Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss - Part 9

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss – Part 9

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Most people think that marketing is about getting people to buy something that they don’t necessarily need or even want, by persuading them that they do actually need the item.  This is not correct.

Marketing is actually about telling the right people (in other words your target market) how your particular product or service will be of benefit to them in either their business or personal lives.

Here are some of the things you need to look at to create a marketing plan that will work for you.

1. Who is your customer? 
What is unique about your product or your service – who are the people who are most likely to benefit from what you have to offer and why? Make a list of all these groups of people.

2. Create a list of ideas.
Invite all of your friends, family, colleagues to a brainstorming session to find different ways for you to reach your customers.  This is known as ‘octopus marketing’ as different people will have different ideas and all of these ideas could reach out into all the different directions, but still all be a part of the same marketing plan.

3. The Best Idea
Take the best idea out of the whole lot – your favorite one, the one that you would love to do.  Usually if you pick the idea that appeals to you the most, chances are you will actually do it.

4. Test.
Always test the water, so test your idea and if it works, test it again and if it works again – well then you have a winning formula.  If your first idea doesn’t work however, don’t fret and panic – choose one of the other ideas and test that.  Sooner or later you will find an idea that actually does work.  The experts say that we should try at least three different marketing plans every month.

Remember to always have fun.  If you don’t have fun with what you are doing, chances are that you are in the wrong business.

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

Motivation - doing for Others

Motivation –  Doing for Others?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

It was Booker T Washington who said “I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”

Wow, Wow and Wow again! Dr Maya Angelou (who is Oprah Winfrey’s mentor) said something along the lines of “We learn in order that we may teach”.  Actually now that I think about it, many of the individuals that I look up to for wisdom and guidance, all talk about ‘giving back and doing for others’.

Ironically my Toastmaster’s speech this month is about not only having a hero, but also being one.  For me, in that place deep down inside of us where we know the truth, I know that my life’s purpose is to teach, to share, to motivate and to inspire and I can honestly say that I am at my happiest and the most at peace with myself, when I am standing in a classroom, in front of a whole bunch of new business owners or SMMEs (small, medium, micro enterprises) or entrepreneurs and I am sharing my experience or teaching them about the ‘how to’ of starting a business or explaining how important the business infrastructure is to ensure that deliverables are met and to ensure sustainable business growth.

There’s nothing quite like seeing the ‘ah-ha’ moment look on the faces of people who have just learnt the lesson, got it, seen the light (insert anything you like here), quite frankly it’s is worth more and is more precious than any financial gain.  It is truly a wonderful experience.

Be warned though, you can only help people as much as they allow you to and you cannot live other people’s lives for them.  Sometimes they just have to learn the lesson for themselves and there is no amount of advice and pleading and begging and shouting  and fighting with them that will change that.  Once you have handed out the advice you have to step away and let them get on with it.  Think about it for a moment – when a child is learning how to use feeding implements, you show them how and pretty soon they want to do it for themselves and you let them (I mean who wants to be feeding a 30 year old down the road!)  Sure they make a mess that you will, in all probability, have to clean up, but in essence you let them go and get on with it.  Why is it so difficult then, to ‘let go’ once you have given someone advice.  The reality is that once you have given the advice, it is up to them to use it or not.  It is no longer your problem.

So don’t be afraid to ‘give back’ or pay it forward.  Don’t be afraid to share the experience or life lessons that you have learned.  You will be all the richer for it and the Universe is a strange place – often you will get back far more than you ever gave in the first place.

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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Want to Read Your Employee’s E-Mails

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Want to Read Your Employee’s E-Mails

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd – May 2009

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

It is said that we here in South Africa, have the most progressive and democratic constitution in the world.

One of the issues of the constitution is the right to privacy.  We as South Africans, as individuals have the right to keep our private stuff private.

But what about when your staff do private things during your business working time.  I mean – that’s really not cool!  You employ a staff member to work for you between the hours of x and y and you expect the work to be done, but said employee is playing on Facebook and sending out personal e-mails and even searching the internet for their own personal reasons.

Then of course, you have the staff who may be selling your idea’s or your IP (in terms of the way that you do your business etc.) or even the list of your clients and their contact details.  What then?  Surely if the e-mails are being sent out in your time, using your infrastructure, your bandwidth, your electricity, your computer etc., you have a right to read whatever it is that they are writing or sending.

Well the answer is both yes and no.

As the employer, you are not automatically entitled to read all of the e-mails.  On the other hand, if you obtain written permission from the employee to read the mails, then of course you can.

If you have very real grounds in that your employee is abusing the use of your e-mail (for example sending out child pornography), then you have grounds to read those mails.

If the mail has been sent in the course of your company’s business (as in a business mail to a colleague or client), then you also may read the mail.

Prevention is always better than cure, therefore getting the permission up front (whether you need it at the time or not), for me is always first prize.  So getting your permission as a clause in your contract of employment is a great way of getting permission before the time.

If you don’t have anything in place though, don’t stress or panic.  Simply give them written notification (and get them to sign that they have received same) of the fact that you will be checking and reading e-mails.

