THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 72
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Keep accurate records. You need to be able to keep track of the people you meet.”
Once again Renate has hit the nail squarely on the head. If your records are not accurate, just how do you think you are going to keep track of the people that you meet?
This is possibly one of the main reasons that I am so fond of Plaxo, because it does all of this for me. If any of my information changes, I need only change it once on my profile in Plaxo and it automatically updates my database with my new information. How cool is that?
There’s nothing worse than trying to set up a meeting with someone whose telephone number has changed or their e-mail address has changed or they seem have just dropped off the planet.
So, whilst it is important to ensure that your data base records are current and up to date, so too is it important to ensure that your data base has your up to date and current details too.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
MOTIVATION - INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES
MOTIVATION – INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Dr Laura Schlessinger who says:
“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”
So which one are you?
I remember, as a young child, my father saying to me “You are not responsible for the name that you have brought into this world as it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world, is the name that you have made for yourself.” I am not sure that I understood the implications and the consequences of what he was saying as I was far too young, but these words have had a great impact on my life.
On my journey down the path of what we call life, I have often heard things like “the banks took everything I own, they were the downfall of my business!” Or what about, and this is my favorite “The VAT man is killing my business!”
My question to both of these (and countless others) is ‘why’? When you started your business and you went to the bank for a loan, presumably you had to sign a piece of paper, in the form of a contract that said – you will pay back x amount every month or words to that effect. So then why is the bank, now the bad guy, because he wants his money back? I really don’t get it at all! What about the VAT man – you collect money on behalf of the VAT man and in payment of this service, he gives you an interest free loan for two months and he also allows you to offset some of the VAT that you have already paid out, against what you have collected on his behalf – so every two months, when he wants his money back – how it is that he is suddenly the ‘bad’ guy? I don’t get this either?
Could it possibly because of your own short comings? Could it be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a Business Owner? Could it possibly be because you actually are not a person of integrity?
You see, instead of taking the bull by the horns and admitting to our own short comings and admitting to ourselves that we are the ones that have actually messed up . . . big time, we turn to the government, the banks, the interest rates, the weather/global warming (insert anything you want here) and then sit back smugly – because well, we were not at fault and we are people of integrity!
Guess what people? We aren’t! If this sounds very familiar to you and it is something that you keep saying – guess what? You are not a person of integrity! Own it!
But all is not lost because we can change who we are, and this is an easy one to fix! There doesn’t have to be any soul searching, heavy therapy or anything else.
It’s a simple case of “do what you say you are going to do”!
So now – now what are you going to do? Are you going to tell me that you are going to do something and then . . . well, only you will know what happens next.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Dr Laura Schlessinger who says:
“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”
So which one are you?
I remember, as a young child, my father saying to me “You are not responsible for the name that you have brought into this world as it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world, is the name that you have made for yourself.” I am not sure that I understood the implications and the consequences of what he was saying as I was far too young, but these words have had a great impact on my life.
On my journey down the path of what we call life, I have often heard things like “the banks took everything I own, they were the downfall of my business!” Or what about, and this is my favorite “The VAT man is killing my business!”
My question to both of these (and countless others) is ‘why’? When you started your business and you went to the bank for a loan, presumably you had to sign a piece of paper, in the form of a contract that said – you will pay back x amount every month or words to that effect. So then why is the bank, now the bad guy, because he wants his money back? I really don’t get it at all! What about the VAT man – you collect money on behalf of the VAT man and in payment of this service, he gives you an interest free loan for two months and he also allows you to offset some of the VAT that you have already paid out, against what you have collected on his behalf – so every two months, when he wants his money back – how it is that he is suddenly the ‘bad’ guy? I don’t get this either?
Could it possibly because of your own short comings? Could it be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a Business Owner? Could it possibly be because you actually are not a person of integrity?
You see, instead of taking the bull by the horns and admitting to our own short comings and admitting to ourselves that we are the ones that have actually messed up . . . big time, we turn to the government, the banks, the interest rates, the weather/global warming (insert anything you want here) and then sit back smugly – because well, we were not at fault and we are people of integrity!
Guess what people? We aren’t! If this sounds very familiar to you and it is something that you keep saying – guess what? You are not a person of integrity! Own it!
But all is not lost because we can change who we are, and this is an easy one to fix! There doesn’t have to be any soul searching, heavy therapy or anything else.
It’s a simple case of “do what you say you are going to do”!
So now – now what are you going to do? Are you going to tell me that you are going to do something and then . . . well, only you will know what happens next.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHE. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part !
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
More and more I am getting questions around “when can we dismiss a staff member” or indeed “when should I dismiss a staff member”.
There are a host of reasons for dismissing staff, the question though is whether it will seen as ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ dismissal. When faced with a dismissal that is either ‘unfair’ or even borderline ‘unfair’, you can be sure that you might just end up at the CCMA and that brings on a whole different world.
So here are some pointers of what can and cannot be done – please be advised that these are ‘some’ pointers – certainly, not everything will be covered and always ask advice from a Labour Attorney should you be confused.
There is a ‘Code of Good Practice’ available on the Department of Labour’s website and whilst this deals with some of the key issues around dismissals, specifically those related to an employee’s conduct or their capacity to do a particular function, it remains general. In other words each case is usually quite unique and there are some instances where the issues or what took place are completely outside of what is considered ‘the norm’ in the “Code of Good Practice’. This may include but not be limited to circumstances such as the number of employees and so on and therefore a different approach would be needed to resolve these issues.
For the record the “Code of Good Practice’ was established as a guideline and it was not intended to be substituted for disciplinary and/or grievance procedures. These procedures still need to be followed correctly.
For the ‘Code of Good Practice’ to be effective, both employees and employers should treat one another with respect. The spirit of the Code is for both parties to have a ‘win/win’ experience. The employer must be able to operate his/her business effectively and the employee must be able to work in a safe and efficient environment.
The whole purpose of the ‘Code’ is for the employees to be protected against frivolous actions on the part of the employer, however that said the employer is also entitled to a satisfactory work performance as well as acceptable conduct from their employees.
Next week we will look at some of the ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ reasons for dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
More and more I am getting questions around “when can we dismiss a staff member” or indeed “when should I dismiss a staff member”.
