Blogging 101 – The Content – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
We all look at newspaper headlines as we whizz all over town on our daily travels. Many of them make us angry, many more make us very curious. Some make us curious enough to even buy the newspaper to see what it’s all about. Sadly though, often the heading is misleading and sometimes the heading doesn’t even have anything to do with the actual story.
Now the bottom line is that I am not a journalist, I have no formal training in terms of writing, but logic tells me that the heading for any story should, not only reflect the gist of what the story is about, but also catch the eye of the person whose attention it is that you want to get. It has to make them stop in their tracks and want to read what you have written. It has to make them want to read more of the story and it has to make them want to join in the conversation and at least have an opinion.
What it also has to do though is uphold the promise of what is to follow. Having an absolutely “Knock Out” heading that is followed by nonsickle ramblings of a boring mind, will not serve your purpose! In fact, more often than not you will lose the reader – they may not come back and they will no longer be enticed by clever headlines and sweet promises of what is to come, that are then followed by stories that have no depth or substance.
Finally, always respond to the comments that others make, even if it is only to acknowledge their comment. Think about how you feel when you write something and no-one makes any kind of comment. They neither agree with you nor do they disagree and I guess in some ways that is not a bad thing. On some level though, it worries me that many people do not have an opinion at all. Sadly that is how many live their lives. So respond, acknowledge, engage with people who have taken the time and trouble to engage with you.
Pick your topics, do the research. Take the information that you have found, have fun with it – turn it into a story and share that story in your blog. Remember though, you have to take the first step!
See you next time, when we will look at some more issues around some of the content that should be in your blogs.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
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Thursday, May 31, 2018
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Networking 101 - Targeting the Right People
Networking 101 - Targeting the right people
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Who are the people that you connect with? Or perhaps the question should be who are the people that you target, to connect with?
Most people will say that they are people who would complement your business, or who would be able to give you business or who would generate business for you. Am I correct? I thought so!
And if I was correct, then your answer is . . . . . wrong, wrong, wrong!
Look, I know that there are hundreds of people, and probably all the books telling you to focus on being target driven, but the bottom line is very different and if you never listen to another thing I say – listen to this!
Trust your instinct, connections that you wouldn’t normally give the time of day to, will bring the right people into your life far more often than the people who you would expect to connect you. How’s that for a statement?
I know that many of you will be very sceptical about this, but believe me it’s true. Let me give you an example. I have a friend (let’s call her Jane) who imports freeze dried foods for the masses. We were at a Networking event a couple of weeks ago and at the table was a young lady, let’s call her Sue, who is a fashion designer. I saw the look on Jane’s face when they introduced themselves because “how could Sue possibly help to get contacts to sell this food by the container load (and it does come by the container load)” and I am sure that all of you are asking the very same question!
Well I am in the process of teaching Jane how to Network and seeing that I am sharing so many of my Networking tips with you, I will share this one with you too.
Think about it people.
Ok, here goes – who goes to a fashion designer to have their clothes designed? Certainly not me and probably not you either. But the wives of the rich and famous do. And who best to twist the arm of a cabinet minister, or a member of parliament, or a CEO of a large firm with a big Corporate Social Investment (CSI) budget, if not his loving wife or daughter? Suddenly the light bulb goes on, doesn’t it?
On the reverse side, and for Jane to be useful to Sue – who is meeting with CEO’s of big corporate companies and ambassadors of foreign countries who have wives and daughters, who would love to have their clothes designed for them and who on earth would Jane recommend? So another penny drops!
So do not ignore people who have been put into your life, don’t pre-judge. Get to know them, find out what it is that they do and be a ‘giver’, connect them with as many as you can out of your data base and then watch as they return the favour! You see when you give to others you give them a reason to be your greatest advertisers – they will sing your praises to everyone at every given opportunity.
I don’t believe that there is such a thing as coincidence or sheer luck, I believe that you make your own luck. I believe that it is all to do with what you ‘put’ out there, it will attract exactly what it is that you need.
Your greatest marketing tool is yourself and the people that you connect with. There is no greater or stronger lead than the one that comes from a referral.
So go out and connect today – connect with everyone and open your mind to the possibilities that are everywhere.
Nikki Viljoen in an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or https://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Who are the people that you connect with? Or perhaps the question should be who are the people that you target, to connect with?
Most people will say that they are people who would complement your business, or who would be able to give you business or who would generate business for you. Am I correct? I thought so!
And if I was correct, then your answer is . . . . . wrong, wrong, wrong!
Look, I know that there are hundreds of people, and probably all the books telling you to focus on being target driven, but the bottom line is very different and if you never listen to another thing I say – listen to this!
Trust your instinct, connections that you wouldn’t normally give the time of day to, will bring the right people into your life far more often than the people who you would expect to connect you. How’s that for a statement?
I know that many of you will be very sceptical about this, but believe me it’s true. Let me give you an example. I have a friend (let’s call her Jane) who imports freeze dried foods for the masses. We were at a Networking event a couple of weeks ago and at the table was a young lady, let’s call her Sue, who is a fashion designer. I saw the look on Jane’s face when they introduced themselves because “how could Sue possibly help to get contacts to sell this food by the container load (and it does come by the container load)” and I am sure that all of you are asking the very same question!
Well I am in the process of teaching Jane how to Network and seeing that I am sharing so many of my Networking tips with you, I will share this one with you too.
Think about it people.
Ok, here goes – who goes to a fashion designer to have their clothes designed? Certainly not me and probably not you either. But the wives of the rich and famous do. And who best to twist the arm of a cabinet minister, or a member of parliament, or a CEO of a large firm with a big Corporate Social Investment (CSI) budget, if not his loving wife or daughter? Suddenly the light bulb goes on, doesn’t it?
On the reverse side, and for Jane to be useful to Sue – who is meeting with CEO’s of big corporate companies and ambassadors of foreign countries who have wives and daughters, who would love to have their clothes designed for them and who on earth would Jane recommend? So another penny drops!
So do not ignore people who have been put into your life, don’t pre-judge. Get to know them, find out what it is that they do and be a ‘giver’, connect them with as many as you can out of your data base and then watch as they return the favour! You see when you give to others you give them a reason to be your greatest advertisers – they will sing your praises to everyone at every given opportunity.
I don’t believe that there is such a thing as coincidence or sheer luck, I believe that you make your own luck. I believe that it is all to do with what you ‘put’ out there, it will attract exactly what it is that you need.
Your greatest marketing tool is yourself and the people that you connect with. There is no greater or stronger lead than the one that comes from a referral.
So go out and connect today – connect with everyone and open your mind to the possibilities that are everywhere.
Nikki Viljoen in an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or https://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Business Tips - Being Straightforward
Business Tips – Being Straightforward
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
In her Leadership Insights nuggets, Dr Renate Volpe says “Straightforwardness simply means aligning the verbal and non-verbal messages to mean the same.”
Well that makes logical sense and it is also pretty straightforward don’t you think? So why it is so difficult to do? Why did Renate feel so strongly about it that she had to use it as one of her 50 tips on Leadership Insights? Well my guess would be because often people who are aspiring to be leaders just don’t do it.
I know that even in the smallest of businesses, there is often a hidden agenda, there is often some sort of politics going on – whether it is a conspiracy of the staff to do whatever they can to upset the bosses or drive a wedge between senior management or indeed discredit their peers. Often the bosses or management set it up so that the staff are constantly striving to undermine each other in an attempt to be ‘teacher’s pet’ and to score the most brownie points.
For me this is just counter productive and a waste of time and energy, never mind the distrust that it causes and often the result is a less than perfect product or less than satisfactory service for the client. Besides that, how on earth do people remember what they have said to whom – it’s like trying to play several games of chess all at once – far too much irritation and drama for me!
Those who know me, know that I would far rather have a simple life and that for me is just telling it like it is! That way the verbal will definitely match up with the body language and the rest of the non-verbal indicators, everyone will know where they are, what is expected of them, what my perception is and we can get on with the task at hand – building sustainable businesses, building sustainable relationships with and for my clients. Being known for my integrity and credibility and ensuring my deliverables take place on time.
I’d far rather have that agenda out in the open and transparent for all to see than all the other BS that goes with hidden agenda and the political games that so many others play.
What about you – which journey would you rather take?
For more details on what Renate does, please visit her website on http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
In her Leadership Insights nuggets, Dr Renate Volpe says “Straightforwardness simply means aligning the verbal and non-verbal messages to mean the same.”
Well that makes logical sense and it is also pretty straightforward don’t you think? So why it is so difficult to do? Why did Renate feel so strongly about it that she had to use it as one of her 50 tips on Leadership Insights? Well my guess would be because often people who are aspiring to be leaders just don’t do it.
I know that even in the smallest of businesses, there is often a hidden agenda, there is often some sort of politics going on – whether it is a conspiracy of the staff to do whatever they can to upset the bosses or drive a wedge between senior management or indeed discredit their peers. Often the bosses or management set it up so that the staff are constantly striving to undermine each other in an attempt to be ‘teacher’s pet’ and to score the most brownie points.
For me this is just counter productive and a waste of time and energy, never mind the distrust that it causes and often the result is a less than perfect product or less than satisfactory service for the client. Besides that, how on earth do people remember what they have said to whom – it’s like trying to play several games of chess all at once – far too much irritation and drama for me!
Those who know me, know that I would far rather have a simple life and that for me is just telling it like it is! That way the verbal will definitely match up with the body language and the rest of the non-verbal indicators, everyone will know where they are, what is expected of them, what my perception is and we can get on with the task at hand – building sustainable businesses, building sustainable relationships with and for my clients. Being known for my integrity and credibility and ensuring my deliverables take place on time.
I’d far rather have that agenda out in the open and transparent for all to see than all the other BS that goes with hidden agenda and the political games that so many others play.
What about you – which journey would you rather take?
For more details on what Renate does, please visit her website on http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, May 28, 2018
Motivation - What Can Be - Must Be
Motivation – What Can Be – Must Be
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – December 2011
Today’s words come from Abraham Maslow who says “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be!”
Sounds about right don’t you think? Yet for many it is one of the most challenging things that they ever attempt to do!
I think I can safely say that everyone has a life’s purpose – it’s ultimately the reason that we humans visit this planet called earth. Yet for so many, a purpose in life is the last thing that they think about or even contemplate and how very sad is that.
For many, merely putting one foot in front of the other in order to ensure that they have food for their children is about as much as they can allow themselves to think about. They are so focused on that, that any thought other than that, intrudes and is instantly banished. Any thought would be considered as an imposition, an evil or a bad thing as it detracts them from their sole purpose which is to put that food on the table.
Many of these souls are damaged in mind and in body – broken by the weight of their world. Damaged by what they consider their ‘lot in life’, imprisoned by their own minds and fears and how incredibly sad is that.
Here’s the thing though – it is my belief that we all have some sort of potential that we have to fulfill. We all have something inside of ourselves that drives us, something that makes us cling tenaciously to life itself and until we firstly discover what that “thing” is, what that potential is and secondly until we fulfill that potential we are doomed to wonder around as though we are lost.
I know that on a personal level, if I don’t write something every day it is as though I have forgotten to do something – something is missing or not completed.