Here’s the thing – you can always read the mails, more often than not they will have no idea that you have read the mail!  The problem is that if you try and discipline them for the contents of that mail, without their written consent, you will find yourself on the wrong side of the law, irrespective of what they have done.

It’s easier and less stressful to be proactive.  Get the proper clauses into your letters of appointment or contracts and get yourself protected.

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

Blogging 101 - Being Kind to Your Readers

Blogging 101 – Being Kind to Your Readers

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I’ve just read an article entitled “6 Ways to be Kind to your Readers” by Bamboo Forest, and I must admit I was absolutely intrigued by the title.  I mean kindness in itself is something most of us aspire to have and I am sure that we all think of ourselves as ‘kind people’ or at the very least, we would like to think of ourselves as kind (even if we may not be).

But what does it mean – to be ‘kind’ to our readers when we blog?  I mean as much as it is our choice to write the blog, it is our reader’s choice as to whether they read the blog or not, surely? 

So here is what ‘Bamboo Forest’ had to say:

1. “Kill or shorten introductions”.  Now this particular statement, I am very sure will not work for me.  To be fair, I can understand it up to a point, but for me, my intro sets the stage for the story to unfold.  “Killing or shortening” that intro would hurt the story before it began to unfold.

2. “Champion quality over quantity”.  This one however, in my opinion is right on the money!  At a point, I was writing 5 new articles every week.  Now don’t get me wrong, if you have the time to do the research as well as write the article – well that’s just fantastic and a great bonus.  However, my workflow increased and the number of hours in the day didn’t and because I didn’t want to compromise the quality or the value of my writing, I have chosen to cut back on the number of articles that I write.  There may be times when there are no articles for weeks or even months and then again there may be times when I am able to write on a pretty regular basis.  I would rather write a good meaningful article than a rushed half -hearted one!

3. “Commit to having every post be entertaining”.  Interesting – absolutely!  Entertaining – well I am not too sure about that one, particularly in the world of business and especially in the world of business in South Africa.  Current legislation and politics and proposed new legislation often makes really scary reading.  Finding solutions to implement the changes without too much upheaval or cost, would hardly make for entertainment, unless of course you are falling about with laughter at the absurdity of it all.

4. “Write clearly” Well that makes perfectly good sense to me, especially when you are writing about business topics.  People need to know what the point is.  Let’s face it, if you are writing a piece of fiction, there doesn’t always need to be a ‘moral to the story’ (although a plot or storyline is a must), but if you are writing a piece on business – there has to be a point and people have to ‘get it’!

5. “Keep your posts as short as possible”.  Again for me this is dependent upon the telling of the story.  Sometimes the point is best made and illustrated by means of a story and the length of the story – well if the truth be told, it doesn’t matter how long the story is, as long as it keeps you engaged and interested and it illustrates the point, so that you the reader, ‘get it’!

6. “Step up your game”.  Now this one, I particularly like.  You see, for me ‘if you are not growing you’re dying”!  If you are not constantly challenging yourself and your readers with what you are saying, if you are not improving or engaging or teaching or learning or moving forward or upward in some way –well what is the point?

So I guess what I am trying to say is that there are always guidelines on what to do and how best to do it.  Thing is though, it has to serve your own soul and it has to make a difference in the lives of others – if it doesn’t meet those two requirements, well personally, I’d give it up.

Till next time, happy blogging!

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

Networking 101 - Reciprocity

Networking 101 - Reciprocity

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

For the record, as much as I Network and as much business as I get out of Networking and as much value as I add by Networking, none of it would be worth a damn if I didn’t reciprocate!  In absolute honesty, I would probably lose any and all credibility that I have built up over the years.

Now before everyone falls over in a dead faint, because they think that they have failed miserably in this endeavour – let me just tell you that there are many different ways in which to reciprocate.

Let’s have a look at some of them:

1. Many people like to get/give the money one.  In this instance, whenever you give someone a lead and that lead bears fruit, the recipient then gives you a percentage of the value of the fruit that your lead has generated.
2. Some like to give reciprocal leads, so whenever they get a lead for you they will pass them on.
3. Then if you have a ‘virtual’ company, like I do we all include each other.  Whenever I get work for example, I will pass on or include the members (where appropriate and necessary) of my virtual organization onto the client.
4. One of my favourites is value exchange.  For example one of the people in my team is a Lawyer.  She does, mostly contractual work.  The majority of her clients come to her with the specific purpose of getting a contract done, so she gets very few ‘leads’ that would be appropriate for my business.  So what we do is that I pass on all the legal stuff to her and she does all my contracts and/or answers all my legal questions for free – how cool is that?  I now do not sign a single legal document without her first having a look at it and making sure that it is all fine.

Not doing the reciprocal thing is just not on.  Consistently trying to get as much as you can out of people without bringing something of your own back to the table will eventually destroy the very relationship that you are trying to build.  Don’t do it!

If you are strapped for cash and cannot pay people for their leads, find the other ways in which you can help others.  Make a point of referring business to your contacts.  You can do this by listening to the ‘wants, desires and needs’ of the person you are talking to.

Opportunities for this constantly arrive in front of your very own eyes, learn to recognise them and seize the moment!