There are a host of reasons for dismissing staff, the question though is whether it will seen as ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ dismissal. When faced with a dismissal that is either ‘unfair’ or even borderline ‘unfair’, you can be sure that you might just end up at the CCMA and that brings on a whole different world.
So here are some pointers of what can and cannot be done – please be advised that these are ‘some’ pointers – certainly, not everything will be covered and always ask advice from a Labour Attorney should you be confused.
There is a ‘Code of Good Practice’ available on the Department of Labour’s website and whilst this deals with some of the key issues around dismissals, specifically those related to an employee’s conduct or their capacity to do a particular function, it remains general. In other words each case is usually quite unique and there are some instances where the issues or what took place are completely outside of what is considered ‘the norm’ in the “Code of Good Practice’. This may include but not be limited to circumstances such as the number of employees and so on and therefore a different approach would be needed to resolve these issues.
For the record the “Code of Good Practice’ was established as a guideline and it was not intended to be substituted for disciplinary and/or grievance procedures. These procedures still need to be followed correctly.
For the ‘Code of Good Practice’ to be effective, both employees and employers should treat one another with respect. The spirit of the Code is for both parties to have a ‘win/win’ experience. The employer must be able to operate his/her business effectively and the employee must be able to work in a safe and efficient environment.
The whole purpose of the ‘Code’ is for the employees to be protected against frivolous actions on the part of the employer, however that said the employer is also entitled to a satisfactory work performance as well as acceptable conduct from their employees.
Next week we will look at some of the ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ reasons for dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 71
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 71
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark. You know you are doing it. No-one else does.”
What a chuckle I had with this one! It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone blinks in the dark!
Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.
Let’s take this one step at a time :-
· always, always, always have your business cards close at hand. Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it. If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services.
· Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place. Your company name, contact details, web address etc. You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
· Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
· When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.
This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.
So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 71
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark. You know you are doing it. No-one else does.”
What a chuckle I had with this one! It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone blinks in the dark!
Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.
Let’s take this one step at a time :-
· always, always, always have your business cards close at hand. Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it. If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services.
· Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place. Your company name, contact details, web address etc. You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
· Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
· When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.
This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.
So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, July 21, 2008
MOTIVATION - IT'S NOT THE WHAT, IT'S THE WHO
MOTIVATION – IT’S NOT THE WHAT, IT’S THE WHO
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “It’s not what you have, but WHO you have in your life that counts the most.”
Whilst on some level I agree whole heartedly with that statement, I would like to take it one step further and say that ‘It’s not only WHO you have in your life, but also who they have in their lives, that will count the most in yours’.
I have watched this in play over and over and over again – people sitting around a table chatting about this and that and suddenly a single comment is made and everybody interacts with everybody else in terms of somebody who knows somebody who can assist. It’s wonderful to watch this when it happens.
You see most people instinctively want to help others and sometimes this is the only way that they know how.
So I consider myself truly blessed, because I know a great many people, who know a great many people, and when I need help and assistance all I have to do is ask!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “It’s not what you have, but WHO you have in your life that counts the most.”
Whilst on some level I agree whole heartedly with that statement, I would like to take it one step further and say that ‘It’s not only WHO you have in your life, but also who they have in their lives, that will count the most in yours’.
I have watched this in play over and over and over again – people sitting around a table chatting about this and that and suddenly a single comment is made and everybody interacts with everybody else in terms of somebody who knows somebody who can assist. It’s wonderful to watch this when it happens.
You see most people instinctively want to help others and sometimes this is the only way that they know how.
So I consider myself truly blessed, because I know a great many people, who know a great many people, and when I need help and assistance all I have to do is ask!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
ARTICLE 9
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, July 18, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 70
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 70
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, July 14, 2008
MOTIVATION - CONTINUOUS EFFORT
MOTIVATION – CONTINUOUS EFFORT
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you!
I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time). Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!
You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away. That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.
Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis. That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger. Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it.
As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.
Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!
What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely. No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.
I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.
I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you!
I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time). Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!
You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away. That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.
Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis. That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger. Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it.
As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.
Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!
What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely. No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.
I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.
I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, July 11, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You have a witness!
ARTICLE 8
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU HAVE A WITNESS!
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Having a witness, when dealing with a disciplinary, an arbitration, a CCMA hearing or even a court hearing is often the difference between winning and losing! Doing it all by yourself is often very difficult, but if you have someone who can back you up and vouch for your story, this is usually a winning factor!
Let’s bring in my favorite pair – Mike the employer and George the employee.
Mike and George have had their usual tiff and now they are at the CCMA for an arbitration hearing. Mike has not only sent his representative (which in this case would be himself), but he has not sent Sue, who can corroborate his story. Mike is going to find it extremely difficult to win the case, because the testimony of the witnesses (both for the employer and for the employee) forms an important part of the procedure at any arbitration hearing.
The arbitrator (let’s call him Charles) has to start the proceedings, by explaining the arbitration process and the rules – these are (but not limited to):
· That opening statements have to be made by both parties (both Mike and George) to outline what it is that they intend to prove.
· Charles may decide to have Mike present his case first. This would mean that Mike, at this point should have all of his witnesses come in one at a time to give their testimony. It is also at this time, that Mike would present any documents and/or other evidence that he may have to prove that George did whatever it is that he says that George did.
· Each time that Mike and/or his witnesses give testimony, George is entitled to cross examine Mike and/or his witness.
· Charles also has the right to ask either Mike and/or his witness any questions but only pertaining to clarity – in other words if Charles is not sure of what Mike is saying, he can ask to have that particular point explained in more detail. So for example if Mike’s witness Sue says – “George did not follow procedures” – Charles could ask what those procedures entailed, so as to get a better understanding of the situation.
· Mike also has the right to question his own witness, but only on issues that were brought up in the cross examination of the witness. So for example, if Mike’s witness Sue stated that George was late for work – Mike could ask her exactly how late George was for work.
· Once all of Mike’s witnesses have been heard, been cross examined and questioned by both Charles and Mike, and Mike has presented all of his documentary evidence, visual and/or auditory evidence, then George has his chance to present his case – in exactly the same manner.
Once both sides of the story has been told, in graphic detail, the following will take place.
· Charles will hear closing statements – this is when both sides (just like in a court of law) make a final plea as to why they should be awarded or win the case.
· Charles then needs to take himself off to his office, go through all the evidence again, so that he is sure that he understands everything and then make the award. In other words, at this point he will decide who has won the case.