If that is how I feel and I believe that I know what my life’s purpose is, I cannot even begin to understand or comprehend what people who are merely existing through life must feel.
Life is designed to be lived to the full, to be enjoyed and savored and to have fun. So dig down deep, find your passion and your life’s purpose and start living by being all that you can be and fulfill that potential that is so uniquely yours!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – December 2011
Today’s words come from Abraham Maslow who says “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is ultimately to be at peace with himself. What one can be, one must be!”
Sounds about right don’t you think? Yet for many it is one of the most challenging things that they ever attempt to do!
I think I can safely say that everyone has a life’s purpose – it’s ultimately the reason that we humans visit this planet called earth. Yet for so many, a purpose in life is the last thing that they think about or even contemplate and how very sad is that.
For many, merely putting one foot in front of the other in order to ensure that they have food for their children is about as much as they can allow themselves to think about. They are so focused on that, that any thought other than that, intrudes and is instantly banished. Any thought would be considered as an imposition, an evil or a bad thing as it detracts them from their sole purpose which is to put that food on the table.
Many of these souls are damaged in mind and in body – broken by the weight of their world. Damaged by what they consider their ‘lot in life’, imprisoned by their own minds and fears and how incredibly sad is that.
Here’s the thing though – it is my belief that we all have some sort of potential that we have to fulfill. We all have something inside of ourselves that drives us, something that makes us cling tenaciously to life itself and until we firstly discover what that “thing” is, what that potential is and secondly until we fulfill that potential we are doomed to wonder around as though we are lost.
I know that on a personal level, if I don’t write something every day it is as though I have forgotten to do something – something is missing or not completed.
If that is how I feel and I believe that I know what my life’s purpose is, I cannot even begin to understand or comprehend what people who are merely existing through life must feel.
Life is designed to be lived to the full, to be enjoyed and savored and to have fun. So dig down deep, find your passion and your life’s purpose and start living by being all that you can be and fulfill that potential that is so uniquely yours!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, May 25, 2018
R 101 – What to do When . . . Staff have accumulated Leave
HR 101 – What to do When . . . Staff have accumulated Leave
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
This can be a real nasty! Clearly it is in your own best interests to have the correct wording for what you want, in your letter of appointment.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act says that the staff member is entitled to a minimum of 15 working days leave per annum. It also states that the staff member cannot ‘sell’ you their leave.
Here’s the problem – there’s nothing in there to stop staff members from accumulating leave and this is where you will ultimately have a problem, one way or another.
Obviously prevention is better than cure, so let’s put down here some of the things that you should have in your letter of appointment:
Let’s break down the 15 days per year as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requirement. Now if your company closes over the December holiday period, your staff will only accumulate 3 maybe 4 days per annum, which means that they should still take those days during the course of the year. I would suggest that you have a clause that says something along the lines of – leave cannot be accumulated. At least 80% of the leave must be taken within the course of the year, the balance of 20% must be taken by no later than 31st March of the following year. Leave accumulated and not take at this time will be forfeited and lost. Remember though that if the employee resigns or is dismissed, the leave that has not been taken (unless it was forfeited and lost) has to be paid out at this time.
If your company closes down in December, but the staff member wants their full leave during the course of the year. Your letter of appointment should state clearly that taking leave during the closure of the Company is mandatory and that any leave not taken at that time must be taken during the course of the year. Staff will only be granted leave at a time that is convenient to the Company. There is nothing in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act that states that staff can take leave as and when they feel like, it has to be at a time that is convenient to the Company.
Then of course, you will have the odd members of staff who will phone you on a Monday morning and say ‘Oh by the way, I’m not coming in today because I am taking leave.’ Not nice! So in your letter of appointment, you should state that – leave must be applied for at least a week or month (whatever is convenient to you as the employer) prior to leave being taken. This will give you a chance to put measures in place to accommodate being short staffed. If the nature of your business means that everyone is under extreme pressure during certain times of the month this can also be factored into the Letter of Appointment along the lines of – Leave will not be granted during the period between the last weekend of a month and the first weekend of the following month.
If you follow these simple guidelines, the only time you will have a problem is if a staff member has applied for leave and you as the employer has denied them that leave for whatever reason. If the employee then resigns or you dismiss them, you will have to pay them out. Don’t do that and believe me you will be paying out – big time.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
This can be a real nasty! Clearly it is in your own best interests to have the correct wording for what you want, in your letter of appointment.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act says that the staff member is entitled to a minimum of 15 working days leave per annum. It also states that the staff member cannot ‘sell’ you their leave.
Here’s the problem – there’s nothing in there to stop staff members from accumulating leave and this is where you will ultimately have a problem, one way or another.
Obviously prevention is better than cure, so let’s put down here some of the things that you should have in your letter of appointment:
Let’s break down the 15 days per year as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requirement. Now if your company closes over the December holiday period, your staff will only accumulate 3 maybe 4 days per annum, which means that they should still take those days during the course of the year. I would suggest that you have a clause that says something along the lines of – leave cannot be accumulated. At least 80% of the leave must be taken within the course of the year, the balance of 20% must be taken by no later than 31st March of the following year. Leave accumulated and not take at this time will be forfeited and lost. Remember though that if the employee resigns or is dismissed, the leave that has not been taken (unless it was forfeited and lost) has to be paid out at this time.
If your company closes down in December, but the staff member wants their full leave during the course of the year. Your letter of appointment should state clearly that taking leave during the closure of the Company is mandatory and that any leave not taken at that time must be taken during the course of the year. Staff will only be granted leave at a time that is convenient to the Company. There is nothing in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act that states that staff can take leave as and when they feel like, it has to be at a time that is convenient to the Company.
Then of course, you will have the odd members of staff who will phone you on a Monday morning and say ‘Oh by the way, I’m not coming in today because I am taking leave.’ Not nice! So in your letter of appointment, you should state that – leave must be applied for at least a week or month (whatever is convenient to you as the employer) prior to leave being taken. This will give you a chance to put measures in place to accommodate being short staffed. If the nature of your business means that everyone is under extreme pressure during certain times of the month this can also be factored into the Letter of Appointment along the lines of – Leave will not be granted during the period between the last weekend of a month and the first weekend of the following month.
If you follow these simple guidelines, the only time you will have a problem is if a staff member has applied for leave and you as the employer has denied them that leave for whatever reason. If the employee then resigns or you dismiss them, you will have to pay them out. Don’t do that and believe me you will be paying out – big time.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 3
Blogging 101 – The Content – Part 3
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - April 2010
So by now, I am sure that you have gathered that as passionate as I am about my business, so am I passionate about blogging and when I blog, not only do I learn for myself, but I also share what I have learnt.
Most of us have heard the words that “knowledge is power” – I’d like to say that knowledge is exactly that – plain, unsophisticated, understated . . . well knowledge. The “Power” of the knowledge is in how we use it and what we do with that knowledge and by sharing that knowledge with others who will use it, we enable, not only ourselves but those around us too. How cool is that!
The sharing of knowledge shouldn’t just be a ‘here and now’ experience either – so make sure that you create an ‘archives’ which allow people to go back, time and time again, to refresh their memories about the issues that you have written about or to savor their favorite posts. It will also assist with reading articles (in one sitting), that have perhaps been broken up into parts so that are easily readable.
Another idea, in order to assist with your archives is to break up the content of the articles into sections, pretty much like I have for the blogs on my website. So each time I introduce a new topic (pretty much like I did when I introduced “blogging” as a topic), I add a new content section to my blog index.
Now, to get people interacting with you, it’s also necessary to tell people ‘about’ yourself. People like to hear stories, especially stories about where you come from and what it is that you have done in order to get to where you are. It allows them relate to you in a completely different way. Put a photo of yourself onto your blog – it gives people a sense of communicating directly with you.
Make sure that you have a section that gives people direct access to you. Have a contacts page with, at the very least, your e-mail address. If you are not comfortable about being contacted at all hours of the day and night by people who live on the other side of the planet, or who are in different time zones, don’t include your telephone number. Many people like to clarify issues or perhaps add to the discussion or even provide alternative information. So allow yourself to be accessible, even if it is only up to a point.
Be willing to share, not only your thoughts and your information and knowledge, but also your blog too. Invite guests to ‘blog’ on your site. If you feel like you are giving up control, then choose the topic yourself and reserve the right to edit what they have written.
See you next time, when we will look at some more issues around some of the content that should be on/in your blogs.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - April 2010
So by now, I am sure that you have gathered that as passionate as I am about my business, so am I passionate about blogging and when I blog, not only do I learn for myself, but I also share what I have learnt.
Most of us have heard the words that “knowledge is power” – I’d like to say that knowledge is exactly that – plain, unsophisticated, understated . . . well knowledge. The “Power” of the knowledge is in how we use it and what we do with that knowledge and by sharing that knowledge with others who will use it, we enable, not only ourselves but those around us too. How cool is that!
The sharing of knowledge shouldn’t just be a ‘here and now’ experience either – so make sure that you create an ‘archives’ which allow people to go back, time and time again, to refresh their memories about the issues that you have written about or to savor their favorite posts. It will also assist with reading articles (in one sitting), that have perhaps been broken up into parts so that are easily readable.
Another idea, in order to assist with your archives is to break up the content of the articles into sections, pretty much like I have for the blogs on my website. So each time I introduce a new topic (pretty much like I did when I introduced “blogging” as a topic), I add a new content section to my blog index.
Now, to get people interacting with you, it’s also necessary to tell people ‘about’ yourself. People like to hear stories, especially stories about where you come from and what it is that you have done in order to get to where you are. It allows them relate to you in a completely different way. Put a photo of yourself onto your blog – it gives people a sense of communicating directly with you.
Make sure that you have a section that gives people direct access to you. Have a contacts page with, at the very least, your e-mail address. If you are not comfortable about being contacted at all hours of the day and night by people who live on the other side of the planet, or who are in different time zones, don’t include your telephone number. Many people like to clarify issues or perhaps add to the discussion or even provide alternative information. So allow yourself to be accessible, even if it is only up to a point.
Be willing to share, not only your thoughts and your information and knowledge, but also your blog too. Invite guests to ‘blog’ on your site. If you feel like you are giving up control, then choose the topic yourself and reserve the right to edit what they have written.
See you next time, when we will look at some more issues around some of the content that should be on/in your blogs.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Networking 101 - Knowing Your Purpose
Networking 101 - Knowing your purpose
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
How about knowing your purpose? Do you know your purpose? Don’t for a minute get confused! Knowing who you are and knowing your purpose are two very different things.
If you don’t know your purpose, it will be extremely difficult to get other people to understand what it is that you are selling or what assistance it is that you need from them.
Knowing your purpose is more about knowing what you want to achieve for . . . others. Those others could be your clients, your friends and your family. So – do you know what you want to achieve for others on a daily basis?
It’s about knowing what you would do if you didn’t have to work. Think about that for a moment . . . if you didn’t have to work, what would you do? Would you still be the same person that you are right now, or would you do a 180 degree turnabout and become someone completely different. You may become someone who no longer treats people with dignity and respect – you may become the second Mother Theresa or guess what, you may continue to be the person that everyone has come to love, because having money and not having to work, may actually leave you as the person you are now.
