MANAGEMENT TALENT NEEDED TO GET BUSINESS RIGHT

Good morning bloggers - apologies for no blog yesterday - thanks to City Power, we had no electricity for over 12 hours!

So people, do you have your "talent" pool right and are you setting the right example for your staff? How about you, the individual SMME, working your butt off on a daily basis to keep the wolf from the door - are you putting in a 70 and/or 80 hour week and if so, how long do you think that you are going to last?

Looking at the clock that reads 03.29am as I write this, I am wondering the same thing for myself, which then of course begs the question - do we manage our time effectively - clearly for me, at this point the answer is no! Perhaps it is a question that we all need to ask of ourselves from time to time.

To All South Africans, hope you have a wonderful "freedom day" - I am off to read my book and hopefully nod off into 'lala' land!

Management talent needed to get business right

By Susan Fenton


30 March 2007 at 06h01

Hong Kong - Chi-Won Yoon likes to leave his office by 6pm - 7pm at the latest. A banker with Swiss investment bank UBS, his day is far from over, what with conference calls with London and New York that will keep him busy until midnight. But he wants to send a message to his staff that it's okay to go home. For many managers at global companies, 70-hour weeks are becoming the norm. Yet their firms would rather they took Yoon's approach.

A global study in the Harvard Business Review showed more than 50 percent of male executives and more than 80 percent of women executives working 60 hours a week or more said they would not be able to keep it up for more than a year. Women tend to quit such jobs after a few years, the study shows. Men often stay but more than 40 percent who worked those hours experienced "brown-out" within five years and had lost their creative zeal.

Globalisation, instant communication and the huge financial rewards on offer in many top jobs are leading to "extreme" working hours, says Sylvia Ann Hewlett of the New York-based Centre for Work-Life Policy and a co-author of the study. "These factors are not going to change so companies will have to create alternative work models," Hewlett said. "But for nimble companies at the cutting edge there's an opportunity to hang on to talent if they allow breathers and restorative time."

Hewlett said several companies are trying new things:

American Express Co allows top talent to apply for a two-year assignment doing high-impact projects for part of the year. "It means they can get down to, say, 40-hour workweeks for part of the year," said Hewlett.

Network equipment provider Cisco Systems Inc allows some staff to take 6-12 months out to work at a non-profit organisation.

Google Inc encourages workers to spend 25 percent of their week on their own projects, free of distractions.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc has introduced standing-only meetings where BlackBerries are left at the door.

"The point is to cut to the chase," said Hewlett. Back at UBS, Yoon underlines his point by arriving in the office at around 9.30 am - two hours after many staff. Emphasising sane work hours is all part of talent management for Yoon, the head of Asian equities for the Swiss firm. "If you have the talent management right you can get the business right," he told a human resources conference hosted by his company. It's no easy matter, though. Executives say that as their businesses expand globally, unpredictable work demands and tight deadlines are adding pressure, while endless meetings give them little time to focus. Weekly travel and back-to-back meetings also are making senior managerial positions less attractive."Not everyone wants to travel every week and wake up in a different hotel room. Management has got to ask: is this person going to be happy in this job?" said Ronnie Tan, Asia managing director of Development Dimensions International, a human resources development firm.

Women in particular are being deterred from high-level careers, a trend that could have risky consequences as an ageing population narrows the talent pool."Women are backing off because they see these extreme jobs and losing women from the talent pipeline is going to become an issue with an ageing population," said Hewlett. - Reuters

Nikki's Interview

HOW TO CONTROL YOUR ACCOUNTS

Good morning bloggers - due to my incredible understanding of technology, I have posted on my Summit TV interview on my personal blog: http://whenrealitybites.blogspot.com.

So please go and have a look there at what was meant to be posted here.

Regards
Nikki

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 10

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Part 10

Self Esteem

Grace Hansen once said “Don’t be afraid that your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin”.

Helen Nicolson says – “You have to believe in yourself enough to believe that you have something of value to offer in any networking relationship.”

If you really think that you are worthless and have nothing that anyone else will want, then that is exactly how other people will see you. If you do not believe in yourself, you cannot expect anyone else to believe in you.

The way that you introduce yourself and your product to people is of the utmost importance. You have to be proud of who you are and what you do – this will show in the manner in which you present yourself. If you are confident in yourself, your abilities and/or your product this will be evident to the person who you are talking to, conversely, if you are not confident in yourself, your abilities and/or your product, this will also be evident.

You have to sell yourself, before you can sell your product. People will have to ‘buy in’ to who you are in order for you to make the sale. Even if you are nervous, act in a confident manner and have something of value to offer. As time goes by, your confidence will improve and pretty soon you will find that you are not so nervous and that it becomes easier each time.

Be friendly, make eye contact and show interest in the other person too.

Be TRUE To Yourself

Trevor writes:

In similar vein to Nikki's post below, I wrote:

MAD 5. BE TRUE To Yourself... Then Treat Others With The Same Respect..!

Extract:

All to often, we forget just who we really are... and how UNIQUE we are as individuals... and we subordinate ourselves to the whims and desires of others. Be TRUE to yourself... then treat others with the same respect.

Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - http://www.innercircleforum.com/
trevor@innercircleforum.com

SELF ESTEEM NUGGETS - WHO ARE YOU?

SELF ESTEEM NUGGETS – WHO ARE YOU?

In her “Self Esteem Nuggets” cards, Dr Renate Volpe says that “You need to have a clear sense of who you are, and not follow blindly, in the footsteps of significant others who have gone before you.”

This for me is especially important, because – well quite frankly, I have no idea where those ‘significant others’ were going.

I know that put like this, it seems pretty obvious, but having attended so many different types of networking sessions and seeing how people fixate on their “hero’s” and then watching them trying to emulate that person, for me is really sad.

Sad! Why you may wonder? Well, let’s see . . . Firstly the person that you are following so blindly may not be in the same industry as what you are – you need to make allowances for that. Secondly, the person you are so blindly following may not have the same goals as you do (assuming of course that you have goals to follow) and thirdly, you are not the same person as the one that you are following so blindly.

You have to know who you are and where you want to go before you can set the groundwork for your goals.

I’m not saying don’t get as much information that will assist you in what you want to achieve, from someone that you admire, but you need to be selective about what you take from them. Learn from them, make use of their knowledge and their experience, but live your own life. Walk on your own path. Be your own person and be all that you can be.