The evidence that Charles needs to mull over and assess, before he makes his decision usually falls into 3 distinct categories. They are, but not limited to:
· Documents
· Items such as, video tapes or clips, stolen goods, photos and other such items that would be relevant to the case
· Witness testimony.
Witness testimony is always the most crucial. For example, if Mike says that George told Sue that he was not coming to work because he wanted to stay at home and watch the soccer on TV, it stands to reason that Sue should be there to confirm and say exactly what it was that George told her.
So having your witnesses there means that they can corroborate each piece of evidence thereby giving it more weight.
Make sure that when you attend any of the above hearings or arbitration that you have all your evidence in order and everyone present who can back everything up.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU HAVE A WITNESS!
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Having a witness, when dealing with a disciplinary, an arbitration, a CCMA hearing or even a court hearing is often the difference between winning and losing! Doing it all by yourself is often very difficult, but if you have someone who can back you up and vouch for your story, this is usually a winning factor!
Let’s bring in my favorite pair – Mike the employer and George the employee.
Mike and George have had their usual tiff and now they are at the CCMA for an arbitration hearing. Mike has not only sent his representative (which in this case would be himself), but he has not sent Sue, who can corroborate his story. Mike is going to find it extremely difficult to win the case, because the testimony of the witnesses (both for the employer and for the employee) forms an important part of the procedure at any arbitration hearing.
The arbitrator (let’s call him Charles) has to start the proceedings, by explaining the arbitration process and the rules – these are (but not limited to):
· That opening statements have to be made by both parties (both Mike and George) to outline what it is that they intend to prove.
· Charles may decide to have Mike present his case first. This would mean that Mike, at this point should have all of his witnesses come in one at a time to give their testimony. It is also at this time, that Mike would present any documents and/or other evidence that he may have to prove that George did whatever it is that he says that George did.
· Each time that Mike and/or his witnesses give testimony, George is entitled to cross examine Mike and/or his witness.
· Charles also has the right to ask either Mike and/or his witness any questions but only pertaining to clarity – in other words if Charles is not sure of what Mike is saying, he can ask to have that particular point explained in more detail. So for example if Mike’s witness Sue says – “George did not follow procedures” – Charles could ask what those procedures entailed, so as to get a better understanding of the situation.
· Mike also has the right to question his own witness, but only on issues that were brought up in the cross examination of the witness. So for example, if Mike’s witness Sue stated that George was late for work – Mike could ask her exactly how late George was for work.
· Once all of Mike’s witnesses have been heard, been cross examined and questioned by both Charles and Mike, and Mike has presented all of his documentary evidence, visual and/or auditory evidence, then George has his chance to present his case – in exactly the same manner.
Once both sides of the story has been told, in graphic detail, the following will take place.
· Charles will hear closing statements – this is when both sides (just like in a court of law) make a final plea as to why they should be awarded or win the case.
· Charles then needs to take himself off to his office, go through all the evidence again, so that he is sure that he understands everything and then make the award. In other words, at this point he will decide who has won the case.
The evidence that Charles needs to mull over and assess, before he makes his decision usually falls into 3 distinct categories. They are, but not limited to:
· Documents
· Items such as, video tapes or clips, stolen goods, photos and other such items that would be relevant to the case
· Witness testimony.
Witness testimony is always the most crucial. For example, if Mike says that George told Sue that he was not coming to work because he wanted to stay at home and watch the soccer on TV, it stands to reason that Sue should be there to confirm and say exactly what it was that George told her.
So having your witnesses there means that they can corroborate each piece of evidence thereby giving it more weight.
Make sure that when you attend any of the above hearings or arbitration that you have all your evidence in order and everyone present who can back everything up.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, July 10, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 69
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 69
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
I went to a Networking dinner the other night and was totally amazed that around 80% of the people that I met did not have a business card with them!
I mean, this was a Networking event, not a visit to the neighbour’s house for an informal braai – although quite frankly you should have a business card to two with you when you go there too.
Going to a Networking event without a business card is just plain stupid! Even if your business cards are still at the printer, or you forget to pick them up – make sure that you have something with your Business name and contact details. This was a huge event (with over 1000 people present) and I had the opportunity to actively network with a minimum of 30 people. I walked away with 27 business cards, of which 23 have the names and contact details of the various individuals written on the back of my ‘old’ business cards.
Not having business cards at a networking event actually tells it’s own story – it tells me that you are not serious about doing business with anyone. Well that or you have no idea about what networking is about!
Going to a networking event is an opportunity to give your cards out freely and always ask for one in return. Contact the people whose cards you have taken and follow up. Phone them, book an appointment to see them and exchange referrals.
Always, always, always have a sufficient supply of cards with you!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
PART 69
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
I went to a Networking dinner the other night and was totally amazed that around 80% of the people that I met did not have a business card with them!
I mean, this was a Networking event, not a visit to the neighbour’s house for an informal braai – although quite frankly you should have a business card to two with you when you go there too.
Going to a Networking event without a business card is just plain stupid! Even if your business cards are still at the printer, or you forget to pick them up – make sure that you have something with your Business name and contact details. This was a huge event (with over 1000 people present) and I had the opportunity to actively network with a minimum of 30 people. I walked away with 27 business cards, of which 23 have the names and contact details of the various individuals written on the back of my ‘old’ business cards.
Not having business cards at a networking event actually tells it’s own story – it tells me that you are not serious about doing business with anyone. Well that or you have no idea about what networking is about!
Going to a networking event is an opportunity to give your cards out freely and always ask for one in return. Contact the people whose cards you have taken and follow up. Phone them, book an appointment to see them and exchange referrals.
Always, always, always have a sufficient supply of cards with you!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
MARK CORKE - PREPARE YOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE
Just spoke to Mark Corke and the next seminars are:
Most businesses don't sell for anything close to the value they should, and frankly...
THAT'S JUST WRONG.
Particularly when the owner isn't around to defend the value.
If you were to sell your business today, would you get true value for it? And if you were not around, would your loved ones be able to sell it for what it's worth? Do you really think they could? Do you even know what the real value of your business is? The simple truth is that businesses are often sold unprepared under unforeseen circumstances.
