Networking 101 - Practice Makes Perfect

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 129

Practice Makes Perfect

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. September  2009

I know that I am harping on about being an introvert and Networking at the same time, it’s just that I understand the reluctance of an introvert to do any kind of Networking.

The hardest part for me, especially the first few events, was meeting new people.  I took a friend along with me, even though he was a Financial Director of a Corporate Company and he did not really need to do any kind of Networking, I needed the moral support.  I had no idea what to expect and as the evening progressed and people stood up and said who they were and what it is that they did, my stomach was doing somersaults and my first reaction was to flee.  Thank goodness I didn’t.

Soon it was my turn to stand up and be counted. It felt as though my heart was in my mouth and I really couldn’t get the words out.  I stuttered and stammered and there were several times, amidst cries of “speak up we can’t hear you”, that I had to take a deep breath and try again.  Thank goodness I did.

My friend Philip had to leave early because of some crisis or another at home and there I was, all by myself, in the middle of this crowd of about 30 people, none of whom I knew, scared as hell, petrified in fact, but determined to stand my ground.  I stood there like an idiot, glued to the spot, not knowing what to say to anyone and just hoping that someone would start a conversation with me.  Someone did and pretty soon we were chatting away.  Make no mistake I was still very nervous, still completely out of my depth but I was fine.

The next meeting was a little better and each subsequent meeting after that was a little better each time.  I started reading magazines like “Heat” and “People”, just to get some useless information to make small talk and so that I could have something light to chat about or open a conversation with.

Month after month, I continued to go to the Networking meetings and slowly I started building relationships.  Slowly but surely I found my confidence and now I am quite comfortable walking into a Networking event on my own because nowadays, there will always be someone that I have met somewhere at a Networking event.

I must say, it has become a lot easier.  Is it still difficult for me?  Of course it is – I am still an introvert – that has not changed and so the ‘nature of the beast’ remains.  Nowadays it is still a conscious decision for me to go to an event – the fact that I am an introvert and conscious of the decision, means that I am more focused on what I am doing and why.

Semi facilitated or facilitated Networking for me, is still the best way to go and it is the best way for me to build relationships and in building relationships I do good business.

So, take a deep breath, hold your head high and focus!

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

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 2

   

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 2


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2012

Last time we looked at some of the basic differences between an employee and an entrepreneur.

Now let’s have a look at some of the issues that you will have to explore and questions that you will have to ask yourself and answer honestly as you travel on your path to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

1. Purpose
What is your purpose? I have no doubt that on some level we all understand that we are not only here on this planet called earth, merely to survive during our time here. We all have a purpose in life (whether we actually know what it is or not) and knowing what that purpose is and aligning it to what we want to do, will ensure that we achieve what we want to with a minimum of fuss and bother.

Understanding our purpose and aligning it to what we do will also ensure that we are able to live the best life that we can and become all that we are capable of being.

No one ‘life purpose’ is better or worse than another and our own success will be attained by being all that we can be rather than all that others think we should be.

2. People
Like it or not we are all here to serve people.  Whether those people are our customers or our staff or our suppliers or our families, the fact of the matter is that we all need to serve and be served.

We are no better than those that serve than we are less than those that we serve.  The more we serve, the greater our reward will be and the greater we will become as individuals.

I’ll say it again – we serve!  Get your head around it, get used to it, get good at it and get on with it.
3. Personal Footprint
Let’s face it – there are all kinds of characters in the world of business.  Some are grumpy, some are sunny, some are introvert and some are extrovert.  The point that I am trying to make is that your success, as an entrepreneur is not dependent upon that particular part of yourself.  Your success is dependent upon your credibility as an individual.  It’s dependent upon whether you can deliver and/or whether you are honest in your dealings with people.  It is dependent upon who you are intrinsically as a person.

Let me ask you this question (and please answer yourselves honestly), if you were in the market of looking for a mentor – someone you would look up to or aspire to be – would you look at yourself as being that person?  If your honest answer to that is “NO”, well I guess that you know what your personal footprint will be.

Next time we will have a look at some more of the issues that you as an entrepreneur should be looking at.

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 - Achievements

MOTIVATION – Achievements


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC August 2009

David T Schwartz says “All great achievements require time”.

Well this is one area that I am seriously found wanting – not the achievements part, but certainly the time part.

Like most people, I want instant gratification.  I want results and I want them right now!

Sounds familiar – doesn’t it?

We flick a switch and we want the light to come on.  We put our card into the ATM and we want the money to come out.  We turn a key and we want the car to start.

Yet, think about it for a moment – can you imagine an instant sunrise or sunset?  Isn’t part of the wonder, the magnificence and the beauty to watch the sunrise from the first hint of light to the brilliance of the colours, the freshness of the new day and the understanding of new beginnings?

Think back on all the most special moments of your life – none of them were a single moment, but rather a culmination of moments leading up to something incredibly special.  They usually involve some, if not all of your senses and always take time to build up before the results are in.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the magical moments take time to arrive – it’s a process, so take the time to savor them and enjoy them.

So to  it is with achievements.  We work hard, we practice hard and through all of this, in time – we achieve.  Remember that there are small achievements and there are large achievements.

The size and the caliber of the achievement is attributable to the goals, aspirations and dreams of the individual.

So don’t try and rush it, enjoy the journey, live the dream and savor the rewards.

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 - Desertion and the AWOL Employee - Part 2

ARTICLE 49

Desertion and the AWOL Employee – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC January 2010

Last time we had a look at an example of desertion where the employee just did not ever come back to work.  This time let’s look at a different example.

So bring in the protagonists – Mike owns a chain of retail stores in various busy malls across the country.  George is one of his managers. Let’s use the busy Christmas time type scene again.  It’s a Thursday afternoon and George is counting the hours until the weekend as he is taking his monthly weekend off and plans to go home to visit his mother who is in a small town about 200kms from where he lives.  George’s mother is not very well and he is looking forward to spending some quality time with her.

The phone rings and it is George’s mother’s neighbour Annabel, who is calling to tell George that his mother has taken a turn for the worst and he must come home immediately.  Mike happens to be in the store when the call comes in and he tells George to leave immediately and take the Friday off as well and that this extra day together with the weekend will give George sufficient time to sort something out for his mother and make whatever arrangements need to be made for her well being.

George gets to his mother and she insists that she wants to see the traditional healer from her home town which is more than 1000kms away.  George takes her.

Herein lies the problem.  You see Mike is expecting George to return to work on Monday and George does not return and also does not phone in to explain what he is doing.  In fact George does not return to work for another two weeks and during this whole period he does not contact Mike or any other colleagues.  After George not being at work for 5 days and in compliance with the Basic Conditions of employment Act and the Labour Relations Act, Mike follows the correct procedure.  Mike tries to phone all the contact numbers that he has on record for George.  Mike sends a telegram to George’s place of residence and even drives there to see if he can get hold of George.  To all intents and purposes, George has disappeared.

Eventually Mike holds the disciplinary in abstentia, George is found guilty of desertion and he is dismissed.

When George eventually does return to work, he is informed that he has been dismissed and that there is another person employed in his position.

Now here is the question – under these circumstanced did George desert and abandon his employment or was it just a case of his being AWOL.  The question that the CCMA has to look at also is whether the reason for George’s dismissal was a fair one.

Well the argument goes along the lines of, when George did not return on the Monday after his weekend off, surely Mike must have considered the possibility that George was not able to sort his mother out and that is why he had been delayed in returning.

Mike on the other hand, did also not have anyone to fill George’s position and it was also the busiest time of the retail year.  George did not contact Mike during the entire period that he was away and he also did not respond to any messages that were left on his cell phone.  George’s response to why he did not contact Mike was that he was concerned for his mother and did not think to phone as Mike knew that his mother was ill.