If you would like additional details on the following sets of cards, please contact Dr Renate Volpe on www.HIRS.co.za.
Assertive Living
Negotiation Intelligence
Personal Mastery
Networking Tips
Leadership Insights
Self Esteem Nuggets

WHAT MAKES A GREAT LEADER

You see, a great leader can be made! We can all be great leaders as long as we know what needs to be done. This article from Adriaan Groenewald shows us the way and highlights some of our greatest strengths and weaknesses.

What makes a great leader?

Adriaan Groenewald

17 March 2007 at 06h00

For the last couple of years I have been involved in the development of leaders and have interviewed many top leaders on the topic of leadership. So, what have I learned about leadership? What qualities do the great leaders in South Africa possess? What qualities should you therefore work towards if you want to become one of the greats? Here are some tips - if you want to be a great leader in South Africa you should learn to:

1. Define situations factually. When a situation confronts you, don't allow emotions to "hijack" your thinking. This takes incredible maturity. When an emotionally-ridden situation or an individual that is in an emotional state approaches you it is very difficult not to get carried away and react emotionally. How did cricketer Herschelle Gibbs react when a section of the crowd behaved emotionally? We know the answer to that one, and he paid a price for it. Why didn't Graham Smith act like Gibbs? Can you see why Gibbs is not the SA cricket team's captain? One of my earlier mentors, Tom Creamer, used to encourage me as a young manager to not get so emotionally charged when debating issues in management meetings. I thought he was wasting his breath, but I have come to understand that he was absolutely correct.

2. Confront. There are far too many leaders in top positions that fear confrontation and as a result postpone or ignore the inevitable. You have to confront any obstacle or constraint to successful movement forward. In an interview with Adrian Gore, the founder and CEO of Discovery, he said the following about confronting so called problems: "I have found that when you have problems there is a moment in time when you turn and face it, and you sort of accept it emotionally and intellectually, and you take a run at it; that's when you are at your best. When you are running from the problem, not only does it catch you and eat you up but it is also very demotivational. How you motivate yourself is to attack the problems."

3. See possibilities. Don't only see the obstacles ahead but also see the possibilities. When you are bombarded by perceived negatives, take note of them, and even put contingencies in place, but don't fixate on them, start seeing the possible positives about the situation as well as the possible opportunities. Don't accept negative input only about any situation or person; insist on exploring the other side of the coin. This is especially important when someone shares "one-sided" negatives with you about another person. A great leader will never accept one person's input only, especially if it has a negative tone and can affect an the person's reputation or future. Tom Creamer decided to hear my side of a situation that potentially could have had devastating affects on my future. Because of great leadership, he positively affected the course of my career. In the context of this leadership quality it is therefore not wrong for President Thabo Mbeki to try to express a positive statement of crime not being out of control. But such statements are only valid and uplifting when the leaders have managed to clearly acknowledge and show that they are confronting the obstacle of crime in SA effectively.

4. Create movement. I asked my mentor why he was successful? His answer was short: "I get things to move." For any movement to occur there must be motivation (mutually agreed upon aspirations); direction (plans/ strategies on how to accomplish aspirations); and structure (resources, systems, etc). Without a buy-in to aspirations there will be no sustainable motivation and passion or committed hearts; without realistic directions, a logical belief that the goal can be achieved will be absent - buy-in from the logical left brain; and without relevant structures, such as money, physical movement will not be substantial or even possible. Very few leaders can effectively ensure the presence of all three these principles, and among those that can draw together all three, few can balance them effectively. For example, Mbeki in my opinion is very strong directionally, but he is weaker motivationally - the ability to integrate aspirations of all stakeholders. Perhaps this is why there is so much disunity in the alliance, although I wouldn't want to try and integrate such diverse aspirations myself. If he understands that he is more directionally gifted and accepts it, he can compensate by surrounding himself with leaders that are stronger on the motivational front.

5. Do the tough things. When I interview top leaders like Sean Summers, Adrian Gore, Matthews Phosa, and others I quickly sense two things about them: I feel comfortable and know that they want to, can and will integrate with my aspirations if at all possible; and I sense that if I don't play ball they can and will act tough. However, many leaders in very senior positions often battle to act tough and confront obstacles to movement, especially when the obstacle ends up being a person. I recently facilitated a Q&A evening between Ingrid Kast, CEO of DAV Professional Placement Services (top company to work for in 2006 survey) and a small audience of about 25 people. Someone asked her what was the toughest thing she ever had to do as a leader. Her answer was when she had to let her first employee go. Having to act tough or having to make tough decisions is part and parcel of being a great leader.

6. Evaluate and re-evaluate fanatically. Assess or measure the desired movement towards agreed upon aspirations, directions and structures, and then follow-up with and hold accountable the relevant individuals. A wise man once said: "When performance is measured performance improves, but when performance is measured and reported the rate of improvement accelerates."

7. Surround yourself with the best. Some leaders have the knack to surround themselves with the right individuals. Others just get it wrong. What is right for one leader is of course not right for another. I just find that the better you know yourself the more likely it is that you will get this one right. Consciously or subconsciously you will surround yourself with other leaders who complement your possible weaknesses, shortcomings or those areas that simply don't interest you. To become a great leader in SA is more challenging than in most other countries. South Africa is a microcosm of the rest of the world. The world is watching, or should be watching, our leaders closely as they turn and face our challenges and take a run at them. Adriaan Groenewald presents the Leadership Platform show on Classic FM 102.7 and on Summit TV. For more information on becoming a confident leader in South Africa call 011-463-7470.

WORKING HARD FOR YOUR MONEY

Good Morning Bloggers.

I think for me, the most important thing is that a) You have to be prepared to work. Don’t expect a handout! No-body got anything meaningful in life by sitting on their butts waiting for work to fall like manna from the sky. Life does not work like that. Then comes b), which is to find your passion and if you ca,n the first prize of course is to work at something that you really enjoy. By doing this you will find purpose and meaning to your life and finally c), no matter what you do in life, whether you are a street sweeper or a doctor, a domestic worker or the President of a Company, whether you are working at a job that is your life’s passion or just to put food on the table – do your very best. Take pride in the quality of the work that you do and do it to the very best of your ability. You may not be able to control the type of job that you do, but you are incomplete control of the quality of the work that you do. Be proud of that and you can hold your head up high and be proud of yourself.