The unfortunate answers to these questions lie in the fact that most business owners never consider preparing their businesses for sale before a purchaser asks them to supply the financial statements, management accounts and VAT returns. No sooner are these supplied, than the prospective purchaser asks about the customer mix and debtor analysis. Another challenge all together…
Prepare your business for sale!
You can learn to prepare your business for sale so that at the drop of a hat you are ready to sell for 209% more than you believe it is worth today. An impossibly silly claim? Not at all!
Businesses that are properly prepared for sale, well in advance of the event, and then kept prepared through a simple maintenance program, always sell for higher values, in quicker, cleaner deals, than if the business had not been prepared properly, or at all.
So why don't we prepare our businesses for sale?
Most sellers simply don't know where to begin. They know they need to present a profit figure, and they know that VAT returns will be used to prove the turnover. They hastily sketch out some cash flow forecasts based on improving “this” and implementing “that”. They are scared that their staff will up and go if they discover the business is for sale. They don't want their suppliers and customers to find out.
Any of this sound familiar to you? Do you fit the bill?
And so you do nothing until the buyer is sitting in the office asking awkward questions. At that point, of course, it becomes a bit of a mess, as the bookkeeper is called in, sworn to secrecy, and has all the pressure transferred to his shoulders. By the next morning even the cleaners and drivers know there is something afoot.
If I can show you how to pre-empt this entire debacle, and add value to your business, would you be interested in “Preparing your business for sale”? Well, of course you would.
You will be empowered to prepare a complete prospectus on your business, to be easily updated every month in less than an hour.
You will learn exactly how to add value to your business so that both you and your buyer benfit from the improvements.
You will be able to identify the elements in your business that savvy buyers are after, and show those elements to your best advantage.
You will gain....
oh never mind; I promise you that you will get so much value that you won't ever want to take me up on my money back guarantee... but I'll offer it anyway (It's all in my full offer on my website).
I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked to sell a business in a hurry.
“I will take any reasonable offer.”
“I don't know how to run my wife's business, and I don't have the time.”
“I'm getting divorced, and my wife wants the business.”
“We've had enough, and we're going to emigrate. I need my money by December.”
"My husband has had an accident. He says I must sell his business because it is going out of business. "
Why condemn yourself to this unhappiness?
There is an easy solution, you know. What's more, it is so easy if you are already running your business in a slightly better than basic fashion. By following our techniques, nobody need ever know that your business is being sold, or in fact that you have prepared your business for sale, if this is an issue for you.
Great news for business owners who think their businesses will never be sold: Not only will your business be sold, but you will use the proceeds from that sale to improve your life and leapfrog your dreams to a higher level.
Join me for a few hours of good advice and solid pointers as to how you will create a life raft of opportunity in your business, ready to be launched at short notice.
All businesses should be in a constant state of readiness for sale. We live and work in an uncertain environment with new challenges being thrown our way constantly.
Do not be caught unaware.
Do not be caught investing most of your life’s time in a business to keep the wolves from the door today, and to provide for your future tomorrow, when you have no idea of what a buyer would be looking for in a business today.
Do not be caught flat footed when circumstances such as illness or death dictate that you have to sell at short notice.
Wouldn’t that be sad?
So to take the first step towards preparing your business for sale, go here.
Cheers
Mark Corke
15th/16th July in Durban
29/30th July in Cape Town
Mark can be contacted on 083 399 2666 or mark@suitegum.co.za or have a look at his website on www.suitegum.co.za
Most businesses don't sell for anything close to the value they should, and frankly...
THAT'S JUST WRONG.
Particularly when the owner isn't around to defend the value.
If you were to sell your business today, would you get true value for it? And if you were not around, would your loved ones be able to sell it for what it's worth? Do you really think they could? Do you even know what the real value of your business is? The simple truth is that businesses are often sold unprepared under unforeseen circumstances.
The unfortunate answers to these questions lie in the fact that most business owners never consider preparing their businesses for sale before a purchaser asks them to supply the financial statements, management accounts and VAT returns. No sooner are these supplied, than the prospective purchaser asks about the customer mix and debtor analysis. Another challenge all together…
Prepare your business for sale!
You can learn to prepare your business for sale so that at the drop of a hat you are ready to sell for 209% more than you believe it is worth today. An impossibly silly claim? Not at all!
Businesses that are properly prepared for sale, well in advance of the event, and then kept prepared through a simple maintenance program, always sell for higher values, in quicker, cleaner deals, than if the business had not been prepared properly, or at all.
So why don't we prepare our businesses for sale?
Most sellers simply don't know where to begin. They know they need to present a profit figure, and they know that VAT returns will be used to prove the turnover. They hastily sketch out some cash flow forecasts based on improving “this” and implementing “that”. They are scared that their staff will up and go if they discover the business is for sale. They don't want their suppliers and customers to find out.
Any of this sound familiar to you? Do you fit the bill?
And so you do nothing until the buyer is sitting in the office asking awkward questions. At that point, of course, it becomes a bit of a mess, as the bookkeeper is called in, sworn to secrecy, and has all the pressure transferred to his shoulders. By the next morning even the cleaners and drivers know there is something afoot.
If I can show you how to pre-empt this entire debacle, and add value to your business, would you be interested in “Preparing your business for sale”? Well, of course you would.
You will be empowered to prepare a complete prospectus on your business, to be easily updated every month in less than an hour.
You will learn exactly how to add value to your business so that both you and your buyer benfit from the improvements.
You will be able to identify the elements in your business that savvy buyers are after, and show those elements to your best advantage.
You will gain....
oh never mind; I promise you that you will get so much value that you won't ever want to take me up on my money back guarantee... but I'll offer it anyway (It's all in my full offer on my website).
I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked to sell a business in a hurry.
“I will take any reasonable offer.”
“I don't know how to run my wife's business, and I don't have the time.”
“I'm getting divorced, and my wife wants the business.”
“We've had enough, and we're going to emigrate. I need my money by December.”
"My husband has had an accident. He says I must sell his business because it is going out of business. "
Why condemn yourself to this unhappiness?
There is an easy solution, you know. What's more, it is so easy if you are already running your business in a slightly better than basic fashion. By following our techniques, nobody need ever know that your business is being sold, or in fact that you have prepared your business for sale, if this is an issue for you.
Great news for business owners who think their businesses will never be sold: Not only will your business be sold, but you will use the proceeds from that sale to improve your life and leapfrog your dreams to a higher level.