Now here’s the thing – in order to find an employee ‘guilty of desertion’ there must be a very strong indication that that employee has no intention of returning to work.  Clearly this is not the case here and the result of this is that Mike lost his case.

Desertion is defined as “desertion is distinguishable from absence without leave in that the employee who deserts his or her post does so with the intention of not returning, or having left his or her post, subsequently formulates the intention not to return.  On the other hand, the AWOL employee is absent with the intention of resuming his or her employment.”

Next time we will have a look at a typical case of being AWOL (Absent without leave.

 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 8

BLOGGING TIPS – The Content – Part 8


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June 2010

I don’t believe that I am any different to anyone else who loves to read and one of my biggest pet hates around reading (apart from the fact that I hate starting a book and I hate finishing a book), is when there is an abrupt interruption of the story.  Don’t you hate when that happens, you’re reading away, minding your own business, following the twists and turns of the story, engulfed in the plot, hardly daring to breathe as you turn the page and . . .  well nothing!  As you begin to read the next page, nothing that you are reading makes any kind of sense and you glance down at the page number and then look at the previous page number and in total disbelief you find that  someone has torn out several pages – or even worse – you turn what you think is the last page only to find that someone has stolen the last few pages and after reading a thousand odd pages you have no idea how the story ends!  Grrrrrr – that makes me mad as a snake!

Clearly this does not apply only to the books that you read but also articles that you read, whether those articles are in magazines or on a blog, makes no real difference – you want to know the whole story, well at least I know that I do.  You want to know how the whole thing started and what happened then and then the result or consequence. Look, let’s be reasonable, we understand that unless your full time job is the writing of blogs, your time and energy is stretched and that that means that you probably won’t be able to research every single article to the ninth degree, but you also need to understand that  the readers really do need to have closure. They need to know how it ends.  They have to at least understand the basics of what it is that you are trying to say.  Think about it for a moment, it’s like people walking around and starting a conversation, uttering  half a sentence and then walking away leaving everyone looking at them with very perplexed looks on their faces. Remember the basics that you learnt at school (well I did), that every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.

If you don’t at least follow the basics and leave your readers feeling confused and frustrated, they won’t be returning any time soon and not only will they not be returning, but they will also not be sending any new readers or referrals your way either.

Next time we will look at a few more points about 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 - Listen More Than You Speak

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 118

Listen More Than You Speak

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2009

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Become an astute listener.  Listen more than you speak.”

From Renate’s pen to God’s ears!  Honestly folks, this doesn’t only pertain to Networking, but to just about any avenue in business, especially customer service.

Seriously though, one of the biggest reasons that Networking ‘fails’ for a lot of people is because they don’t listen!

Yes, I understand that you want to sell yourself, your product or your service.  Yes, I understand that you are in a difficult situation, where you have become quite desperate for sales or a deal.  That said, if you just talk all the time and don’t give the other person a chance to tell you what they need, or are looking for and are only concerned about what you can give them (irrespective of whether they need it or not), they will walk away and you will have lost the opportunity.

When you ask someone “how can I help you?” you open up the door to a whole host of possibilities.  Not only possibilities for yourself, but also for people in your database or your circle of influence.  You tell people that their needs are important to you and that you care about what it is that they need or want and not just about what you want to give them.  You tell them that you care enough to listen to them instead of talking ‘at’ them and that my friend is extremely important.

So ‘shut up’ for a few minutes.  Calm yourself so that you are not formulating anything in your head until such time as they have finished telling you what they need for you to hear – take down some notes, so that you can look back and understand what their needs are – chances are that even if you cannot help them yourself, you can refer them to someone who can.  At some point, you too will be referred.

Remember, Networking is about building relationships and relationships can only be built if there is a ‘give and take’ between two people.

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at http://www.drrentevolpe.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

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 1

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 1


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – February 2012

I have, of late, been mentoring several young ladies who are currently employed, but who dream of owning their own businesses.  The more I talk to them, the more I become aware of the huge mind shift change that has to take place.  And this is how this particular series was born.

Firstly, I would like to explore some of the differences between an employee and an entrepreneur – just so that we can all understand the basic differences and understand what we are getting ourselves into.

1.    An employee is paid to work, they are paid, often irrespective of whether they put in a full days’ work or not.  They are paid irrespective of whether they have given 100% effort or done ‘just enough to get by.  An entrepreneur pays others to work and often works for free themselves.  Entrepreneurs pay their staff and the bills first and then if there is anything left over they get to pay themselves.  This is particularly true when they are starting out.  They are passionate about the product and/or service that they are providing and need to consistently give 100% (or more) effort into what they are doing in order to build the brand and the business.

2.    Employees are managed.  They have someone that they report into, there is always someone else who is ultimately responsible for what they do (or don’t do as the case may be).  Entrepreneurs manage others and themselves.  That means that ‘the buck stops’ with them and they are responsible for everything that happens at the end of the day.

3.    Employees have a specified ‘end of day’ time.  Irrespective of whether they have an employment contract or letter of employment, the number of hours that they work is governed by the BCEA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) and they cannot be forced to work overtime unless they have agreed to do so in writing.  An entrepreneur has no specific closing time – they often work long grueling hours and even through the night, to meet deadlines and get the work out.

4.    Employees are only responsible for developing themselves, provided of course that they want to grow or improve themselves – many have no interest in this at all.  Entrepreneurs, on the other hand not only develop themselves (and that is an ongoing challenge), but they are also responsible for developing their staff.  Actually, if the truth be told, you will find that entrepreneurs try and develop everyone that they come into contact with.

I am sure that you can see from the few points that I have highlighted that the list could very well be endless.  The point that I am trying to make however, is that the mindset is very different.  It has to be!

This of course means that if you are wanting to start your own business and do your own thing, you have to step up to the plate and stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like an entrepreneur.

Next time we will have a look at some of the issues that you have to look at, understand and more often than not, follow.

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 - Accepting Reponsibility for Change

MOTIVATION –  Accepting Responsibility for Change


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2011

Dennis Waitley says “There are two primary choices in life, to accept conditions as they exist, or accept responsibility for changing them.”

Looking back on the articles that I have written on the subject of ‘accepting responsibility’ over the years, I am both surprised (at the sheer volume) and also a little saddened by it.  Saddened because I still seem to find the need to write about something that I really feel should be second nature and automatic – taking responsibility for ones actions.

Change has to happen, it is the only way that we grow and evolve, whether as individuals, as part of a team (such as a company) or even as a country – change is going to happen, accept it.  Despite the fact that so many of us resist change at every opportunity, we all accept on one level or another, that it has to happen – the Universe, the Gods (whomever you may perceive them to be) won’t let us sit and rest in our comfort zones for too long – we have to make changes and we all make them in our daily lives – yes we do, when you change lanes in order to go past another car – you’re making a change to your destiny (yip that’s exactly what you are doing!).

Now logic must tell us that any kind of change, no matter how big or how small, will have a consequence.  Not only will it have a consequence, but it will also have ‘pros and cons’ and depending upon which one outweighs the other and which one we choose, we will be, in effect, accepting that particular consequence and that particular consequence will have a responsibility that someone will need to take and since you made the decision to change, the consequence and therefore the responsibility for that change is, and should be all yours!

That makes me, (and therefore you too) a very powerful person (and I’m not talking about the power that CEO’s and world leaders – even corrupt one’s wield), I am talking about the power to make positive (yes and negative) changes in our own lives – changes that can improve every aspect of our lives.  Oh, I know that many folk bemoan their lot in life and bemoan the fact that they are stuck in a rut or have no choice – but I guess that that is their choice and therefore their decision and it should be their responsibility therefore, to live like that. 

The fact of the matter is that if you want to change, you have to take responsibility for yourself and make that change.