Knowing your purpose means that in all probability, you will leave your mark on this world when you leave it one day. So what is your legacy? What will your children and friends say that you have achieved in your life time and will they even know?
For me, knowing your purpose means that you have to have some idea about who you are and what it is that you are doing here, in this life time, before you can start telling people who you think they are?
It’s about accepting some things because, they just are and it’s about making a concerted effort to change the things that need to be changed in your life and thereby changing the things in your world that need to be changed. It’s about quietly going about your business and making a difference.
It’s about challenging yourself to be all that you can be, rather than all that everyone else thinks you should be.
It’s about being true to yourself.
It’s about being you . . .
So, how about it then, do you know your purpose?
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
How about knowing your purpose? Do you know your purpose? Don’t for a minute get confused! Knowing who you are and knowing your purpose are two very different things.
If you don’t know your purpose, it will be extremely difficult to get other people to understand what it is that you are selling or what assistance it is that you need from them.
Knowing your purpose is more about knowing what you want to achieve for . . . others. Those others could be your clients, your friends and your family. So – do you know what you want to achieve for others on a daily basis?
It’s about knowing what you would do if you didn’t have to work. Think about that for a moment . . . if you didn’t have to work, what would you do? Would you still be the same person that you are right now, or would you do a 180 degree turnabout and become someone completely different. You may become someone who no longer treats people with dignity and respect – you may become the second Mother Theresa or guess what, you may continue to be the person that everyone has come to love, because having money and not having to work, may actually leave you as the person you are now.
Knowing your purpose means that in all probability, you will leave your mark on this world when you leave it one day. So what is your legacy? What will your children and friends say that you have achieved in your life time and will they even know?
For me, knowing your purpose means that you have to have some idea about who you are and what it is that you are doing here, in this life time, before you can start telling people who you think they are?
It’s about accepting some things because, they just are and it’s about making a concerted effort to change the things that need to be changed in your life and thereby changing the things in your world that need to be changed. It’s about quietly going about your business and making a difference.
It’s about challenging yourself to be all that you can be, rather than all that everyone else thinks you should be.
It’s about being true to yourself.
It’s about being you . . .
So, how about it then, do you know your purpose?
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, May 22, 2018
Business Tips - Company Operations Manual
Business Tips – Company Operations Manual
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Every company should have an Operations Manual. Okay, this is so important that I am going to have to say it again – irrespective of whether you have one employee, or one hundred employees or one hundred thousand employees – every company should have an Operations Manual.
An Operations Manual is the “how to” guide. It is a ‘living’ document that evidences and outlines every process in your business and it should have various sections (as outlined below). It should be checked and reviewed at the very least, annually to ensure that it is up to date and in line with legislation. Obviously, the size of the business will determine how big or long the manual is and obviously depending on the sector that the company is in, there may or may not be sections that are applicable. For example, if you are in a services type industry (say a financial advisor), you may not have any stock and therefore would not have any need for stock control. Remember always to try and keep it as simple as possible.
The sections that you may require are (but not limited to):-
1. Introduction
a. This should include a brief history of the company – how and why it was started and also the purpose of the manual.
b. The company’s business objectives and mission/vision statement should be included here.
c. A list of the products and/or services provided should be featured here.
2. Organogram
a. Once you get to 3 or 4 departments, this should be split into two. The first one should show just the departments and where they report into. For example HR should report into Operations, Accounts into the Financial Director and so on. The second organogram should include the names of the individuals who head up the departments as well as the name of the individuals that report into them – so in this case Jane Doe and Joe Public who are clerks in the accounts department report into Suzie Stressed out who is the Accounts Manager and she reports into Philip Pedantic who is the Financial Director and so on.
b. The function of each department should also be outlined as well as which department supports which activity and so on.
c. The job descriptions for each particular job (not person) should be filed here too. For example Jane may be the receptionist as well as a debtors clerk and the warehouse data capturer. This of course means that Jane should have 3 different job descriptions.
d. Don’t forget to include the details of the company, such as (but not limited to) address of branch offices and contact details for key personnel.
3. General Information
This section would be the general type information for the staff and would include things like, but not limited to:-
a. General attitude towards clients, suppliers, colleagues and management.
b. How to deal with customer/supplier/colleague/management queries, complaints or visitors
c. Housekeeping – such as personal hygiene and dress code
d. Do’s and don’ts. Examples of this is “do be at work 15 minutes before you are due to start working” or “don’t partake of illegal substances and/or alcohol whilst on duty” and so on.
4. HR and Administration thereof
This section is self explanatory and would deal with some of the below mentioned sub sections:
a. Hiring practices – who authorizes new employees, what are the job spec requirements, what the interview process is, what forms/templates need to be completed including SARS, Department of Labour, Workmen’s Compensation etc. Legislation registration requirements etc. Letters/contracts of employment to be issued etc.
b. When and how employees are paid, including full time or permanent employees and/or casual (one day) employees.
c. Frequency of salary reviews and/or bonus requirements as well as advancement opportunities.
d. Benefits paid by the company (if any), staff contributions and payroll deductions. These also need to be carefully explained so that the staff understand them properly.
e. Disciplinary policy and procedures, including letters of warning and/or notice to attend a disciplinary and/or letter of reprimand and don’t forget the Certificate of Service.
f. Hours of Operation including Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Family Responsibility Leave, Unpaid Leave, Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave and Study Leave – where applicable.
g. Attendance requirements as well as overtime and holidays and remuneration pertaining to these issues.
h. Labour Laws - Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Labour Relations Act and “Best Practices”
i. Any other policies and procedures such as (but not limited to) Smoking requirements, Sexual Harassment or Alcohol and Substance Abuse etc.,
5. Products and Services
This section is also self explanatory but should include:-
a. Your sales procedure and credit authorization requirements.
b. Customer relations and complaints process.
6. Operational Procedures
These should include a departmental flow chart and authorization process for each department and for each process. It would also include detailed ‘step-by-step’ procedures such as ‘once the sale has been completed and signed the order goes to administration where it is checked and data captured and then to the warehouse for the goods to be ‘picked and packed’ then the stock goes to dispatch where the stock is released to the driver and the invoice is produced and then…’ etc. A copy of each document and/or template used should be included with the procedure.
7. Administration
This should include the following (but not be limited to):-
a. Departmental administrative procedures and authorization requirements that would also indicate responsibility and accountability.
b. Templates for each requirement, for example Petty Cash Reconciliation.
c. Procedures on how to complete each template and the purpose of such document.
d. The document flowchart as well as due dates and deadlines.
8. Safety and Security
This would include (but not be limited to) safety issues around the premises, the personnel, company assets and information so issues around:-
a. Safety of the premises (in-house or outsourced), security cards/access cards etc. Access to safes and/or restricted areas
b. Safety of the staff, compliance with OHSA (Occupational Health & Safety Act), including safety gear etc.
c. Managing the importance of the safety of the employee as well as the company.
d. Protection of company assets and the requirements around that
e. Safety around company confidential information as well as client information etc.
f. Key and password control.
g. Incident reports
9. Emergencies
a. How to deal with accidents, staff, visitor and client accidents as well as company vehicle accidents.
b. What to do in case of fire or theft or hold ups or car jacking and all the telephone details that pertain to these.
c. What to do in case of power failure or burst water pipes, or gas leaks.
d. Incident reports
10. Maintenance & Repairs
Procurement policies pertaining to these service providers as well as their contact details.
a. Procedures pertaining to authorization of these service providers as well as authorization for the repair.
b. Authorization and control of after hour access to premises
c. Key controls
d. Refuse removal
e. Handling of equipment
f. Procedures around damage and/or loss to property and/or premises
g. Incident reports.
11. Legal
a. Legislation around local and national requirements and rules and regulations that are industry specific.
b. The ‘how to’ and ‘who with’ handling of regulatory agencies and/or municipalities.
c. Inspections that have taken place and the reports that were issued.
d. Record keeping requirements.
e. Maintaining of ethical standards
f. Green and carbon footprint issues.
Quite a lengthy but comprehensive list, I am sure that you will agree – but a very necessary one at the end of the day. This will evidence that you have a policy of full transparency and that you have nothing to hide.
Your employees will also have an understanding of what is and what isn’t acceptable and also know what the consequences of their actions will be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Every company should have an Operations Manual. Okay, this is so important that I am going to have to say it again – irrespective of whether you have one employee, or one hundred employees or one hundred thousand employees – every company should have an Operations Manual.
An Operations Manual is the “how to” guide. It is a ‘living’ document that evidences and outlines every process in your business and it should have various sections (as outlined below). It should be checked and reviewed at the very least, annually to ensure that it is up to date and in line with legislation. Obviously, the size of the business will determine how big or long the manual is and obviously depending on the sector that the company is in, there may or may not be sections that are applicable. For example, if you are in a services type industry (say a financial advisor), you may not have any stock and therefore would not have any need for stock control. Remember always to try and keep it as simple as possible.
The sections that you may require are (but not limited to):-
1. Introduction
a. This should include a brief history of the company – how and why it was started and also the purpose of the manual.
b. The company’s business objectives and mission/vision statement should be included here.
c. A list of the products and/or services provided should be featured here.
2. Organogram
a. Once you get to 3 or 4 departments, this should be split into two. The first one should show just the departments and where they report into. For example HR should report into Operations, Accounts into the Financial Director and so on. The second organogram should include the names of the individuals who head up the departments as well as the name of the individuals that report into them – so in this case Jane Doe and Joe Public who are clerks in the accounts department report into Suzie Stressed out who is the Accounts Manager and she reports into Philip Pedantic who is the Financial Director and so on.
b. The function of each department should also be outlined as well as which department supports which activity and so on.
c. The job descriptions for each particular job (not person) should be filed here too. For example Jane may be the receptionist as well as a debtors clerk and the warehouse data capturer. This of course means that Jane should have 3 different job descriptions.
d. Don’t forget to include the details of the company, such as (but not limited to) address of branch offices and contact details for key personnel.
3. General Information
This section would be the general type information for the staff and would include things like, but not limited to:-
a. General attitude towards clients, suppliers, colleagues and management.
b. How to deal with customer/supplier/colleague/management queries, complaints or visitors
c. Housekeeping – such as personal hygiene and dress code
d. Do’s and don’ts. Examples of this is “do be at work 15 minutes before you are due to start working” or “don’t partake of illegal substances and/or alcohol whilst on duty” and so on.
4. HR and Administration thereof
This section is self explanatory and would deal with some of the below mentioned sub sections:
a. Hiring practices – who authorizes new employees, what are the job spec requirements, what the interview process is, what forms/templates need to be completed including SARS, Department of Labour, Workmen’s Compensation etc. Legislation registration requirements etc. Letters/contracts of employment to be issued etc.
b. When and how employees are paid, including full time or permanent employees and/or casual (one day) employees.
c. Frequency of salary reviews and/or bonus requirements as well as advancement opportunities.
d. Benefits paid by the company (if any), staff contributions and payroll deductions. These also need to be carefully explained so that the staff understand them properly.
e. Disciplinary policy and procedures, including letters of warning and/or notice to attend a disciplinary and/or letter of reprimand and don’t forget the Certificate of Service.
f. Hours of Operation including Annual Leave, Sick Leave, Family Responsibility Leave, Unpaid Leave, Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave and Study Leave – where applicable.
g. Attendance requirements as well as overtime and holidays and remuneration pertaining to these issues.
h. Labour Laws - Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Labour Relations Act and “Best Practices”
i. Any other policies and procedures such as (but not limited to) Smoking requirements, Sexual Harassment or Alcohol and Substance Abuse etc.,
5. Products and Services
This section is also self explanatory but should include:-
a. Your sales procedure and credit authorization requirements.
b. Customer relations and complaints process.