Join me for a few hours of good advice and solid pointers as to how you will create a life raft of opportunity in your business, ready to be launched at short notice.
All businesses should be in a constant state of readiness for sale. We live and work in an uncertain environment with new challenges being thrown our way constantly.
Do not be caught unaware.
Do not be caught investing most of your life’s time in a business to keep the wolves from the door today, and to provide for your future tomorrow, when you have no idea of what a buyer would be looking for in a business today.
Do not be caught flat footed when circumstances such as illness or death dictate that you have to sell at short notice.
Wouldn’t that be sad?
So to take the first step towards preparing your business for sale, go here.
Cheers
Mark Corke
MOTIVATION - FORGIVING FRIENDS
Damn! Wrote the article yesterday and then forgot to post it!
MOTIVATION – FORGIVING FRIENDS
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that, no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and we must forgive them for that.
Oh yes, I understand this on the most basic of levels and depending on the level of the hurt that is caused the forgiveness is easy. Well for me it is.
My problem and this is something that I obviously have to work on until I get it right, or as right as I will ever get it, is the management of the memory of that hurt.
I am not talking about the minor cuts and bruises that we get from any relationship and probably mostly a friendships, I am talking about the major league stuff.
It’s the hurts that are ‘deal breakers’ or the hurts that cause physical pain to the soul, that I am talking about. It’s the hurt that changes, on a fundamental level, how you look at that person that you have called friend, and you make a decision about whether you still want that person in your life or not.
Forgiving someone for something is not an issue at all with me. I guess because of the pain that I went through as a child when my parents were murdered. I understand and have done for a very long time, that in order for me to grow as a person I need to let go of the many issues that I have in life, and then move forward. I understood that I had to forgive in order for me to heal and for me to move on. Harboring that intense kind of unforgiveness in my heart and in my soul becomes destructive to my own life. I got that and I forgave!
My problem is the memory of that pain. Let me try and explain it another way. There is a saying that goes something like “Forgive and forget”. I think that means that when we forgive we should also forget the transgression. Therein lies my difficulty. Forgiving is not the problem, forgetting is the challenge.
Let’s take for example a couple – one of them is unfaithful to the other. The hurt party may forgive and even try to forget and not bring it up again. However should the transgressor come home late, or plead extra time at work, or go out with the boys/girls or spend any time away from home, sans partner – the hurt party will always be wandering what the deal is, because somewhere in the back of their minds is the fact that they were hurt once before, by this person.
Well that is the way it is with me, with friends. You see they are the very people with whom I have been the most vulnerable. It is my friends who I have shared my biggest secrets with. My fears, my weaknesses, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It is my friends who I have bared my very soul to and when they do something, especially deliberately, to hurt me – how do I forget that?
When I am hurt in such a manner, by someone I call friend – I usually forgive and then walk away from the friendship or the relationship, so as not to let that person have another opportunity to hurt me. I wish them no ill – in fact I wish them the very best of luck and happiness in the future as long as they have that future as far away from me as possible!
Is this the right way to handle this – quite honestly, I don’t know. What I do know however is that there are many people who travel with us on this journey that we call life. Some will be with us from beginning to end, some will only travel a part of the way with us, many will never even meet us.
For me, the trick is to understand who is a ‘lifer’ and who is there but for a fleeting moment. Once I have established that I need to ‘let go’ to walk away in the understanding that my journey with that particular person has come to an end, for whatever reason.
When I walk away, I need to do that with peace in my heart and a smile on my face. I need to celebrate the good times and learn from the bad and then discard them – there is no place for painful memories in my heart and in my soul.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
MOTIVATION – FORGIVING FRIENDS
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that, no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and we must forgive them for that.
Oh yes, I understand this on the most basic of levels and depending on the level of the hurt that is caused the forgiveness is easy. Well for me it is.
My problem and this is something that I obviously have to work on until I get it right, or as right as I will ever get it, is the management of the memory of that hurt.
I am not talking about the minor cuts and bruises that we get from any relationship and probably mostly a friendships, I am talking about the major league stuff.
It’s the hurts that are ‘deal breakers’ or the hurts that cause physical pain to the soul, that I am talking about. It’s the hurt that changes, on a fundamental level, how you look at that person that you have called friend, and you make a decision about whether you still want that person in your life or not.
Forgiving someone for something is not an issue at all with me. I guess because of the pain that I went through as a child when my parents were murdered. I understand and have done for a very long time, that in order for me to grow as a person I need to let go of the many issues that I have in life, and then move forward. I understood that I had to forgive in order for me to heal and for me to move on. Harboring that intense kind of unforgiveness in my heart and in my soul becomes destructive to my own life. I got that and I forgave!
My problem is the memory of that pain. Let me try and explain it another way. There is a saying that goes something like “Forgive and forget”. I think that means that when we forgive we should also forget the transgression. Therein lies my difficulty. Forgiving is not the problem, forgetting is the challenge.
Let’s take for example a couple – one of them is unfaithful to the other. The hurt party may forgive and even try to forget and not bring it up again. However should the transgressor come home late, or plead extra time at work, or go out with the boys/girls or spend any time away from home, sans partner – the hurt party will always be wandering what the deal is, because somewhere in the back of their minds is the fact that they were hurt once before, by this person.
Well that is the way it is with me, with friends. You see they are the very people with whom I have been the most vulnerable. It is my friends who I have shared my biggest secrets with. My fears, my weaknesses, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It is my friends who I have bared my very soul to and when they do something, especially deliberately, to hurt me – how do I forget that?
When I am hurt in such a manner, by someone I call friend – I usually forgive and then walk away from the friendship or the relationship, so as not to let that person have another opportunity to hurt me. I wish them no ill – in fact I wish them the very best of luck and happiness in the future as long as they have that future as far away from me as possible!
Is this the right way to handle this – quite honestly, I don’t know. What I do know however is that there are many people who travel with us on this journey that we call life. Some will be with us from beginning to end, some will only travel a part of the way with us, many will never even meet us.
For me, the trick is to understand who is a ‘lifer’ and who is there but for a fleeting moment. Once I have established that I need to ‘let go’ to walk away in the understanding that my journey with that particular person has come to an end, for whatever reason.
