I believe that one of the most important qualities that any of us can possess is integrity. Without an honest approach to life and to everyone we come into contact with, our lives are meaningless. Honesty and a sense of duty should be the number one issue in our daily lives and always remember to stand up for what you believe is the right thing, even if it’s not the popular thing to do.

You must always place other’s needs ahead of your own with a sense of unselfishness. Make certain that you, as the manager; never take advantage of any situation because you’re in charge. Never take credit for something that a subordinate has accomplished but always give credit where the credit is due. Those you are in charge of leading should never take a back seat based on your status as a manager/supervisor. As the Marine Corps states, be considerate of others.

Make sure that you get up every morning with a fair amount of enthusiasm and share it with the team. This can be translated as a positive attitude that creates a sincere interest in the performance of all your duties. If you show enthusiasm, others will soon do the same in accepting their own challenges within the organization. Smile, be understanding of others, enthusiastic about the job and willing to accept anything that is required of you and the team.

Also be as dependable as you possibly can to yourself and to others. If you are late to work, how can you expect others to make it there on time? Dependability also fosters a degree of trust among the staff members and develops an effort to try and attain the highest standards possible. Being dependable also means standing up for your actions and never making excuses. Get into the habit of successfully accomplishing a task whether you like it or agree with it. If required by the organization, do it to the best of your abilities.

The courage to do what isn’t popular or might be hazardous is something you’ll have to develop. It’s a very personal trait. Any bravery “under fire” (whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom) allows you to stay calm in situations that require you to remain under control. Your moral courage is also something that must never be neglected in order for you to develop the necessary strength to stand up for what is morally right. Your moral courage also forces you to accept fault when you are to blame. This is something that our drill instructor tried to instill in us right from the start by answering with the statement “No excuse, sir” when asked about our involvement in certain situations. Take the responsibility and the blame when required. It’s all about honor and making sure the team is never placed in jeopardy. Admit your mistake and move forward. It is that important.

Endurance is the final trait I want to share with you because it’s an extremely important quality to have, especially in today’s business world. When you feel like quitting, tell yourself to keep going. Understand internally that you have the ability to withstand the pain involved (whether physical, emotional, or financial), and can handle the stress, exhaustion and the hardships you’ll most likely endure.

If you simply decide to quit, then you will have achieved nothing. But if you hang in there and get the job done, even when you don’t think you can travel one step further, you will have succeeded.

It’s not easy but it is necessary, even expected, of today’s business leader. Your confidence will be observed by those around you and will become quite contagious. If the team moves in a positive direction, the entire organization will have a better chance of succeeding. That’s important in today’s challenging business environment.

In corporate America today, there is a desperate need to do more with less. The stress of trying to create a positive cash flow when sales are down might force you to develop an approach that has never been tried before. Don’t say it can’t be done – try it. You may be surprised at how innovative thinking suddenly develops when a positive attitude is created.

Another personality trait attained when you’re in a positive mental zone is confidence. Without the will and desire to accomplish even the smallest task, there’s really no point in getting up in the morning. Your optimistic approach to the job at hand will take you to the next level of accomplishment. Part of building a respectable level of confidence is developing and attaining a set of goals that you set out for yourself and your organization. Accomplish each goal, step by step, and your confidence will flourish. You’ll start believing you can do whatever you set your mind and heart to do.

Oh, and one other thing – love what you do. That’s extremely important because once you find that your life’s work is actually something you enjoy doing, you’ll want to do it more often. You’ll want to make sure it’s done competently and those around you will also start feeling the same way. It’s often been said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work another day in your life.

But many of us are trapped in positions and in companies that we don’t enjoy because of the current shape of the economy. What can you do if you find yourself in that situation? Maybe it’s time to get out and start searching for that one thing that you are passionate about. Time to start enjoying the day from sunrise to sunset. Let your passion drive you forward and find what it is that will create a solid, confident, and positive attitude within you. It’s in you right now; you just need to do some soul searching to find it.

