How to Be a More Effective Manager

The best companies, departments, and staffs, are those where everyone feels comfortable and confident in their decisions. They are free from fear of retribution or humiliation.

To improve the morale and work quality in your department and, even company, follow these guidelines:
Set a standard of personal integrity. Easy: Keep your promises and honor your commitments. Moderate: Deal with everyone fairly and support this behavior in others. (Can be) Difficult: Give your people the pride of working for a moral company.

Find out the central interests of your people. How can you manage someone you don't know anything about? Give people opportunities to do what they enjoy most and do best. Build on people's strengths.

Give assignments that stimulate personal and professional growth. Stretch your people by assigning tasks and projects slightly beyond their known capabilities.

Give your people opportunities to practice self-responsibility. Give them space to take the initiative, volunteer ideas, attempt new tasks, expand their range and make mistakes.

Challenge the seniority tradition. Promote on the basis of merit. The recognition of ability is one of the great motivators of self-respect and enthusiasm for the organization.

CONFLICT
Show that it is safe to make a mistake. Let people feel free to say "I don't know, but I will find out." To evoke fear of error or ignorance is to invite deception, inhibition, and an end to creativity.

Show that it is safe to disagree with you. Convey respect for differences of opinion. Do not punish dissent.
Important: Disagreement does not have to be disagreeable.

Make eye contact and listen actively. Offer appropriate feedback and give the speaker the experience of being heard.

Never permit conflicts of personalities. Keep encounters about work task-centered, not ego-centered. The focus needs to be on reality -- "What is the situation? What does the work require? What needs to be done?"

Provide reasons for rules and guidelines. When they are not self-evident. Explain why you cannot accommodate certain requests. Don't merely hand down orders.

FEEDBACK
When an employee does superior work or makes an excellent decision, invite them to explore how it happened. Don't limit yourself to praise. By asking appropriate questions, you help raise the person's consciousness about what made the achievement possible and thereby increase the likelihood of repetition.

Provide clear and unequivocal performance standards. Let people understand your non-negotiable expectations regarding the quality of work and help them understand how their performance will be measured.

Praise in public... correct in private. Acknowledge achievements in the hearing of as many people as possible but let a person absorb corrections in the safety of privacy.

Convey in every way possible that you are not interested in blaming. You ARE, however, interested in solutions. When we look for solutions, we grow in self-esteem. When we blame or make excuses, we weaken self-esteem.

Take personal responsibility for creating a culture of self-esteem. Subordinates are unlikely to sustain the kind of behavior you want if they do not see it exemplified by higher-ups.
Great managers are not the ones who come up with brilliant solutions, but those who see to it that their staffs come up with brilliant solutions.

Avoid over-directing, over-observing, and over-reporting. Excessive "managing" is the enemy of autonomy and creativity.



ADDITIONAL RESOURCES http://jmi.fsu.edu/Services/Jerry-s-Articles/How-to-Be-a-More-Effective-Manager

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-11-30/news/27612658_1_great-managers-shantanu-prakash-educomp

5 Lessons in Creatively Creating Your Next Income Stream from a "Great Idea"

You don't have to be a genius to make a living with your imagination, but there are some things that you'll want to know...

Here are some ideas learned along the way to a successful career in profiting from great ideas:

1) Focus on innovation, not invention. Truly groundbreaking ideas are rare, but you don't necessarily need one of those to make a financial foundation for yourself. In fact, a useful understanding of creativity as "The logical combination of two or more existing elements that results in a new concept," could be enough to get you on the right track. Don't underestimate the potential income from simply developing innovative applications, as opposed to completely new concepts.
Famous Example: G.I Joe was the first "action figure" with movable joints for boys when it was introduced in 1964, but the product wasn't really that different from others already on the market. G.I. Joe's were simply the combination of the idea of "dolls," such as Barbie, which were marketed toward girls, with the idea of static action toys, which had always been marketed toward boys.

2) Find a high concept. That's a Hollywood expression for a big idea that is instantly understandable and marketable. The best ideas can be described quickly, and are concepts that stick in peoples' minds (think "Call Me, Maybe"). Besides, two seconds might be all the time you get to pitch your idea to the right person.