6. Operational Procedures
These should include a departmental flow chart and authorization process for each department and for each process. It would also include detailed ‘step-by-step’ procedures such as ‘once the sale has been completed and signed the order goes to administration where it is checked and data captured and then to the warehouse for the goods to be ‘picked and packed’ then the stock goes to dispatch where the stock is released to the driver and the invoice is produced and then…’ etc. A copy of each document and/or template used should be included with the procedure.
7. Administration
This should include the following (but not be limited to):-
a. Departmental administrative procedures and authorization requirements that would also indicate responsibility and accountability.
b. Templates for each requirement, for example Petty Cash Reconciliation.
c. Procedures on how to complete each template and the purpose of such document.
d. The document flowchart as well as due dates and deadlines.
8. Safety and Security
This would include (but not be limited to) safety issues around the premises, the personnel, company assets and information so issues around:-
a. Safety of the premises (in-house or outsourced), security cards/access cards etc. Access to safes and/or restricted areas
b. Safety of the staff, compliance with OHSA (Occupational Health & Safety Act), including safety gear etc.
c. Managing the importance of the safety of the employee as well as the company.
d. Protection of company assets and the requirements around that
e. Safety around company confidential information as well as client information etc.
f. Key and password control.
g. Incident reports
9. Emergencies
a. How to deal with accidents, staff, visitor and client accidents as well as company vehicle accidents.
b. What to do in case of fire or theft or hold ups or car jacking and all the telephone details that pertain to these.
c. What to do in case of power failure or burst water pipes, or gas leaks.
d. Incident reports
10. Maintenance & Repairs
Procurement policies pertaining to these service providers as well as their contact details.
a. Procedures pertaining to authorization of these service providers as well as authorization for the repair.
b. Authorization and control of after hour access to premises
c. Key controls
d. Refuse removal
e. Handling of equipment
f. Procedures around damage and/or loss to property and/or premises
g. Incident reports.
11. Legal
a. Legislation around local and national requirements and rules and regulations that are industry specific.
b. The ‘how to’ and ‘who with’ handling of regulatory agencies and/or municipalities.
c. Inspections that have taken place and the reports that were issued.
d. Record keeping requirements.
e. Maintaining of ethical standards
f. Green and carbon footprint issues.
Quite a lengthy but comprehensive list, I am sure that you will agree – but a very necessary one at the end of the day. This will evidence that you have a policy of full transparency and that you have nothing to hide.
Your employees will also have an understanding of what is and what isn’t acceptable and also know what the consequences of their actions will be.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, May 21, 2018
Motivation - Just Take the First Step
Motivation – Just Take the First Step
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – October 2011
Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr said “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Ironically, I had to give a speech the other day around the theme of liberty and chose the topic “Freedom from Fear”.
You see, as children we are fearless – well certainly we were when I was a child, growing up. I remember hearing the scary stories around the table or the campfire – you know the ones I am talking about. The ones that make you giggle and squirm deliciously whilst you try and show the grown-ups (or grups as I called them then), just how brave you were.
To be honest, I never really heard the ‘traditional’ Grimm’s Fairy tales because I preferred to sit at the cook’s fire at the staff quarters on the farm, and there I heard the traditional African stories - stories of a different kind. I heard tales of the tokalosh and skelms that hunted stealthily at night on unsuspecting prey. I heard tales of witchdoctors who were shape shifters and magic muti spells or ‘juju’ and I along with the other children would squeal with delight as we listened intently to this strange and mystifying folklore. The tales and stories that we feasted on were handed down from generation to generation. We would giggle behind our hands and try and make ourselves as tiny and as little as possible so as to be a very small target for the magic that was sure to come out of the darkness and we shivered in delicious anticipation and our toes curled in terror and we peered into the night to see if we would be the first to see which shape the witchdoctor had become.
Were we terrified – oh absolutely! But we were also fearless and brave! Our ancestors demanded it and we were willing to face the test to be recognized.
Slowly but surely as time passed, our fearlessness, our confidence in ourselves and our abilities, have been stripped away from us. Slowly but surely, the fear that most adults carry with them as part of their baggage, was shared with or indoctrinated into us. You know the ones . . . . the ‘don’t climb up there, you’ll fall” or “Don’t do that you’ll get hurt!”
And you know what? They were absolutely right . . . we did get hurt!
We lost our fearlessness and we replaced it with fear. We lost our self-confidence and we replaced it with insecurities. We lost our trust - trust in ourselves and who we are – and we replaced it with self- doubt – how terribly sad is that!
For many of us, this meant the end of our risk taking days. We could no longer be Captain Kirk going beyond time to exotic galaxy’s. We could no longer be Captain Hook sailing off to unmapped lands to face untold dangers. We could no longer be Zorro or Tonto or General Custer or Huckleberry Finn or even Tom Sawyer, going on wild and carefree and fearless adventures . . . and how incredibly sad is that?
As Entrepreneurs however we have once again become fearless. We have taken that first step into the unknown and unchartered territories. We have faced uncaring bank managers and unsupportive spouses and nagging children and hungry pets – oh yes! My cat bites me when I have been out of the house too long!
We have struggled to make sense of the numbers and battled with business plans or marketing or branding or the logistics and HR and hell . . . even government red tape and legislation, much of which many of us had never even heard of, much less had to contend with. We have faced our most ardent critics and judges – ourselves – and we have prevailed. We have once again found our fearless selves – even if it is only for a few moments at a time.
Fortunately for me, I never entirely lost the ‘wild child’ that I was and many of my friends will attest to that. I can often be fearless, but I long for the days when it was the natural order of things – when my toes curled in terror and I shivered in delicious anticipation of seeing the frightening apparition taking the form of the witchdoctor as he appeared out of the swirling mists and the darkness.
And so I challenge you to let go of the fear and to find your own freedom from that fear.
Take that step, irrespective of how scared and frightened you are – take that first step, you’ll find the next one will be so much easier.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – October 2011
Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr said “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Ironically, I had to give a speech the other day around the theme of liberty and chose the topic “Freedom from Fear”.
You see, as children we are fearless – well certainly we were when I was a child, growing up. I remember hearing the scary stories around the table or the campfire – you know the ones I am talking about. The ones that make you giggle and squirm deliciously whilst you try and show the grown-ups (or grups as I called them then), just how brave you were.
To be honest, I never really heard the ‘traditional’ Grimm’s Fairy tales because I preferred to sit at the cook’s fire at the staff quarters on the farm, and there I heard the traditional African stories - stories of a different kind. I heard tales of the tokalosh and skelms that hunted stealthily at night on unsuspecting prey. I heard tales of witchdoctors who were shape shifters and magic muti spells or ‘juju’ and I along with the other children would squeal with delight as we listened intently to this strange and mystifying folklore. The tales and stories that we feasted on were handed down from generation to generation. We would giggle behind our hands and try and make ourselves as tiny and as little as possible so as to be a very small target for the magic that was sure to come out of the darkness and we shivered in delicious anticipation and our toes curled in terror and we peered into the night to see if we would be the first to see which shape the witchdoctor had become.
Were we terrified – oh absolutely! But we were also fearless and brave! Our ancestors demanded it and we were willing to face the test to be recognized.
Slowly but surely as time passed, our fearlessness, our confidence in ourselves and our abilities, have been stripped away from us. Slowly but surely, the fear that most adults carry with them as part of their baggage, was shared with or indoctrinated into us. You know the ones . . . . the ‘don’t climb up there, you’ll fall” or “Don’t do that you’ll get hurt!”
And you know what? They were absolutely right . . . we did get hurt!
We lost our fearlessness and we replaced it with fear. We lost our self-confidence and we replaced it with insecurities. We lost our trust - trust in ourselves and who we are – and we replaced it with self- doubt – how terribly sad is that!
For many of us, this meant the end of our risk taking days. We could no longer be Captain Kirk going beyond time to exotic galaxy’s. We could no longer be Captain Hook sailing off to unmapped lands to face untold dangers. We could no longer be Zorro or Tonto or General Custer or Huckleberry Finn or even Tom Sawyer, going on wild and carefree and fearless adventures . . . and how incredibly sad is that?
As Entrepreneurs however we have once again become fearless. We have taken that first step into the unknown and unchartered territories. We have faced uncaring bank managers and unsupportive spouses and nagging children and hungry pets – oh yes! My cat bites me when I have been out of the house too long!
We have struggled to make sense of the numbers and battled with business plans or marketing or branding or the logistics and HR and hell . . . even government red tape and legislation, much of which many of us had never even heard of, much less had to contend with. We have faced our most ardent critics and judges – ourselves – and we have prevailed. We have once again found our fearless selves – even if it is only for a few moments at a time.
Fortunately for me, I never entirely lost the ‘wild child’ that I was and many of my friends will attest to that. I can often be fearless, but I long for the days when it was the natural order of things – when my toes curled in terror and I shivered in delicious anticipation of seeing the frightening apparition taking the form of the witchdoctor as he appeared out of the swirling mists and the darkness.
And so I challenge you to let go of the fear and to find your own freedom from that fear.
Take that step, irrespective of how scared and frightened you are – take that first step, you’ll find the next one will be so much easier.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, May 18, 2018
HR 101 - What to do When . . . You Have to Pay UIF
HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Have to Pay UIF
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
It is said that there are three things in life that you can count on, they are:-
1) You will pay taxes;
2) Things will change; and
3) You will die.
Keeping this in mind, I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that they don’t have to pay UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) for themselves and their staff members.
Here’s the thing, it is a legal requirement. If the Labour Department sends an Inspector to your place of business or even your home and they discover that you have staff members or that you have a gardener or that you have a Domestic worker or that you pay yourself a salary and you do not pay UIF, you will be fined. There is a penalty.
Don’t be thinking that because you have had the same gardener for the last 20 years and he only comes in once a week, that you don’t have to pay UIF on his behalf. You do and please don’t come with the ‘he’s a casual’ story either!
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act is very clear on this. A casual worker is someone that you pick up on the side of the road and who does something for you on a ‘once off’ basis. You never see him again, you probably don’t know his name and you certainly don’t welcome him into your home or your garden on a weekly basis.
In fact anyone who works for you for more than 24 hours a month (that 3 days people) is considered a permanent employee and is entitled to the benefits of a permanent employee irrespective of whether you have given them a letter of appointment or not!
So make sure that you have registered your business as an employee and make sure that you have registered yourselves as employers and register your gardener and your Domestic worker and then register yourself.