When I walk away, I need to do that with peace in my heart and a smile on my face. I need to celebrate the good times and learn from the bad and then discard them – there is no place for painful memories in my heart and in my soul.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, July 04, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
ARTICLE 7
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, July 03, 2008
A TIME FOR OBJECTIVITY
A friend passed this onto me. I think it makes for good reading. We need a lot of this to keep a balance. The press are having a field day with some of the recent mistakes by people in high places, and this article just reminds about some of the stuff that doesn't sell newspapers!
For those of you living outside South Africa - a glimpse of our society in transition.
The headmaster of St Stithians (a leading private school in Johannesburg), Dave Knowles delivered the following speech to the boys recently: I wanted to spend some time with you today reflecting on the last two or three months we have experienced as a nation. Some commentators have called this the "post-Polokwane Syndrome", after the events at the ANC National Conference in December, the outcome of which many have seen as negative. Added to this negative feeling, has been the electricity crisis, now seen as a result of poor planning by the state and acknowledged as such by President Mbeki in his State of the Nation address in Parliament, where he apologised to the nation. Also knocking us have been higher world oil prices; higher interest rates in SA and the start of a world wide recession, particularly in the UK and the US with their major housing crisis. Added to these have been the on-going crime situation and negative press articles.
So, it is quite easy to fall into the trap of feeling and thinking negatively about our country. In 1948, Alan Paton wrote his famous book "Cry the Beloved Country" and that title is perhaps still appropriate today, 60 years on, for obviously different reasons. How do we as passionate South Africans, react to this mood of despondency?
Well I cannot speak for you or tell you what to think but I can give you my perspective. First of all, I make no apologies for being passionately South African. Let me share this with you – I was not born in South Africa , I was born in East Africa (I moved here at the age of seven), so becoming a naturalised South African was a choice for me. It was a choice I made in the mid 1980s – a terrible time for South Africa – the country was in turmoil; we had sanctions; very low economic growth; the country was bankrupt; civil war was looming; there were bombs in schools; riots in the townships; young men, many of them my peers, fighting and dying on our borders.
During that time, I gave up a British passport for a South African one. Some might call that foolish. So be it. I have never regretted that decision. Why not? Not just because South Africa is such a beautiful country – it was because I believed in the people of this country and I believed that God had a plan for us. This was proved right for me when the miracle of 1994 happened. And it was a miracle. All of you sitting here, matrics and younger, were born either in the year Madiba was released, in 1990, or afterwards. And most of our Grade 8s are "born-frees" – born in 1994 or afterwards and what a privilege that is!As a passionate South African, here's what gets me mad:
The levels of violence and crime that have touched many of us – and many of you sitting here.
As an adult, on behalf of all adults, I believe that we need to apologise to our youth for not doing more to protect you.
I get mad when I visit black schools and see how little they have and how poor some of the teaching is.
I get mad that there is still massive poverty in our country and an Aids pandemic.
I get mad that there are some instances of incompetence when it comes to areas of social and service delivery.
But being mad about these issues doesn't make me any less passionate about South Africa . I especially get mad that some of our leaders lack moral standing – whether they be a judge, the top policeman or the top politicians.To me the issue is not whether they are guilty in a court of law. For me, leaders should not be tainted by even a hint of corruption. Even that hint undermines a leader's moral standing – and one should do the honourable thing and resign, in my opinion.You see, to be a leader means to be a dealer, a purveyor and a deliverer of hope.And it is our job – yours and mine – to be deliverers of hope. Because we believe in this school that all can and will lead and because I believe in the talent and potential of the young men sitting before me – I believe in that hope.
The levels of violence and crime that have touched many of us – and many of you sitting here.
As an adult, on behalf of all adults, I believe that we need to apologise to our youth for not doing more to protect you.
I get mad when I visit black schools and see how little they have and how poor some of the teaching is.
I get mad that there is still massive poverty in our country and an Aids pandemic.
I get mad that there are some instances of incompetence when it comes to areas of social and service delivery.
But being mad about these issues doesn't make me any less passionate about South Africa . I especially get mad that some of our leaders lack moral standing – whether they be a judge, the top policeman or the top politicians.To me the issue is not whether they are guilty in a court of law. For me, leaders should not be tainted by even a hint of corruption. Even that hint undermines a leader's moral standing – and one should do the honourable thing and resign, in my opinion.You see, to be a leader means to be a dealer, a purveyor and a deliverer of hope.And it is our job – yours and mine – to be deliverers of hope. Because we believe in this school that all can and will lead and because I believe in the talent and potential of the young men sitting before me – I believe in that hope.
So am I optimistic?
Yes. I cannot believe that, after all we have been through as a nation, that a future Zimbabwe scenario is God's plan for us.
Yes, I am optimistic because I believe that we have the people here in South Africa to overcome these challenges. Stuart Pennington, author of the book and website " South Africa : The Good News" wrote last week: "I am in awe of the thousands of South Africans who toil to help the less fortunate." I would include in that statement honest policemen, hardworking nurses and teachers and all who work in community service projects, including all of you.
Yes, I am optimistic because I refuse to believe that we can continue to be held to ransom by a criminal minority.
Yes, I am optimistic because we are resilient and tough, as a people and a nation.
Yes, I am optimistic because I believe that the challenges ahead are surmountable, as we wage war against poverty and crime and corruption.
Let's look at some of the facts not always highlighted by the media. As we know, the media often focuses on the bad news because bad news sells.S o, when it comes to the economy, let's remember that economies work in cycles – expansion; higher expenditure, the economy overheats and there is a readjustment (recession) which is normal. It has happened before in South Africa – and has been worse – and will happen again. In 1989, the SA Government defaulted on its loan payments (i.e. was unable to pay its debts); the stock market crashed and the rand collapsed. In 1998, interest rates hit 25%. Are we better off now? – in a lot of ways we are.
1980s – 1% growth
Early 1990s – SA was technically bankrupt – defined as when national debt is more than 3% of GDP – in 1994, it was 9%.
During the Mandela years, we had 2% economic growth
For the last seven years – 5%!
Next year – 4% - despite world wide recession, oil prices, electricity crisis.
JSE – 2001 – 8000 points and everyone was pleased; 2007 – 30 000 points (although it has lost some growth now)
Platinum – up R5000/ounce since January
Here's a thought – with cuts of electricity, less platinum comes out of ground but what's left is not going anywhere and while it stays in the ground, the price goes up!
What else is up?
