MANAGEMENT

OUTFIT

MANAGERIAL OUTFIT

Learn to say no, without saying ‘No’

“It’s important to learn to manage the expectations of others who are demanding too
much from you, “says peter Turla, a time-management consultant who coaches eBay
employees. How do you do that? Instead of saying “yes” or “no” when someone asks if
you will do something, say:
• “Yes, I can do it if you don’t mind this other project being delayed.”
• Yes, I can do it if you extend the deadline or fine someone to help with my other
project.”
• “Yes. If I can work on just the critical part of it and do the rest later.”

It’s an effective way to let people know that you have other projects that also need to be
finished – and that taking on more will jeopardize at least one of them.
--- adapted from “Learning to take time out”
(Carolyne Zinko, San Francisco chronicle.)

Complain for results

You have encountered a situation so frustrating that you must register a complaint with
the person at the top. So how do you do it? Skip the venom and sarcasm. Instead, opt for
kindness, diplomacy and class. You will be more likely to gain the leader’s notice and
obtain the results you want.
Strategy: if possible, begin with praise, mentioning how much you’ve always enjoyed
working with the person’s employees or department in the past. That way, when you
mention the challenge you recently faced, you already have established a level of
credibility.
--- adapted from “complaints written with humility get better results,” bob burg

Most the most of office politics

Any time three or more co-workers engage in conversation, you will see office politics in
action. Use these tips to make it work for you:
• Over communicate. If you think that with-holding information will give the
edge. Think again. Let others know what you are working on or planning.
• Ask open-ended questions. Talk to many different people from all levels of the
organization. Ask open-ended questions and then stop talking. Hearing different
perspectives helps you learn what others deem important.
• Give and take due credit. Acknowledge these who deserve accolades but don’t
miss an opportunity to accept kudos for your own work too.
--adapted from “ways to make office politics work for you.” Maggie Reed,
Copley news service
 Put down the pen
Remember this when you face a tight writing deadline: excessive tinkering and
revising can weaken your writing. For one thing, your first draft might lose emotional
punch as you water it down. Worse, too much tweaking of content will sap your
creativity. Remember: only the finished product counts. Working on a document for
10 hours instead of one hour will not guarantee that the end result will be 10 times
more valuable. Focus on the task and not on the clock
--- adapted from “you can write well under pressure,” Bill Lampton.

Draw reader with strong headlines

Famed ad-msn David Ogilvy said that four out of five people read headlines and nothing
more. Beat the odds by drawing attention to your advertising copy with teaser headlines.
Use these four powerful styles:
• How to. How to lose weight fast. How to double your income in 30 days. Readers
are drawn to headlines that promise solutions to common problems. The better the
benefit. The more likely readers will want to know more.
• Question. Will your customers jump ship? Are you spending too much on
workers’ compensation? Ask a question that your customers care about. And they
will feel compelled to read on.
• Top 10. Ten ways to boost sales, seven warning signs you can’t afford to miss.
Even if you offer fewer than 10 ideas, numbers draw readers in by promising
immediate payoff.

 adapted from “how to write headlines that get read,” Michele Parize
Wacek

ARE YOU A ‘VALUE-ADDED’ EMPLOYEE?

What is your focus when you go to work? Are you thinking “what can I give today?” or
what can get?” both questions are important, however, the former will get your further
faster. It’s that simple.
Often, when I am consulting with a company or team, the hew and cry is “the company/
management does not do enough for me/us.” This may certainly be true, however, my
first question is the opposite, ‘what are you doing for the company/management?’. That’s
the way equation work best. You give and then you get. Strangely, that’s the way it
works best in any relationship. Have you noticed that?
What you pay attention to expands. If you are focus on what you think you are not
getting, that overshadows everything. Attitudes shift and conversations turn into whining
sessions. Soon, morale dips and everyone is complaining. Often, the complaints have
grown completely out of proportion and no one remembers why they were attached to the
company and first place.
You can change this. Be a ‘value-added’ employee. Build your strength rather than
focusing on company weaknesses. What a concept! You choose your focus and attitude.
You choose how you use your time. You choose your perceptions and perceptive. Use
that power to become ‘value-added’!
Now, I am not talking about giving till it hurts. No, I am talking about the way you use
your energy to focus on your career path. Sure, there are employers who devour
employees and spit them out spent, burned out and disillusioned. They exist. If you are
working for one of those… and examine it carefully to be sure… move on.
I am talking about your choices to create the career you want. How do you want to be
seen in the workplace? How does your current position further your progress towards
your goals? Why did you choose it? What is your plane and how can you best follow that
blue-print in your present position? Be pro-active in own life.