3) Read as much as you can, on as many different subjects as possible. Since the invention of the internet, it has become easier than ever before to get substantial amounts of information about any subject you want, but don't rule out trade and consumer magazines for specific niche ideas, which could be developed into new applications. Try to decide if something is really a trend, or just a passing fad. When the same idea starts popping up in the news, magazines, and on TV - pay attention. Make note of things that capture your attention. If they got you, they are probably catching other peoples' attentions also. If you see a product that appears to be a good idea, try to think of other uses for it, even if those uses are outside your areas of knowledge/expertise.

4) Meet regularly with people outside your industry or area of expertise. Consider licensing as a profitable business in itself. Think of a large company doing something similar to your (or another person's) idea, as a speedway to that idea's success. Licensing in this fashion also opens doors to many new networking opportunities - as you represent a bridge between two entities, you'll be learning about both sides of the ideas.

5) Adapt proven ideas to the changing world. Update an existing idea that has become out of date. Again consider the toy market. Consider toys as our world around us, reduced to miniature or simplified versions. Decide how you can fill the gaps, or try to look for similar analogies in other industries.

Bonus: Sell them the printer, THEN sell them the ink. Some industries call this "consumables," but it works for just about any product idea. If you can sell a single doll, but then sell 10 different outfits for that doll, you've just turned one customer into 11 potential sales.

Good luck in all your endeavors! I'd love to hear your successes or pitfalls.



Support a worthy cause of your choice for free!

I had an idea like this...

I guess you could say "I had a dream." I envisioned a place where homeless had homes and peace and sustainability ruled. I hadn't thought to search for something similar until today, and I found that some homeless people have already established something very close to what I was thinking. It's a little crude, and not as well-funded as I was picturing, but it's nice to know there is an existing basis for what I'd like to see happen.

Check this article out for more information: http://voices.yahoo.com/how-solve-homelessness-3067012.html?cat=9

Thoughts About Hypnosis & The Attraction of Wealth

I don't post nearly as often as I should. I often think of things I'd like to post, but then never do because it feels like it takes too much to login and type out, then format and proofread, then collect associated images and post them, etc...

So maybe a format similar to Tumblr would be better for me; it's definitely something I'm looking into. So on to the post.

I really enjoy hypnosis and the relaxing benefits it provides. I don't know if I really believe all the stage hypnosis quick inductions, and how people just fall over asleep, but it's interesting to think about. Usually as I'm laying down to sleep, I give myself some items to concentrate on. I take a few deep breaths, try to calm my rampantly raging ADHD thoughts, and then I either plant seeds of relaxation or attraction. Last night, I felt particularly clever when I came up with the phrase (which I repeated several times): "You'll now experience the most healing, rejuvenating, refreshing, and energizing rest and relaxation you've ever had. EVERY CELL in your ENTIRE BODY will be completely healed, rejuvenated, refreshed, and energized." I'd have to say it worked pretty well, I passed out quickly and woke up only 8.5 hours later, full of energy. As a side note, I can easily sleep 12 hours every night, and I've been that way since I can remember. I once slept 17 hours straight through. I can survive off 8 hours a night as long as I can sleep in at least once a week.

"Ok, enough about me, let's talk about you for a minute. Enough about you, let's talk about life for a while."

My thoughts on THE Law of Attraction: I don't know. I often wonder if people who become successful using The Secret, are much like those who become successful without it: something clicks in their subconscious that causes them to take and make actions that they aren't fully aware of. They can try to teach others, in good faith, but will never be able to fully describe to anyone, a truly 100% effective system for achieving what they themselves have now attained. They, in their conscious mind, are actually unaware of the true reason(s) for why and how it worked for them.

Honestly, I'm trying to wrap my head around all the aspects of positive thinking and feeling, in order to attract more abundance and wealth in my life, but I guess it's just not "clicking" for me. Maybe it's not my time, or maybe I'm just not doing something right. I might have blocks I can't find, hidden and preventing me from success. Or maybe it has something to do with what Wallace D. Wattles alludes to, when in "The Science of Getting Rich," he says something to the effect that "sustained thought is the hardest task any human will ever undertake," which is especially true for those scatterbrained individuals such as myself. If my brain isn't going 7 directions at once, I'm probably dead. I know the benefits of focus, it just really is super difficult for me to accomplish.