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 - Desertion and the AWOL Employee - Part 1

ARTICLE 49

Desertion and the AWOL Employee – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC December 2009

It would appear that there is much confusion around this topic and also what the difference between the two is.

Let’s take it one step at a time. 

AWOL (Absent Without Leave) is exactly that.  It usually pertains to the employee who does not come to work and then does not phone in to advise why they are not at work.  They could be away for one day or they could be away for several days, but they usually come back to work with some or other long story as to why they were not at work and why they could not phone in.  Your leave policy should have a procedure to deal with this and the consequences for the ‘missing’ employee.

Desertion is when an employee just walks off the job or does not come into work at all and who has in all probability gotten themselves another form of employment and therefore has no intention of coming back, but just ‘forgot’ to tell anyone.

Both of these carry consequences and these consequences can lead to their dismissal.

So let’s bring in my favourite protagonists.  Mike owns a retail store in a busy mall and George is the store manager. Sarah is a sales consultant in Mike’s retail store and she reports to George. Jane is the head of the HR department.

One Monday morning during the December rush, at about 09h30, Mike received a call from Sarah advising that George had not arrived for work and that all the staff were standing outside the door, together with clients, as they were unable to enter the premises.  Sarah further stated that she had tried to contact George and that his cell phone went directly to voice mail.

Understandably annoyed, Mike instructed Sarah to wait at the store with the rest of the staff as he was on his way.  Mike contacted Jane and instructed her to try and get hold of George and briefly explained the situation.  Mike requested and received the spare keys to the store and made his way to the store.

Mike got the store started and then appointed Sarah as acting Manager until such time as they could ascertain what had happened to George.

Jane in the meantime had also tried to contact on his cell phone but the phone went directly to voice mail.  Jane then tried to contact George on his home number, this also went to voice mail.  Jane then tried to contact George’s wife and that phone also went directly to voice mail. Messages were now left on all three phones.

Nothing was heard from either George or his wife during the course of the day and Sarah managed the store and closed up in compliance with laid down procedures, in George’s absence.

That evening, Mike again attempted to contact George and his wife, to no avail. Mike left messages on all the phones again.

The following day, Mike instructed Jane to try and contact Mike and his wife again.  Again Jane could not get through and again messages were left on all of the phones.  Jane noted all of this in George’s personnel file. Nothing was heard from George or his wife during the course of the second day that he was absent from work.

On the third day, Jane again tried to contact George and/or his wife, again without any success.  Again nothing was heard from George or his wife.

By the fifth day, having still not heard from either George or his wife, Mike made the decision to follow the correct procedures in sending a registered letter and a telegram to George’s home address instructing him to return to work.  Again no response was forthcoming and a disciplinary was held in abstentia and George was found guilty of desertion and dismissed.

In this particular instance George never returned to work and Mike never found out why he left.  It was rumoured from time to time, by the staff that George had been seen working somewhere else, so it was clear to Mike that George felt that he could not face Mike and hand in his resignation and he had just decided to leave.  The matter was closed.

Next time we will look at some additional examples of desertion and/or AWOL.

 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 7

BLOGGING TIPS – The Content – Part 7


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June  2010

Let’s face it – I write 5 new articles a week for my blog – that does not include what I write for the newspaper or the magazines such as Business Women or Your Business or Women’s Inc and it certainly doesn’t cover all the Policies and Procedures that I write for my clients – that’s purely just the blogs.  As you can imagine, my blog becomes, on occasion a voracious beast – seeming to devour everything, including me.  That said, it was my decision to write the blogs, it was my decision to share my knowledge and/or experience and/or research as I go along.  So yes, it’s my decision to post when I do.  That said, I know how I feel when I go to my favorite blog and notice that there are no new posts.  It feels like I have been abandoned!

For the record I do not post blogs on South African public holidays and I ‘shut down’ the office from the 16th December to around the 2nd working week of the New Year.  So there will be no blogs on those days.  I know that recently there was a time when I just had to stop – I felt like I was having a meltdown – so much stuff happening, too little sleep and not enough dreamtime or even rest.  What I should have done was posted something telling everyone that I was taking a break – people like to have consistency in their lives and reading their favorite blog on a daily/weekly/monthly (whatever time frame) means that you have to be writing their favorite blog on a daily/weekly/monthly (whatever time frame).  So again it is one of those “do as I tell you and don’t do as I do things!”

For many people, reading a blog (or any article for that matter) is them investing time in what it is that you have to say.  Time, as we know is money, so for them to be investing that time, is a great compliment to you.  For many, the justification for them taking time out of their busy schedule is a negotiation (usually an internal one).  The negotiation is this - “I am going to take time out of my busy schedule to read something that is interesting.”  So here’s the thing – what you write has to be interesting!  It doesn’t have to be funny (although that is my natural style of writing – so for me that helps), but it does have to be something that they want to read, something that is perhaps unique or something that is new or even something that is satiric.  Even if the topic is one that the whole world is familiar with, make it interesting, look at it from a different perspective or from a different angle.  Even if you use ‘your observation’ as the foundation of your blog make sure that it is interesting and full of information,

Next time we will look at a few more points about 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 - Don't get lost in the day to day stuff

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 137

Don’t get lost in the day to day stuff

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. November   2009

I see it all around me all of the time and quite frankly it was one of the reasons that I started this Networking blog in the first place.  What on earth is  she talking about, you must be wondering – well it’s quite simply this, all SMME’s/Entrepreneurs get caught up in the day to day running of their businesses and/or dealing with one crisis after another.  This usually means that they often cannot see the wood for trees and then bad decisions are made with bad solutions being brought into place and these of course have really bad consequences.

We get lost in our own minds and head space and I have even, on occasion heard someone say that they felt ‘lonely’ in business.  We get this whole mentality that it’s us against the world, us all on our lonesome!  What about the “I am an island” syndrome – I wonder how many times I had to hear that particular phrase?

Here’s the thing though, we are not alone, much as we would often like to do the dramatic “woe is me” thing and play the ‘victim/martyr’ role.  The reality is that we are really not alone.  Every small business owner/entrepreneur out there has gone through/is going through/will go through, exactly what you and I are going through right now!  How presumptuous of us to think that we are so completely special in the grand scheme of things, that we get to do things differently. 

Not only are we not intrinsically different to every other SMME/Entrepreneur out there, but we also don’t have to try and do it on our own, even if we are the only person in our businesses.  How’s that for a statement?

You see, that is the beauty of Networking.  We can interact with others who are going through what we are going through – others from businesses that are completely different to ours and even others from businesses that are very similar if not the same as ours.  We can learn from each other, we can learn together, we can brainstorm and find suitable solutions for ourselves and for others.  We can share information and ideas and we can keep each other grounded.

We can look out for each other and be a guiding light when someone else loses their way and starts to feel alone.

This is one of the reasons that Networking, for me is one of the most powerful tools in my 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

Business Tips - Social Media, What Gives

BUSINESS TIPS – Social Media – What Gives?


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – December 2011

Many of my clients seem  to be tearing their hair out because of staff taking time away from their designated jobs to ‘play’ on the social media sites or incessantly chat on their cell phones.

Twenty years ago Social Media was simply the radio or television and was relatively harmless to business – I mean it was quite easy to ensure that staff were not glued to the TV or the radio.  With the introduction of WWW (World Wide Web) and the internet however, things have changed drastically and currently employers are bearing the brunt of it.

Today we have all sorts of distractions such as (but not limited to) Facebook and Twitter and don’t forget BBM (Blackberry Messenger)!  According to an article written by Jan Du Toit entitled “Social Media: Guidelines on the policy for employees using social media for non-business purposes”, employees spend as much as 79% of their business day, playing on social networking and/or gaming sites. Never mind the work that doesn’t get done, there is also the cost of the resource that the company will ultimately be responsible for.  Just how long can any company, regardless of its’ size, continue doing business under these circumstances – my guess is not very long at all.