Your attitude and the way you think are entirely under your personal control. A positive attitude will help you lead your team to victory. So, when you think about it, your future success, even your very health is something that you can control if you literally put your mind to it. Think positively.

The topic of money never remains fixed. Tax laws are always changing, and as we’ve seen recently, the laws pertaining to credit changed and were updated, plus there are always new and different investment opportunities that are developed and must be considered. These are just a few examples; I could list many more, but you get the point. Your financial education on the subject of money will never be finished so just adjust your thinking accordingly. One of the things I suggest is to spend some time researching financial papers and periodicals. So congratulations, if you are reading this, you have already started. Keep it up.

Additionally, there are lots of other methods in becoming a student of money. Many local community colleges offer courses in basic money management, which are normally taught by Certified Financial Planners and other similarly credentialed financial professionals. These classes can be an excellent resource for you. The only caution I’ll offer you about these courses is that sometimes the instructor may use the class as a platform to give out his opinions on how to invest, or even as a means of adding clients to his list of customers. So, you’ll want to pay close attention to the information, and be sure to “weed out” those bits of information that seem to be less than standardized financial knowledge and more financial propaganda or a sales pitch. Something to consider as your wealth builds, you will actually have to spend more time, not less, watching your money. Hey, this is a good problem to have, but it is an issue nevertheless.

You probably spent a lot of time and effort gathering the money you have available to you. So it goes without saying that you must watch out for the scam artists. We’re all familiar with these folks; people who just seem to represent the lowest echelon of human existence. And I’m not only speaking of hardened criminals, but people who live in such a way that their lives are centered on the acquisition of negative energy using risky tactics. Behavioral science has shown us that when honorable people are brought together with those who are less than admirable for an extended period of time, it is very likely that the decent folks will more than likely drop to the level of their counterparts than the other way around. There are a variety of theories as to why this is the case, but chief among them is that it simply requires less effort to fall down than to rise up. The activities in which the less honorable folks are frequently engaged are admittedly very appealing at an instinctive level. So just remember what you were told as a kid – “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Be careful!

One thing is for sure, it’s going to take a lot of hard work and self-control to build a solid financial future for you and your family. There’s not just one method of doing so but there are certain constants that apply to all of us. One of them is that you will have to commit yourself to getting the education you need and then taking the time to do so. Once you realize that there are hundreds of factors that must be studied, considered and applied every day, you will be well on your way. Start your research today. If there’s one thing that we all should have learned in the past couple of years, the financial stature of our lives depends on the decisions we make today. Poor choices create unfortunate situations when times get tough. Start creating an economically sound plan that will guide you to a more solid financial life for your future.

When AIG first went to the “well” for money from the federal goverment, the Associated Press reported that the Obama administration’s pay czar, Kenneth Fienberg, said bonus payments totaling $100 million to AIG employees from the same unit that prompted a massive taxpayer bailout are “outrageous” but they were allowed under the law. He said the retention bonuses were contractual obligations agreed upon years ago, before American International Group Inc. received a $180 billion federal rescue at the height of the financial crisis in late 2008. In an interview on ABC, Feinberg said, “These are the old grandfathered payments. I do not for a minute ignore the outrage out there, which I share. But the fact of the matter is we’ve got to abide by the law.” Feinberg said he’s working to get back as much of the bonus money as possible. He said AIG employees have agreed to repay $39 million out of $45 million in previous bonuses to the U.S. Treasury.

Well now it’s too late to ask. If AIG employees got a bonus and the company still can’t get on their feet it’s time to eliminate the problem, just like everyone else and every other business in the world.

How about all the small businesses out there that are also having tough times. For the last year these small businesses have been eliminating overhead and cutting costs across the board, most small business owners tht are struggling have stopped paying their own paychecks in order to keep as many of their most loyal employees still on the books. No government support is in sight for them. Worse yet, it takes months and sometimes years to eliminate some of the most weighing liabilities only to wait even longer before the cash flow catches up.