Working hard for your money

John Mullins

22 February 2007 at 11h00

Every now and then I stop and think about the really tough jobs people do. Often it is the toughest jobs that are least rewarded. Have you ever thought of how hard it must be to work as a firefighter or, even worse, a police officer in South Africa? These guys are constantly in the news and on talk shows explaining how they face the most extreme of physical and psychological conditions, and yet they receive some of the most pitiful of salaries out there.

Tough physical work is not, however, a guaranteed formula for poor pay. On the opposite side of the scale, you find people earning great salaries and also working in tough conditions.For example, there are some engineering jobs where money is lavishly dished out, and where conditions are extreme, such as on oil rigs in the North Sea, or construction projects in war-torn Middle Eastern countries.

There are thousands of examples where performance and reward is often skewed one way or the other. Some have it easy and some have it tough. And then there are also people who are not even sure if they are going to get paid at all. Just stop and think about the poor folks who are working for companies that have been placed under curatorship, or who face liquidation.

They come into work each day wondering if they'll receive a salary when payday comes around. But why would they even contemplate coming to work if there was any doubt over their salary? That's a fair question and, as far as I can gather, it's mostly because people become quite attached to the work they do. There's a kind of emotional bond built up between the work they do and themselves. It feeds their egos and personality and it's not easy to let go of. Okay, so you do get those that simply see work as a means to an end. They are the ones who are the first to leave when things go a little pear shaped.

True, no one should expect to work for nothing, and yet some do. There's either something incredibly heroic about these people, or something completely stupid. The ones I want to focus on are the heroes - although I'm bound to mention the stupid ones too, just for laughs. In the past week I have encountered some of them. In the midst of a very messy business closure, where money was clearly unavailable for salaries, there were some folks who spent hours every day counselling others in a formal, well-organised programme, knowing that they themselves were unlikely to be paid.



Did it detract from their professionalism? No way. Did they make a massive difference to the lives of others? Absolutely. Should they have been rewarded? Without doubt. But they themselves were dismissed a few days later without payment. There is something deep down in these people that allows them to see past the money. It draws them closer to the really important stuff in their jobs. They are truly in touch with the more meaningful aspects of their work and I can only hope that one day, soon, they find well-paid work because they deserve it.

What I wanted to get across is that there is something in all of us that can connect deeply with the work we do. The only way to find it is to explore both your job and yourself. The stupid ones don't exactly see past the money. They hang on, desperately hoping to be paid, because that is their only goal. Work for them is meaningless and, without pay, they are lost. This is the last thing you'd want to experience in work.

If this is your reality, all I can say is take a long look at your job and wake up. There is a better world out there for you.This week I heard, in the midst of all the trauma, a very appropriate saying - "plan, or be planned for". I know you all work hard for your money, but for goodness sake, let it be meaningful work.

· John Mullins can be reached on john@dnalearning.net

IMPROVING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SA

Whilst I agree that the opportunities are vast and exciting, I strongly disagree regarding that capital is freely available. Nothing in life is free and certainly not the capital for starting a venture. Banks require enough paperwork from a single individual to strip a forest of every tree that it possessed, to say nothing of the complexity of the information that is required to complete said documentation. Months of running around trying to put everything together only to be told that your application cannot be processed because they are missing your grandmother's sister's cousin's daughter-in-law's birth certificate that is required to prove that you are indeed South African and not an illegal alien, also adds to the absolute frustration.

Then of course there is the little problem of interpretation and power. It seems that everyone and his dog have their own intrepretation of the FICA and FAIS Act and of course if you don't satisfy their hunger for yet another copy of your ID, they will halt the prossessing of your application! To make matters even worse, the people who are intrepteting these laws are usually semi literate (and we all know how dangerours a little bit of education is) and now suddenly they are experts in matters of the law.

Don't forget the Department of Labour in this equation and the numerous laws that have been passed to protect the Employee! For heaven's sake, don't get started on that that quagmire! This particular avenue encourages people who have somebody who once worked in an HR department somewhere, who is now an absolute specialist on the subject and causes unmentionable irritation and aggrevation to the small business owner, whose only mistake in all of this was to try and grow the economy and actually went out there and hired someone to do a job, only to discover that the"someone" they hired is not who they made themselves out to be, but now cannot get rid of said useless person because of threats of going to the CCMA, the time that it takes to get rid of absolutely useless people and the costs involved in hiring a Labour Attorney (who actually understands the law) to sort out the whole mess that the Labour Consultant (who is not a lawyer, but once worked in the HR department and is therefore an expert by default) made in the first place.

And they want to know why businesses do not get off the ground and/or who have to close down due to the red tape and the expense red tape requires!

On the one hand it is almost impossible to get financial assistance and on the other hand we are controlled and regulated into the ground!

Improving entrepreneurship in SA

With the 2007 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report again indicating that South Africa performs poorly in comparison to other emerging economies in terms of entrepreneurial activity and development, attention is being focused on interventions which support and encourage business initiatives and development.

“The environment in this country bodes well for entrepreneurs, offering considerable opportunity, availability of finance and indications of both political and business will to encourage development,” says Melt van der Spuy, director, Business Support, Business and Private Banking at Standard Bank. Sponsored by Standard Bank, Liberty Life, South African Breweries Limited and the National Research Foundation, the GEM Report provides empirical data on the level of entrepreneurship which is intended to stimulate debate and inform policy in 40 developing nations.

In the six years in which South Africa has participated in this research initiative, it has consistently emerged that it has a low level of early stage entrepreneurial activity, nearly half that of the average of the 34 emerging economy countries which participate. While van der Spuy states that the low level of early stage entrepreneurial activity is cause for concern, he believes the stage is set for development and advancement. “Ireland serves as a remarkable example of what can be achieved with a holistic, coordinated and concerted effort at development. It was one of the poorest in the European Union some years ago, but today is one of the richest. This was achieved by taking note of the problems it faced, marshalling support from big business, guided by government and focusing strongly on education and skills development.

There is no question that this is an enormous task, but the Irish have shown that it can be done,” he says. It is his assertion that South Africa is similarly positioned. “Legislation is driving increased participation in the economy of emerging businesses, while many big companies, Standard Bank included, have the will and desire to share procurement with emerging businesses,” he says. Specifying that education and skills development is of critical importance, van der Spuy says individuals are only able to see potential when they have a skill which they can apply to their benefit. Van der Spuy states that with an effective revenue authority, continued tax relief and the extension of amnesties for emerging businesses is also having a positive, stimulatory effect on entrepreneurship. There is also no shortage of initiatives from government and big business to stimulate growth, he says.