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Business tips - Being Your Own Boss - Part 8

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss – Part 8

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Passion will fly out the window if everything that you try to do becomes a nightmare.  One of the ways to minimize stress is to plan for the things that you can plan for and budget for the things that can be budgeted for.

When you start, I am sure that you will not have a great deal of spare cash or even access to spare cash.  So be careful about what you spend and what you spend it on.  Of course, that said, you still need to brand yourself properly and get your idea or your product or service out there.

When getting prices on products such as business cards etc, be very clear about what it is that you want.  To get the best price, it will be necessary to request quotes from various suppliers – remember . . .  no-where is it written that you have to take the first quote that you get.

Make sure of the following:
1. That the supplier understands what it is that you want – if possible send some sort of drawing (even if it is a rough hand drawn stick insect type drawing – for your business cards) – better yet, if you are able to produce a model of sorts that would be great.
2. Do the research – get yourself a list of suppliers.  Make sure that you know where you found them.  You can look on the internet, or get referrals from friends and associates, or check out the telephone directories and chambers.
3. Make some sort of spread sheet with all the supplier information on it – a column for what it is that you required, be as specific as you can, a third column for the date that you requested the information, who you spoke to etc and a fourth column for who came back to you and with what price etc.
4. Send out your request for a quote to two or three companies – just to test the waters, so to speak.  Be as specific as you can about what it is that you want.  When you get the replies, add any queries that they had (and your replies) to your original spread sheet specifications.  Then send your request out to the next two or three more suppliers, including the additional information.  As you go along, your knowledge on the information required should increase and this will give the supplier the perception that you know exactly what it is that you are wanting.  If they think that you are knowledgeable on the subject, they are less likely to try and over charge you.
5. Once you have received all the information back, talk it over with a friend or trusted colleague.  This will ensure that you keep your emotions at bay and that you look over the information objectively.
6. Negotiate with the two or three top manufacturers or suppliers.  This is a business relationship that you are starting – don’t try and do business with someone that you either don’t particularly like or trust, especially if you are going to be doing business with them on a regular basis.  Rather find someone else if you are not sure about doing business with someone.

Remember that your credibility and integrity is also on the line here, you need to find the best value for money, especially if it is a product that you are going to be reselling, as your clients will also be looking for value for money.  Cheapest isn’t always cost effective and most expensive is not always value for money.

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

Motivation - Stuck Inside the Frame?

Motivation –  Stuck Inside the Frame?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd  – January 2013

An unknown author said “It is difficult to see the picture when you are inside the frame.”

Oh you know that this one brought a huge big smile to my face and it just about how apt my “Step away from the car” mantra is.

Ironically though, it is something that I have to consciously think about as I more often than not, react first and then think about what it is I have done rather that what it is I am going to do.  In the last couple of years though, I find it more and more easy to deal with situations once I have ‘parked’ the emotions in a corner somewhere, walked away from the problem and then made a decision once I have calmed down and looked at it from a logical perspective rather than an emotional one.

In fact, although I still get as emotional about stuff as I always used to, I find it a lot easier to come to a rational decision if I internalize the emotion first.  Once I have got the emotion under some semblance of control, I am able to focus or concentrate on something different until the anger or irritation dissipates and then once that has happened I can go back to whatever the problem/issue is and look at it in an almost completely detached manner or as I like to say it “in the cold hard light of day”, look at all of the options and then make the decision from there.  Once that decision is then made I am able to let go of the anger completely and that is fabulous!  There is nothing worse than hanging onto anger that just doesn’t seem to want to leave, but keeps lingering on as you play the whole scene of who said what and when and what you could have/should have done/said etc.  That just gets me all wound up all over again and does more internal damage.

So when you feel your blood pressure rising, along with the tone/volume of your voice – “Step away from the car”, go for a walk, have a hot bubble bath, play with your cat – do something completely unrelated until you have calmed down.  You will thank yourself in the long run!

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

HR 101 - A Job is Just A Way to Pay the Bills

HR 101 - A Job is Just A Way to Pay the Bills

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

Would you believe me if I told you that for millions of employees out there, not only in South Africa but also all over the world, they think that ‘a job is just a way to pay the bills’.

How sad is that – and I am saying that from experience!  There have been moments in my life when I felt trapped in a job that I did not particularly enjoy but, hell it paid the bills, and I was too scared to walk away from it because to some extent, it was a comfort zone.

What about your staff – are they passionate about what they do or is it for them, ‘just a way to pay the bills’.

Wait a minute, lets look at this from a different perspective – as employers, are you hiring people ‘just to get the work done, or fill a gap’ or are you hiring people who have every intention of becoming skilled in whatever job they are in, in order to make it into a career?  Do you encourage your staff to move in the direction of making, whatever it is that they do into a career?

Again, I speak from experience when I tell you, you need to hire someone who wants to make something of their lives, people who are passionate about being the best that they can be in whatever field that they are passionate about – be it as the tea lady or the cleaner or the warehouse worker or the accountant or the salesperson.  If you want them to do whatever the job requirements are to the best of their ability, with passion, with thought and with love – then don’t be hiring someone just because they look good or because at a push you can ‘squeeze’ them into whatever you think the job you have on offer is.  I promise you all that you will bring upon yourself is irritation, challenges and often loss of sales, stock, clients and even money, never mind respect.