It’s really not a big deal and the amount of money that has to be paid every month is really quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things. That said, the irritation, the inconvenience and the size of the fine that you will get if you do not comply is far greater than making the payment every month and with the introduction of e-filing, paying this is an absolute pleasure.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice.
It is said that there are three things in life that you can count on, they are:-
1) You will pay taxes;
2) Things will change; and
3) You will die.
Keeping this in mind, I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that they don’t have to pay UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) for themselves and their staff members.
Here’s the thing, it is a legal requirement. If the Labour Department sends an Inspector to your place of business or even your home and they discover that you have staff members or that you have a gardener or that you have a Domestic worker or that you pay yourself a salary and you do not pay UIF, you will be fined. There is a penalty.
Don’t be thinking that because you have had the same gardener for the last 20 years and he only comes in once a week, that you don’t have to pay UIF on his behalf. You do and please don’t come with the ‘he’s a casual’ story either!
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act is very clear on this. A casual worker is someone that you pick up on the side of the road and who does something for you on a ‘once off’ basis. You never see him again, you probably don’t know his name and you certainly don’t welcome him into your home or your garden on a weekly basis.
In fact anyone who works for you for more than 24 hours a month (that 3 days people) is considered a permanent employee and is entitled to the benefits of a permanent employee irrespective of whether you have given them a letter of appointment or not!
So make sure that you have registered your business as an employee and make sure that you have registered yourselves as employers and register your gardener and your Domestic worker and then register yourself.
It’s really not a big deal and the amount of money that has to be paid every month is really quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things. That said, the irritation, the inconvenience and the size of the fine that you will get if you do not comply is far greater than making the payment every month and with the introduction of e-filing, paying this is an absolute pleasure.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 2
BLOGGING 101 – The Content – Part 2
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd April 2010
Many of us are ‘visual’ beings – I know that I am because of the constant ‘videos’ that play themselves in my brain. Brighten your blogs up with pictures that are relevant to whatever it is that you are writing about. The visuals will add depth to your article and enrich your post.
It’s also a good idea to visit other blog sites. It will give you an opportunity to have a look at different styles of writing and different layouts. You will be able to see what works and what doesn’t and take what works together with your own style and make something uniquely different.
To get readers to ‘follow you’ make sure that it is easy for them to do so, either with an RSS feed application or at the very least set it up so that an automated e-mail is sent to them containing each post. If they don’t have to go and ‘look’ for it all the time, chances are that they will read your blogs more often.
Encourage your readers to leave a comment or engage in a discussion or even a debate. It makes people feel that they are all part of the process and part of a community and if it’s one thing that I have learnt watching the celebrity survivor, its that people need to ‘feel’ that they are a part of something.
Challenge people and get them to challenge themselves. When an article gets people thinking about who they are, what they are doing etc, they will return time and time again to see what there is that may be of interest. Get them thinking and talking.
Don’t forget to give due, where and when it is deserved. If you are quoting someone or using any part of their work, give them the appropriate credits. I know how I feel when I see that someone has used my pontifications and they have not credited me.
Don’t jump on the bandwagon, just to promote your own stuff. One of my personal pet hates is when people respond to one of my articles by plugging their own products. That’s just rude and they should start their own blogs if they feel that strongly about it.
See you next time!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd April 2010
Many of us are ‘visual’ beings – I know that I am because of the constant ‘videos’ that play themselves in my brain. Brighten your blogs up with pictures that are relevant to whatever it is that you are writing about. The visuals will add depth to your article and enrich your post.
It’s also a good idea to visit other blog sites. It will give you an opportunity to have a look at different styles of writing and different layouts. You will be able to see what works and what doesn’t and take what works together with your own style and make something uniquely different.
To get readers to ‘follow you’ make sure that it is easy for them to do so, either with an RSS feed application or at the very least set it up so that an automated e-mail is sent to them containing each post. If they don’t have to go and ‘look’ for it all the time, chances are that they will read your blogs more often.
Encourage your readers to leave a comment or engage in a discussion or even a debate. It makes people feel that they are all part of the process and part of a community and if it’s one thing that I have learnt watching the celebrity survivor, its that people need to ‘feel’ that they are a part of something.
Challenge people and get them to challenge themselves. When an article gets people thinking about who they are, what they are doing etc, they will return time and time again to see what there is that may be of interest. Get them thinking and talking.
Don’t forget to give due, where and when it is deserved. If you are quoting someone or using any part of their work, give them the appropriate credits. I know how I feel when I see that someone has used my pontifications and they have not credited me.
Don’t jump on the bandwagon, just to promote your own stuff. One of my personal pet hates is when people respond to one of my articles by plugging their own products. That’s just rude and they should start their own blogs if they feel that strongly about it.
See you next time!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Networking 101 - Branding who you are
Networking 101 - Branding who you are.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Do you know what you stand for? Well . . . . . do you?
What is it that you represent? What do you stand for? When you walk away from a conversation – do you leave a part of yourself behind? What about an e-mail or a sms – when you send one, does it contain something that reflects who you are and what you represent?
When you enter a room – do people notice you? Well . . . do they?
I’m sure you’re wondering “what’s with all of the questions?” It’s about branding who you are.
You see, I’m ‘in love’! I can just see all of you who know me, fall laughing to the ground! Ok you can get up now!
Yes I am, I am in love! I am in love with what I do. I am crazily, passionately in love with what I do - and that shows.
It shows in my energy. It shows in every conversation that I have regarding work and even if it is a conversation that has nothing to do with work - it shows. It shows because I live to do what it is that I do!
How fabulous is that!
It shows in every e-mail that I send out. It shows every time I enter a room.
It just shows!
So, I ask again – do you know what you stand for?
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za. Or https://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Do you know what you stand for? Well . . . . . do you?
What is it that you represent? What do you stand for? When you walk away from a conversation – do you leave a part of yourself behind? What about an e-mail or a sms – when you send one, does it contain something that reflects who you are and what you represent?
When you enter a room – do people notice you? Well . . . do they?
I’m sure you’re wondering “what’s with all of the questions?” It’s about branding who you are.
You see, I’m ‘in love’! I can just see all of you who know me, fall laughing to the ground! Ok you can get up now!
Yes I am, I am in love! I am in love with what I do. I am crazily, passionately in love with what I do - and that shows.
It shows in my energy. It shows in every conversation that I have regarding work and even if it is a conversation that has nothing to do with work - it shows. It shows because I live to do what it is that I do!
How fabulous is that!
It shows in every e-mail that I send out. It shows every time I enter a room.
It just shows!
So, I ask again – do you know what you stand for?
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za. Or https://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Business Tips - An Amazing Journey
Business Tip – An Amazing Journey
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - October 2009
If you had told me years ago that this lifetime is made up of several journeys, I probably would have laughed you out of the ball park.
Thing is though, we do go on several journeys. Some of these journeys that we go on are personal and some are business or even work or professional in nature. Some we take on our own and others we share with husbands, wives, lovers, children, friends, clients, colleagues and even business partners.
There are journeys that are long and arduous or lifetime journeys and others that are short term, perhaps for a specific period, for a specific project or customer or even a special friend. Each journey has its own starting place and its own ending place. Some you may even start alone and then pick up some passengers along the way. Some you may start with a whole bunch of people but end on your own.
Each journey is its own unique experience. Each experience may be similar but all are quite different. Some are pleasant and fun and some are just disgusting and we can’t wait for them to end.
Think about it for a moment – we would all like to think that we give all our customers great service and perhaps we do, but there is always a client that will get a little extra. A little extra care and attention, or a little extra effort or extra time that we don’t charge for.
Let’s face it, the way we treat our customers is not always dependent upon the quality of the journey that we are taking with them. Customers who always pay on time and who don’t give us a hard time, may actually not be the customers that we ‘give’ more to and we need to be seriously very careful about this because they should be the customers that we treat as VIP guests. Difficult customers who are yelling and shouting at us all the time, who are never satisfied and who we have to battle to get money out of, are traditionally the customers that we bend over backwards for and quite frankly that’s just not right! In fact those are the customers that we should be firing, not pandering to.
I know that after writing this article I am going to do some serious evaluations on my clients. Going forward, the customers that do what I tell them to, who pay on time and who give me very little hassle are going to be treated like the Kings and Queens that they surely are and those who give me as much grief as they are able, who don’t pay on time and who are just generally unpleasant to deal with are a) going to be charged an additional tax which I am going to call FOST (Full of S&*T Tax) and that is going to be dependant on how much hassle they give me and b) I am going to keep records of who pissed me off the most and give them points for bad behaviour, bad attitude and bad payments and c) I am going to set a limit on what I am prepared to put up with and when they reach their limit, I am going to fire their asses and get myself some more decent clients!
The journey that I want to take with my clients must be one of mutual respect. It must be an amazing journey where we both profit from each other. I can think of nothing worse than having to bend over backwards for clients who do not respect me, who do not respect what I do for them and who keep demanding more and more from me and at the same time they disrespect me, by not paying me on time or always wanting more and more of a discount.
Yip – that’s what I am going to do in future! Work with ‘like minded’ people. People who respect what I do, who respect me and who value what I do for them.
What about you? What kind of journey do you want to travel and have with your clients?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd - October 2009
If you had told me years ago that this lifetime is made up of several journeys, I probably would have laughed you out of the ball park.
Thing is though, we do go on several journeys. Some of these journeys that we go on are personal and some are business or even work or professional in nature. Some we take on our own and others we share with husbands, wives, lovers, children, friends, clients, colleagues and even business partners.
There are journeys that are long and arduous or lifetime journeys and others that are short term, perhaps for a specific period, for a specific project or customer or even a special friend. Each journey has its own starting place and its own ending place. Some you may even start alone and then pick up some passengers along the way. Some you may start with a whole bunch of people but end on your own.
Each journey is its own unique experience. Each experience may be similar but all are quite different. Some are pleasant and fun and some are just disgusting and we can’t wait for them to end.
Think about it for a moment – we would all like to think that we give all our customers great service and perhaps we do, but there is always a client that will get a little extra. A little extra care and attention, or a little extra effort or extra time that we don’t charge for.
Let’s face it, the way we treat our customers is not always dependent upon the quality of the journey that we are taking with them. Customers who always pay on time and who don’t give us a hard time, may actually not be the customers that we ‘give’ more to and we need to be seriously very careful about this because they should be the customers that we treat as VIP guests. Difficult customers who are yelling and shouting at us all the time, who are never satisfied and who we have to battle to get money out of, are traditionally the customers that we bend over backwards for and quite frankly that’s just not right! In fact those are the customers that we should be firing, not pandering to.
I know that after writing this article I am going to do some serious evaluations on my clients. Going forward, the customers that do what I tell them to, who pay on time and who give me very little hassle are going to be treated like the Kings and Queens that they surely are and those who give me as much grief as they are able, who don’t pay on time and who are just generally unpleasant to deal with are a) going to be charged an additional tax which I am going to call FOST (Full of S&*T Tax) and that is going to be dependant on how much hassle they give me and b) I am going to keep records of who pissed me off the most and give them points for bad behaviour, bad attitude and bad payments and c) I am going to set a limit on what I am prepared to put up with and when they reach their limit, I am going to fire their asses and get myself some more decent clients!