There have also been reported incidents where employees have been dismissed because of how they have disparaged bosses and/or colleagues and/or clients, publically – what kind of damage does that do to the reputation of the company as well as the individual?  Yes, technology has advanced us as a species into a wonderful world, where there is so much to explore and learn – sadly, it has also caused huge problems in terms of the way that it is being abused by individuals who have no control over their own actions and who are addicted to the games or the interaction.  Sadly many of us find that are lives are now governed by gadgets.

It is obvious, that in order for SME’s (small, medium enterprises) as well as big corporate companies, to survive the technical revolution, certain measures need to be implemented to ensure that staff spend their work time actually working and not playing in their personal capacities.  Enter the Social Media Policy.  This will set clear guidelines to ensure that staff do not abuse company resources and provide clear definitions between what is and isn’t allowed. 

Here are some of the types of  issues that would need to be addressed:

If the employee is using media sites for business purposes, they must be aware of and clear on (but not limited to):

-    Which social media sites can be used and when.
-    The legality of postings and whether they are ethical or disrespectful and disparaging.
-    The company’s confidentiality policy should not be breeched, this should include the personal details of management, colleagues and even clients and suppliers.
-    Company details and information should be correctly disclosed, and only the official company logo should be used.
-    In terms of compliance or legislation, it is also a good idea to ensure that all copyright laws are adhered to.
-    Media type statements and/or public postings should always first be cleared by the employer and/or his/her designate.
-    etc.

For employees using the internet, social media (including cell phones and IM {instant messages applications}), they should be (but not limited to).

-    Company policy on the use of company equipment as well as what social sites can be used and when
-    Company confidentiality policy must not be breeched in any way, so company information must be kept safe
-    The company code of conduct should be upheld
-    Employees should only post in their personal capacities and not on ‘behalf of’ the company, their colleagues, clients and/or service providers and suppliers.
-    Usage of cellphones should also be included here.
-    Etc.

Furthermore, employees should be made aware of the consequences, should they fail to comply with the policy and a reminder that internet and e-mail and in the case of company cell phones, usage can and will be monitored.

It’s also a good idea to include this on the letter/contract of appointment, making sure that employees understand that when they sign their letters/contract, they also give employers permission to monitor the internet/e-mail/cell phone usage of the employer.

Please contact Nikki, if you require assistance with this policy and/or any other policies/procedures/templates that you may require.

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 – Accepting Responsibility

MOTIVATION – Accepting Responsibility


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – August 2009

Les Brown says “Accept responsibility for your life.  Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go – no one else.”

Man, oh man – I love this.  You can’t even begin to understand how I so relate to this?

I am so sick and tired of hearing stuff like “He made me do it” or “I didn’t have a choice” or even “It was the voices in my head – they made me do it.”

What a load of BS!

What is it about the world today that no-one wants to take responsibility for their own actions?

We have become a generation of individuals who hide our inadequacies behind the backs of any scapegoat that we find along the way.

I am often left completely speechless by the lengths that people go to in an attempt to escape their accountability.

Why is this?  Is it because we are afraid of what the consequences are?  Is it because we are afraid of what the consequences will do to our precious credibility or is it perhaps that we are cowards and that it is easier to follow the path of many of our leaders and politicians?  It is easier to place all the blame on others or to make excuses than it is to stand up and admit our faults, like the person caught speeding who blames the traffic police for catching him, rather than himself for breaking the speed limit.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to the basics.  Go back to the time that when a person gave their word, it was their bond, when deals were struck on the strength of a hand shake.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to when people had morals and values and when the “What’s in it for me” took into account everybody who had contributed.

Perhaps it is really time to go back to when people took responsibility for their actions and/or inactions and accepted the consequences by being accountable.

Perhaps . . .  yes, perhaps!

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 - To Smoke or Not to Smoke

ARTICLE 48

To Smoke or Not to Smoke

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC December 2009

This is one article that really is going to upset a lot of people and yet also make a lot of people very happy.  This is definitely one for the employer!

As an ex smoker myself, I am constantly aware of all the smoke, the cigarette smoke, the cigar smoke and even the pipe smoke that is constantly around me, invading my space.  I am aware of the damage that I have done to myself and the damage that smokers are doing to themselves (and us ‘passive’ smokers too) on a daily basis.

As a business owner, I am also aware of the fact that I have to protect my staff from smokers in terms of the Tobacco Products Control Act.  As you are all aware I am sure, there is “No Smoking” allowed in public places – restaurants and pubs have to have designated smoking areas and smoking is not allowed in malls and indeed in most office buildings.

Here’s the thing though, no where in the law does it state that as an employer, I have to pander to the smoking requirements of my smoking staff! I don’t have to give my employees ‘smoke breaks’, in fact I can actually make them work the time in that they take as ‘smoke breaks’ without having to pay them any kind of overtime at all or alternatively, I can tally up all the time that the smoker used on ‘smoke breaks’ and deduct it from their wages at the end of the week and/or from their salaries at the end of the month!  How cool is that?

I can ban smoking from the building altogether and I can choose exactly which area can be used for smoking purposes and there is no where that it is written that I have to provide shelter from the elements either.  So if I choose to designate the car park as the smoking area and it is bucketing with rain – well quite frankly, sorry for you!

Think about it for a moment, as an employer I don’t have to provide my alcoholic employee with a ‘drinks break’ so why would I feel the need to supply my smoker with a ‘smoke break’ particularly if I am as anti smoking as most other ‘ex smokers’?  Both are addictions?  Both take time out of the workplace which impacts on the bottom line and both have serious health implications.

Now surely that is an incentive for smokers to quit, whilst they are still ahead!

 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 6

BLOGGING TIPS – The Content – Part 6


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC June  2010

Many of us read a huge number of blogs everyday.  In fact, many of us get all our information in an electronic format. I know I do – it’s easier to get the daily news that way – I get to read it when it’s convenient for me to do so.  I get IOL (Information on Line) as well as Mail and Guardian twice a day – that’s reading 4 newspapers a day (and I don’t kill any trees either) as well as several monthly and even weekly newsletters that I subscribe to.  That’s a huge amount of reading and a huge amount of information, don’t you think?

When you consider however that according to statistics over 900K posts are uploaded everyday, together, what you and I read is a drop in the ocean actually.  That said, I do have a day job and cannot (as much as I would like to) spend the whole day reading – so it is very important for me to choose newsletters or blogs that give me information that is relevant to me.

Catching my eye and getting me to subscribe to your blog is difficult at best but getting me to stick around and religiously read all of your articles or ‘wonder of wonders’ eagerly await the next one, is your greatest challenge.

Herein lies your personal challenge – you have worked hard to cultivate and grow your audience – you have to work even harder to keep them enthralled!

For me, staying true to my topic, is what will ensure that I bring my readers back time and time again.  The information that I provide and the fact that I share my knowledge, my experience, my expertise and my research, makes me a very empowered entity.

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 - Be Prepared

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 116

Be Prepared

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2009

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Be prepared, act confident and have your business cards at the ready.”

“Be Prepared” – not something that is hugely difficult, I am sure that you would agree, yet you cannot begin to believe the number of times that I go to a Networking event (not to even mention any other kind of event), where the whole idea of the event is to actually Network and people don’t have their cards with them.  I was at a ‘Networking’ breakfast the other morning and sat at a table with nine other people – only one had a business card on her.  I shook my head in absolute wonderment – there I was, dolling out bits of paper for people to write their contact details down on.

Ladies, I am sure that you wouldn’t leave home to go to any kind of event without ensuring that you have make up on, at the very least, and gents – I am sure that you wouldn’t leave home without your wallet – yet people to go Networking events, specifically put together, often at great expense for you to Network and build relationships and not a card in sight!  What a waste of a perfectly great opportunity!