I've been interested in and experimenting with hypnosis and auras for at least 6 years now. I had an epiphanic thought this morning about getting rich using The Law of Attraction and Auras, and I'll share that with you now:
"Surround yourself with a "money aura" so that when you are anywhere near money, it will be attracted to you by the law of "like attracts like." Imagine money and expensive objects floating in an invisible field surrounding you. The larger the aura and the more densely filled it is, the more magnified the magnetic effect will be."

What do you think? Worth a shot.



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Jeff Haas Mazda - General(ly Specific) Complaint(s)

I've really been thinking about how I don't post here anymore, which I follow by saying I've been considering turning this blog into a complaint log. It almost seems like I'm always complaining about something. I don't do it for any personal gain though; I do it to warn you. I search for an appropriate outlet to lodge my complaint without having to sign up for some site that will sell my information to some advertising company (yet another thing I'd have to complain about!) and usually wind up empty handed and anger-ful (you like how I did that?). So I wind up here again, and that is the extremely long-winded intro to my rant about the Jeff Haas Mazda dealership in Houston, TX.

I know dealerships are scummy, with all the (usually unethical) tactics they employ, but I at least expect them to carry their operations out in a friendly demeanor. I'm 99.99% certain I'd never been yelled at by an employee at a dealership, until this visit. The smug, angry financial manager was only part of the complaint though. The way the deal was handled overall, led something to be desired. I'll admit, I've been listening to some best negotiation practices MP3's by several authors (some of my favorites are by Roger Dawson) so I guess I was expecting a more congenial showdown (or no showdown at all!). Fisher, Ury, and Patton talk about the angry negotiator, and I have since learned better how to deal with someone like that, but it was a surprise at the time to have someone in that state of mind at a place where you kind of expect to get your butt kissed a little. Anyway, on to the story!

We found a car we wanted through Yahoo Autos and emailed the internet salesman with our interest and terms. We told him we need to be between a certain price range and we don't have (or want to put down) a down payment. We do have a trade-in but it is slightly "upside down" financially. Carl Scott, the salesman responded kindly saying he definitely felt he could get us in our range pending credit approval. "Great," we thought and quickly headed there on our first day off together (Saturday). We set up an appointment but of course we had to wait on Carl when we got there. He was very friendly at least, and didn't pressure us on anything. He brought us back a list of figures that were still out of our price range, but he said that the finance manager could work with us on the numbers and that the figures on the paper were just estimates. We can handle that, and we just assume that this dealership works a little different than others where you do most of your bargaining with the salesman before you get to finance.

So we wait. They have a small room with 1 TV on CNN or some other news station where all they play are commercials and disturbing international news. I'll refer to it as "The Holding Cell."

Thirty minutes later: we are greeted by the finance manager Kortney Malito.

As an aside, I've done some searching on him to see if others have complained, and he is apparently some kind of Master Level Business Manager according to "The Automotive Training Academy." I guess he just had to pass the "5 day training course" to be classified in this "distinguished" manner, because it surely has nothing to do with his cordial and ethical business practices (non-existent).

Mr. Mal(d)ito immediately became irate that we weren't taking the deal he had weaved, which was clearly (although only by a small margin) outside of our agreed upon price range. "That's just semantics," he raved. Really? According to Merriam-Webster semantics doesn't mean "untrue," it means the study of words and how they change through history. Does this mean the Automotive Training Academy doesn't teach definitions of useful terms? Maybe "Master Level" means: "you sell cars real good - even if you have to bully a couple people (or everyone) to meet your forecasts."

But I digress.

I don't know if there really was some misinformation provided by Mr. Scott, or if Mr. Malito was just using psychological warfare, but he actually had to call Scott into the room to clarify what the original agreement had been. Malito had an angry tone most of the time, especially when I brought up any kind of bargaining stance. He basically yelled at me when I mentioned the dealership's "documentation fee" as a point of discontent. I stated that it was not required by the state of Texas, as I had previously learned, but he wasn't hearing any of that! He quickly shot his chair around to grab previous documents, stating that Jeff Haas has never (EVER) waived the fee, and that I would "kill the deal" if I made that an issue. I'm actually curious if bringing that number up, but being told that it would not be negotiated is illegal since the state does not require it and declares that it should be a number agreed upon by both parties (if you know, please shoot me a comment to inform me). Then he exclaimed that there was another couple waiting to buy the car and that there were other people waiting to get financing, so if I would just hurry up and sign the deal we could get moving.