As far as I am concerned, AIG had their chance. Yes, we will suffer for the downfall of AIG but it will get better and in the end we will be better. But we will have make some difficult decisions first. AIG is not the only insurance company out there. AIG has enough subsidiaries, and they can do what we all do, focus on the ones that are profitable and cut the ones that aren’t and that means if you can’t sell it — close it.

In a recent poll of more than 1,000 Americans conducted by CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, 84% of those surveyed believe that the U.S. economy is still very much in recession which is s slight improvement from September’s poll where 87% felt the recession was still alive and well. This kind of public sentiment, while heartfelt, seems to be just the opposite of what the nation’s economists are telling us; that the “Great Recession” has finally come to an end.

Economists are in almost universal agreement that, according to the numbers, the worst of the economic slowdown appears to be behind us. According to the latest reading on gross domestic product, the U.S. economy grew at a 2.8% annual rate in the three months ending in September, the broadest measure of the nation’s economic activity. And while job losses continue, the number of jobs lost in November fell to 11,000, the smallest amount of any month since the start of 2008, while the unemployment rate fell to 10% from 10.2%. Plus a recent survey of top economists from the National Association of Business Economists found 81% agreed that the recession was over.

So, why the discrepancies?

While there have been some economic improvements, economists believe that it will take a long time, perhaps even years to dig out of the economic upheaval that this recession caused. Because the improvements have been slight, the average American family just doesn’t feel it yet. One economist put it this way, “The hole is a very big hole this time and the recovery is very modest so it might take us a number of years to get out of the hole.” And this startling result also came to the surface recently. While economists are getting more optimistic, the consuming public appears to be getting even more pessimistic. The same poll found that only “15% believe the economy is starting to recover from the problems it faced in the past year or so, down from 17% who saw improvement in the previous poll in September.” And the public also believes that things will get worse before it gets better.

This is something that the retail industry didn’t want to hear during the biggest shopping period of the year. Holiday shopping so far has been less than stellar. A recent Christmas Retail Survey released during the first week of December by America’s Research Group (ARG) and UBS showed that sales were weaker this year than in 2008. Of those consumers not shopping, an overwhelming number, 95.1%, said they will wait until just before Christmas (some even said they’d wait until December 24) to get more items on sale.

And further evidence of a shaky American consumer base, the most recent Consumer Credit report released by the Federal Reserve showed that Americans borrowed less for a record ninth straight month in October, another sign that consumer spending will remain weak and make it more difficult for the economy to produce a sustained rebound. And unless the U.S. consumer develops some confidence in the nation’s economic foundation, the chances for recovery are probably negligible.

We are all hoping for a more profitable 2010, and the last thing I want to be is pessimistic (it just goes against my nature). But until our national housing and mortgage industry is repaired, until the banks start loaning money again, until jobs start picking up, until the confidence of the American consumer is bolstered by a feeling that our economy is, in fact, returning to normal, this country could continue to experience the same economic doldrums in the New Year. Let’s hope the effects of the technical economic improvements economists are seeing today will soon show themselves fundamentally to those of us who live on Main Street USA.

We can only learn from our mistakes after we admit that a mistake actually occurred. We all must realize that without experiencing mistakes in our lives, we would never learn or grow. So, when you look at it from that point of view, our personal blunders can actually turn out to be positive events. Think about how each of us expands our horizons. We don’t just gobble down every fact we can about a subject and instantly become experts. We practice and develop an understanding of the topic; then when we then make our mistakes we simply adjust our methods to develop positive solutions.

It makes no difference what the topic is; when we first learned to walk, all of us probably fell down more than we stood on our own two feet. When we first started learning Algebra equations, we no doubt got more wrong that right. So, when you look at it that way, the mistakes you’ve made along the way have actually helped you become the success you and your business are today. That’s not to say that you should strive to make errors in life, but when you do, you should be prepared to quickly examine them carefully and learn that by changing the way you accomplish any particular task will probably lead you to certain success.