Really, think about it – carefully.  If you want to make the most of every opportunity that could present itself to you and I am sure you would agree that you cannot presume where that may be, then you really do need to be prepared.  Being prepared doesn’t mean like being prepared for a boardroom presentation, it quite simply means always having a business card or two on you. Always, always, always – have your business cards on hand.  Keep a supply in your car, so that if you don’t perhaps have one in your handbag or wallet that you can, if necessary run out to the car and get one.

So ‘be prepared’ and by being prepared you can be confident and look around you – can you see that opportunity?  I can!

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at 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

Business Tips - Managing Your Business - Part 5

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 5


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2011

Irrespective of how ‘uncertain’ times are and how difficult it is to get the business in or make the sale, or how much you have downscaled the expenses, the fact of the matter is that you have to keep your staff motivated if you want to still get the business in and the orders processed.  Clearly I am not talking only of the sales staff here!

Here’s the thing, if you have cut back and trimmed away as much as you should have and tightened your belt as far as it can be tightened, then most if not all of your staff have taken over some (if not all) of the duties of the staff who have left and usually for no additional remuneration.  That means that you need to implement some sort of reward system to motivate them.  This is where you have to get creative, as you may not be able to reward them financially. There are many perks that don’t necessarily cost the company a lot of money but could have huge beneficial implications to the staff.  Things like, introducing flexitime, so that they spend less time in traffic and therefore have more quality family time or even, if it can be done, allowing them to work from home.  This could result in you renting out your excess office space and your staff member spending less on fuel and toll fees – a win/win situation, I am sure you will agree.  Rather get rid of the ‘dead wood’ and poor performers and reward those who have invested themselves in your company and who work effectively and efficiently. Poor performers and ‘dead wood’ take up a huge amount of management time and ultimately increase costs in more ways than one.

One of the quickest ways to decrease costs and increase productivity is to ensure that your operational costs are kept to a minimum.  Machinery should be well and regularly maintained to optimise efficient use and processes implemented and properly managed to ensure that both quantity and quality of output.  This should also be measured to ensure that it is of the highest standard.  Regular review of processes and procedures to ensure that they are both effective and efficient and that they comply with legislation will also ensure that workflow output is optimised and constant and that fines or penalties are not levied against you for non-compliance.

Finally, “always keep your enemies close”.  Make sure that you know what your competition is doing to ensure that you are doing things better, more efficiently and more effectively.  Make sure that your always give value for money and that you operate from a place of integrity and honestly with your clients, your suppliers and your staff.

In your Business – honestly really is the best policy!

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 - Acceptance and Change

MOTIVATION – Acceptance or Change


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from an anonymous wise person who says “Life can either be accepted or changed.  If it is not accepted, it must be changed.  If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”

Man, oh man!  I can just see all the heads a nodding in agreement.  Well here’s the kicker – the next time I hear any of you complain about something, I am going to remind you of this message!

Instead of complaining and moaning and groaning about the economy, the interest rates, the government, the tax man (insert anything you like here), find a way to change it.

If it is the economy – look for innovative ways to do business – notice, I did not say look for illegal ways to do business!  There are a million and one opportunities out there – find one the suits you and change your mind set to make it work for you.

How about the interest rates – well it is my understanding (and I am no economist here) that the rates are put up to combat inflation.  The reasons that we have inflation are many – one I know is because we here in South Africa, live on credit.  So spend less on credit, try and pay off more of your debt so that you can become debt free and find a way to start a savings account.  If we all did this we would certainly be a lot better.

The government – well here’s a fun one!  Certainly here in South Africa we live in very interesting times in terms of what is going to happen come 2016.  Make the effort – find out who is offering what, back a party and actually go and vote.  How can you complain about the government and what it has and hasn’t done, if you didn’t vote?

The tax man – this is one of my favorite’s!  You see the tax man makes money for me!  Yes he does, because I have learnt how to manage my VAT – so instead of me groaning and moaning every second month because I can’t find the money to pay the VAT man, I now celebrate because of how much the VAT man has ‘paid’ me to be a VAT vendor.

So come on people, I challenge you – find a way to make a change and in making a change, make a difference and if you seriously cannot do anything to change the situation, have the grace to accept it, make your peace with it and get on with the business of life!

Don’t let situations or issues control your life – take ownership of your life and make sure that you control the situations and issues in your own life.

Let’s start 2016 on the right foot, going in the right direction – find a way to change something or make a difference every day of your life, even if that difference is to you.  You’ll find that it is not that difficult to do.

Wishing you all the very best, in advance for 2016 – let’s make a difference!

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

HR 101 - Preparing for Disputes - Part 2

ARTICLE 47

Preparing for Disputes – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC November 2009

Following on from last time, today we are going to look at some of the most typical and also most important issues that can be discussed at the ‘pre-meeting’.

Some of the most typical and also important issues that are or can be dealt with are (but not limited to):

•    Any means by which the dispute may be settled.  Both parties would be expected to express exactly what they are wanting that would give them a sense of vindication.  It is often at this point that an “out of court” settlement is reached and agreed to and once this agreement has been signed, the arbitration hearing would therefore  be totally unnecessary .
•    Facts that are the common cause.  In some cases it is the ‘straw that breaks the camels back’ that mess the whole works up and it is easier and more beneficial to all parties to get consensus on these and to agree to the facts up front. Issues such as (but not limited to)
+    the exact date that an employee was employed
    +    the exact date that the employee was dismissed
    +    the exact reason for the dismissal
    Here’s the thing – the more issues that can be agreed upon before the hearing, the less time (and expense) will be needed to establish the facts during the hearing.
•    Facts that are in dispute.  These are usually the issues that the parties cannot or will not agree on.  These are issues such as (but not limited to)
    +    the employees benefits
    +    the employees package
    +    the employees remuneration
    +    whether the treatment by the employer was fair and/or unfair.
    It may also include issues such as whether the employee was at the workplace on the day that the incident took place and so on.

Often at this point the parties may agree that the arbitrator will need to decide if the dismissal was procedurally fair or unfair and also whether it was substantively unfair.

•    Precise Relief claimed.   Usually this is the discussion that takes place that highlights whether the employee wants to be re-instated or whether they want some kind of financial compensation. 

    It is also at this stage that the sharing and exchange of documents takes place and one ‘common’ bundle of documents can be compiled.  Parties fighting about documents and their contents or lack thereof take up huge amounts of time and getting this resolved up front and beforehand makes life a lot easier and it will also greatly reduce the amount of time that is spent in the actual hearing.

Both parties should of course, document the entire meeting, making sure that all the issues that they have agreed to are correctly recorded as well as all the issues that were not agreed on.  These minutes can then be signed off on by both parties that then can also be presented to the arbitrator who will use them to get a clear idea of key issues that are relevant to the case.

Be careful though that you don’t give away too much of your case.  It is for this very reason that it is in your own interests to use someone who is an expert in Labour Law and it’s relevant processes and the negotiation thereof.  If you don’t and the whole thing goes pear-shaped, it could cost you a great deal of 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

Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 4

BLOGGING TIPS – The Content – Part 5

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC May  2010

One of my greatest complaints about blogs and  . . . well any kind of written piece actually, is the language or terminology that is used.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am definitely not talking about foul (bad) language or disparaging remarks of any kind, I am talking about the frustratingly difficult terminology that some folk use to try and impress.

Quite frankly, I am the least impressed and all that they really achieve is bamboozle those that they are actually wanting to reach out to and they seriously confuse the rest of us.

What’s the deal anyway?  Why is it necessary to use big words that often don’t even mean what you want to convey, instead of just telling it like it is?  It becomes a whole ‘bullshit baffles brains’ (and we all know exactly what that means) kind of article.

What does it mean anyway, if I know big words and use them?  What have I proved at the end of the day?  Pretty much nothing hey!