Business confidence (until January)
Employment is up
Number of houses built – up
Tourists visiting – up
Car sales:
20 000 per month in 2001 – everyone was pleased!
1980s – 1% growth
Early 1990s – SA was technically bankrupt – defined as when national debt is more than 3% of GDP – in 1994, it was 9%.
During the Mandela years, we had 2% economic growth
For the last seven years – 5%!
Next year – 4% - despite world wide recession, oil prices, electricity crisis.
JSE – 2001 – 8000 points and everyone was pleased; 2007 – 30 000 points (although it has lost some growth now)
Platinum – up R5000/ounce since January
Here's a thought – with cuts of electricity, less platinum comes out of ground but what's left is not going anywhere and while it stays in the ground, the price goes up!
What else is up?
Business confidence (until January)
Employment is up
Number of houses built – up
Tourists visiting – up
Car sales:
20 000 per month in 2001 – everyone was pleased!
30 000 per month in 2007
Look at our budget, announced by Trevor Manuel on Wednesday. Tax income has gone from R188bn in 2000, to R660bn in 2007! At the same time, he has cut personal tax and has not borrowed any money. The Americans are so envious of us. Individual tax cuts - i.e. money given back to tax payers
2006 R12bn given back to individuals
2007 R8.4bn given back to individuals
2008 R7.2bn – in a supposed-to-be recession
This is a major achievement, particularly as in 2000, there was a R25bn deficit on the budget and for the last three years we have not had a deficit on the budget. Money for housing for the poor has gone up2000 R9bn2007 R51bnAnd we have built 2.6 million houses since 1996.Yes, we have challenges:Eskom is one of them and there is now a 2c levy on every kilowatt hour. But think about this
Electricity was cheap, now we are paying more
We had electricity cuts before. In 1981, there was no power in the whole country for 18 hours
We are not the only country to have power cuts – New York ; China – over Chinese New Year this year – 12 million people were left stranded.
There are other challenges
The world oil price has gone from $60 per barrel in 2007 to $90 now and it is not coming down.
We may be heading for a situation like the UK where they pay R15 per litre.
HIV/Aids is another major concern, as we see fit to spend R17bn on the World Cup but less on handling this pandemic.
Electricity was cheap, now we are paying more
We had electricity cuts before. In 1981, there was no power in the whole country for 18 hours
We are not the only country to have power cuts – New York ; China – over Chinese New Year this year – 12 million people were left stranded.
There are other challenges
The world oil price has gone from $60 per barrel in 2007 to $90 now and it is not coming down.
We may be heading for a situation like the UK where they pay R15 per litre.
HIV/Aids is another major concern, as we see fit to spend R17bn on the World Cup but less on handling this pandemic.
So what am I saying? Yes there are concerns and challenges BUT there are also many positives.There are no easy answers or solutions and 2008 will be tough. However, we have had it tough before and we handled it and boom years will come again – such as in 2010. So what do we do? Emigrate? An option for some I suppose and I am always sad when I hear about people leaving. But where to? Is it guaranteed that it will be all cherries and rose blossoms on the other side of the fence? Or do we toughen up, get creative and get active, as the "new" South Africans?
By "getting creative," I mean this – there are massive opportunities here and we will be more aware of issues, especially financially and environmentally. Two thoughts by way of example:
Next time there is a power cut and you can't read e-mails, play computer games or watch TV – celebrate – you can instead talk to people – your family or colleagues.
With regard to the environment, here is an example of being creative: water availability is always an issue in SA – did you know that the average house has 120 000 litres of water running off its roof every year in the form of rain water?
By "getting active," I mean thinking about what we can do – like Trinity House holding their march on Tuesday; or writing letters; or petitions; or getting involved to help fix it. Here is an excerpt from "African Wisdom" by Lanette Hattingh and Heinrich Claassen entitled The Ostrich Wisdom: Where is your head? When confronted with a setback you have two choices of action: you can bury your head in the sand like the ostrich and hope the problem will pass by, or you can stand tall and face the problem head on. "We have one freedom inside us that nobody can take away, the freedom of reaction/attitude in any given circumstance." (Viktor Frankl, the psychologist & concentration camp survivor.) Our reaction to a setback will determine if we are going to stay with our heads buried in the sand or look up and do something about it.When storms of life pour down on you, it's what happens within you that will determine what happens to you.You have Mr Positive and Mr Negative doing constant battle in your head. Guess who wins? The one you feed the most! If your head is in the sand you can only see the dark and Mr Negative will thrive. To see the light, you must look up. "When you are knocked down, be sure to land on your back, because if you can look up, you can get up." (Nelson Mandela)If you are an ostrich and have never faced a setback, you need to learn these facts about solving problems first:
Face it! Confront the problem and get the picture clear.
Rake it! Work through your denial, aggression or depression around the problem.
Make it! Look up, stand up and take action.
This is important because just as the sun hardens mud and softens wax, trials can either break us or make us.Finally, here is my resolve and my truth:-
To be positive
To stop whingeing
To stop blaming
To ignore the doomsday jokes sent out by people who want you to feel as bad as they do.
To read the Good News website regularly
To join the "stop crime, say hello" campaign
To find goodness in people
To commit, regularly, to this beautiful country of ours
To believe in God's plan for us
I know this – that if I do not work to create the life I want, I will have to endure the life I get.One final thought:Matthew Lester writes a column in the Sunday Times Business Times Money. He is Professor of Tax Education at Rhodes University and an advisor to Trevor Manuel. Yesterday he had this to say: " South Africa is my life, it always has been and it always will be." Amen to that.A Prayer for the Country (taken off the www.sagoodnews.co.za website)Our Father in HeavenYou know exactly how much we need You right nowPlease let the Leaders of our country act under your influenceWe ask that You will hold your hand over us and our countryAnd bring relief from the crime and other difficulties we are experiencing.We are proud and privileged to live in this beautiful country Look after us and bring us peace and prosperity.Credits:Stuart Pennington: " South Africa : The Good News"Matthew Lester: talk at Sandton Convention Centre, 21 February 2008 Dr Lanette Hattingh and Heinrich Claasen: "African Wisdom: 21 Inspirational Lessons for excellent living."By Dave Knowles, Headmaster of St Stithians in Johannesburg
Next time there is a power cut and you can't read e-mails, play computer games or watch TV – celebrate – you can instead talk to people – your family or colleagues.