Capital is quite freely available, through government-driven initiatives such as the Industrial Development Corporation, from financial institutions and also private investors. However, respondents to the Report indicated that although there seems to be sufficient funds available it remains difficult to access these funds, especially for start-ups. Van der Spuy believes this is the result of entrepreneurs not fully understanding the expectations and requirements of financial institutions when applications for finance are made.

“There is no shortage of capital however, what has emerged in applications for finance is a poor grasp of essentials that are necessary for a financier to extend a loan. This is where education can play a key role; aspirant entrepreneurs need to know certain essentials, such as how to write a business plan and how to present a budget before they succeed in obtaining backing.” He points to initiatives which Standard Bank operates on an ongoing basis as an example of how involved South African big business is in economic development. “Like many other institutions, we are working to provide not just products and services, but also information and opportunities for learning.

This is manifest in our participation in research initiatives, hosting of seminars and workshops for emerging business owners, participation in government initiatives such as the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, in partnership with French development agency AFD, Khula and many more. The notion of holistic and coordinated effort, I believe, remains a critical factor to continue stimulation of the South African economy.”

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS - RELIABILITY

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS – RELIABILITY

In her Leadership Insights cards, Dr Renate Volpe says “Reliability means doing what you say you will do.”

I remember as a young child, my father saying “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world, it is the name that I have given you – but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you make for yourself.”

It is something that has stood the test of time, in my mind, and has contributed to the shaping of the person that I have become.

As a business owner, and therefore a Leader, it is of utmost importance that your word, your reliability, your credibility and integrity make up who you are. Your clients will never trust you, if one of these aspects are in question and without trust you have nothing.

Once clients trust you, they will refer you thus building your business for you.

Remember trust is something that can take years to build and only a hint of suspicion to destroy.

Be reliable, be credible, have integrity and above all, honour your word, it is one of the ways that you honour yourself.

If you would like your own set of cards, please visit Dr Renate Volpe site on www.HIRS.co.za.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 9

THE POWER OF NETWORKING


Part 9


It’s all about integrity and credibility.

Imagine if you will, that you have been running around like a maniac trying to find someone to provide you with a service, let’s call it a handyman (for the purpose of this exercise). Now I am sure that we have all had the same sort of experience here, and if anyone reading this is a handyman and does not fit into this category, I apologise in advance. So you are hunting high and low for a handyman as there are several “little jobs” around the house that require a tad more expertise than you currently have. You find a flyer in your post box, or someone leaves a flyer on your windscreen, advertising their services as a handyman and you rush home to phone and make an appointment. You get an answering machine, you leave a message and . . . nothing! No one phones you back. Or, you get hold of the handyman and he promises to come and have a look, tomorrow, at what needs doing and give you a quote, and you stay at home the whole day waiting for him and . . he doesn’t pitch. Or, he comes round the following day, has a look at everything that need to be done and promises to send you a quote and . . . you never receive one. Sound familiar!

So when you are bemoaning the fact to anyone who will listen, somebody suddenly says, “hey, I’ve got a handyman type person who will come and assist you, his name is Joe Soap and his number is ……”, you are really excited. You see Joe Soap has come recommended. Now that is still only 50% of your problem resolved, because Joe Soap, could very well go the same route as the chaps referred to above, or he could actually be a real business person who actually wants the work.

Herein lies the problem.

First of all if Joe Soap, actually is a real business person, who wants and desires his business to be successful, he will of course pitch up, ascertain what needs to be done, give you a quote and then actually arrive to do the work and finally, he will perform the service in a professional manner. This means now, that you will refer him to all of your friends/colleagues and anyone else who requires anything done around the house and/or the office. His business will grow and he will flourish. You will become regarded as someone who ‘knows’ people and your credibility will become legendary and your business will flourish. Everyone is happy.

But what if . . . and here comes the crunch, what if after delivering you the wonderful service, Joe Soap, suddenly becomes like the rest of the handymen out there and becomes sloppy, doesn’t phone people back, doesn’t pitch up etc. Well not only will Joe Soap’s business die, like the rest of the handymen out there, but also your credibility will be affected – remember you have recommended him.

The moral of this story should now be obvious. If you want people to recommend you, not only is your credibility at stake, but you are putting theirs at risk as well if you do not deliver and/or behave in a professional manner.

Do not give people’s contact details out unless you have received their permission to do so! Not only will they not trust you again but in all likelihood they will not be happy to assist whomever you have given the details to, thus resulting in two people being pretty disgruntled with you.

If you are on the receiving end of getting someone’s contact details as a referral. Treat those details with respect – don’t be spamming them! That’s just rude! If you have received those details, it was for a specific reason, use them for that specific reason and not only will you gain the service/widget/assistance that you were looking for, but you will also gain a valuable contact.

Treat other people’s contact details, with the same dignity and respect that you would want other people to treat yours. I am sure you wouldn’t like to see your name and address and contact details sprawled all over the toilet door, so don’t do that with anyone else’s details.

The Business world in South Africa is a smaller place than you think, people talk, reputations are built up over time, but destroyed in seconds. Always, operate with Integrity and Credibility.

STAFF ISSUES - MANAGING PEOPLE

Ken Blanchard, Patricia Zigarmi and Drea Zigarmi, in their book - Leadership and the One Minute Manager say "In managing people it is easier to loosen up than tighten up."

In his book - The Heart of a Leader - Ken Blanchard reiterates this by saying "It's always better to oversupervise than undersupervise in the beginning."

The reason for this is pretty simple. When you hire new staff or indeed even promote someone into a new position, you have no idea how they are going to cope, in this particular position. So you need to monitor and nurture. Let's put the whole thing into some kind of perspective - a new born baby needs to be nutured and taken care of. As the baby grows into a toddler, then into a teenager, although you keep your eye on what they are up to, you don't need to give as much attention to them as you did when they were a baby. So it is with your staff.

The difference of course is that when you hire staff they are already grown up, well let's hope that they have! They need supervision, but as adults may feel that you are micro-managing or undue criticism, if you suddenly start tightening up on the way that you manage.

So, start off by being tough and as you gauge the situation and the integrity of the work that they are producing, so you can loosen up on your management style. This will indicate that you are giving them more responsibility and that your trust in their efforts has been cemented. Once they understand this, the relationship itself will be based on mutual respect.

SETTING THE BOUNDARIES

Dr Renate Volpe in her "Self Esteem Nuggets" says: "We all need a private psychological space that belongs to us. This space is both physical and emotional. We need to set bounderies and limits in terms of what we allow other to do to us. We also need to set limits on what we will allow ourselves to do for other people."