Your employees need to see  what the opportunities the job you have on offer are, they need to see that they will grow as individuals and they need to see that you will train them properly (or help them get trained properly) and in return they will, more often than not, serve you well. 

Staff who are not passionate about what they do, won’t be passionate about your business, which means they will not perform well, which means that productivity will be shot to hell and the quality of their work will be ‘just enough to get by’ and all of this will impact on your business, your sales figures, your clients.

So think carefully when you hire staff – think about what they can do to your business or for your business.  Choose wisely – the success of your business may actually depend on it.

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

Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 11

Blogging 101 – The Content – Part 11

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

As promised here is the final article on the “Content” of blogging.  I will certainly write some more articles on blogging at some stage, but this is it for now.

I think it is really important to understand that as bloggers, we are not just about blogging or about our blogs. We are (usually) business owners who are passionate about our businesses and what it is that we do and the value that our readers gain from reading our blogs comes from our experience – not only the experience gained from our businesses, but the experiences that we have gained from life.  It’s about all that knowledge that we share about our lives, where we have been and what it is that we have lived through.  It’s about the little things that have touched our lives and grabbed our interest and the big battles that we have fought and won (or lost) and why and how we won (or lost) them and how to do it better/faster/easier next time around.

So does this mean that we have to travel and trawl the four corners of the earth (strange that we say that don’t you think, when the world is actually round ) to find new material and new experiences to share – of course not!  Fact is, we mostly have so much information that we already know and that we continue to harvest on a daily basis, that doing this is not necessary. 

What we do have to do though is ‘keep it fresh’.  If you want to keep your current readers or grow your followers, you have to keep it interesting, you have to introduce new material all the time.  You have to engage with people all the time.

In order to do this, for me, I have to read, read and then read some more.  Many of my guests laugh at me when they visit me at home – I usually have between 5 and 8 books next to my bed – all being read at the same time and all at different parts of their particular stories.  I have magazines and books in both my toilets and also a book in the car (and no I don’t confuse the stories).  I love to read and usually live vicariously, through the characters in the books – it makes for an interesting life and I have no doubt that this has stood me in good stead as I continue to write my stories and articles for posting on my blog.

I have discovered that the more I write, the more I want to write and the more topics open up to me, stories and experiences just begging to be written and shared with people who are like minded and who enjoy engaging in the story being told and who learn the lessons (or not) or who just read for the enjoyment of reading.

I have a friend who always says “Everyone has a story to be told” and for me the magic is in the telling of that story, in the learning and in the sharing.

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

Networking 101 - Networking & Your Competition

Networking 101 - Networking & Your Competition

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Networking and your competition.  Let’s take this discussion a bit further this week.

How do you Network effectively when you are competing with several other companies and businesses that offer the same product or services  as you do and who operate out of the same area that you do?  Clearly you need to stand out ‘head and shoulders’ above the crowd and you obviously should never, and I mean NEVER – put your competition down or malign them in any way.  Concentrate rather on what you do and what you do that makes it different.

Let’s focus on what you do need to do – you need to work very carefully on every aspect of your Business, from your Business Presentation to your Business Card, your promotional and marketing items, such as pens, to the way that you present yourself as an individual, to your elevator speech.

Your Business Presentation needs to be professional, but also memorable.  Going on and on about statistics and the like is extremely boring for the person listening.  So if you want to use some statistics, choose one – perhaps put some humour into it (to make it stand out and be memorable) and use it at the end of the presentation where it will make and have the most impact!

You need to know what you want to say to people when you introduce yourself.  Fumbling and stammering with lots of ‘Um’s and er’s and, and, and, and’s’ is really not going to cut it for you.  Let’s face it – if you don’t know who you are and what it is that you do, how can you expect anyone else to?  So take the time and prepare what you want to say to people.

I have written so much about Elevator speeches it really feels like a deje vu moment for me, yet it is of critical importance, especially if you are confined to a limited amount of time in which to introduce yourself and make an impression!

Take the time, invest it in yourself and your business.  Make sure that what you are saying is clear and also that it makes sense.  Make your statement make people want to contact you and engage with you, even if it is only to ask you what you meant!

For example my elevator speech is “My name is Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting.  I am an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and I prevent loss!”  Many people come up to me afterwards and say ‘What do you mean you prevent loss – how do you prevent loss?’ A huge foot in the door for me wouldn’t you say?

The more you work on your Networking, the more your Networking will work for you!

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss - Part 7

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss – Part 7

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Being passionate about your business and what it is that you do is a given and it is something that you should not be faulted for.  Having a business that you are not passionate about is just plain madness and it will break your heart as well as do damage to your soul.  That said however, as business owners we also need to ensure that our passion does not get us carried away.

Let me explain.  Sometimes we are so ‘gung ho’ about our product or service that we feel that every single person on the planet should be jumping up and down for whatever it is that we are selling.  Don’t be naïve.  Don’t be so arrogant!  This is what is commonly known as ‘selling to yourself’ and we are all guilty of it at some stage of our business lives.