The journey that I want to take with my clients must be one of mutual respect. It must be an amazing journey where we both profit from each other. I can think of nothing worse than having to bend over backwards for clients who do not respect me, who do not respect what I do for them and who keep demanding more and more from me and at the same time they disrespect me, by not paying me on time or always wanting more and more of a discount.
Yip – that’s what I am going to do in future! Work with ‘like minded’ people. People who respect what I do, who respect me and who value what I do for them.
What about you? What kind of journey do you want to travel and have with your clients?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, May 14, 2018
Motivation - Believe Your Dream
Motivation – Believe Your Dream
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – September 2011
Eleanor Roosevelt said “The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams”.
Having recently watched “The Mountain Within” and read the book with the same title, by Herta Von Stiegel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRqt2wtIqzk), the issue around our dreams and hopes and goals and aspirations has once again hit home – hard!
In retrospect, I find that I am guilty of not dreaming enough! Strange as that may sound, the fact of the matter is that I have become too caught up in the day to day struggle of getting things done, of juggling the balls and ensuring that they all remain in the air. The fact of the matter is that realistically, I need to schedule some time in my diary – some quiet time to think, to dream and to engage with that part inside of me that allows thoughts and dreams to become reality.
Growing up on a huge farm in the then Rhodesia, “Dream time” was something that I did on a daily basis and it was done naturally and without any conscious thought to how important it is in everyone’s life.
Dreams of visiting Russia as I read books on the colourful character, that was Rasputin and the deep love between Nicolas and Alexandra, or the man of action that was Peter the Great and all the loves of Catherine the Great, turned into reality when I visited Russia in 2001. I can still remember the grown ups (or grups as I called them as a child) laughing at me and mocking me when I vocalized my intention of visiting Russia day. You see, this was the early 60’s and of course on-one visited communist countries then. I remember the sting of their laughter and my own 5 year old resolution – I would visit Russia one day!
I also remember standing at the canal, outside the Cathedral of the Resurrection in St. Petersburg, right at the spot where they tried unsuccessfully to drown Rasputin. My thoughts this time, full of emotion – full of pleasure, at the realization of the fact, that this particular dream had never died. This dream, had stood the test of time and had endured some 40 odd years to become a reality.
I cannot begin to tell you all the thoughts that went through my mind. I was exhilarated and humbled at the same time. Excited, sad, awed and also proud. One thing that I do remember though, is the thought that played itself over and over again in my mind (and I am sure that I even said the words out loud at some point too), “I told you I would come to Russia one day!”
And that’s exactly how it should be – that’s how it can be – our dreams turning into reality – our dreams becoming our future.
So, I don’t know about you, but I now have my diary at hand and I will book the time and hopefully I will be able to return to that childhood time, when ‘dream time’ was a natural thing and where I will once again be in charge of the future that I will take part in and that will become my reality.
What about you? Do you “dream” enough?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – September 2011
Eleanor Roosevelt said “The future belongs to those who believe in their dreams”.
Having recently watched “The Mountain Within” and read the book with the same title, by Herta Von Stiegel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRqt2wtIqzk), the issue around our dreams and hopes and goals and aspirations has once again hit home – hard!
In retrospect, I find that I am guilty of not dreaming enough! Strange as that may sound, the fact of the matter is that I have become too caught up in the day to day struggle of getting things done, of juggling the balls and ensuring that they all remain in the air. The fact of the matter is that realistically, I need to schedule some time in my diary – some quiet time to think, to dream and to engage with that part inside of me that allows thoughts and dreams to become reality.
Growing up on a huge farm in the then Rhodesia, “Dream time” was something that I did on a daily basis and it was done naturally and without any conscious thought to how important it is in everyone’s life.
Dreams of visiting Russia as I read books on the colourful character, that was Rasputin and the deep love between Nicolas and Alexandra, or the man of action that was Peter the Great and all the loves of Catherine the Great, turned into reality when I visited Russia in 2001. I can still remember the grown ups (or grups as I called them as a child) laughing at me and mocking me when I vocalized my intention of visiting Russia day. You see, this was the early 60’s and of course on-one visited communist countries then. I remember the sting of their laughter and my own 5 year old resolution – I would visit Russia one day!
I also remember standing at the canal, outside the Cathedral of the Resurrection in St. Petersburg, right at the spot where they tried unsuccessfully to drown Rasputin. My thoughts this time, full of emotion – full of pleasure, at the realization of the fact, that this particular dream had never died. This dream, had stood the test of time and had endured some 40 odd years to become a reality.
I cannot begin to tell you all the thoughts that went through my mind. I was exhilarated and humbled at the same time. Excited, sad, awed and also proud. One thing that I do remember though, is the thought that played itself over and over again in my mind (and I am sure that I even said the words out loud at some point too), “I told you I would come to Russia one day!”
And that’s exactly how it should be – that’s how it can be – our dreams turning into reality – our dreams becoming our future.
So, I don’t know about you, but I now have my diary at hand and I will book the time and hopefully I will be able to return to that childhood time, when ‘dream time’ was a natural thing and where I will once again be in charge of the future that I will take part in and that will become my reality.
What about you? Do you “dream” enough?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, May 11, 2018
HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 5
HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 5
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
In the final instalment of this series, let’s have a look at some more of the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of writing a Job Description.
• Do ensure that the questions “what”, “why”, “how” and “how often” are answered, clearly and concisely. Remember to use words that are easily understood so that there can be no confusion.
• Do make sure that there is sufficient detail for each task. Again, you don’t want to confuse the issue – make sure that it is simple and to the point.
• Do use examples in order to highlight or explain tasks, especially where a task is described in general terms.
• Do use short and concise sentences.
• Do begin all sentences with an action verb (for example use words like assists, advises, controls, approves or authorizes.)
• Do use precise numbers (for example – reports into two directors rather than reports into a number of directors.) It is better to be specific.
• Do number the task.
- Don’t use an individual’s name in preference to job titles (for example – reports into Operation’s Manager rather than report into Joe Soap – Joe Soap may leave the Company in the next few weeks and then who do they report into?)
- Don’t include duties or responsibilities of others where these don’t directly affect the job that is being described.
- Don’t include incidental activities which occur once only and are never likely to be repeated.
- Don’t lose the basics of the task by putting in data that is totally irrelevant.
- Don’t describe attitudes and opinions – stick with the facts.
- Don’t start sentences with “if” and “when”.
- Don’t pad the job description to make it look more important than what it is. Some times things just what they are – leave it simple clear and concise.
Remember always, the Job Description must fit the job not the person or the person must always fit in with the Job Description.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd.
Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
In the final instalment of this series, let’s have a look at some more of the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” of writing a Job Description.
• Do ensure that the questions “what”, “why”, “how” and “how often” are answered, clearly and concisely. Remember to use words that are easily understood so that there can be no confusion.
• Do make sure that there is sufficient detail for each task. Again, you don’t want to confuse the issue – make sure that it is simple and to the point.
• Do use examples in order to highlight or explain tasks, especially where a task is described in general terms.
• Do use short and concise sentences.
• Do begin all sentences with an action verb (for example use words like assists, advises, controls, approves or authorizes.)
• Do use precise numbers (for example – reports into two directors rather than reports into a number of directors.) It is better to be specific.
• Do number the task.
- Don’t use an individual’s name in preference to job titles (for example – reports into Operation’s Manager rather than report into Joe Soap – Joe Soap may leave the Company in the next few weeks and then who do they report into?)
- Don’t include duties or responsibilities of others where these don’t directly affect the job that is being described.
- Don’t include incidental activities which occur once only and are never likely to be repeated.
- Don’t lose the basics of the task by putting in data that is totally irrelevant.
- Don’t describe attitudes and opinions – stick with the facts.
- Don’t start sentences with “if” and “when”.
- Don’t pad the job description to make it look more important than what it is. Some times things just what they are – leave it simple clear and concise.
Remember always, the Job Description must fit the job not the person or the person must always fit in with the Job Description.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 1
Blogging 101 – The Content – Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Over the next few weeks we will have a look at the type of content that you can blog with. I will use some of my clients (their names will be changed) to illustrate what kind of information can be used when blogging.
Now remember I am a bit of a technophobe, so some of the stuff that I tell you about, I don’t actually use – well because I don’t know how to . . . ! It is however, on the list of things to do, so once I find a few minutes to sit with my very patient IT gurus, it will be added to my own blogs to enrich them and therefore enhance the output to my readers.
Whatever the business though, your blog needs to put you apart, so your content and the issues that you write about must create visions in the minds of the people that read them – no-one is going to read boring stuff, you have to capture the readers interest. For example on a Friday my blogs are HR related. I often take actual CCMA cases and turn them into stories of things that can and in fact do happen, not only to big Corporations but also to the one or two man businesses at the bottom of the ladder.
Now believe me, reading actual CCMA cases has got to be one of the most boring stuff ever to cross my desk and I can guarantee you that if I had to post it on the blog as I get it, no-one would be reading it and in fact many people would make the decision not to read any more of my blogs, going forward. What is great though is that the content of what transpired at the CCMA is what is important and I have the ability to turn that information, through putting it into a story with protagonists that we can all relate to, into something that makes sense and is easy to read. That is what makes it different and that is what makes it powerful and that is what makes the information readable and valuable to my readers – they can relate to the people in the story and in many instances they have been in similar circumstances and now they know exactly what to do. That is one of the things that makes my content stand out from the rest.
One of the other tools that I use all the time is simply, simplicity. I don’t use big words that have people rushing to dust off the dictionary. My posts are in simple to understand language that most people can read and process, irrespective of whether they have a basic education or the CEO of a large Corporation with a string of degrees. I know that if I get frustrated when reading something because the language gets too technical or the author has become over indulgent with their use of language, the article usually gets put down in favour of something that is easier to read and understand.
Most of all, my articles are also usually written with my own special brand of humour. I know for a fact that most people don’t always ‘get’ my humour, but here’s the thing – I love to laugh at life! I have fun with it and the truth is that if I don’t have fun writing the article, then what am I doing it for? If I don’t have fun writing the article, then I will probably procrastinate to such an extent that the article will never get written – there goes my blog, my marketing and to some extent my Networking. So always remember the ‘why’ you are doing this and always, always, always have fun.
See you next time!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Over the next few weeks we will have a look at the type of content that you can blog with. I will use some of my clients (their names will be changed) to illustrate what kind of information can be used when blogging.
Now remember I am a bit of a technophobe, so some of the stuff that I tell you about, I don’t actually use – well because I don’t know how to . . . ! It is however, on the list of things to do, so once I find a few minutes to sit with my very patient IT gurus, it will be added to my own blogs to enrich them and therefore enhance the output to my readers.
Whatever the business though, your blog needs to put you apart, so your content and the issues that you write about must create visions in the minds of the people that read them – no-one is going to read boring stuff, you have to capture the readers interest. For example on a Friday my blogs are HR related. I often take actual CCMA cases and turn them into stories of things that can and in fact do happen, not only to big Corporations but also to the one or two man businesses at the bottom of the ladder.