My Goodness! How I wish I had known Renate when I started my business 4 years ago! I would certainly have not make nearly as many mistakes as I have made! I wouldn't have allowed clients to get away with not paying me for work that I had done, even though they had been given a discount because I felt "sorry" for them or allowed people who are hungry for my contacts to disrespect me and not pitch up for meetings, without so much as an apology. I certainly would not have allowed people to demand the use of my Intellectual Property without payment, like my knowledge and experiance that I have gained through blood, sweat and in some cases many buckets of tears, is not worth them paying for it, but they want it anyway.

Well, as in most things in life, when you give up your power, people will take it with both hands and be sure to understand they certainly won't even thank you for it!

So, be sure to set the bounderies, in your own minds:

1. You get what you pay for - Client's will pay you what you ask for. If you discount your hourly rate and give out freebies, that is the type of client that you will attract and believe me, the more discount you give them, the more that you try and help them the harder it will be to get your money out of them. I found that the more worthy I thought of myself, the more I charged, the better the calibre of client I attracted. Don't sell yourself short!

2. I have worked very hard for the people in my contact data base. They are professional people. Their services are sought after and they are well respected. If people want the contacts I have in my data base, I am more than willing to share, at no cost. However, if you do not pitch up for a meeting that has been confirmed, not only are you rude, but you have also disrespected me. You are telling me that my time and effort are of no importance to you. That your time and what you want to do with that time is more valuable than my time. Let me explain what it means to me - it means that you are not trustworthy. It means that I will not refer you and/or your services and/or the widgets that you so dearly want to sell, to anybody. It also means that I will not give you any of my contacts - you would probably disrespect them to!

3. If you want to know what I know, understand that I have paid dearly for it. I am of a more generous nature than you probably realize. However having said that, I am not a fool and I will not have you demand things from me or br manipulated into thinking that it is your God given right to have everything for nothing. If you go to a lawyer you are charged, very handsomely I might add, for the use of his/her knowledge. If you go to a doctor, the same thing applies. So if you come to me for the use of all that I know, there will come a point where I will begin to charge you. Don't get all upset and bent out of shape - understand that to give you that knowledge takes time and effort - my time and my effort. Be prepared to pay for Intellectual Property.

If you would like to know more about Dr Renate Volpe and who she is, please feel free to visit her site on www.HIRS.co.za.

Do What You Do With PASSION

Trevor writes:

I appreciate Nikki's new found passion for blogging... and Nikki's right, it's all about PASSION... so let's continue the PASSION thread.

This is an extract from an article I wrote a few years ago:

PASSION and PURPOSE... two of the most important attributes anyone can develop for their personal success.

When you analyse what YOU believe to be YOUR Life's Purpose... and what you believe to be YOUR True PASSION in life... you can begin to start re-structuring your life to begin living to YOUR dreams... your PASSION.

Nothing, but nothing, becomes more compelling than a person who is on a mission... enjoying their lives to the full..!

And, YOU can begin living this lifestyle right now... every DECISION you take right now can move you one step closer to achieving your dream.

You can know that each step you now take can be the most PASSIONATE step you can possibly take because it is ON PURPOSE.

When I sat down to identify my true PASSION and PURPOSE in lfe for myself, a good few years ago, this is what I wrote... and how I identified what I wanted to do to live my life with increased PASSION (some will say that I've never really been short of this attitude to life.. :-)

- I LOVE my lifestyle... working from home... being my own boss... totally debt-free

- I am PASSIONATE about learning of new ways to GENERATE QUALITY INCOME and for testing and building new businesses

- I am REALLY PASSIONATE about discovering new ways to generate BIG INCOME from global markets via the Internet

- I LOVE to TRAVEL around the world WITH MY FAMILY - that is my idea of FUN

And... yes, that's how I live my life, right now, doing what I want to do, when I want to do it... it's great..!

Hmmm... only thing that has changed is that we have stayed SA-bound while our daughters are working their way through 'varsity. That's been our current passion, to support them through this important stage of their lives as they prepare to fly the coop.

Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - www.innercircleforum.com
trevor@innercircleforum.com

ATTITUDES

Good morning bloggers:

Dr Renate Volpe says in her Personal Mastery cards "If you feel depressed, you may indeed be angry".

Well personally, I think that it is good for us to feel anger and even depression on occasion. Like every other emotion, they are supposed to be felt from time to time.

The problem arrives however, when our lives are governed by feelings of anger and/or depression. You should then take yourself off to a professional of sort for assistance in dealing with these feelings.

Then of course there is the situation when you take these feelings with you to the office or on your travels to client's. Please believe me when I tell you that this is really not a good idea at all. Your client's will 'pick' up on this and react accordingly. You are putting yourself in a very real situation where you could lose the sale or even the client - so be aware of it.

You see your sub-conscience will project these emotions and the client's sub-conscience will pick up on it. Be aware of what you put out there! Look at yourself in a mirror, give yourself a 'pep talk", kick your own arse (if necessary), put your besst smile on your face, you know the one that lights up in your eyes as well, think positive thoughts and have an attitude adjustment!

Not only will you feel better, but you will come across better too. Your client will 'pick' up on the mood and react accordingly.

Think about what you are doing, how you are thinking and how the other person 'sees' you.

Hope you have a fantablous fear free Friday 13th.

Dr Renate Volpe has a whole bunch of cards in the following categories:

Self Esteem Nuggets

Assertive Living

Negotiation Intelligence
Personal Mastery

Networking Tips

Leadership Insights

If you would like to know more about these products or Dr Renate Volpe herself, please visit her website on www.HIRS.co.za

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BUSINESS FOR YOU

For many of us, choosing the right business to be in is a serious decision. For me it was a no-brainer as fortunately I found "my passion" at an early age. However having said that, my understanding is that there are thousands, if not millions of people out there who are stuck in dead end jobs, performing mind killing excercises in order to put food on the table.

In many of these instances people feel the "need" and/or are forced, due to circumstances to start their own businesses and this is where it gets really scary, because they have no idea what they want to do and many of the avenues that they perceive are open to them are outside of their realm of understanding (like someone buying a franchise restuarant when they have only ever worked as a receptionist and can't even boil an egg) or completely outside of what their passion is - providing of course that they know what that passion is.

These businesses and these people are doomed to fail before they have even started!