While I’m on the topic of success, one thing that we all need to be very mindful of is the fear of success. So many people today just won’t allow themselves to succeed and when failure does occur (and it will) they interpret that as a sign of weakness and create an internal obstacle that keeps them from experiencing accomplishment. Always remember that it’s the difficult times that create the opportunities in our lives. The more mistakes you make, the more opportunities for you to learn and the more you learn, the more proficient and confident you’ll be in your given vocation.

Mistakes will occur now and then, but you must never allow them to hold you back from attaining your personal goals. Maintain an optimistic approach to life and keep pushing your situation forward; this is how noble ideas are shaped. If you become withdrawn and lose confidence because you made an error, you place an internal roadblock between you and any opportunity that might make itself available. On the other hand, with the proper attitude, your mistakes can become the very source of all future achievements in your life.

I’m sure that we all made a lot of mistakes this year and I’m also certain that we’ll all be making a few more next year. The most important thing to remember is to become deeply aware of your personal situation from day-to-day and adjust quickly to insure that the damaging results produced as a result of your mistakes are simply not allowed to take hold. Just plan to quickly apply the lessons learned from your mistakes and you can be sure that considerable success won’t be too far behind.

When you think about it, you’ve spent quite a lot of time and money training your staff to accomplish the tasks that have, up to this point, helped to craft a successful business. But today’s environment is forcing business to stockpile cash and other assets, and the fastest and most efficient method of increasing your internal cash flow is by cutting the payroll; or is it? You won’t get an argument that it might be the fastest method but it may not be the most cost effective approach in the long run. While things may be volatile today, bad situations always have a way of improving.

Your staff is not only a trusted group internally but your employees have, no doubt, created positive and productive relationships with your customer base as well. They know your product better than anyone and they also know your customer. That is a very important combination because positive customer relations are more likely to translate into future sales.

While many businesses believe that the customer base is the most important asset of any business they couldn’t be more wrong. Without a highly skilled group of employees there would be no customer base. Each individual has their strong points; most probably have more than one to offer. Develop an understanding of everyone’s string points and assign the right person for the right job. Your staff comes in everyday and deals positively with your customers; they keep the books on track, handle the new orders or answer the phones. They do hundreds of other things that can’t even be quantified; they do their jobs so well that you never seem to have a problem. Things run like clockwork because your staff holds it all together.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when things haven’t run as smoothly as I’d like but that’s why management exists. Sometimes management has a “bad hire” and that can cause quite a few problems; especially to a small business. Those issues must be dealt with quickly but you should know who your “core” employees are; you know who can be counted on to come in at night or on a weekend, if needed, without complaint. You know who is always there to help bolster his or her fellow employees when they have a tough day. You know who the sales person is that never makes excuses but keeps the bottom line solvent. You can’t lose these people; they have a vast amount of corporate memory and that helps to run your business. But more importantly they have a work ethic that is difficult to find these days. You know who is loyal to the company and you also know who is only there to collect a pay check. There is a big difference.

As I said earlier, the economic slump we currently find ourselves in will pass; they always do. When it does, you will want to be in a position to hit the ground running. So, if at all possible, try saving the cash flow by cutting programs before you are forced to cut people. A well-qualified and loyal group of employees is the most valuable asset of any business. It’s the people who control a business – not the other way around. If you have a well-trained and professional staff you must try to hold on to them through the use of any retention programs you have at your disposal. During the challenging times, a feeling of sincere camaraderie will help your business escape the next tight spot the company encounters. Your people are your most important asset.

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I recently saw a post on the Internet that really cut to the chase on the differences between management and leadership. It said, “A manager is responsible for seeing that the right people are in the right place doing the right things at the right times. A leader is responsible for seeing that they actually ‘want’ to be in those places at those times and doing those things.”

Positive leader traits do much to help you positively build your life and your business and I’d like to share a just few of these traits with you that, if applied, will certainly help you develop confidence in yourself and loyal cooperation from your staff.