Most likely, I have chased a whole lot of potential readers away.  Most probably, they will never return again and it’s very, very  likely that they will go elsewhere to feed their information requirements.

Using big words, when a little one explains so much more, just shows in my opinion, that you are perhaps just a little frightened of being . . .  well you.

Playing ‘devil’s advocate’ however, means that I get to share some of my favorite words that are no longer used much anymore in today’s terms.

Words like “umbrage” and “pontificate” have a sense of the dramatic and they conjure pictures of long lost days and ‘throwing down the gauntlet’ and honor amongst men (and women too) and . . .  see there I go again.

Using simple words that everyone can understand on a topic that you are passionate about in a field that you are the expert in (or that you have hopefully done the research on) is all that you really need to get the reader interested and sure to keep coming back.

So keep it simple!

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

Networking 101 - Be Selective

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 128

Be Selective

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. September  2009

When I first embarked on my Networking journey, several years ago, I was so hyped up by my very first meeting and all the wonderful opportunities that I could see opening up before me, that I rushed off to every single meeting that I could find.  In fact it became so bad that on some days I attended a breakfast meeting, a lunch meeting and a late afternoon meeting.

That wasn’t the worst of it either!  I would rush around frenetically after the meeting collecting as many business cards as I could possibly get hold of.  During the next couple of days I would frantically call every everyone and book appointments to meet with people and have a ‘one-on-one’ to ascertain where I could be of assistance to them.  I knew instinctively that I had to meet with people individually to make the whole networking thing work – but I wasn’t satisfied until every single available spot in my diary was full.  Hell, I was busy and if I could have charged for every single hour that I was booked to meet with people I would have made an absolute fortune – if the truth be told, if I had charged for every single hour that people did not pitch I would have made a decent living!

I learnt very quickly though, that having a full diary does not mean that you will have a full bank account.

Having a full diary also means that there is no time to get on with the work that you have painfully secured for paying clients – it means that you have to pull all nighters and you have to work weekends and it also means that you mess with your ability to deliver!

Having a full diary, for an introvert is also really scary and not a good thing and pretty soon, I was absolutely frazzled.  I felt like the planet needed to be stopped and I needed to get off – for a very long time.

What needed to stop though, was me Networking for the sake of Networking.  I needed to plan things properly in order to give me time to get my work done for paying clients and also have enough time left over for  me to be quietly on my own in order for me to charge my own batteries.

Nowadays, my networking habits are a lot different.  Although I belong to many different
Networking groups, I try not to attend more than one a week on average.  I don’t ask for cards unless the synergy is immediate and clearly apparent (not only for me to do business with them but also for me to connect them up with someone who may need their services).  If someone gives me a card, I will always accept it – after all, the Universe knows a lot more than what I do and there is always a reason for me to receive that card.

I now also only book meeting one day a week.  I try and book them so that we meet in the same place.  This means that I am not running around in between meetings and I am now optimizing my time more effectively.  I schedule time for clients and I schedule time for me.

Make no mistake, my diary still looks full – the difference now is that it is a more ‘balanced’ full.

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

Business Tips - Managing Your Business - part 4

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2011
We’ve looked at Managing your cash flow and making sure that your margins are where they should be, as well as ensuring that you are meeting your client’s needs.  Today we will have a look at ‘managing your working capital’ and your advertising.
First off, let’s have a look at your ‘Working Capital Management’. Ensuring that you manage your working capital correctly, will have quite an effect on your cash flow as it ‘releases’ monies that would normally go towards expenses.  Let me explain – your clients pay you 30 days, but your suppliers want payment up front.  This means that you are carrying the whole thing financially on your own (it will also have an impact on your risk management too).  By negotiating better payment terms with your suppliers and/or your clients, you will decrease your risk and have a better cash flow situation and a stronger working capital, which could go towards growth and/or expansion.
Other critical areas to look at are (but not limited to), your debtors list.  Make sure that you follow up outstanding or overdue accounts on a regular basis and don’t be scared to put ‘errant’ clients on ‘hold’ or in extreme cases, even firing them.  Remember this is your business and you make the rules. 
Stock is also something that needs to be managed both effectively and efficiently as this is one of the first areas that you will experience losses when there is  downturn in the economy (ok, if the truth be told this is all the time, not only when things become a bit rough).  So stock needs to be properly controlled to ensure that the shrinkage is kept to a minimum and that stock levels are kept to acceptable levels.  Too much or too little stock on hand also has its own consequences.  Oh, and don’t forget to make sure that your stock is properly and adequately insured and that (particularly with perishables) that the FIFO (first in first out) method is used, that way you will not end up with stock that has expired.
One of the first things that seem to go for a ball of chalk when times are tough is your advertising.  This is not good at all.  Think about it logically and calmly for a moment. Taking your marketing out of the equation means that less and less customers are going to know about you and less and less customers are therefore going to buy from you! Crazy that -  you are wanting to increase your sales, which means your marketing and advertising should increase.
By all means, modify the way that you market yourself.  Cut down on say, using the big PR agencies (or any agency for that matter) and try and do things for yourself.  Get an e-mail campaign going or use the social networking sites and twitter to drive people to your website.  Start a newsletter and give ‘useful’ information to your clients. Make sure that you are still in the forefront of their minds and that they don’t forget you and go to your opposition or competitors as a result of this.
So change the way that your market yourself, if you must, but ensure that the amount of marketing increases rather than decreases.
Next time we will have a look at some of the other issues around what to do when your business is going through a tough 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

MOTIVATION – Lack of . . .

MOTIVATION –  Lack of  . . .

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – July 2011

Ken Hakuta says “Lack of money is no obstacle.  Lack of an idea is an obstacle.”

Well I am not sure if “Lack of money” is not an obstacle – ask anyone who doesn’t have any (and I’m not talking about ‘having enough’ here) and I am sure that they will see it as a huge challenge!  I do get what he is trying to say though – it is about not having any money and having no idea about where/how you are going to get some or make some – now that is the biggest obstacle for sure!

For me, I guess, it still is all about having the dream and making the right choices in order to turn that dream into a reality and that is the biggest obstacle.  Taking something that you are really passionate about, that is fun for you to do and then turning it into a money spinner – now that is the greatest challenge for me.

You see, whilst I am doing what I love, the last thing on my mind is money. I’m just enjoying the experience, loving every single minute of it.  Think for a moment about an artist – drawing and painting is something that they have to do in order to fullfil themselves – their most basic needs. I doubt very much that they can stop the flow of their artistic endeavours, no matter how hard you tried.  As they work on their canvasses or drawing books, all of their senses come alive as they watch the lines on the page or the strokes of the brush, turn whatever the picture they have in their heads into something that everybody can see – the beauty of art.  I guarantee you, that whilst they are revealing in the beauty of what they are busy creating, the last thing on their minds is money – it’s perhaps thinking about what to add to get that colour just right, or how to shade that section in order to highlight the focus of this limb.  No, it’s got nothing to do with money at all.  In fact, I would go so far as to say, that many artists are so emotionally attached to some of their paintings and drawings that it is almost physically impossible for them to sell their work – for them it is the same as selling one of their children.

Yet that is exactly that is what they have to do, in order to make the money for them to then purchase the supplies in order for them to once again use their talents, their passion and to make their ideas and their dreams into a reality and so the cycle continues.

Sometimes, I really do think that it may be easier to just work at a job that is completely mindless, but that pays a good wage, that I don’t have to be emotionally invested in – you know the one – the ‘other people’s idea/passion’ one.  Fortunately it always comes to me as a fleeting thought, because then I think about it carefully and I know and understand that they days that I worked in Corporate are over.  The days that I worked making other people’s ideas and dream a reality are over.  The days that I worked and in so doing, fanned the flames of someone else’s passion, are over.