I don't really know how to tell anyone to "find" their passion - you see, my passion found me! The only guidance and/or advice that I can give you here is that you need to ask yourself this one question. If you were to win say R50 000 000 on the lotto, what would you do - yes I know go on holiday, buy a house, a car and a jukuzi and then, then what? What would you do? When you know the answer to that question, the possibility is there that you are on the right track to finding your passion.

Knowing what your passion is, is the basic requirement that you need when choosing a job, a career and even a business.

I hope that you all find your passion or that your passion finds you!

Your job is a big part of you; choose the right one

Workplace staff

02 March 2007 at 06h00

Many students, and adults, are confused about the career choices they need to make. They are often unsure of their career interests and their own abilities, and often have limited knowledge of the world of work and the different career fields available. This is unfortunate as the result of this confusion is often an incorrect career-choice decision, which can lead to job dissatisfaction and an unfulfilled life.

Career counsellor Heather Jones believes that doing the wrong type of work for a sustained amount of time can lead to a deterioration in the quality of life. "Career-related research makes a link between career choice, job satisfaction and mental health. "In her own career, Jones found herself in a series of work positions to which she was unsuited. "I could never work out why I was unhappy in the jobs I had but, even more importantly, I was never sure of what I really wanted to do," she says. "There were times when I felt I would never find my niche."

Today, Jones runs a career-consulting business offering career counselling and career education to both young people and adults. She is passionate about people development and helping others to improve the quality of their lives by improving their career choices. "I am also very interested in the patterns and meanings of lives that you find embedded in the life career history," she says.

Jones has recently launched a career self-exploration workshop that focuses specifically on exploration - of the self and of the different career fields. The workshop helps people to identify their career interests, abilities, values and the meaning embedded in their life career histories. "We also focus on assessing levels of career maturity and the influence that family and culture has on career decision-making," she says.

The workshop includes a theoretical component, which is used to explain the various career-related concepts used. It also focuses on work environment and career field exploration, career decision-making, goal-setting and how to create a new reality for yourself. The workshop is run over one day and includes research assignments to be completed by participants. These research assignments include interviewing someone in a career field you have a particular interest in, obtaining information on specific careers and researching the world of work. "The workshop is fun, interactive and includes exercises, questionnaires, and individual and group work," explains Jones."From the response I have already received, it is clear there is a big need out there for this type of career workshop and individual career counselling. "Adults and students alike are seeking help for the important career choices we all need to make," says Jones.

Those interested in the Career Self-Exploration Workshop can contact Heather Jones on 011-312-2082 or 083-976-2716 or secretrain@xsinet.co.za

FULFULLING YOUR POTENTIAL

Good morning bloggers.

Dr Renate Volpe says: "If you wish to embark on a journey to fulfil your innate potential, challenge your present mindset."

How's that for some heavy thinking and soul searching and yes, even some challenging of our present mindset!

I don't know about you guys, but I certainly find that I need to stop, constantly, check where I am, look at where I want to be and then make what ever adjustments are necessary.

One of the greatest things about Networking is that I am constantly in the company of 'like minded' individuals, who think out of the box, and when we discuss issues, be they of a business nature and/or a personal nature, I am continually amazed by the innovative ideas, the novel way in which certain issues are looked at. This obviously brings a new perspective to the way I do things or even a new perspective to the way I see things.

Reading new material, even if it just a magazine, also broadens the mind. I am often hugely amused at the look on the faces of people I meet, who ask "What are you reading right now?" and I rattle off the 6 or 7 or even 8 titles of books that I am currently reading - it's a 'hangover' idiosyncrasy from my childhood I suspect, I have never been able to read just one book at a time! Keep current with what is happening in the news, especially from a Business perspective - it may just impact on your Business.

Above all, listen! Listen to what the people around you are saying. You don't have to agree with them, or share their opinions. What you do need to do though, is take what they are saying and process it in your own mind. Compare what they are doing to the way that you are doing things. Is their way better, could you improve on the way that you operate, could you be more efficient, more effective. Perhaps you could use part of what they do and marry it up with part of what you do and/or part of what someone else does, to create your own unique path. This is how you change your mindset.

Requirements though would be as follows:

An open mind.

A willing heart.

Determination to succeed.

A constant need to challenge yourself to be all that you can be and then some....

Do you have what it takes?

If you would like to know more about what Dr Renate Volpe is up to, please feel free to visit her website on www.hirs.co.za.

About Leaving A Slice For The RECEIVER

Trevor writes:

Following on from Nikkis post on AGGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURING I refer to this press article that appeared in The Star Workplace where I wrote:

Extract from Entrepreneurs Are Not Born, They're (Self) MADE

The secret to entrepreneurship is recognising that business is a simple function of providing or developing a product or service that consumers want or need and who demonstrate that they are willing and able to pay for it.

Being keen life-long students of basic business principles, entrepreneurs understand that sales must generate more incoming revenue than outgoing costs, leaving a slice for the Receiver plus an acceptable after-tax profit to satisfy their personal needs and to finance their future dreams.

RegardsTrevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - http://www.innercircleforum.com/
trevor@innercircleforum.com

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 8

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Part 8

I promised to continue this section with some more tips on Networking.

The Art of Listening. My friend Geraldine always says that her mother used to say that “God gave us two ears and one for a reason!”

People as so busy trying to get their 5c worth in, that they don’t listen to the other person, what their needs are and therefore what their requirements are. If you don’t know what they need, how can you effectively sell your skill and/or widget – it might not be what they want at all!

Most people seem to think that you have to be an extrovert to be a good networker. This is often not the case. Most extroverts are usually too busy talking about their favourite subject matter, which usually means that they are talking about themselves.

Introverts on the other hand, seem to be better listeners. They are keen to find out what the possible synergies are, not just for themselves, but also for the people within their own network.

So when you meet with someone, and the purpose of the meeting is to see where there are possible synergies, ask the other people how you can help them. Listen carefully to what it is that they are saying. Encourage them to talk about their business, what it is that they do, take down notes and if you don’t understand, ask questions. You don’t have to know the intricate details of their business and how it works, but you need to have an idea of what it is that they do – remember you should be referring them to people within your network and it’s no good sending them someone to print their business cards, when what they need is someone to design the logo!

AGGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURING

Good morning bloggers. This was taken off the SARS site - AGGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURING. Please be aware of what the legalities are. If your Bookkeeper and/or Accountant is aware of any tax impropriety in your books and/or the running of your business, they are obliged, by law, to report the matter to SARS. The consequences will not be pleasant, I can assure you.

