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Lead by Example
Business executives and managers must be willing to change themselves, if they expect employees to change. Be prepared to make changes yourself and be able explain to your employees why those changes are necessary.

Keep Your Employees in the Loop
Nothing causes dissension faster than employees thinking they are being deceived. As soon as possible, inform employees of change initiatives and their part in the change processes.

Get Your Supervisors on the Same Page
Your supervisors must believe in the vision of change, if you expect them to pass on the vision to their workers. If your supervisors prove to be combatants against the change, you should consider getting new supervisors.

Stay Up-to-Date With Technology
Do not let your business fall behind because you don’t make changes to the latest technology. Use technology to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up employees to do more problem solving.

Keep an Eye on the Competition
Learn from both the success and the mistakes others are making. Doing so helps you avoid common pitfalls and come across tried and trued success. Do not copy specifics, but learning by observing helps evade the hassles of trial and error.

Stay Focused on the Main Goal
Do not get lost in the specifics of the everyday progression. Instead, stay focused on the ultimate goal and direct your energy toward achieving it. Keep in mind what the most vital aspects of the goal are and how to best tackle each problem that arises.

Don’t Be Afraid of Dreaming Big
Just because something has always been done one way does not mean that it has to be that way. Do not be afraid to broaden your horizons and try new avenues to successful. Innovation breeds excitement for everyone involved.

Post from: EveryJoe

Management Tips: Change to Survive

The idea is that you can measure — sort of — the financial benefit of some social media networks. And these three social media sites are chomping at the bit to prove themselves worth an investment, since they are expected to go public at some point in the future. Facebook is especially interested since the site has been stating an IPO as a goal for a long time.

Social media truly can be helpful for business advertising and marketing. It can even be helpful for individuals. This is because the reach is wide as you access the networks of people in your own network. However, pinpointing direct return on investment is difficult, due to the nature of social media. While anecdotes are promising, actual data is hard to come by. It is encouraging, though, that social media outlets are working on coming up with solid models that could eventually produce hard data.

Image source: fredcavazza via Flickr

Post from: EveryJoe

Social Media Offers Revenue Insights

1. SAS
2. Edward Jones
3. Wegmans Food Markets (never had a layoff in its history)
4. Google (bonus: Google is ready to start hiring again)
5. Nugget Market
6. DreamWorks Animation SKG
7. NetApp
8. Boston Consulting Group
9. Qualcomm
10. Camden Property Trust

If health care is important to you, 14 of the companies on the top 100 list pay 100% of employee health premiums. These companies include Nugget Market, Boston Consulting Group, Qualcomm, Zappos.com and Whole Foods Market.

As you can see, some of these companies require specialized skills. However, some of them — like Wegmans and Nugget — will take care of you even if you aren’t specialized.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Post from: EveryJoe

Which Companies are the Best to Work For?

China tightens monetary policy

Instead of preparing to lead the world in its economic recovery, China is tightening monetary policy. Officials recently decided to ask banks to suspend lending for this month, and that has investors speculating about how far economic recovery can go in 2010. That uncertainty isn’t helping matters on Wall Street.

Scott Brown wins in Massachusetts

Republican Scott Brown pulled off a surprise victory in the notoriously Democratic state. As a result, questions about what will happen next in the health care reform debate on Capitol Hill are being raised. This only adds to the uncertainty stirring the stock market pot right now.

Between China and Massachusetts, it looks to be a fascinating couple of days in the financial markets.

Image source: Urban via Wikimedia Commons

Post from: EveryJoe

Financial Markets in Turmoil

The plan actually helps managers find someone to lead the effort, and monitor progress. Then that progress can be entered into the site. Businesses earn EasyPoints as they report their goals. These EasyPoints can then be redeemed at Staples for different office supplies.

This seems like an interesting way to set attainable business goals for 2010, and to actually provide an incentive to achieve them.

I have not received any compensation from Staples. I am simply reporting on this program, as it was introduced to me via email.

Post from: EveryJoe

Set Business Goals for 2010

But $3 gas may be ready for a comeback. Oil prices are back above $80 a barrel as most of the United States experiences extremely cold temperatures. As heating oil sees more demand, we are likely to see increases in all petroleum based products, and that means that gasoline is likely to begin making its run for $3 a gallon.

And that means it’s time to brush off the old playbook from the summer of 2008, and start doing what we can to conserve our fuel by combining trips, reducing driving, and considering public transportation. It could also mean that we see another spike in calls for the development of alternative fuels.

The bottom line is that no matter how much relief we feel as gas prices retreat from recent highs, oil is a finite resource. By definition, it has to increase in price over time as supplies are depleted. We have already had a taste of what’s it’s like to be forced into considering alternative energy sources. But if we don’t work on developing them now, in 15 years, we’ll be forced into paying a very high price indeed.

Image source: MJCdetroit via Wikimedia Commons

Post from: EveryJoe

Is $3 Gas Ready for a Comeback?

The U.S. services sector is also enhancing, and this is providing a great deal of hope, especially when added to the employment data. There are signs that 2010 could mean economic recovery.

However, it is important to remember that economic recovery is still likely to be slow in coming. Even though job losses are slowing, job creation is quite sluggish. And the housing market remains somewhat stagnant as of late. All of this points to the possibility of a double dip recession. Indeed, there has been some difference of opinion with regard to what is to be expected from the economy going forward. It should be an interesting year, either bringing a movement toward economic recovery, or slippage back into recession.

Image source: Daylife

Post from: EveryJoe

Employment Data Shows Small Improvement

Some of the main obstacles that continue to provide a drag on the economy include employment and housing. With unemployment continuing to grow, even though its pace has slowed, consumer spending can’t pick up, and neither can the housing market. Housing has its own problems, with inventory still high, and construction spending down as demand for new properties remains tepid.

Until things start turning around in terms of employment, the economy is not likely to improve. However, companies are still in cost-cutting mode. Until they start seeing a bigger increase in consumer spending to boost their sales, companies are unlikely to hire. You can see how this cycle stands to keep economic growth slow.

Image source: DavidDMuir via Flickr

Post from: EveryJoe

Economic Outlook Improves for 2010

So, enjoy this year in review from JibJab. It’s pretty funny. And it reminds you of just how much really can be crammed into 365 days.

Post from: EveryJoe

New Year Video: JibJab’s 2009 In Review

You can complete one of these on paper, but I’ve found this same prioritizing grid tool available online that makes it even easier to see what’s happening and to organize your thoughts. The classic grid was developed by Richard Bolles decades ago.

This prioritizing grid allows you to arrange up to 10 different items in a listing of priority using a very simple system. The benefit though is that sometimes the simplest solutions are really the best.

Enter your ten different options into the space provided. Then you work your way down the grid choosing which one of two you would prefer over the other. When you’ve completed the entire prioritizing grid, the options are listed for you in the order of your preference in completing the desired items are arranging your favorite list of something.

Very handy and useful. What other organization or planning techniques do you use for making decisions throughout your day?

Post from: EveryJoe

Getting an Answer with A Prioritizing Grid