The James Dicks Blog

There’s not one employee in your business, from the CEO down to the lowest level worker, who intentionally tries to create waste or fail in their assigned work assignments. Everyone wants to do a good job. But it’s just human nature, plain and simple; to strive for and attain success in all endeavors we are tasked with accomplishing. Sadly, many of us unwittingly follow the path of least resistance – even when we’re pushing toward our goals.

There are times when shortcuts start to become standard business practice over time as we attempt to avoid the less desirable jobs, and in doing so, we make mistakes, generate waste and experience risk that, not only depletes the bottom-line, but also hurts productivity, customer satisfaction and loyalty. Ultimately the future of your organization is at the very center of your risk factor. Today it is important to identify, quantify and begin to eliminate wasted efforts in your company which will ultimately save dollars; the fuel that puts everything in motion in today’s business setting.

Because we find ourselves in a powerful and destructive global recession; there has never been a better time to get rid of the waste in our organizations as we push toward the financial and emotional fitness of our businesses. Some tough decisions will have to be made; unpleasant decisions that no one wants to make. But in order to truly succeed you need to act on these issues, get a commitment from your management team to plan for action and motivate the team, and make sure that you empower your workforce to get the job done – from the top down.

In order to, at least, stay in the game, one of the first issues you’re going to have to deal with is cash flow. If it is possible, lower the cost of doing business and do it fast. For most companies, the decision is almost made for them; we’ve seen throughout the recession all over the world. Just cut the employee roster. But before you watch valuable employees walk out the door and perhaps into the hands of competitors, you might consider cutting salaries by a percentage before cutting them altogether. You might also want to forego a planned program or two that was on the drawing board; maybe put it on hold for a quarter or two. Or dip into dormant lines of credit. Frequently business owners set up lines of credit they don’t use. The CEO may have it on hand for a “rainy day” and that day has finally arrived. If you get creative you just might find a lot of methods that might help you loosen up the cash flow, at least long enough to get to the next hurdle.

Another step in the process is to become as unique and innovative as possible. Whether you are thinking “inside” or “outside” some imaginary box, your business must generate an excess of interest in your product or service. Normally that means doing something completely different. Find better ways to use the technology that exists in your company to make more profit. Being innovative will require you and your staff to try things that a year ago would have sounded bizarre. The management team must be prepared to offer unusual suggestions; but maybe even more difficult, they must also be prepared to carry out those same outlandish suggestions. It’s always the thing you never considered that will be the original idea to ultimately guide the company out of its doldrums.

There are a numerous “tried and true” methods of doing business that can be used and will help you survive even in the toughest of times. Then, when things start to pick up, you will have a business that is ready to make more profit than it ever did before.

Those who normally excel in life have learned that by developing a positive approach to the things they want or need to accomplish are more likely to succeed. There is just something about the power of a positive thought process that pushes even the most daunting task forward to a successful completion at light speed.

If you wander through life with a negative approach to the situations you encounter, you’ll find it very difficult to find true success because your ability to network with people will be greatly diminished. I mean, who wants to associate with a negative person? The thoughts and emotions you generate each day not only influence you but they also affect those around you. Negativity is catching but so is being positive.

Goal setting within the corporate structure is more likely to be successful if the team is made up of positive thinkers. A positive work environment will outperform negative work environments and optimistic sales people always sell more than the pessimists. In today’s challenging business environment, it has never been more important to be as positive as possible. Many people equate optimistic thinking to visualization; an attitude that is conducive to growth rather than decline.

I’ve known many managers who believe they aren’t doing their job effectively unless the people they are charged with managing are “afraid” of them. Although, some people think positive people are “too nice” or as having no back bones, I have found that it is just the opposite. Positive people seem to know the true spirit of living in today’s world and how to treat the people around them; they know the true meaning of the proverbial Golden Rule – treat others as you would like to be treated.

A recent article in BusinessWeek magazine implored managers in the American business community to start being positive or risk the loss of their corporate direction. It discussed how it is the manager’s responsibility to positively encourage the team so they can “overcome the negative currents” of today’s challenging business environment. Because of the recession, more people are, of course, concerned about whether they will be able to keep their job and because of this dynamic, in many cases, their productivity has dropped off dramatically. It has never been more important for the leadership of American business to be as positive as possible. A positive team produces more efficiently and misses fewer days on the job. Face it, if you enjoy what you do, you’ll definitely want to do it more often.

Each day of our lives we are faced with situations that could be emotionally destructive and could generate negative feelings. Things such as a morning traffic jam or a flat tire might trigger negative emotions that can ruin the rest of your day. The trick is to distinguish between the major situations we all face in life versus the minor irritations and put them in the proper perspective so we can cope with them in a positive manner.

Positive thinkers tend to handle small and large problems fairly well while negative thinkers allow the small situations to adversely affect how they handle the more important events in life. Very rarely do we meet someone who is either all positive or all negative; there is some of each in all of us. But we sure can recognize the person who has persuasive tendencies in either direction. Some people are just more optimistic than others, and vice versa.

As a manager, you can start to improve and develop your team’s performance on the job by avoiding the dangers of negative thinking. It will help build an effective staff that will produce more and positively affect the overall job performance of your organization. Positive thinking has never been more important; begin moving in that direction today.