- Justice – This trait will allow you to create a sense of fairness and consistency in your organization. An effective leader never demonstrates favoritism but treats people and things with equality at all times.

- Dependability – If you are dependable you can be counted on to accomplish all of your tasks properly and on schedule. It also means that you always put forth your best effort without ever making excuses.

- Initiative – A person that has the feeling of initiative is a self-starter and doesn’t wait to be told to do something. It means meeting new projects head-on and using problem-solving techniques to accomplish a task efficiently.

- Enthusiasm – Know what your passion is and create an optimistic approach to everything you do. A keen understanding and conviction to your job will add to your eager desire to devotedly accomplish all your responsibilities.

- Knowledge – The more you know about your task, the better and more passionate you will be about completing it. Listen and observe to the conditions and situations around you. If you don’t know – find out. Read, go to class, and learn from your peers.

- Loyalty – A distinct sense of loyalty means you are devoted to your superiors, your peers and your subordinates. But also faithful to the mission and always speak positively about those you work with. If you are asked to do something, do it to the best of your ability.

- Courage – A display of courage doesn’t mean you experience no fear but it is the way you handle your emotions in the face of fear. Manage your fear and dread by practicing self-control.

Your ability to lead will determine the amount of success and well-being you will be able to experience in this life. Leadership comes from an ability to inspire trust in others and if people trust you, you can be sure that they will follow you. It’s human nature – plain and simple. If people can’t trust you then eventually things will start to fall apart around you. Leadership is important and can be learned by anyone who aspires to show others a clearer path to success.

Many businesses have collapsed under the stress of this fragile economy; some are still alive but running on the fumes of what they were able to scrape together soon after the recession hit them. Like I said, it’s been a tough year but it is not impossible to overcome. Now it’s time to rebuild our personal and professional lives.

As we enter the holiday season, I see the effects of this economic downturn hit yet again. Corporate CEOs and HR managers have had to do what was in the best interest of their companies – normally that means trimming the employee roster – at least for the time being. We’ve all had to determine where costs can be cut to generate needed cash flow so American companies can stay “open for business” and start to mend our damaged economy.

The same goes for families across the U.S. trying to find their “new” paths to personal financial freedom. Many of you were doing everything correctly and thought you had it made, only to discover that traditional methods of investing just didn’t work anymore and established family traditions had to be cut or done away with all together.

I’ve heard more and more people say that this year’s holiday season will be different – this year there won’t be as many presents given to as many people as there have in the past. Charitable organizations are already feeling the pinch because there are fewer donations coming in this year than in previous years. For many charities, the recession has delivered a double blow. There have been sharp drops in donations tied to increasing demand for their services in these difficult economic times.

Maybe it’s time for us all to start cutting back and simplify our lives. Perhaps we all should cut back a bit and use the extra time and money to get closer to our family and friends. Read more to your kids and grandchildren, and get interested in what your spouse is working on in the kitchen or out in the garage. Invite your friends over to play a board game – these are all things that will allow us to reconnect with people; something that is probably long overdue.

Like “Grandpa’s Great Depression,” we must now find new ways of doing things; changing our lives is not an option anymore. Prior to 2009, Americans were not savers – today more and more of us are starting to put money away for that proverbial “rainy day.” American business now understands that their consumer base has changed their spending habits and has had to get creative to keep things moving forward. This is all positive. These are all things that we should have been doing all along. Maybe if we had done so, the economic situation would not have hit us all so hard.

So this year, instead of indulging ourselves in a rich holiday season, maybe we should focus on what we have remaining in our lives. We need to center on giving thanks for the food and the time we can share with our family and friends, and celebrate the things that we believe in; commemorate the holiday traditions that make our lives meaningful. And one more thing, don’t forget to spend a little quiet time with yourself this holiday season, reflecting on the past year and looking toward the future with optimism.

Happy holidays,

James Dicks