On a regular basis talk to people, family, friends, acquaintances, potential customers, your networking group, whoever will give you the time of day and give you an unbiased opinion – and ask the question.  “Is this what people need/want/desire to have”?  It is important to ensure that what you are selling is current.  Don’t get bent out of shape if you get an answer that you are not particularly looking for, in fact be thankful that people are honest – it may be your saving grace.

By getting this honest feedback on a regular basis, you may very well be able to make changes in the direction that your business is going, before disaster strikes.

Don’t be scared to engage these incredible people in some more questions – ask them how you could improve your idea, your service and any other ideas that they may have.  Get down off you pedestal and don’t be defensive.  Listen carefully to what they have to say – write down all the ideas that come out of the brainstorming session.

Once you have calmed down and you are thinking clearly again – take a look at what came out of the session.  Keep an open mind and honestly analyse the ideas.  Keep the most useful, tweak those that need tweaking and discard the rest. 

Get these people together on a regular basis – let them challenge you and your ideas – your business will only prosper because of it.

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

Motivation - Do You Need Approval?

Motivation –  Do You Need Approval?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Vernon Howard says “A truly strong person does not need the approval of others any more than a lion needs the approval of sheep.”

One of the most liberating moments of my life happened when I was still working in the Corporate world.  I took my power back!

I can hear many people saying “You did What?”  I’ll say it again – I took my power back!

For years I had been a doormat to bosses and colleagues alike who often took their frustrations out on me.  Work was taken away from incompetent employees and dumped on me and I just accepted it.  The more pressure that I was put under the more I just accepted it.

I can actually see a whole bunch of you reading this with absolute disbelief – you cannot even begin to imagine me being like that – well that is because I am a different person now – I took my power back.

For months I had been coached and guided by my mentor, for months I had resisted this profound change because I was afraid.  How would I do it?  What would my friends think?  What would my family think?  Would I still have a job?  Would I be fired or would I be forced to resign?

I was sitting in yet another meeting where it was brought to everyone’s attention that XYZ department was again in a state of chaos.  It was a department that was constantly in a state of chaos and the mess had already been handed over to me to sort out – several times.

Each time I had come to work at 4am and only left after 7pm, so that I could manage my already heavy workload and fit in the ‘fix up’ that needed to be done.  Each time I had handed everything back to the department in question, in pristine condition, figures balanced, reports completed, filing done.

Each time the incompetents had walked away without any kind of consequence, in fact  they had been rewarded in a way, because they didn’t have to work late or come in early to fix up their mess.  They took no responsibility and they were not held accountable!

Each time the mess was just dumped on me without any kind of reward or even so much as a thank you.  In fact that year my boss had even “forgotten” (his words) to give me an increase!  How disgusting was that?

So, there I was sitting at this meeting, listening to the whole decision and the discussion around the “mess” and how it was going to be given back to me to sort out again and something inside of me just broke!  As it broke, I realized that if I didn’t make the decision to change the situation, to in effect – take my power back, I would continue in this way for the rest of my life and that thought just made my heart sink right down to the bottom of my toes.

I grabbed my notebook and immediately wrote out my letter of resignation.  I signed the letter, tore the sheet out of my notebook, handed the letter to my boss and walked out of the meeting.  With each heavy step my terror increased – what had I done?  My footsteps faltered and I almost turned back, until I heard my boss say “Don’t worry about her, she’ll be back and she will sort this out!”  With those words I realized just what they did think of me and my determination and resolve to do what was best for me cemented itself into  hard granite.  There was no turning back! I started walking again to my office where I packed up my stuff and walked out the door.

On my way home, with each step that I took, it felt as though I was shedding a load that had pinned me down for as long as I could remember.  I also realized just how empowered I had become, when several phone calls later the bosses were begging me to come back and in fact even tried to get my aunt to ‘talk’ to me as I was making a very big mistake.  The only mistake I had made of course, was not doing that a lot sooner.

Was I cured overnight – of course not.  Like most things in life, it’s a process.  You have to do it over and over again until there is an imprint on your brain that tells you that you are worthy and that you do deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and it was only years later that I finally came to the realization that ‘other people’s opinion of me is none of my business”.  It was only years later that I came to the realization that the only person’s approval that I need is my own.  But on that day, the day that I handed in my resignation and walked out of the door, that was the day that I took my power back and gave myself permission to be the person that I could be, the person that I wanted to be and the person that I am happy to live with today – me.

Is my journey complete?  Of course not – we are all ‘a work in progress’, but I am most definitely going in the right direction.  The question of course is  . . . .  are you?

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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You’re Not Sure If A Medical Certificate Is Required.

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You’re Not Sure If A Medical Certificate Is Required.

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

First of all the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) says that you are not obliged to pay a staff member if they are absent from work for more that two consecutive days or more than two (single) days during an eight week period, if they do not, will not or cannot produce a medical certificate.

The medical certificated must state that the staff member was not able to work for the dates and the duration that the employee was absent from work because of ‘sickness’ or injury.