How do you want to be seen in the workplace? As competent, confident and valuable, or,
as adequate, mediocre and expandable? Unless you are working for Attila, the Hun, the
way folks see you is mostly in your control. Good employees come to work on time, do
their tasks well, and cause few waves. Great employees do all that and more. They are
focused on the company’s mission and vision. They can be excellent team-players and
excellent leaders when needed. They are clear about their own purposes and visions and
know why they have chosen to work where they work. They care about others and help
them to achieve their goals. They do these things because it clearly moves them further
along their career paths. It is in their own best interest to do so. They have their ‘eyes on
the prize’. Here are a few secrets. Many folks would rather complain about things than
fix them. By being a ‘fixer’. You are being ‘value-added’. Many folks would rather find
fault than good. By catching people doing things well and commenting on it, you are
being ‘value-added’. Many folks would rather see what they can get away with than see
what they can give. By giving just a little more than expected, you honor yourself and
you are being ‘value-added’. Many folks would rather feel ‘done wrong’ than state their
needs and boundaries. By being clearly communicating what you need and want, you are
saving time and energy… and being ‘value-added’
Which side of these equations are you working from? Only one will get you where you
want to go… although you’ll have much more company on the other. Your choice!

CULTIVATING A POSITIVE CORPORATE CULTURE

Corporate culture isn’t something you can define. It’s intangible: a state of mind, a
feeling, a collective consciousness that’s infused in a business and its employees. If you
ask 20 CEOs to define their corporate cultures, you’ll get 20 different responses.
The important thing isn’t which adjectives you choose to describe you culture: it’s a
taking the steps to cultivate it. Your employees are your greatest assets, and when your
business experiences a growth surge, you need a united front of employees that supports
your company’s efforts in mind, body and spirit.

Too many businesses lose sight of the importance of a coherent company culture, or they
have limited knowledge about how to develop it. These companies concentrate on the
business disciplines that are directly connected to their profit margins and neglect the
emotional health or their team when, in fact, the two are closely related.

If you neglect your culture, you may begin to notice these warning signs in your
employees’ behavior. You may hear less laughter in the office or notice that people seem
unfocused. Employees may begin working shorter days, taking longer lunches or even
asking fore more compensation. When employees request additional compensation, it
usually means that they’re revaluating their contributions to your company’s goals or
mission.

Promote culture
CEOs need to present a clearly defined company vision as well as a steady and company
vision as well as a steady and sustainable work ethic for the company to follow. During a
period of rapid growth. CEOs need to assess that they’re doing to promote their culture
and consider some of the following tips for maintaining it.

• On a regular base, have lunch or coffee with randomly chosen employees and
really listen to their concerns and suggestions.
• At least two days a week, walk through the office and chat with people.
• Offer training to your leadership team and provide them with the tools they need
to be effective managers.
• Set a sustainable word pace and watch those who tend to work excessive hours. A
well-balanced work week will significantly reduce sick days and burnout.

HELP AVIOD PROTABLE PITFALS

You consider that many affordable laptops offer performance and features comparable to
desktop computers, you may wonder why desktops are still so widely used. Portability
aside, laptops do have flaws, such as battery problems and limited upgrade potential,
which you should mull over before you decide to invest. We’ll give you a rundown of the
laptop-specific issues that could influence your decision and provide tips to abroad come
common problems laptop users may experience.

Power-hungry
Time, laptop batteries hold less of a charge and will eventually need to be replaced.
Li-Ion (lithium-ion) batteries generally last around 600 charge/discharge cycles.
Most laptops have a battery life of less than four hours, and unless you plan on using
laptop in a fixed location with an AC outlet, such as your home of office, battery
performance, some laptops feature a mobiles processor, which is a type of processor that
saves battery life by using a lower operating voltage and producing less heat than a
traditional desktop processor. Laptop batteries also run down faster when you operate a
processor-intensive program, watch a DVD, or power the wireless network radio on your
laptop. To extend battery life, avoid running nonessential functions and lower the
laptop’s display brightness. Alternatively, your can purchase a second notebook battery
or and external battery to give you a few extra hours of productively when you’re away
from AC outlets.

Another problem is that the chemical process of recharging causes a laptop battery to
hold less capacity after a given number of charge/discharge cycles. One cycle is the use
of 100% of the battery capacity which could be the result of several partial
discharges/charges or a single full discharge/charge of the battery. Modern laptops use
Li-Ion (lithium-ion) batteries that are expected to carry the full capacity for between 300
and 500 cycles. After 300 cycles, a Li-Ion battery typically holds only 80% of the
battery’s original capacity, and after 600 cycles, the battery generally needs to be
replaced. To extend the working life of your battery, reduce the number of charge cycles
by connecting the laptop to AC power whenever possible.