This is another reason, I always urge small business owners not to do their own books. You may not understand taxes and what can be claimed for and what cannot. Be aware!

Think carefully about what you are doing, if you are not giving the taxman his lawful share!

See article: AGGRESSIVE TAX STRUCTURING

NEGOTIATION

Good morning bloggers:

I have taken today's piece from Dr Renate Volpe's series on Negotiation Intelligence.

Renate says:

"Five Minute negotiation preparation:
* Know what you want to achieve.
* What is your exit point?
* Identify what the other side wants and needs.
* Determine your starting point.
* Work out how your proposal benefits the other party's interests."

Well, I for one have never thought about "how to" go about doing a negotiation. It has always just been something that is done, I've never thought about it or planned it, which would probably explain, why I don't consider myself a good negotiater.

Going forward however, I can clearly see the benefits of doing this quick point by point summary. I have no doubt that this would put a huge amount of perspective into what I am negotiating for.

For other benefits that Dr Renate Volpe has on offer, please visit her website on www.hirs.co.za.

So perhaps there is someone out there who is listening! My next question of course, is that it's great that this legislation has been drafted, but when will it be promulgated and when will the bill be signed thereby entering it into the pages of the law books?

Stifling red tape to be slashed
Jocelyn Newmarch
16 February 2007 11:59

Small business received a boost recently with the publication of the draft Companies Bill, intended to replace the three-decade-old Companies Act. The small business sector contributes about 41% to South Africa’s GDP and is most likely to create jobs. Because of this, legislation that helps the sector is also likely to boost economic growth. Government has been widely criticised for not doing enough to promote entrepreneurship and small business development.

Experts say the draft legislation will cut red tape for the sector and reduce the cost of compliance while promoting greater transparency and accountability. The BEE Codes of Good Practice, gazetted last week, also allow significant exclusions for small business. Taken together, these documents show that government is serious about helping small and medium-sized businesses. The document, published for comment on Monday, proposes new forms of companies — widely and closely held — to replace the existing distinction between public and private. Closely held companies will replace private companies and close corporations, and will need to meet fewer transparency and disclosure requirements.

They will not be required to appoint an auditor or an accounting officer to report on the financial statements. Some forms of closely held companies will only have to submit financial statements as required, for example by banks, but tax returns will still be mandatory. Widely held companies will have to meet two out of three requirements in a three-year rolling period. Turnover should be R50-million or higher, with R25-million worth of assets or higher and at least 200 employees for these companies.

Public interest companies, which include widely held companies and companies that have a significant impact on the economy, have to meet higher standards of transparency and disclosure, according to Piet Delport, head of mercantile law at the University of Pretoria. The Bill encourages corporate governance, transparency and accountability for these institutions, sets up corporate tribunals, protects minority shareholders and amends takeover and business rescue provisions.

But government will need to look at a massive education drive for both businesses and shareholders, said Nicolaas van Wyk of the SA Institute of Public Accountants. Van Wyk said there are a million registered close corporations and proprietary (Pty) companies that will need to convert, though some of these may be dormant. There are also concerns about whether the Companies and Intellectual Property Office will be able to cope with the demand. The Bill is a much-needed overhaul of the outdated Companies Act, which became law in 1973 and brings South Africa in line with international trends in company law.

THE RISE OF THE WORKING POOR

So it looks like, although SARS has come to the party on the issue of Small Businesses, Government Legislation hasn't. In simple terms SARS is making it easier for the "little guy" to grow and in so doing get to a point where the Small Business Owner actually may be in a position to employ a single person and thereby do his/her bit in attending to the unemployment issue. That's great news!

On the flip side however, legislation and the red tape that we all have to get through in terms of what needs to be registered and in particular the Labour Relations issue, is a huge deterrant in terms of getting us to a point where we actually employ someone to assist us.

Recent posts on the the Business Warrior site (www.businesswarriors.co.za) evidence the difficulties that Small Business Owners go through when wading through the muddy waters of staff and the requirements of the law.

The perception is that Staff and/or the employee seems to be able to get away with anything and everything, whilst the employer cannot put a toenail out of place without being hit by heavy fines and/or penalties. This places a huge burden on the sometimes already cash strapped individual. Legislation does not seem to take into account the loss of productivity due to staff members not working correctly and/or investigations on allegations of theft and fraud etc that is constantly perpetrated by the employee, not to mention the high costs of employing the services of people like Labour Attorneys and the like.

If Government want the SMME market to be the saving grace of the economy, then Government needs to "GIVE" in order to "get" and that giving must be in the form of more breaks in the Legislative requirements and the 'Red Tape' syndrome. SMME's on the other hand also have to play their part in changing their own mind sets - Red Tape requirements are not necessarily puddles of quicksand and as long as the processes and procedures are followed, although these can be time consuming, they can be accomplished with a minimum amount of fuss - even if the bother is still there.

See: The rise of the working poor : Mail & Guardian Online

THE NEW 100 MOST USEFUL SITES

Wow! Just when you thought you were doing much better in the technological age, this get's thrown at you, and you feel like you're back in the dark ages. I thought that I had been dragged, albeit, kicking and screaming into the 21st century - apparently not!

Well, if you are starting to suffer from information overload and are betwixed and between in terms of where to find the information that you are looking for - or not, try these for size.

Hope you have some time out over the Easter weekend and that you are not glued, the entire time, to the computer looking at new stuff that you did not even know existed!

Have a good one

Regards

Nikki

See: The new 100 most useful sites : Mail & Guardian Online

Business Cards For OVER-50's

Trevor writes:

Nikki talks about business cards in THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 7.

Just thought I'd mention, on behalf of some old fogeys that I know, that most business cards are useless to the over-50 generation whose arms get shorter whilst eyesight focal length gets longer.

For me the purpose of a business card is to stimulate a contact. Most graphic designers seem to think that the contact details should be secondary to the image and design.

Best business card for me is one that says:

My Name
What I Do
Contact Me Now
0800 1234567
largefont@contactme.now

Get my drift...?

Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - www.innercircleforum.com
trevor@innercircleforum.com

SELF ESTEEM

Dr Renate Volpe of HIRS (www.hirs.co.za) says "Become all that you were meant to be!"

So many of us wander around this world looking for "ourselves" that we actually get lost along the way.

By all means "look" for yourself, but for heaven's sake, at some point you need to make a decision about who you are going to be and what it is in life that you want as your passion. Once that decision has been made, give it your all.