When I was in the U.S. Marine Corps, the term “leadership” was taught, explained, and demonstrated almost every minute of the day. I found that the biggest and most important difference between a manager and a leader is the way they motivate people who work for them, or follow them. I find that the traits associated with management and leadership can be very similar but they are definitely not transferrable. In our daily routine, there is a need for both types of individuals and many of you have developed both styles in your personal and professional life.

It has been my experience that if you are a manager you normally have subordinates. These are individuals who have been assigned to your charge by higher authorities within a corporate structure. Managers hold positions of authority that have been given to them by upper level administrators and are assigned a multitude of tasks to accomplish for the betterment of the organization.

Management of the daily routine is a very important function, especially in today’s troubled corporate environment. And let me add, not everyone can be an effective manager. It takes training; perhaps vocational, on-the-job or academic instruction. It also takes a ton of organizational skills, patience, self-confidence, and the ability to efficiently function under some extremely high pressure deadlines. Managers usually are not big risk takers and that’s perfectly alright because the company has tasked them (and their subordinates) with the successful completion of a task for the benefit of the company – nothing more, nothing less. That’s what a manager gets paid to do.

Leaders, on the other hand, normally don’t have subordinates but leaders always have followers. People only follow someone because they want to, not because they are asked or forced to do so. Many corporate leaders have subordinates, but that’s only because they are also managers within the organization. But when these individuals feel the need to lead, they must give up their formal corporate managerial authority, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary action – there are no exceptions.

There are all kinds of leaders; some are animated and energetic while some are more reserved. Some people seem to be born to lead while others learn how to lead. Some are charismatic while others are extremely humble but whatever the style; there is always a magnetic appeal to whatever the leader does or asks others to do. Leaders will never ask anyone to do something that they won’t do right along with their team. And although leaders aren’t thrill seekers, willing to do anything to get the job done; they are calculated risk takers and not afraid to do something out of the ordinary in order to successfully complete an assigned task.

Like I said at the beginning, most of us have a touch of both – managerial and leadership traits – within us. This allows us to be organizers when necessary and adapt to changing situations, when required to do so. I have heard a simple explanation concerning the difference between management and leadership style that says “managers do things right, leaders do the right things.”  I believe what this means is that managers are centered on the process of accomplishing tasks while leaders are more visionary and imaginative.  I guess that may be true, but I also believe there are many other factors that must be discussed when we consider the value of each role.

If a company is going to surpass its competitors by becoming more productive and innovative, the proper individuals must be assigned within the leadership and the management makeup of the company.  Both of these functions are important and I think we sometimes give too much credit to the star corporate executive rather than realizing that both the internal leader and his or her management staff/team are needed to assure the ultimate success of a company’s business plan.

We hear about it all the time.  Maybe it has happened to someone you know; maybe it’s already happened to you.  I’m talking about having your identity hijacked by the millions of unscrupulous individuals on a global basis who attempt to track down and seize control of your personal information every day.   You have probably already taken a few proactive steps to secure your information, but there’s always something that you just didn’t consider and it’s that single lapse in your personal security that just might be your undoing. 

Many of us now pay all of our bills and even do a large portion of our personal shopping online.  Most websites offer a certain degree of security; your bank, online retail stores, and travel services, but you should always be weary when inputting personal data such as credit card, driver’s license and social security numbers.  When you are on a website, look for the “lock” icon in the browser status bar.  Also be sure to notice whether or not the online address is preceded by an “https” versus the normal “http.”  This will indicate that you, at least, have a secure connection.  Remember, these indicators do not insure complete security but without them present there is assurance of an absolute lack of security on the site.

If a site you are on asks you to register with your personal information, only enter the information that is required.  And if there is a checkbox or another way to opt out of sharing your information with other individuals or companies, make sure you do so. 

I got an email the other day that looked as though it came directly from my bank.  I later found out that it didn’t.  It was asking me to complete information for something I didn’t remember inquiring about.  So, I picked up the phone and called the bank immediately and they told me that they will NEVER send an email asking for such sensitive information.  Your bank probably has the same policy.  This email asked for my my social security number, bank account number, my address, phone number even a password.  Don’t fall for these “phishing” emails – it could be the start of a personal financial disaster.  By the way, Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2 both have the ability to detect fraudulent websites.  If you use these browsers, make sure the function is activated.

Some banks now offer something called “one-shot” credit card numbers.  These are specific numbers tied to your “real” credit or debit card but only valid for a single transaction.  Check with your bank on what special security functions they can offer you. 

Identity loss isn’t just about online security either.  The safeguarding of your mail, receipts and documents is also extremely important.  Never carry your social security card with you in your wallet.  If your wallet is lost or stolen the thief would have instant access to the most important set of numbers in your life. 

If you don’t have one now, go out and buy a shredder.  When you discard old credit card statements in the trash, for instance, you want to make sure that no one will be able to read the numbers and information ever again.  Shred everything – don’t give anyone the opportunity to steal your information. 

Is your personal mail secure?  Make sure that no one can get into your mailbox at your home or apartment.  If someone takes your mail they will have access to a plethora of information that could be very damaging to your financial security.  You need to keep credit card offers, credit card bills, or banking statements out of the hands of potential identity thieves. 

Americans are a pretty trusting society but we need to get smarter when it comes to protecting our personal information.  Monitor your credit reports often; review your credit card and banking statements carefully to make sure you recognize the merchants and purchases before your pay the bill.  Start being very defensive when it comes to your personal information and by doing so could save yourself a lot of pain, worry, time and money in the future.