Now believe me, reading actual CCMA cases has got to be one of the most boring stuff ever to cross my desk and I can guarantee you that if I had to post it on the blog as I get it, no-one would be reading it and in fact many people would make the decision not to read any more of my blogs, going forward. What is great though is that the content of what transpired at the CCMA is what is important and I have the ability to turn that information, through putting it into a story with protagonists that we can all relate to, into something that makes sense and is easy to read. That is what makes it different and that is what makes it powerful and that is what makes the information readable and valuable to my readers – they can relate to the people in the story and in many instances they have been in similar circumstances and now they know exactly what to do. That is one of the things that makes my content stand out from the rest.
One of the other tools that I use all the time is simply, simplicity. I don’t use big words that have people rushing to dust off the dictionary. My posts are in simple to understand language that most people can read and process, irrespective of whether they have a basic education or the CEO of a large Corporation with a string of degrees. I know that if I get frustrated when reading something because the language gets too technical or the author has become over indulgent with their use of language, the article usually gets put down in favour of something that is easier to read and understand.
Most of all, my articles are also usually written with my own special brand of humour. I know for a fact that most people don’t always ‘get’ my humour, but here’s the thing – I love to laugh at life! I have fun with it and the truth is that if I don’t have fun writing the article, then what am I doing it for? If I don’t have fun writing the article, then I will probably procrastinate to such an extent that the article will never get written – there goes my blog, my marketing and to some extent my Networking. So always remember the ‘why’ you are doing this and always, always, always have fun.
See you next time!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, May 09, 2018
Networking 101 - You have to focus on You too
Networking 101 - You have to focus on You too
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Do you focus enough on you? Strange question you may think, but here’s the thing.
It is always a good thing to focus on the other person at the right time, in fact it is critical to focus on the other person at the right time. Having said that, first of all you need to understand yourself. You need to understand who you are, what the difference is that you make. What it is that you do, how you do it and why other people need whatever it is that you are selling. You need to understand that your credibility needs to be intact and that you can and do meet the deliverable requirements.
Nick Heap calls this Your Core Process, whilst Roger Hamilton calls this “Being in your flow”. Penny Power who is the founder of Ecademy (www.ecademy.com) calls this Emotional Understanding of your Self, your Emotional Wealth.
Whatever you call it, it needs to be done and established before you start networking, or enter into any kind of networking discussion with anyone – if you want to come across as a ‘real’ person or the genuine article.
So take some time out, sit down with yourself and have a ‘heart to heart’. Ask yourself the question – who are you? What difference do you make, and if you don’t know, ask yourself what difference is it that you would like to make? Be honest with yourself (and that does not mean that you have to beat yourself up). Set yourself some realistic goals and when you know which direction it is that you are going in – so will the people that you engage with, believe me!
The time that you invest in yourself, will always yield far greater returns than the time that you don’t.
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Do you focus enough on you? Strange question you may think, but here’s the thing.
It is always a good thing to focus on the other person at the right time, in fact it is critical to focus on the other person at the right time. Having said that, first of all you need to understand yourself. You need to understand who you are, what the difference is that you make. What it is that you do, how you do it and why other people need whatever it is that you are selling. You need to understand that your credibility needs to be intact and that you can and do meet the deliverable requirements.
Nick Heap calls this Your Core Process, whilst Roger Hamilton calls this “Being in your flow”. Penny Power who is the founder of Ecademy (www.ecademy.com) calls this Emotional Understanding of your Self, your Emotional Wealth.
Whatever you call it, it needs to be done and established before you start networking, or enter into any kind of networking discussion with anyone – if you want to come across as a ‘real’ person or the genuine article.
So take some time out, sit down with yourself and have a ‘heart to heart’. Ask yourself the question – who are you? What difference do you make, and if you don’t know, ask yourself what difference is it that you would like to make? Be honest with yourself (and that does not mean that you have to beat yourself up). Set yourself some realistic goals and when you know which direction it is that you are going in – so will the people that you engage with, believe me!
The time that you invest in yourself, will always yield far greater returns than the time that you don’t.
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, May 08, 2018
Business tips - Rising to the Occasion - Part 4
BUSINESS TIPS – Rising to the Occasion – Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Following on from last time, this week we will be looking at the last of the solutions, in this series, that there are to assist us with dealing with some of the challenges that we came across over the last few weeks.
• If there is one thing that I have learnt on this journey of being an SMME (Small, Medium, Micro, Enterprise), it’s that I should never underestimate the value of friendship. Like any other relationship though, it is very necessary to cultivate, grow and nurture friendships. It’s really worth it in the long run though, especially in the workplace when you are faced with challenges – your friends will be there to assist you in finding solutions or assist you with analyzing the situation so that you can make the correct decisions. Remember, none of us are “an island”, we all need help from time to time and friends provide that help ‘on tap’.
• It is also imperative to ensure that you have enough energy to sustain yourself. Always try and keep ‘a little extra’ time, like you would savings in a bank, just in case there is an emergency or a crisis. Remember to take time out now and then to re-charge your own batteries. My friend Vanessa always laughs at me when I do this – I usually declare “a couch day” and then spend the day, horizontal on the couch, watching movies! I never fail to say that “it’s hard work having a rest”, which is what ultimately makes her laugh. That said, I do understand the importance of doing this from time to time, especially when I have pushed myself hard.
• Finally, don’t forget to choose new problems to deal with! I find dealing with the same problem over and over again tedious and boring – so learn from your mistakes, learn from each experience. Take note of the difficulties and learn to anticipate and be proactive instead of chasing your own tail around all the time. Try not to repeat mistakes. Make the changes, implement the policies and procedures and once the situation is under control or the problem has been solved – for goodness sake move on – don’t continue to ‘wallow’ in ‘what was’ – just make sure that you have learnt the lesson and only pay the ‘school fees’ once!
As always, remember why you started your own business in the first place and always have fun!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Following on from last time, this week we will be looking at the last of the solutions, in this series, that there are to assist us with dealing with some of the challenges that we came across over the last few weeks.
• If there is one thing that I have learnt on this journey of being an SMME (Small, Medium, Micro, Enterprise), it’s that I should never underestimate the value of friendship. Like any other relationship though, it is very necessary to cultivate, grow and nurture friendships. It’s really worth it in the long run though, especially in the workplace when you are faced with challenges – your friends will be there to assist you in finding solutions or assist you with analyzing the situation so that you can make the correct decisions. Remember, none of us are “an island”, we all need help from time to time and friends provide that help ‘on tap’.
• It is also imperative to ensure that you have enough energy to sustain yourself. Always try and keep ‘a little extra’ time, like you would savings in a bank, just in case there is an emergency or a crisis. Remember to take time out now and then to re-charge your own batteries. My friend Vanessa always laughs at me when I do this – I usually declare “a couch day” and then spend the day, horizontal on the couch, watching movies! I never fail to say that “it’s hard work having a rest”, which is what ultimately makes her laugh. That said, I do understand the importance of doing this from time to time, especially when I have pushed myself hard.
• Finally, don’t forget to choose new problems to deal with! I find dealing with the same problem over and over again tedious and boring – so learn from your mistakes, learn from each experience. Take note of the difficulties and learn to anticipate and be proactive instead of chasing your own tail around all the time. Try not to repeat mistakes. Make the changes, implement the policies and procedures and once the situation is under control or the problem has been solved – for goodness sake move on – don’t continue to ‘wallow’ in ‘what was’ – just make sure that you have learnt the lesson and only pay the ‘school fees’ once!
As always, remember why you started your own business in the first place and always have fun!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, May 07, 2018
Motivation - Making the Decision
Motivation – Making the Decision
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Harvey Mackay says “People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.”
Yes – actually it is that simple! I think that for most of us, certainly for me, this is true. We have been conditioned to believe that being successful is hard work, and I suppose that to some degree there is a certain amount of work that needs to be done, but for me – the mindset is what is most important.
We’ve all heard, and I am sure even uttered the words on occasion “It can’t be that easy!” When things just seem to slot in, or fall into place – that lucrative deal that you have signed just as the previous one was ending, or even more unusual, robots turning green just as you are about to apply the brakes – all way to work or home!
I have learnt over the years that it is actually that easy. When my mindset is right and I am going in the right direction – things just seems to fall into place. When I am totally committed to what it is that I am doing, my plans are in place and I am mentally geared up – things seem to be very easy.
It’s when I am not sure, or hesitant, when I haven’t done as much research as I probably should have or I am not completely sure of what it is that I am doing that I tend to second guess myself.
When I second guess myself is when the doubts start creeping in – you know which ones I mean, not only the ones that I am prepared to vocalize and get out onto the table, but also those that I very seldom admit to - even to myself – those that I grapple with and do battle with in the dead of the night.
By the time it gets to that point, I know on every level that I am ‘dead’ in the water and that there is no way that whatever it is that I am doing, is going to be successful. You see, I have on some level decided that I cannot do it! That is the decision that has been made and therefore that is the decision that will be successful.
So here’s the bottom line – if it is success that you are looking for then clearly that is the decision that needs to be made.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Harvey Mackay says “People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.”
Yes – actually it is that simple! I think that for most of us, certainly for me, this is true. We have been conditioned to believe that being successful is hard work, and I suppose that to some degree there is a certain amount of work that needs to be done, but for me – the mindset is what is most important.
We’ve all heard, and I am sure even uttered the words on occasion “It can’t be that easy!” When things just seem to slot in, or fall into place – that lucrative deal that you have signed just as the previous one was ending, or even more unusual, robots turning green just as you are about to apply the brakes – all way to work or home!
I have learnt over the years that it is actually that easy. When my mindset is right and I am going in the right direction – things just seems to fall into place. When I am totally committed to what it is that I am doing, my plans are in place and I am mentally geared up – things seem to be very easy.
It’s when I am not sure, or hesitant, when I haven’t done as much research as I probably should have or I am not completely sure of what it is that I am doing that I tend to second guess myself.
When I second guess myself is when the doubts start creeping in – you know which ones I mean, not only the ones that I am prepared to vocalize and get out onto the table, but also those that I very seldom admit to - even to myself – those that I grapple with and do battle with in the dead of the night.
By the time it gets to that point, I know on every level that I am ‘dead’ in the water and that there is no way that whatever it is that I am doing, is going to be successful. You see, I have on some level decided that I cannot do it! That is the decision that has been made and therefore that is the decision that will be successful.
So here’s the bottom line – if it is success that you are looking for then clearly that is the decision that needs to be made.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, May 04, 2018
HR 101 – What to do When . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 4
HR 101 – What to do When . . . . You Need to Compile a Job Description - Part 4
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd.
Please not that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
So far we have covered that the Job Description needs to be accurate and realistic. It has to outline the location of the job within the organization, the purpose of the job, the content, the relationships, authority, controls and checks. Both the supervisor and the staff member must understand and interpret it the same way.
Today we will examine some more of what must be in the Job Description and the first thing that we need to understand here is that the Job Description MUST be used as an interview guide. The candidate must match the basic requirements of what is expected in the Job Description. Remember, it must always be the ‘person’ who matched the Job Description and not the other way around. So if the Job Description requires someone who has Matric, then interviewing someone who never finished school is not a good idea. You wouldn’t hire a medical student as the Chief of Surgery, so you shouldn’t hire someone who doesn’t have the right qualifications to do the Job.