I once asked a young chap that I worked with if he wanted to go through life hanging onto someone else's shirt tails, living a very mediocre life, or did he want to be all that he could be? Something must have 'clicked' inside of his brain, because he suddenly did a '180', got all fired up and started producing really good work and was rewarded appropriately.

People who are 'being all that they can be' have a hunger for life, they live life to the fullest and are full of enthusiam for what they do and what they represent!

Quite frankly, I'd much rather be around someone who is 'in love with life' and all that it has to offer than someone who is forever complaining about what they don't have.

I say, get up off you butt and make it happen. Be all that you can be and it follows that you will "be all that you were meant to be".

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 7

Good morning bloggers - here's the next article. Have a great day!

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Part 7

I promised to continue this section with some more tips on Networking.

Business Cards. Many people take a lot of trouble with their business cards. The colours have to be just so, they have to be on special paper and when they come back from the printers they are scrutinized with a magnifying glass! Cool – if you have the time and/or inclination, I say go for it. I am told my business card needs to be tidied up and ‘there’s a lot more than you can do with it’ and this is usually by someone who is itching to redesign my logo (thereby changing my branding). My standard reply to this kind of situation is, my card has all the information that anyone needs on it. It tells them who I am, what I do, how to contact me – all the important information that I want to give someone. So in my opinion that’s all I need.

I have business cards with me where ever I go, whether it is on holiday to an exclusive safari lodge, or down the road to the pub. Always take your business cards with you, you never know when an opportunity is going to present itself and you want to be ready when it does. There’s nothing worse that scabbling around trying to find a piece of paper and a pen to take someone’s details down – it’s unprofessional and disorganized. As a last resort (never scabble around looking for a piece of paper and a pen) to take someone’s details down, use your cell phone (you’re much less like to lose that – unless of course you’re Trevor Nel who refuses to have a cell phone!).

If you have trouble remembering who people are, especially if you have been to a networking event and have come home with a fist full of business cards, make a point of writing something down on the back of the card to remember the person and/or what it is that they do.

I always put down where I met them as well, this jogs my memory and gives me a ‘visual’ memory of the person. When I get home and put all of their information on computer, in the contacts section, I use the spare bit of space under the “IM Address” to jot down things about the person and what it is that they do, so that when I am going through my data base and I can’t remember who someone is , I have something to jog my memory!

I will continue this saga next week, with some more tips on Networking.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 6

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Part 6

I promised to continue this section with your approach and attitude to Networking.

Most people seem to approach a Networking meeting with the “Let’s see what’s in it for me” glint in their eyes. Let’s face it folks, as Trevor Nel of Inner circle always says “We all come to these meetings to sell, not to buy”. So what would make your service, your widget your IP so much greater than the next person? Why would everyone in the room, suddenly stop wanting to sell their wares and in a unique 120 degree turn, all want to buy something from you – well the obvious answer is nothing!

So, you’re pretty much not going to achieve anything if you expect to be selling 50 deals on the night (day and/or whenever) of the meeting. Clearly your mindset needs to change.

Why not try going into the meeting with the idea that a) you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people (who also know a whole new bunch of people) and in doing so, you will strengthen and add to your data base or b) you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people who you can leverage off and perhaps form Strategic Alliances or Joint Ventures with or c) now here’s a unique thought – how about you are going to meet a whole new bunch of people who you can actually assist by pointing them in the right direction and thereby being a huge “Value Add” in their businesses.

Either way, you will have scored big time and will also have had value added to your network, your database and your business.

Networking for me, is about giving assistance and being of help to someone else, believe me – the more help you give the more business you will write. That’s not to say that you become a “mother Theresa” type of figure – you still have to make money to put food on the table, but at this point money should not be your primary objective.

So the next time you go to a Networking event, make sure that your mindset is right, it will open up a whole new avenue to you and help with building new relationships, which in turn will bring you an abundance of new business.

I will continue this saga next week, with some more tips on Networking. Remember if you would like a copy of Helen Nicholson’s book “Networking: The Unwritten Rule of Business you need to know”, please mail her on helen@helennicholson.co.za.

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 5

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Part 5

I promised to continue this section with some great tips to Network with.

Let’s start off with some of Helen’s tips that she mentions in her book;

Follow Through – Helen writes “It is estimated that 3% of people follow up after meeting new people.”

The 97% that don’t follow up must all belong, well in part anyway, to the “Reluctant Entrepreneur” foundation that I was talking about in previous postings.

Yip, right people – everyone is just blown away by your product/widget/service that you are peddling at whichever networking event that you are at and they are going to do each other harm, in the rush to get to your door to do business with you! I guess some people just live in a perpetual dream world!

YOU have to make it work! Take the person’s business card, tell them that you are going to connect with them and then . . . wait for it . . . . yes, that’s right, you actually do phone them! What a novel idea!

In fact what you should be doing is sending them a mail with your Business Profile on it and in the e-mail, re-iterate that you will be contacting them in the near future and then actually contact them.

The reason that you are contacting them is to set up an appointment for a ‘one-on-one’ meeting. Yes I know that having these meetings can become tedious and time consuming, but this is the way to do it. Set up the meeting and actually pitch up. In my opinion, people who do not pitch up for meetings, or phone and cancel are disrespectful to me. Not only are they disrespectful, but their behaviour also tells me who they are, in one word - unreliable!

The reason you are having a ‘one-on-one’ meeting is to find out more about what they do. Your first question should be along the lines of “Tell me more about yourself and your business – I need to understand more about what you do in order to help you with people in my data base who may need your assistance/widget/services.”

Starting your meeting in this manner, does two things: 1) It gives the other person the opportunity for them to talk (and you to listen… carefully) and 2) They will then feel obliged to ask you what it is that you do and then try to assist you. Human nature and a person’s sub conscience will make them feel the need to reciprocate in some way.

Listen carefully to what they are saying about what it is that they do/sell etc and ask questions about the widgets/services until you have a basic idea (you don’t have to understand it 100% - remember you don’t have to know how to build a car in order to drive one).

Think about the people you have in your database/network and see if you can introduce them to the people who they may have synergies with and/or who may have need of their widgets/services. Help them make the connection.

I will continue this saga next week, with your approach and attitude to Networking. Remember if you would like a copy of Helen Nicholson’s book “Networking: The Unwritten Rule of Business you need to know”, please mail her on helen@helennicholson.co.za.