staff. Offering a seminar to your employees can go a long way toward increasing productivity, sales and overall performance.

Jim Donovan Chamber of Commerce seminar

In the past, companies invested in new and better equipment in order to be competitive and gain an edge in the marketplace. Today, your people are your most valuable asset, so an investment in upgrading their performance is a prudent move, one that will pay for itself many times over.

In addition to the obvious benefits of increased motivation, performance, skills and, as is the case for salespeople and customer service reps, more business, there are the not-so-obvious benefits of improved morale.

This is of particular importance in a company who has experienced layoffs and downsizing. By giving your employees seminars and other performance improvement services, such as coaching, you demonstrate your company’s commitment to their success, which translates into more success for the company. People feel valued and appreciated which, in turn, encourages them to value and appreciate the company more.

So, just how do you go about choosing the ideal presenter to hire?

Shop locally for better deals
For starters, many budget conscious company’s today are looking more and more to local speakers for their events. In addition to saving the added expense of travel and lodging, many professional speakers charge lower rates for local engagements. A good way to begin your search is to add your city’s name to your search for “motivational speaker. ” For example, you might enter, “affordable motivational speaker new jersey” as your search term.

Read what other’s have said
Next, read the speaker’s Web page looking, in particular, for testimonials. What others have said about a speakers performance is the best endorsement.

Don’t get discouraged by the Web site
When reading sample seminar topics on a speaker’s Web site, keep in mind that most will customize their presentation to meet the needs of your audience. If you do not see exactly what you need, don’t worry. Chances are the speaker will create a program to match your criteria.

Is the speaker you’re considering an author or in some way perceived as a celebrity?
Authors bring added value and can add to the impact of your event. This is of particular importance with groups who need to be enticed to attend the event.

Ask what else might be included.
For example, an author may “sweeten” the deal by offering a special price on their book or even packaging it into the fee. Would they include a couple of follow-up coaching sessions in the deal?

Ask if they will deliver a breakout session for less cost.
I once delivered a morning keynote to the management of a small business and then a shorter training session for the sales force after lunch. Since I was “all dressed up” and already there, we were able to agree on a combined fee that fit the clients budget nicely. Often, a speaker will include a short breakout session as part of the package or at a greatly reduced cost. Personally, since my main goal is to have satisfied clients, I’m pretty flexible, especially if it’s a local event.

Ask permission to record the event.
Having a permanent copy of the speakers program is quite valuable since new employees can gain access to the information and your existing staff can use it as a refresher.

Will the speaker barter a portion of their fee?
Depending on your industry, you may be able to trade a portion of the speaker’s fee for your product or service. A good example of this is, obviously, a resort hotel or even an top notch restaurant. Speakers like to travel and eat too:-)

Regardless of where or how you find a motivational speaker, bringing someone in to improve the performance of your employees is an investment that will pay for itself many times over and is a smart business decision in this challenging economy.

jim-donovan-nals-150Learn more about having international best-selling author and speaker Jim Donovan address your organization here.

 

In Business Growth, Economy, Employee productivity, Productivity, Self-Help, Success , , , , , , ,
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Within You Is the Power to Change Your Life

December 8, 2012 — Leave a comment

52 ways to a happier lifeExcerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life. To order this book for yourself or someone
you care about, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

 

Success in business, relationships, health, education, or money is the result of following a number of simple principles that have been passed down through the ages.

If you examine the core ideas in any self-help book, you will find principles that have been expressed for thousands of years. In my personal success library I have many great books dating back to the early 1900′s. They all emphasize a similar message, which has become one of my core operating principles, “within you is the power to change your life.”

holiday sale 52 ways happiness book2

Success is the result of practicing simple principles daily and progressing a little at a time until, one day, you reach your goal. Of course, at that time, you’ll want to set an even bigger goal and keep the process going. It is our natural desire to grow in every area of our life. It is our nature to want to experience more of everything life has to offer. Wanting more loving relationships, better health, more spirituality and peace, more success, and yes, more money, is natural.

If you encounter someone offering to sell you the “secrets to a better life” or someone claiming to have “inside information”, run the other way, because you have just encountered a 21st century version of the old “snake oil salesman.”