And I'm running out of steam...

He broke me down with his tone and his (overkill) argumentative nature until I was just unwilling to keep trying for a fair deal. We were eventually actually inside of our price range, so I let it be and we bought the car.

"Sign here here here here here here here here here and here..." and the deal was done.

"Hand this (paper plate) to Mr. Scott and he will put it on the car for you."

I honestly don't even recall if he thanked us for buying the car because I was so sick to my stomach at that point. It didn't get any better when we got back to Scott and he handed us the key. Wait... the key?

"There's only one key?" We asked.

"Yep," was his only response.

This isn't just any key, this is a $156 "switchblade" programmable linking key. Great, another kick in the pants on the way out!

After all the dust settled and we were driving to show our friends and family the new purchase, it dawned on us that we had been totally distracted by all the numbers and attitude, that we completely forgot to ask for a Carfax report! DOH!! Of course to make it worse, the universe saw fit to show us literally 50 Carfax commercials that night while watching TV.

Maybe it just wasn't our day! The car is nice though.








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Cute Cuddly Comfortable ... Growths?

Nope, it's just a coat from Chilean designer Sebastian Errazuriz. The same guy who brought the world the zipper dress!

Check it out:

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Do You Tweet?

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Jan 11, 2011 @ 6:39 pm
Note: You're doing it wrong: Doing It Wrong

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Jan 11, 2011 @ 6:34 pm
Need an idea for something to do with all that snow & ice? - Snow and Ice Demon

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Jan 11, 2011 @ 4:58 pm
This is where Labron James got it from: Labron's Mentor

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Jan 11, 2011 @ 4:48 pm
How do you like YOUR bacon and eggs? - Bacon Cups for Your Eggs

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Jan 11, 2011 @ 4:47 pm
Because sometimes, only one SHARK ON YOUR HEAD just isn't enough: Balancing Shark Act

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Jan 10, 2011 @ 10:26 pm
Some birds fell out of the sky, but not Big Bird! - Big Bird in The Sky

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Jan 10, 2011 @ 10:19 pm
Need HD to really appreciate this one: Super Textured Biker

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Jan 10, 2011 @ 9:52 pm
Cats - Now on DVD: Cats - DVD

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Jan 10, 2011 @ 9:47 pm
If you can find a cooler cat lamp somewhere else... BUY IT! - Cat Lamp - Using a REAL Cat

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Jan 9, 2011 @ 10:52 pm
Insert Crab Joke Here: The Crab That Didn't Get Away

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Jan 8, 2011 @ 10:03 pm
Schnozzberries! - Lickerish

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Jan 8, 2011 @ 9:59 pm
Ok, I think I get everything except the boots...: Posing Girls - Trying A Little Too Hard

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Jan 8, 2011 @ 9:57 pm
Cookie Monster Rocks: Cookie Monster Undies

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Jan 7, 2011 @ 10:25 pm
Ya, she's a little mouse-y up top, but she's got a bangin' keyboard: Nerd's Dream Girl - She Loves Computers!

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Jan 7, 2011 @ 9:59 pm
Nice Melons; Pumpkins are Melons, Right? - Nice Little Personal Pumpkin Patch

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Jan 7, 2011 @ 9:51 pm
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! : Cheerleader Kitteh




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I Used to Have a Website

So, I used to have a website. I paid for the registration, the hosting, the privacy protection (the whole nine yards). I spent weeks editing the layout, the links, the colors, the fonts, the "you name it." When it came time to renew, I just couldn't bring myself to fork out another couple hundred bucks. I have been working 50-60 hour weeks and didn't even think to try and sell the domain while it was still garnering traffic. In fact, the thought of trying to sell the site didn't hit me until months after letting it all expire. It was really a hassle anyway, and I obviously wasn't doing something right since I hadn't become a millionaire after running it for 2-3 years, so in my head I guess I figured I should just scrap the entire project and start over. Most of the links are here on the blog somewhere anyway, although much more scattered out. Most of the sites I was rep'ing have gone by the wayside since I started the site, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be. Back to the drawing board and on to the next one.



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