When your staff members are appraised, the Job Description should also be used as a tool to assess their performance. If the perception is that they are not fulfilling their obligations in any way, this could be established by checking to see what their requirements are and if the particular task, in question is listed, then you have a case. So make sure that all the tasks that are required to be performed are listed.
It also makes sense to list the tasks in order of importance or alternatively in some sort of logical sequence. Each task should have enough information with them to ensure that the incumbent (and the supervisor) understands the WHAT and the HOW of the job. When this is stated correctly, it becomes a measurable entity and it makes the requirement clear, concise and to the point.
Next time we will continue with some Do’s and Don’ts - tips when writing a Job Description.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd.
Please not that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.
So far we have covered that the Job Description needs to be accurate and realistic. It has to outline the location of the job within the organization, the purpose of the job, the content, the relationships, authority, controls and checks. Both the supervisor and the staff member must understand and interpret it the same way.
Today we will examine some more of what must be in the Job Description and the first thing that we need to understand here is that the Job Description MUST be used as an interview guide. The candidate must match the basic requirements of what is expected in the Job Description. Remember, it must always be the ‘person’ who matched the Job Description and not the other way around. So if the Job Description requires someone who has Matric, then interviewing someone who never finished school is not a good idea. You wouldn’t hire a medical student as the Chief of Surgery, so you shouldn’t hire someone who doesn’t have the right qualifications to do the Job.
When your staff members are appraised, the Job Description should also be used as a tool to assess their performance. If the perception is that they are not fulfilling their obligations in any way, this could be established by checking to see what their requirements are and if the particular task, in question is listed, then you have a case. So make sure that all the tasks that are required to be performed are listed.
It also makes sense to list the tasks in order of importance or alternatively in some sort of logical sequence. Each task should have enough information with them to ensure that the incumbent (and the supervisor) understands the WHAT and the HOW of the job. When this is stated correctly, it becomes a measurable entity and it makes the requirement clear, concise and to the point.
Next time we will continue with some Do’s and Don’ts - tips when writing a Job Description.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, May 03, 2018
Blogging 101 - Responding to Comments
Blogging 101 – Responding to Comments
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Most of you who know me, know that I have an opinion about most things and I am not afraid to voice that opinion. It wasn’t always like that – there was a time when I just kept quiet, sucked it up and said nothing. Problem with that of course is that it does damage inside, to your being. So once I realized that and got over myself, I stated my opinion, not just to be difficult or give someone a hard time, but to get it out there – to make others think perhaps a little more and even sometimes (if I am perfectly honest) to see if I can get someone to change my mind.
That means of course, that I often leave comments on the blogs or articles that I read and I must say that I feel kind of deflated when I don’t get a response. I understand that we are all busy, that we all have 101 things that need to be done and usually they all need to be done yesterday – but that said, it’s kind of rude don’t you think? It’s like not saying ‘you’re welcome’ when someone says thank –you, or not saying ‘bless you’, when someone sneezes.
Think about it for a moment, by ‘enabling’ the comments section on your blog, you are actually inviting people to interact with you, to share their feelings and emotions or thoughts on what you have written and then what . . . nothing happens, it’s like having a one sided conversation and quite frankly, that for me is just boring.
For me, it would be the same thing as not answering questions about the topics that I train on or being ‘indifferent’ to others. We all know that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference and ignoring someone who has taken the time and trouble to comment on something that you have written, irrespective of whether it is good or bad - well that is just being indifferent in my book.
Being ignored, that’s just horrid and quite frankly, I often don’t go back to that particular author. Why should I? Blogging for me, is not only about getting my message across, it’s also about interaction and engagement and with interaction and engagement comes relationships and we could all do some more of those.
My blogs have opened my life up to the rest of the world and I now have people who I correspond with all over the world. From the USA to Russia – from Holland to the UK, Australia to Canada – I’m sure you get the picture. Do I get business from these people – well not directly, but I have learnt a great deal and I am exposed to more than my little world and yes, indirectly I have gotten business and even a mentor or two.
Responding to comments for me is a must, it’s a way to open up a dialogue, to interact and to grow as a person.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Most of you who know me, know that I have an opinion about most things and I am not afraid to voice that opinion. It wasn’t always like that – there was a time when I just kept quiet, sucked it up and said nothing. Problem with that of course is that it does damage inside, to your being. So once I realized that and got over myself, I stated my opinion, not just to be difficult or give someone a hard time, but to get it out there – to make others think perhaps a little more and even sometimes (if I am perfectly honest) to see if I can get someone to change my mind.
That means of course, that I often leave comments on the blogs or articles that I read and I must say that I feel kind of deflated when I don’t get a response. I understand that we are all busy, that we all have 101 things that need to be done and usually they all need to be done yesterday – but that said, it’s kind of rude don’t you think? It’s like not saying ‘you’re welcome’ when someone says thank –you, or not saying ‘bless you’, when someone sneezes.
Think about it for a moment, by ‘enabling’ the comments section on your blog, you are actually inviting people to interact with you, to share their feelings and emotions or thoughts on what you have written and then what . . . nothing happens, it’s like having a one sided conversation and quite frankly, that for me is just boring.
For me, it would be the same thing as not answering questions about the topics that I train on or being ‘indifferent’ to others. We all know that the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference and ignoring someone who has taken the time and trouble to comment on something that you have written, irrespective of whether it is good or bad - well that is just being indifferent in my book.
Being ignored, that’s just horrid and quite frankly, I often don’t go back to that particular author. Why should I? Blogging for me, is not only about getting my message across, it’s also about interaction and engagement and with interaction and engagement comes relationships and we could all do some more of those.
My blogs have opened my life up to the rest of the world and I now have people who I correspond with all over the world. From the USA to Russia – from Holland to the UK, Australia to Canada – I’m sure you get the picture. Do I get business from these people – well not directly, but I have learnt a great deal and I am exposed to more than my little world and yes, indirectly I have gotten business and even a mentor or two.
Responding to comments for me is a must, it’s a way to open up a dialogue, to interact and to grow as a person.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Networking 101 - Radiators & Drains
Networking - Radiators and Drains
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I don’t know about you, but I have, of late, had to take a step back from the world and do a bit of re-examining. Not always the most pleasant thing in the world to do – but certainly something that must be done from time to time if you want to get rid of the ‘dead wood’ in your life and make sure that you are on the right path going in the right direction.
“Dead wood” is pretty much what I want to talk about today – and it is the ‘energy’ sapping, frustrating, pulling out of hair in frustration type of ‘dead wood’ in particular that I want to discuss.
We all have them in our lives – the Radiators and the Drains. There are some people on the planet that you are just drawn to, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing (unless you yourself are a Drain!). They give out the type of energy, or aura, or whatever, else you would like to call it that makes you feel good. Those people are a pleasure to have around – they are fun to engage with or have any kind of interaction with as they usually give very freely of themselves and you come away from them with a smile on your face and a song in your heart and usually with a benefit or two, whether it is something that you have learnt or a joke that you have shared. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling that tells you that all is good with the world today and you actually can’t wait to see them again – to engage in a mutually satisfying conversation or even debate. These, clearly are the Radiators and it is always a good thing to have a few of them in your circle of influence, and hopefully you are also a Radiator and therefore a good thing in the circle of influence yourself.
Then, of course, you have the Drains – these are the people who I (not so) affectionately call human vampires! They suck and draw out all your energy and then off they go on their merry way to their next un-suspecting victim and you are left behind in an exhausted heap. Not much fun at all.
The dilemma arises when some of your client’s or the people that you network with, are Drains. The rest you can walk away from or see as seldom as you can – but with clients and people who you meet at networking events, this is not always that easy to do.
A lot of it has to do with the energy that you yourself give out. It could be that if you are ‘down’ or not in a good space yourself – the negative energy that you are giving out is simply attracting the wrong people and it means that they will, in all probability bring you down even further.
It is critical for you to attract the right kind of people, when you are networking. You yourself need to be happy, passionate about what you do and interesting to those around you and those that you meet at networking events. You need to be ‘on fire’ for life, for your business, for the things that you hold dear to you. Most importantly you need to protect yourself from the Drains, so mixing with or attracting other Radiators is always a good thing – safety in numbers I think! All that positive energy driving the negative away!
Drains you see, feed of off people to get their energy. Radiators get their energy from inside of themselves (well at least I do) and that is obviously is like gold, a very sort after commodity.
Well, I’m off to get rid of some of the ‘dead wood’ drains in my life and I know that this will also let in some more Radiators, can never have enough Radiators!
So, who are you? Where do you get your energy? Are you a Drain or a Radiator?
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd
I don’t know about you, but I have, of late, had to take a step back from the world and do a bit of re-examining. Not always the most pleasant thing in the world to do – but certainly something that must be done from time to time if you want to get rid of the ‘dead wood’ in your life and make sure that you are on the right path going in the right direction.
“Dead wood” is pretty much what I want to talk about today – and it is the ‘energy’ sapping, frustrating, pulling out of hair in frustration type of ‘dead wood’ in particular that I want to discuss.
We all have them in our lives – the Radiators and the Drains. There are some people on the planet that you are just drawn to, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing (unless you yourself are a Drain!). They give out the type of energy, or aura, or whatever, else you would like to call it that makes you feel good. Those people are a pleasure to have around – they are fun to engage with or have any kind of interaction with as they usually give very freely of themselves and you come away from them with a smile on your face and a song in your heart and usually with a benefit or two, whether it is something that you have learnt or a joke that you have shared. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling that tells you that all is good with the world today and you actually can’t wait to see them again – to engage in a mutually satisfying conversation or even debate. These, clearly are the Radiators and it is always a good thing to have a few of them in your circle of influence, and hopefully you are also a Radiator and therefore a good thing in the circle of influence yourself.
Then, of course, you have the Drains – these are the people who I (not so) affectionately call human vampires! They suck and draw out all your energy and then off they go on their merry way to their next un-suspecting victim and you are left behind in an exhausted heap. Not much fun at all.
The dilemma arises when some of your client’s or the people that you network with, are Drains. The rest you can walk away from or see as seldom as you can – but with clients and people who you meet at networking events, this is not always that easy to do.
A lot of it has to do with the energy that you yourself give out. It could be that if you are ‘down’ or not in a good space yourself – the negative energy that you are giving out is simply attracting the wrong people and it means that they will, in all probability bring you down even further.
It is critical for you to attract the right kind of people, when you are networking. You yourself need to be happy, passionate about what you do and interesting to those around you and those that you meet at networking events. You need to be ‘on fire’ for life, for your business, for the things that you hold dear to you. Most importantly you need to protect yourself from the Drains, so mixing with or attracting other Radiators is always a good thing – safety in numbers I think! All that positive energy driving the negative away!
Drains you see, feed of off people to get their energy. Radiators get their energy from inside of themselves (well at least I do) and that is obviously is like gold, a very sort after commodity.
Well, I’m off to get rid of some of the ‘dead wood’ drains in my life and I know that this will also let in some more Radiators, can never have enough Radiators!
So, who are you? Where do you get your energy? Are you a Drain or a Radiator?
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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