Too many people today are looking for shortcuts. There are no shortcuts. Success is a matter of staying focused on what you want. If you follow the simple principles in 52 Ways to a Happier Life, and others like it, you will reach your destination and live a life beyond your wildest dreams. I know this because I am living proof of the value of these ideas. My life today is magical and continues to grow and expand. Believe in yourself, follow your heart, live your dreams and remember the biggest secret – within you is the power to change your life.

52 ways to a happier lifeExcerpt 52 Ways to a Happier Life.
To order this book for yourself or someone you care about, and take advantage of our holiday pricing, click here.

 

 

In 7 chapters, Do not RT, Employee productivity, Jim's Jems, Life, Self-Help, Success , , , , , , , , ,
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Learning to Bounce Back is Crucial to Your Success

December 4, 2012 — Leave a comment

Life happens. It doesn’t matter how positive an attitude you have or how balanced and centered you are, there are going to be times when you are knocked down. Times when your carefully organized life is turned upside down and you get knocked on your rear end. Life happens.

You will no doubt experience serious illness in either yourself or someone close to you. You may be challenged with the loss of a loved one, a divorce or perhaps the loss of a job or any number of situations that will leave you feeling like you were kicked in the stomach.

sunrise photo

Let’s face it. These things will happen. They’re part of life and no matter how you try to explain them away with the idea that, “everything happens for a reason,” they hurt. A lot! They hurt at the very core of your being. The pain begins in your heart and radiates throughout your entire being. Repeating positive phrases does not make it stop hurting.

At times like these, you’re going to feel down, even depressed. You probably feel anger or some other manifestation of your pain. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s ok. It’s ok to feel hurt, sad, angry or whatever your true feelings are. You cannot deny pain any more than can deny fear. The only way through either of them is to give yourself permission to feel the feeling.

The question is not whether or not you will feel down. The question is for how long will you stay in this state?

The difference between people who get through life’s challenging moments, regardless of the seriousness, and those who are immobilized by the events is what I call the Bounce factor.

How quickly can you bounce back? Of course, the severity of the event will have a lot to do with the time it will take you to get past the pain and on with your life.

Take the example of two people being downsized from their high paying job, something that is becoming a natural occurrence. One, whom we’ll call John, is floored by the news of his dismissal. He expresses his pain by becoming angry at the company, his co-workers and the system in general. He spends his days telling anyone who’ll listen, about his “problem.” Usually from a bar stool.

As he sees it, his life is ruined and he’s blaming everyone for his troubles. People who react like John spend weeks, even months, wallowing in despair until, if they’re fortunate, someone close to them convinces them to seek professional help.

Mary, on the other hand, reacts much differently. Although she has gone through the same experience as John and has pretty much the same issues like living expenses, etc., she chooses to react differently.

After a brief period of feeling a loss of self-esteem, self-pity and anger, Mary decides to get back in the game.

She begins contacting her network of colleagues and co-workers, avails herself of the outplacement services her former employer offered everyone and starts actively looking for a new position. In a short time, Mary finds her “dream job” with an exciting new company.

While both people in our hypothetical example had the same experience and both went through a period of hurting, the time each allowed themselves to remain in that dis-empowering state was vastly different. While John remained “stuck” in his problem, Mary handled her loss and moved on with her life.

This is the key.

It’s not whether life occasionally puts you into a tailspin, it’s how long you remain there.

When something devastating happens to you, allow yourself some time to grieve your loss, however, don’t allow yourself to get stuck there. Take some action. Join a support group, talk about your feelings with a trusted friend or your spiritual advisor. If necessary, seek professional help.

In the case of a job loss, perhaps you want to take some time to re-evaluate your career goals. You may even consider a change in fields. When you’re ready, you can begin networking and making new contacts. Attend social or church events. Call people you know. Do something!

One of the most important things to remember in high stress situations is not to allow yourself to isolate. While spending some time alone is normal, even necessary, isolation can be dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Get out and be with people as soon as possible. As a friend recently reminded me, “life is for the living.” It’s important to get back to your life. In time, the pain will pass.

How do you deal with difficult situations in your life? Please post your comments and thoughts.

 

In Employee productivity, Mental health, Self-Help, Success ,
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How to be happier at work

November 27, 2012 — Leave a comment

The post below is a preview of one of the chapters in my forthcoming book, “Happy @ Work” (published 2013). I welcome your thoughts and comments below.

If there’s one topic necessary in a book about the workplace it’s gossip. For whatever reason offices, stores, factories and virtually every other location where people gather to work are riddled with people who seem to have nothing better to do than gossip about their co-workers.