With regard to the environment, here is an example of being creative: water availability is always an issue in SA – did you know that the average house has 120 000 litres of water running off its roof every year in the form of rain water?
By "getting active," I mean thinking about what we can do – like Trinity House holding their march on Tuesday; or writing letters; or petitions; or getting involved to help fix it. Here is an excerpt from "African Wisdom" by Lanette Hattingh and Heinrich Claassen entitled The Ostrich Wisdom: Where is your head? When confronted with a setback you have two choices of action: you can bury your head in the sand like the ostrich and hope the problem will pass by, or you can stand tall and face the problem head on. "We have one freedom inside us that nobody can take away, the freedom of reaction/attitude in any given circumstance." (Viktor Frankl, the psychologist & concentration camp survivor.) Our reaction to a setback will determine if we are going to stay with our heads buried in the sand or look up and do something about it.When storms of life pour down on you, it's what happens within you that will determine what happens to you.You have Mr Positive and Mr Negative doing constant battle in your head. Guess who wins? The one you feed the most! If your head is in the sand you can only see the dark and Mr Negative will thrive. To see the light, you must look up. "When you are knocked down, be sure to land on your back, because if you can look up, you can get up." (Nelson Mandela)If you are an ostrich and have never faced a setback, you need to learn these facts about solving problems first:
Face it! Confront the problem and get the picture clear.
Rake it! Work through your denial, aggression or depression around the problem.
Make it! Look up, stand up and take action.
This is important because just as the sun hardens mud and softens wax, trials can either break us or make us.Finally, here is my resolve and my truth:-
To be positive
To stop whingeing
To stop blaming
To ignore the doomsday jokes sent out by people who want you to feel as bad as they do.
To read the Good News website regularly
To join the "stop crime, say hello" campaign
To find goodness in people
To commit, regularly, to this beautiful country of ours
To believe in God's plan for us
I know this – that if I do not work to create the life I want, I will have to endure the life I get.One final thought:Matthew Lester writes a column in the Sunday Times Business Times Money. He is Professor of Tax Education at Rhodes University and an advisor to Trevor Manuel. Yesterday he had this to say: " South Africa is my life, it always has been and it always will be." Amen to that.A Prayer for the Country (taken off the www.sagoodnews.co.za website)Our Father in HeavenYou know exactly how much we need You right nowPlease let the Leaders of our country act under your influenceWe ask that You will hold your hand over us and our countryAnd bring relief from the crime and other difficulties we are experiencing.We are proud and privileged to live in this beautiful country Look after us and bring us peace and prosperity.Credits:Stuart Pennington: " South Africa : The Good News"Matthew Lester: talk at Sandton Convention Centre, 21 February 2008 Dr Lanette Hattingh and Heinrich Claasen: "African Wisdom: 21 Inspirational Lessons for excellent living."By Dave Knowles, Headmaster of St Stithians in Johannesburg
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 68
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 68
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
For the record, as much as I Network and as much business as I get out of Networking and as much value as I add Networking, none of it would be worth a damn if I didn’t reciprocate! In absolute honesty, I would probably lose any and all credibility that have built up over the years.
Now before everyone falls over in a dead faint, because they think that they have failed miserably in this endeavour – let me just tell you that there are many different ways in which to reciprocate.
Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Many people like to get/give the money one. In this instance, whenever you give someone a lead and that lead bears fruit, the recipient then gives you a percentage of the value of the fruit that your lead has generated.
2. Some like to give reciprocal leads, so whenever they get a lead for you they will pass them on.
3. Then if you have a ‘virtual’ company, like I do we all include each other. Whenever I get work for example, I will pass on or include the members (where appropriate and necessary) of my virtual organization onto the client.
4. One of my favourites is value exchange. For example one of the people in my team is a Lawyer. She does, mostly contractual work. The majority of her clients come to her with the specific purpose of getting a contract done, so she gets very few ‘leads’ that would be appropriate for my business. So what we do is that I pass on all the legal stuff to her and she does all my contracts and/or answers all my legal questions for free – how cool is that? I now do not sign a single legal document without her first having a look at it and making sure that it is all fine.
Not doing the reciprocal thing is just not on. Consistently trying to get as much as you can out of people without bringing something of your own to the table will eventually destroy the very relationship that you are trying to build. Don’t do it!
If you are strapped for cash and cannot pay people for their leads, find the other ways in which you can help others. Make a point of referring business to your contacts. You can do this by listening to the ‘wants, desires, needs’ of the person you are talking to.
Opportunities for this constantly arrive in front of your very own eyes, learn to recognise them and seize the moment!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
PART 68
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
For the record, as much as I Network and as much business as I get out of Networking and as much value as I add Networking, none of it would be worth a damn if I didn’t reciprocate! In absolute honesty, I would probably lose any and all credibility that have built up over the years.
Now before everyone falls over in a dead faint, because they think that they have failed miserably in this endeavour – let me just tell you that there are many different ways in which to reciprocate.
Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Many people like to get/give the money one. In this instance, whenever you give someone a lead and that lead bears fruit, the recipient then gives you a percentage of the value of the fruit that your lead has generated.
2. Some like to give reciprocal leads, so whenever they get a lead for you they will pass them on.
3. Then if you have a ‘virtual’ company, like I do we all include each other. Whenever I get work for example, I will pass on or include the members (where appropriate and necessary) of my virtual organization onto the client.
4. One of my favourites is value exchange. For example one of the people in my team is a Lawyer. She does, mostly contractual work. The majority of her clients come to her with the specific purpose of getting a contract done, so she gets very few ‘leads’ that would be appropriate for my business. So what we do is that I pass on all the legal stuff to her and she does all my contracts and/or answers all my legal questions for free – how cool is that? I now do not sign a single legal document without her first having a look at it and making sure that it is all fine.
Not doing the reciprocal thing is just not on. Consistently trying to get as much as you can out of people without bringing something of your own to the table will eventually destroy the very relationship that you are trying to build. Don’t do it!
If you are strapped for cash and cannot pay people for their leads, find the other ways in which you can help others. Make a point of referring business to your contacts. You can do this by listening to the ‘wants, desires, needs’ of the person you are talking to.
Opportunities for this constantly arrive in front of your very own eyes, learn to recognise them and seize the moment!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
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