Should the employee be off ill for an isolated day, they are not required to produce a medical certificate provided that it is not more than one day in every eight weeks.

It is a good idea to lay down the rules governing sick leave, in your letter or contract of employment.  ‘Spell it out’ in easy to understand language.  Let them know what the requirements are and what they can do and what they cannot do.

For example, “Medical Certificates are required if an employee is ill and/or injured for two consecutive days and/or on a Friday (or Saturday) and/or on a Monday and/oror on the day before or after a public holiday.”

“Medical Certificates are also required if more than one single day is taken during every 8 (eight) week period.”

“Failure to produce and/or submit a Medical Certificate from a registered medical practioner may result in the employee taking unpaid leave.”

This tells the employee, very clearly what the boundaries are and what the consequences are, should that boundary be crossed.  It removes the emotion out of the situation, is clear on its intent and removes all confusion.

Remember to keep it as simple and as clear as possible.

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

Networking 101 - The Process and Practice of Networking

Networking 101 - The Process and Practice of Networking

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I left you last time saying that “Networking in its purest form and if done properly is so much more.”  Let’s take it from there.

Networking, for me is not only a practice (you know the story about practice makes perfect), it is also about the process.  Yes it does take practice and the more you practice the better you will become at it and the reason that you will become better at it is because you will have defined your process and what works best for you.

What will work for everyone however is if you understand that networking is something that must be done all the time – it takes continuous effort and if you don’t regard it as an essential marketing tool you will be selling yourself very short.  Networking done in this way means new business at very little or no cost what-so-ever. 

We all see thousands upon thousands of adverts every week.  Adverts on bill boards, in neon lights, on TV in the magazines and newspapers – hell you can’t even wait for the robot to change these days without someone shoving something in your face!  Yet in all honesty, how many of these actually have any influence on our lives – personal or business for that matter?  I know that I use the ad breaks on the telly to switch the kettle on or pour myself another drink! 

So why on earth would I want to spend my hard earned cash on advertising?  Well my answer of course, is I wouldn’t.  Actually, I don’t advertise anywhere.  I network!  All of my business comes out of Networking!

Referrals from my clients and the people who I network with, have far more impact on prospective clients, than any kind of flyer or flashing neon lights or even a page in the newspaper.

What do you think would work best for you?  Let’s have a look at networking and your competition next time.

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss - Part 6

Business Tips – Being Your Own Boss – Part 6

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

So far we have looked at:-

1.    The difference between being an employee and an employer;

2.    Your Purpose:

3.    The People around you and

4.    Your Personal Footprint.

5.    Knowledge & what you do with it

6.    The Generosity of your Spirit

7.    The Role of Technology in your Business

8.    Self Confidence

9.    Creativity and

10.    Focus

11.    Vision

12.    Result

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1.   Networking
One of the quickest ways to get to people who have more knowledge and more experience than you do is to network.  There are many SMME (small, medium, micro enterprises), entrepreneurial or start up networking groups out there for you to choose from.  Some leave you to your own devices, some are semi facilitated and some are fully facilitated – find one that suits your requirements and get networking.  Networking is also a great way to build relationships with like-minded people who often become suppliers and even customers and you will find people who will be willing to assist you by sharing their knowledge and experience.

2.   Leadership
Every company needs a leader and as a business owner that is who you are – the leader.  Quite honestly, your business success (or failure for that matter) is intrinsically linked to and dependent upon your capability as a leader.  You will need to inspire your staff, you will need to gain the trust and respect of your staff and you will need to commit to them if you want commitment from them.  If you are not a natural leader or are unsure of your role as a leader, I would suggest that you get yourself off to some training as soon as possible as leaders are not necessarily born, they can also be made.

3.  Management
Every business needs to be properly managed.  Whether you are on your own or you have staff, your business still needs to be managed and this is achieved by having some sort of plan in terms of the operation of the business.  What are you going to do with regard to sales, delivery etc. and how are you going to achieve that.  You have to know where you are going and how you are going to get there in order for you to succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

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

Motivation - Taking Action

Motivation –  Taking Action

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Al Batt says “It is easy to sit up and take notice.  What is difficult is getting up and taking action.”

It’s been a long, hard year.  I’ve seen more tears than I have smiles.  I’ve see people in pain, emotional pain and even physical pain, as they have watched their lives fall apart, as they have been retrenched or divorced, or watched helplessly as their businesses have fallen down. I have lost some of those people to suicide, to drugs and to absolute despair.

It’s been hard for me to watch as many looked at their shattered lives, in horror and disillusionment, all the while bemoaning their bad luck, the bad economy, bad management by the government, too much power by SARS, perceived power of ex- husbands or ex- wives and their overzealous lawyers.

Some have given up completely and succumbed to whatever fate and consequence that awaits them.  Most cling to some or other notion that they will be rescued in the nick of time by some sort of divine intervention.  I suspect that they will be very disappointed and some will become even more disillusioned and despondent.

Some have gotten back onto their feet, shaken their fists at the Gods (whomever you perceive them to be) and done something about their plight.  Unfortunately many have done the same thing all over again expecting and even believing that they will get a different outcome – I suspect that at some point everything will come crashing down around their ears again and they will wear the same shell shocked, deer in the headlights, look that they have worn many times before – only to repeat the cycle all over again.