Gossipping at Work

While this is something that has always been portrayed in movies and television shows as a “woman’s thing,” the truth is that men are just as guilty in engaging in this pointless and destructive habit.

Gossip can ruin working relationships and undermine the most productive businesses. It can lower morale, create a difficult work environment, and even cause good people to leave the company.

Not only does spreading gossip harm the reputation of the person it is directed toward but it is just as destructive to the person spreading it.

While the reason people gossip is something I’ll never totally understand, I believe it has to do with their own lack of self-esteem and a feeling that, since there’s nothing of consequence going on in their own life, they have a twisted need to “trash talk” other people.

My suggestion regarding gossip is simple – don’t do it!

Refuse to engage in gossip and avoid being around those people who seem to make it their life’s mission.

The last thing you want is to become known as someone who spreads gossip about your co-workers, or for that matter, anyone else

What if you’re the target of the gossiper?

If someone is gossiping about you, take the person aside and talk privately with them. Explain to them, as calmly as possible, that you will not tolerate their spreading false and hurtful rumors about you. Let them know, in no uncertain terms that, if it continues you will escalate the problem to management. And, if it does continue, do so.

How to rise above gossip

If someone is spreading gossip about another person, let them know you’re not interested in hearing such things and go about your own business.

Of course, it goes without saying that being the gossiper is one of the worst career moves you can possibly make. Not only does it make people not want to be around you but once top management learns of it, it will block your possible advancement within the organization.

There is an old saying, “He keeps himself to himself” that is good advice for anyone to follow.

Question: How do you deal with people who gossip at your location?

 

In Business, Business Growth, Employee productivity, Jim's Jems, Success , , , , ,
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Has Back Friday gone too far?

November 23, 2012 — Leave a comment

Considering that many big retailers are opening Thanksgiving day and shoppers were camped out in front of one giant retailer on Tuesday, awaiting the start of the holiday season, I’m guessing most people would say, “Yes, Black Friday has, in fact, gone too far.”

thanksgiving boycottA groundswell of opposition to retailers opening on Thanksgiving day has been circulating on Facebook, as more and more people recognize the absurdity of this new policy.

One woman was so upset at having to work on Thanksgiving day at Target that she started a Change.org petition, asking the retail giant to, “take the high road and save Thanksgiving.” As of Thanksgiving morning, it had 371,106 signatures.

On the other side of the equation are brands like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks, and others who refuse to lower their standards and subject their employees to this absurd practice.

Perhaps this is why Nordstrom is rated as one of the top 100 companies to work for in the United States and why they have the reputation for setting the standard of how to succeed in retail. Others could take a lesson from the Nordstrom playbook.

Opening early the day after Thanksgiving has become a tradition and, while there’s nothing wrong with the idea in theory, the practice has gotten out of hand.

With several big retailers opening on Thanksgiving Day and others open at Midnight, what could have been a fun tradition – getting up early to start holiday shopping – has become a nightmare for the people who have to leave their holiday celebration and go to work.

We hear experts talking about the decline of the American family and the lack of communication around the dinner table while, at the same time retailers are encouraging people to forego the traditional holiday dinner with family and friends and, instead, go out at all hours and take advantage of “Door Buster” specials.

Of course, a close examination of the “specials” reveals an array of off-label, second rate products, imported from China for just this purpose, so who’s kidding whom?

This, in my opinion, is the deeper problem. We are conditioning people to “scramble for the crumbs.” This at a time when we should be encouraging them to be the best they can be.

If the United States is to, once again, become a world power, we need to raise, not lower, our standards.

We need to realize that, in the US anyone with ambition can earn whatever amount of income they want and that they do not need to beg and scrape for whatever trinkets they can grab.

We need to support businesses who make, distribute and sell quality products, not continue to buy low end junk from countries where profits are valued over people and working conditions are a disgrace.

We deserve better than we are being led to believe. Those people who, on Black Friday, are shopping at Nordstrom’s have learned this and should be an example to the rest if us.

The time has come for the American people to reclaim our rightful place as a leader of the free world, not a bunch of bargain hungry bottom feeders willing to fight with each other to save a few bucks on some cheaply made foreign import.

I welcome your comments and opinion on this issue below.

 

In Business, Do not RT, Economy, Employee productivity, Life, Money, Productivity, Success , , , , , , , , , ,
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