These days I find my own ideas, I work with my own passion, with love and the same kind of amazement that artists have when they look at the beauty of the painting or the drawing that they have just completed and they think “Wow – did I do that?”

Does money have a place in there – absolutely!  I have to make the money in order to be able to indulge myself in doing the things that I love. As difficult as the lesson was, has been and continues to be, I do understand that I have to think about money and ‘sell’ the ideas.

Using my passion and love for what I do is immensely rewarding on so many different levels and one of them is being able to pay the bills too.

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 - Preparing for Disputes - Part 1

ARTICLE 47

Preparing for Disputes – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC November 2009

Over the last few months, I have been inundated with clients who have had the need to discipline staff.  In every single instance, although I have previously taken them through the “how to” and the “what to” with their staffing challenges, they have chosen not to listen to or take my advice. The result now is that they are deep in the smelly brown stuff and getting them out of it is going to be expensive.  Had they but listened in the first place, none of this would have happened and they certainly would not have been in the space that they have now found themselves in.

In all of the instances, a huge amount of time and resources, not to mention cost has been spent to ensure that the damage is now contained and that it does not spiral out of control.

Preparation of documents and a comprehensive documented statement of account is vital, so ensuring that the telling of the story and how it unfolded is critical and whilst it is always a good idea to leave ‘emotions’ at the door, explaining how you felt, your perceptions and expectations is always a good thing.

Having your story backed up with documentation is extremely useful, but having witnesses who can corroborate your story and the documents is even better and in all probability the most powerful thing of all.

Remember however, that a disciplinary hearing is still a process and it doesn’t matter how powerful your case is, you still have to follow the process, especially the most basic of all of the processes and they have to be followed completely and to the letter of the law.  Not doing so will actually make things a whole lot worse instead of better.  So please take notice of this.

From there, depending on the outcome of the findings, the dispute may be referred to the CCMA for conciliation, con-arb or arbitration.

Please be aware of the fact that should the dispute go to con-arb or arbitration, the responsibility of preparing the case properly will be yours. So if you are not sure of what to do make sure that you get someone who knows what they are doing to help you and guide you through the process.

The reason that you need to prepare yourself properly is because you can expect to go through a court type hearing with all the relevant proceedings and processes.  You see you will not only have to present your evidence in a manner that is professional, but yet concise and easy to understand – you will also have to respond to and try and counteract the evidence of your opponent, also in a profession manner.  You have to come across as believable and ensure that what you have to say bears merit rather than malice.

There may be a need for a “pre-arbitration” meeting with your adversary.  In many instances this type of meeting could in fact resolve the matter, thereby removing the need for an arbitration meeting altogether.  At worst the pre-arbitration meeting will assist in the reducing of time that it will take to complete the hearing and/or assist you in the preparation of the meeting.  For the record though, although the CCMA would like the parties to have a ‘pre-meeting’ and that it could be to your own advantage to do so, the fact of the matter is that it is not compulsory.

Next time we will look at some of the most typical and also most important issues that can be discussed at the ‘pre-meeting’.

 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 - Take Time to Take it all in

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 126

Take Time to Take it all in.

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. August  2009

I attended a workshop last week that was facilitated by Iain Johnston of Iain Johnston Consulting (http://www.ijc.co.za ) .  What an interesting time I had and I also got some great tips on all sorts of things from him too.

One of these tips was something along the lines of – when engaged in dialogue with someone, wait for 5 seconds after they have finished talking before you respond with your own comments.

There are several reasons for this, but one of the most important ones is that the other person really feels that, not have you heard everything that they have said, but that you are also really thoughtfully considering what they have said before you respond.  It’s like you are weighing up their words carefully.

It also makes them feel that you have taken a real interest in what they have to say rather than just waiting for them to pause for a breath before you jump right in with whatever you have to say.

In reality, what it actually does do, is give you a chance to formulate an intelligent response to what has just been said rather than you making a complete toss of yourself by firing off a response before you have even heard the end of the sentence.

I know that I am very guilty of this and always seem to be in a hurry to have my say.  Truth be told though, the other person also has the right to be heard and probably also has the same desire as I do, to be heard.

Jumping right off the mark like that may well mean that I get to ‘say my say’ really quickly, but it will not guarantee that my say is actually heard or even that if it is heard that it is understood and quite frankly what is the point of me having my say if it is not heard or understood.

So a huge big thank you to Iain for making me aware of this and in my new found awareness, my understanding of the fact that by slowing down and pausing before I jump right in, I will be Networking far more effectively.

By Networking more effectively, I will be building better and stronger relationships and better and stronger relationships will result in more and more sustainable business coming my way.

Bottom line, slow down – smell the roses, drink and savour the coffee.  Life was not meant to be lived at break neck speed.

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

Business Tips - Managing Your Business - Part 2

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 2


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – December 2010

As usual, let’s have a look at exactly what a “margin” is.  The Wiki says :
Profit margin, net margin, net profit margin or net profit ratio all refer to a measure of profitability. It is calculated by finding the net profit as a percentage of the revenue.

The profit margin is mostly used for internal comparison. It is difficult to accurately compare the net profit ratio for different entities. Individual businesses' operating and financing arrangements vary so much that different entities are bound to have different levels of expenditure, so that comparison of one with another can have little meaning. A low profit margin indicates a low margin of safety: higher risk that a decline in sales will erase profits and result in a net loss.

Profit margin is an indicator of a company's pricing strategies and how well it controls costs. Differences in competitive strategy and product mix cause the profit margin to vary among different companies.

The easiest way for me to remember it is that the margin is the difference (financially) between what everything cost (not only materials, but also time and expenses [for me as a service type business] and research, printing, paper, ink etc.) and what I charge.  If your margins are too low, you will never make a profit and on the other hand if you set your margins too high, you run the risk of never making a sale – it’s a delicately balanced scenario!

Essentially there are two ways to increase your margins (profit margins) and those are either to cut costs or cut prices.  In order to know which one to do it is obviously essential that you focus on your margins on a regular basis and also on what the current economic trends are as it is not always a good thing to cut prices, although it is always a good thing to cut costs, as long as that does not interfere with the quality.

Sometimes increasing the price of your services and/or your product has a powerful statement attached to it – it says “I’m worth it” or “the product is worth it”.  I know that when I started out, I had nothing to compare my services to and the result is that I used my corporate ‘salary’ as a gauge to set my hourly rates – wow, was that ever a big mistake.  I priced myself far too low and the result is that I attracted many clients, all of who desperately needed by expertise, but all of who could not afford me!  Within 24 months I had doubled my hourly rate and I was attracting clients who not only needed me, but who could also afford me.

In this particular instance, me raising my charges had an incredibly powerful effect – it said ‘this is what I am worth’ and the psychological effect on me, as an individual, was incredible. Before, even though my prices were very low, I was chasing business by giving discounts, hoping to retain the very clients that could not afford my services in the first place – that was a very costly mistake – I wrote off a lot of money to bad debt.

Nowadays, if I am going to give a discount – it is because there is a huge value to me and it is based on a whole different set of criteria, such as (but not limited to) early or timeous payment etc.

Cutting costs is definitely the best way to increase your margins and thereby increase your profits.  This is not always an easy thing to do particularly in tough times, when you are looking at staff and salaries.  You have to divorce yourself from the emotions and look at the cold hard facts.  Can you do without this particular function being performed by a single person, in other words “Don’t make it about a person or personal”, but rather about what’s good for the Company.  If you have two people doing work that can be done by one person, then it stands to reason that you only need to employ one person – don’t get sucked into the emotional side of things.

Keeping your costs to a minimum and your clients to a maximum is therefore the best way to ensure that your margin remains on track and is the best way to meet and even surpass your budget requirements.

Next time we will have a look at your customers.