Some, a small quantity of folk, have not only taken notice of their predicament, but they have learnt the lesson, taken cognizance of the pertinent aspects of those lessons, discarded what was not needed, gotten up and done things differently.  They have found themselves on a completely different path in life, one that is sustainable and profitable and even self-satisfying.  These individuals have, by their own actions, created their own ‘divine intervention’, their own luck and have changed their own destiny’s.

These folk have, by their actions, shrugged off the negativity that surrounded them, become deaf to all the whining and moaning, blocked out all the angst of government misadventure, SARS untimely interventions, economic woes and risen above the petty admonishments of the general business populace. They have done what they needed to do, not only to survive, but to live and to make a difference.

So who are you, or where are you in this world of perceived hardship?  Are you one who merely takes note of all that is going on around you or are you the one that gets up and does something positive about where you are going and where you want to 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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . . Your Staff Member is Pregnant

HR 101 – What to do When . . . . Your Staff Member is Pregnant

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this complies with South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

First of all, for the record – you cannot dismiss an employee because they are pregnant. Dismissing an employee on the grounds that she is pregnant is viewed as “automatically unfair” and it comes at a cost.

Second of all, for the record – the full period of maternity leave is 4 months (unless otherwise agreed in writing for a longer period).  If you shorten this period, even by mutual written consent, you could find yourself in the deep smelly brown stuff.

Thirdly, the employee’s right to ‘time off’ for the pregnancy does not end there – let me explain.  Let’s return to our protagonists.  Mike the owner of the retail outlet and Jane the cashier.

Jane is pregnant and she is due to give birth in November and as we all know, December is a really busy time in the retail environment.  By mutual agreement (Jane does not want to lose out on her Christmas commissions), they agree that she will only take one month off, as pregnancy leave, instead of the laid down 4 months.  Jane signs off on this giving her consent.

In November Jane goes on leave a week before the due date and then Jane gives birth and becomes a proud mother to a healthy set of twin boys.  So far, so good.   Well the twins start off healthy, but soon they both develop colic and Jane understands that there is no way that she can go back to work as soon as she had planned as she needs to take care of the boys.

Jane contacts Mike, explains the situation to him and requests an additional one month maternity leave.  Mike is furious – he has not put any kind of contingency plan into place as Jane assured him that she would be back after a month and it is too late to get someone else in to help as the store is already as busy as can be and he cannot ‘spare’ anyone to train someone new.  Mike tries to be reasonable and tells Jane that she can have an additional two weeks leave.  Jane refuses to accept this new arrangement and just doesn’t go back after the additional two week period is up.  Mike dismisses her in abstentia.

Jane takes Mike to the CCMA for unfair dismissal, stating that she had been dismissed for a reason that was directly related to pregnancy.  Mike says that that is nonsense as the wording in the Labour Relations Act (LRA), sections 187(1)(e) “for a reason related to pregnancy” means that if a mother has any sort of complications as a result of the birth and that this does not extend to any illnesses experienced by the baby.  Mike also says that Jane was not dismissed because of her pregnancy or because the babies were ill, but because she was absent from work without leave.

Well the CCMA saw things a little differently.  Just as the price of democracy is very high, so too is the price of equality.   The CCMA’s take on this was “Difficulties experienced by employers in keeping a woman’s job open while she is on maternity leave is the price that must be paid for recognizing the equal status of women in the workplace.  The law protects women, not only while pregnant, but also while they are attending to the consequences of pregnancies.”

How’s that for a smack of reality?

Mike then pointed out that Jane had signed an agreement stating that she would only take one month’s maternity leave.

Well that didn’t work very well either – you see the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) says that the employees are entitled to 4 months maternity leave.  So the agreement that Mike had with Jane for the 1 month maternity leave is in fact unlawful, so it cannot be enforced as it contravened the BCEA.

In this instance, if Jane had been given her full four months maternity leave, this situation would not have arisen.  The consequences of Mike’s action was very expensive – he had to pay out 20 months remuneration and also pick up the costs of both his attorney and Jane’s attorney to.

The bottom line is this – the BCEA are not just guidelines, it is the law – so if it stipulates something, that something means that it is the minimum that you can do – in this case the minimum amount of maternity leave that can be given is 4 months.  Anything less than that could find you in hot water – anything more than that can be negotiated and agreed to.  Remember though, if you give one employee 6 months maternity leave, you have to give all the others the same amount.

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

Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 9

Blogging 101 – The Content – Part 9

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd  July  2010

My being a specialist in terms of being an Internal Auditor means that I am a ‘generalist’ in most of the other fields that I write about. Does that mean that I don’t have a clue about what I am talking about when it comes to those articles – of course not!  What it does mean though is that I will usually have to do some research in order to check my facts.

There are occasions where I may want to (or indeed need to) quote from something that someone else has written or base my writing upon an article that I have read.  When I do this, I obviously need to give recognition to the person who either wrote the article or the person who I am quoting.  Come on people – it really is the right thing to do.  I know just how angry I would be if I found something I had written under someone else’s name – that’s just not right!