Limited space drawbacks

To fit all the components inside laptop manufacturers tightly pack the hardware inside the
case, which leaves little room for heat to dissipate. Excessive heat can shorten the life
spam of internal hardware. For this reason, never block the intake and exhaust ports on
your laptop (the laptop’s manual will indicate where the cents are located).

The cramped design also limits your ability to upgrade the laptop’s hardware. Let’s say
you want to add hard drive space. Unlike a desktop system, most laptops don’t include a
bay for a second hard drive, so you need to replace the hard drive with a larger-capacity
model and reinstall your operating system and software. If you need more storage, it may
be easier to carry a portable head drive that can also serve to back up your laptop’s data.
In some cases, such as if the laptop features integrated video; you may not be able to
upgrade certain components.
Memory is one of the easier laptop components to upgrade. However, most notebooks
limit the total amount of memory you can install and only offer two memory slots
(compared to the three or four slots in a desktop system). If both memory slots are filled
and you want to upgrade, you’ll need to remove one of the modules and install a higher-
capacity module in its place.

The comforts of home

Although laptops include a keyboard, a track pad, and a screen, some of the built-in
options may be difficult to use in certain scenarios for an extended period of time. For
example, most laptop screens measure between 12.1 and 15.1 inches diagonally. Small
screens make the laptops good for travel, but if you work with high-resolution images,
play games, or watch DVDs, the size of the display may be inadequate, some notebooks
come with 17-, 19-, or 20-inch screens, but these models are often more luggable than
portable.
Additionally, the keys on some laptops are smaller or closer together than the keys on a
traditional keyboard. If you’re a touch typist, the smaller keys can reduce your accuracy
and slow your typing speed, you may also have difficulties adjusting to the track pad for
mouse movements. If you prefer the feel of a traditional desktop keyboard and mouse,
invest or borrow the keyboard and mouse from a desktop system for use while on the
road.
Shock damage
The idea of using a laptop anywhere is certainly appealing, but like most electronics,
laptops are meant to be use inside and treated with care. The most expensive hardware on
a laptop is the LCD, and unfortunately, the screen is also the most fragile component. For
durability, look for a casing that features a tough outer shell that helps protect the display.
If the LCD gets cracked, it may cost more to replace the screen than the laptop is worth.
You’ll also want to avoid jostling the laptop because you can hurt the hard drive and
other interior parts. Some laptops feature a shock mount, which is housing mounted
inside the laptop with shock-absorbing material that protect the hard drive from shock
and vibration

Anywhere internet access

Even if your laptop features a modem, Ethernet port, and built-In Wi-Fi, you may have
difficulty accessing the internet outside your home. Most public places don’t offer a
telephone jack or Ethernet port, and if you find a wireless hotspot, you may have to pay a
fee for the service. If internet access is critical to your productivity, it may be best to
purchase a mobile broadband plan from a cell phone provider, such as Verizon, Cingular,
or sprint Nextel. To access mobile broadband, you’ll also need a pc card (or a mobile
phone that you can connect to your pc) that can receive the mobile broadband signal from
your provider.

Weigh your options

Depending on how you plan to use your laptop, some features or performance issues may
be more critical than other , Certain weaknesses, such as short battery life, may not be an
issue for someone who primarily use a laptop at home or in the office. Alternatively, a
laptop with a short battery life would be a major issue for someone who often works on
the road. We suggest you identify which laptop specific issues you’ll need to watch for
and choose a model that helps you avoid portable pitfalls.

GREAT MANAGEMENT IDEAS

A good assistant can multiply your effectiveness. To recruit one, construct a profile.
Decide how much responsibility to delegate and how your work styles and personalities
will complement

Benchmarking consists of measuring and comparing a company’s operations, products,

and services against those of top perfumers with in and outside its industry

Skill in reading body language is an advantage in interviewing and negotiation. The

Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Always upon Him) said: Anyone who GOD has given
authority over people, and does not look after them in an honest manner, will never
experience scent the scent of paradise (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Hadith 264)
GUIDE TO MANAGEMENT

Cost of operations
Most people are woefully uneducated and unaware of economics particularly the
economics of operating and organization. They have very little understanding of the costs
of operations.
When people do not understand organizational economics, they operate under the false
belief that there should always be more money available: for them, for everything they
want, for any project which interesting, or more people to be hired. When this money is
not available or forthcoming, people will become angry at management, their peers, and
the organization.
People in for-profit businesses especially need to understand organizational economics.
For whatever reason, many people do not realize what without profits, there will no jobs
or benefits. By educating people on the basic economics of running an organization, you
give them a greater appreciation of your job as manager; you are making them partners
rather than adversaries
-- Bruce Hyland & merle Yost