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 . . . . Staff Take Time Off

ARTICLE 45 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Staff Take Time Off

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC November 2009

Once again the issue of what and how much time can be taken by employees has come up.  There always seems to be so much confusion around this issue – here are the facts.

Annual Leave – This is a legal requirement
In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCOA), employees are entitled to a minimum of 15 working days per annum.  This is essentially the very minimum for employees that work an eight hour, five day week.  Obviously the longer their day or week the more leave that they are entitled to.

When leave can be taken and the procedures for completing leave forms and authorization therefore needs to be documented into a “Leave Policy”.

Sick Leave – This is a legal requirement
Again the BCOA is quite specific.  Rule of thumb is as follows:  If you take the number of days that your employees generally work over a six week period, that is the number of days that they are entitled to take over a three year period.

So for example, if your employee works a five day week for six weeks, this culminates to thirty days.  Therefore your employee is entitled to take thirty days sick leave over a three year period.
Obviously issues like doctor’s certificates and leave forms should also be taken into account and these requirements should be documented when you are putting your leave policy together.

Please remember that employees need to be reminded that “Sick Leave” cannot be accumulated. If it is not taken it is lost.

Maternity Leave – This is a legal requirement.
In terms of the NCOA, female employees are entitled to four months maternity leave.  At this particular point in time, this is unpaid, however should the Company elect to put the employee on some sort of remuneration or even fully paid maternity leave, they are entitled to do so.  Remember though that once the precedent is set, it needs to be consistently maintained.

As usual the Company’s requirements as well as the rules pertaining to ‘what to do’ when applying for maternity leave should be included in your leave policy.

Family Responsibility Leave – This is a legal requirement.
The BCOA allows for three days in any given year.  There are several requirements as to when and under which conditions this leave can be taken.  The BCOA have the basic requirements, however that said, as long as the basics are met and complied with the number of days as well as the requirements can be extended by the employer.

The BCOA stipulates that Family Responsibility leave can be taken by employees, in relation to the immediate family as defined by the law.  The exact requirements together with the relevant documentary evidence should be included in the Company’s Leave Policy.

Please remember that employees need to be reminded that “Family Responsibility Leave” cannot be accumulated. If it is not taken it is lost.

These are all of the leave applications that are required by law.  Other leave requirements such as (but not limited to):

Paternity Leave
Study Leave
Unpaid Leave

May very well be included in the Company policy, however this is not a legal requirement and is at the discretion of the employer.

Remember though, if you are not sure about what the requirements are, contact a Labour specialist – don’t just guess.  Guessing will usually end up costing you 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

Blogging 101 - The Content - Part 3

BLOGGING TIPS – The Content – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC 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 makes 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 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

Networking 101 - Prepare your Elevator Speech

THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 125

Prepare your Elevator Speech

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – August 2009

Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:

“Prepare you elevator speech.  Who are you?  Where do you work?  What benefit is what you do to the person you are speaking with?”

There seems to a great deal of confusion as to what information should be included in an elevator pitch.  Before I go into more detail about what it is, let me just be clear about exactly what it isn’t.

It is NOT an opportunity for you to tell your life story, explain in minute detail how you got to the point in your life where you currently are.  It is not about your hopes, your dreams and your aspirations.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest – what it is, is a short one to two liner exactly as Renate lists it.

What is your name?
Who do you work for?
What do you do?
What is the benefit of your product and/or service?

It really is that simple – any more and your elevator speech becomes a lecture – any less and in all probability, no one will understand what it is that you are trying to get across.

Here’s the thing though – you really have to have something that sets you apart from the rest and you really have to practice it so that when you deliver it in front of a huge crowd of people, you sound like you know what you are talking about.

Imagine if you will, a room full of people and there are 5 bookkeepers.   What makes each one unique and believe me they are?  It might be that one specializes in tax or one deals mainly with payroll issues or one helps people to manage their own books.  Whatever sets you apart from the rest is “what is key” to your elevator pitch.  Whether it is something that is unique to your product and/or service or you or whether you make a statement that gets people thinking or makes them want to know more about you and what it is that you do – it’s about what makes you different.

Remember to keep it short – no more than 30 seconds or so.  Also, remember to keep it real – your integrity and credibility should never be in question or be brought into disrepute.

Now – where is that mirror to practice in front of?

For more information on Renate, please visit her website at 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

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 1

BUSINESS TIPS – Managing Your Business – Part 1


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – December 2010

Most will agree that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train and whilst the 2008 recession (such as it was) is now officially over, it will take the economy (read SMME’s) some time to rally, make a come-back and hopefully deposit us right back to where we were – obviously not in terms of what caused the melt down in the first place, but certainly in terms of running productive, successful businesses.

I know that I really had to ‘grit’ my teeth and bear it for a few months – you know what I mean – the uncertainty of money coming in or getting work in or making the sale and so on.

Fact of the matter is , that when you are in the dwang – that’s exactly where you are and sometimes it is just a matter of waiting it out.  There are a number of tips though, that will help and guide you through, should you find yourself in difficult and/or trying times.  Actually it is not a bad thing to get yourself in the habit of doing these all the time – bad or good times.

Finance
For me, if you have lost control of your finances, then you have lost control of your business.  I think that most people, when they think of business finances, what they think about are the books and whilst I agree with that on some level, I also want to make it very clear that the books are ‘reactive’. By that I mean that they are ‘in the past’ – what is contained in your books has already happened.  Cash flow, on the other hand, governs what is happening right now.

Think about it for a moment – it doesn’t matter how many people owe you money, or who have promised to pay you – the bottom line is that when you look at your bank account, it is about what is actually there (less what needs to be paid out) that actually counts.  So it stands to reason that the cash flow needs to be properly managed and should be discussed at every management meeting.  If, like me, you are on your own, it is a good idea to make time (at least weekly) to check up and see what is going on.

Make sure that the Management Accounts are monitored on a regular basis and that they are consistently checked for issues such as the key ratios, this will assist in enabling you to identify trends earlier, when you can still do something about them, rather than later, when you are already in the smelly brown stuff.  Updating your cash flow forecasts on a regular basis will also assist in ensuring that you are ahead of the game – remember to watch the sensitive bits – issues like a change in the exchange rate or a price hike in fuel could have a huge effect on your margins.

Next time we will have a closer look at margins.


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 - Ability

MOTIVATION – ABILITY


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from Stevie Wonder, who says “We all have the ability.  The difference is how we use it.”

There is a great advert on TV at the moment about talent.  It goes something along the lines of talent and whether we are born with it or not. It ends with something like, whether we are born with it or not, in order for it (whatever the talent happens to be) to happen we have to work at it.

Look at all the emerging actresses and actors that seem to be springing up lately, and let’s not forget the new singers and Idol contestants.  I know that I always think that they have just ‘sprung’ up out of no-where, but that is just because I haven’t seen them before.  It doesn’t mean that they have not been passionate about what they do since they were knee – high to a brick.  It doesn’t mean that they haven’t practiced it at every opportunity.

I mean do you really think that the winners of say “Idols”, or “You think you can dance”, woke up one morning and decided to enter a competition, without any kind of preparation, cracked the audition and actually made the finals or even won?  This is the real world – stuff like that just does not happen!  These people have worked day and night to get to the level of competency that they have achieved.  Whether they actually have the talent or the ability is largely dependent on how much effort they have put into or invested in it.

So now here’s a thought – what makes it any difference in business?  You may have the greatest widget ever invented or the best service in the world, but if you don’t work at it and get it out there, market it, brand it and get exposure to it, from as many people and/or organizations as possible, nothing is going to happen.

That is why it is so important to be passionate about what it is that you do – I could think of nothing worse than slogging day in and day out over something that I didn’t really believe in, or something that I didn’t even like (much less love) – quite frankly that would just be a huge waste of time and energy and would also be soul destroying.

So tell me, have you used your ability today and if so, how have you used your ability today?

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