If you are going to be writing blogs that are technical in nature, it is very important to list where you did the research as well, particularly if like me, you are a bit of a technophobe.  That way, not only will you give yourself that added bit of credibility but you also allow the reader to familiarize themselves with your source – and that is always a value add to both.

If what you are writing is merely an opinion and not necessarily a fact, then that also needs to be documented – clearly. There’s nothing worse than taking what someone has written to be absolutely gospel (and then sprouting off at the mouth about it) only to find out later that it is a load of nonsense and that they were merely voicing their opinion.

Next time we will look at some additional   points on the content of your blog.

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

Networking 101 - Building Sustainable Relationships

Networking 101 - Building Sustainable Relationships

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

This is what I left you with at the end of the Networking tip last time and it is something that I want to re-iterate again!

“Networking is about building relationships.  Relationships that are mutually beneficial, that are sustainable and worked at.  Relationships that will, over time give you returns on your investment (which is the time that you have spent working on those relationships).

Attending a few networking meetings and handing your card out to a few dozen people is not going to do it.  You have to meet up with those people, have a discussion, get to know them and what it is that they do – start a business relationship and then work at maintaining that relationship.

Networking for me is a foot in the door – it’s a fast way to meet people, especially like minded people who are as passionate about their business as I am about mine.”

So if attending a few networking meetings and handing your card out to a few dozen people is not going to do it – what will?  As a natural networker, for me this is quite simple – I Network where-ever I am. 

You see, you are never going to know where your next big deal is going to come from.  It might be someone that you have met at a networking meeting, it might be someone that you have met through your social network and more importantly, it might be someone that you have never laid eyes on before, but who has been referred by someone that you have met while watching your son’s soccer match that you very nearly missed because you were ‘too busy’!

Networking is something that must become second nature to you.  It must be something that you do without thinking.  It must be an automatic response. It must be something that has access to every conceivable part of your life.

Many people who realise the importance of networking, and who actually ‘get it’ come adrift on this point.  They see networking as something that only needs to be done at networking meetings, or in a business environment. To them networking is something that they do when they attend a local business event – where they hand out their 30+ business cards and then leave the function thinking that they have done the job well. They could not be more wrong if they tried!

Networking in its purest form and if done properly is so much more – stick around for next weeks tips to find out more.

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss - Part 5

Business Tips - Being Your Own Boss – Part 5

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

It is said that “There are none so blind as those who will not see”!

Ain’t that the truth!  One of the most frustrating things for me is trying to convince people – especially about the work that I do.  Most of the time people are stuck in the whole philosophy of “It won’t happen to me” and then of course it does.  It’s Murphy’s law.

I have learnt over the years though, to just let them be and even when the brown smelly stuff hits the fan and splatters all over them, I bite my tongue (when I really want to tell them ‘I told you so’) and instead outline a plan of action to correct the problem and then prevent it from happening again.

Nowadays, I try and inspire them.

Many of the experts say that you should have a one page sales kind of brief.  I find though, that people are skeptical of the salesperson who continuously tells everybody how ‘wonderful’ they are and how ‘wonderful’ their product or service is.  Now I quote some of the more touching testimonials that my clients and colleagues have sent to me.  Believe me, those testimonials have far more impact, in terms of trust, than any kind of sales spiel.

Do you love what you do?  Are you passionate about what you do?  If you are, chances are that it will change the way that you speak and it will change your body language and it will change the energy that you exude. Your passion, the love of what you do and the belief that you have in your product or service will be clearly evident for all to see.  There is nothing more soul satisfying than to watch people becoming infected by and with your passion.

Don’t be shy to tell people who you are and where you come from.  Describe your struggles and how you overcame them.  People relate to struggles – we all go through them.  People applaud success – even the very small ones.

Be sure to always include your contact details, make it as easy as possible for people to find you.

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

Motivation - What is Your Life Purpose?

MOTIVATION –  What is Your Life Purpose?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Jack Canfield says “when you follow purpose, the people, resources and opportunities you need naturally gravitate toward you.”

This is pretty much along the lines of “when you are ready to learn, the teacher will appear” and greatly in line with my beliefs.

I have often noticed that as I have made a decision about something that the people that I need or the skills that I need in order to make that decision a reality, suddenly arrive on my radar.  For example when I had made the decision to update and modernize my logo, I suddenly met or was introduced to a whole bunch of creative people who specialized in that sort of thing.

When I was wanting to find people to write and facilitate some of the workshops that I hold specifically for entrepreneurs, I was suddenly surrounded by teachers and writers and entrepreneurs, who are specialists in their own right.

When I wanted to secure recurring income instead of scrambling for new clients each month, I was approached by several corporates for project work that will secure monthly recurring income.  How cool is that?

Here’s the thing though, in order to manifest or attract what you need you first have to believe in what you are wanting to do or achieve (even if it is only on a sub-conscious level), you have to believe in yourself and you have to believe in your dream.  You have to be very clear about what it is that you want. Once you believe in your dream you still have to start “living” it and as you do that your energy will attract what you need.

I know what I believe – do you?

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