In my bio is mentioned that “Neal is a pragmatic businessman, cut from entrepreneurial cloth”. Just like Richard Branson, I started out as an entrepreneur. But Branson did not remain an entrepreneur once he entered the Major League of Business. Neither did I when I entered the Big League. Of course, it is a nice marketing gimmick for the company to have Branson as the face of Virgin, and of course it is cool to have Branson portrayed as the proto-entrepreneur, but that all has to do with personal branding by Branson in order to push his company branding. The distinction between entrepreneurs and businessmen is the league they play in. Entrepreneurs can per definition set up businesses, but they are not necessarily capable to run them. Branson is a businessman, his executives and investors know that he has an amazing talent for business and execution.

In an article about entrepreneurship by The Economist (March 12th, 2009) I did not recognize myself as an entrepreneur, and that is no surprise. The descriptions set out by The Economist, however, are very correct. The Economist observed that entrepreneurs are:

1) driven by an inner force to start a business and unwilling to take “no” for an answer.
2) convinced that, against all the odds, they will be able to turn their dream into reality.
3) strongly attached to their companies. They habitually talk about “their babies”.
4) consistently bolder when making “hot” or risky decisions (compared to regular managers).

Oh, and they also 5) hate giving up control of their companies, even if they are no good at management.

Those statements are true; I was like that too. I did not and still do not take “no” for an answer, but an used-car salesman doesn’t either. I was and am also convinced that I will turn my dream into reality, but so are the athlete and the student (well, most of them). The real difference can be seen when analyzing the last three issues:

1. I used to talk about “my baby”, but I don’t anymore. Of course, I am fiercely passionate about my companies, especially iUHBA, but I don’t see it as my baby anymore since I realized that we sometimes have to amputate some parts of the body, and sometimes we have to entirely kill something off. In publishing there is a term, “kill your darlings” (derived from “murder your darlings“), which is as much oxymoronic wisdom as “don’t believe in your own bullshit”, but it is a truth. In business you will get hurt when you let your emotions play up. It can be fatal when you let your emotions take over.

2. I used to take risky decisions too. Honestly, I used to think that I made the greatest decisions possible because I was the wisest and brightest of all. But I have learned to listen to my board of advisors, board of directors, management team members and employees. Heck, I even listen to strangers. It doesn’t mean I can’t be decisive when I listen. It just makes for better informed and consensus decision-making.

3. Yes, no surprise… I hated giving up control, too. I thought nobody could run the company I founded as well and with as much dedication as I did, but the truth is different. When you reward your team with good equity stakes and a nice salary, they will be loyal and hard-working. Yes, I believe I am very capable of being the CEO, but I also known and understand that someone else, with greater years of experience, could get the same warmth for the company as I have. He (or she) doesn’t need to have that “fire in the belly”; one of us having it is enough.

At the end of the day the result is that I went broke several times and bankrupt twice… as an entrepreneur. I was this guy who gave himself huge self-importance and I saw my arrogance as self-confidence. As a businessman I will never go bankrupt again, and I see my self-confidence as an non-abstract tool to measure my behavior; it is no longer a given, it is that I first do something and then build the confidence around it, while an entrepreneur does it in the reverse way.

Author: Neal Lachman

Regardless of your definition of success, there are, oddly enough, a great number of common characteristics that are shared by successful businesspeople. You can place a check beside each characteristic that you feel that you possess. This way, you can see how you stack up. Even if you don’t have all of these characteristics, don’t fret. Most can be learned with practice and by developing a winning attitude, especially if you set goals and apply yourself, through strategic planning, to reach those goals in incremental and measurable stages.

The Home Business Musts
Like any activity you pursue, there are certain musts that are required to be successful in a chosen activity. To legally operate a vehicle on public roadways, one must have a driver’s license; to excel in sports, one must train and practice; to retire comfortably, one must become an informed investor and actively invest for retirement. If your goal is success in business, then the formula is no different. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed. There are many business musts, but this article contains I believe to be some of the more important musts that are required to start, operate and grow a profitable home business.

1. Do what you enjoy.
What you get out of your business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business. So if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, in all likelihood it’s safe to assume that will be reflected in the success of your business–or subsequent lack of success. In fact, if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, chances are you won’t succeed.

2. Take what you do seriously.
You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many home business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone. They also fall prey to naysayers who don’t take them seriously because they don’t work from an office building, office park, storefront, or factory. Little do these skeptics, who rain on the home business owner’s parade, know is that the number of people working from home, and making very good annual incomes, has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years.

3. Plan everything.
Planning every aspect of your home business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every home business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research. Business planning also serves a second function, which is having your goals and how you will achieve them, on paper. You can use the plan that you create both as map to take you from point A to Z and as a yardstick to measure the success of each individual plan or segment within the plan.

4. Manage money wisely.
The lifeblood of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all home business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid. There are two aspects to wise money management.

1.The money you receive from clients in exchange for your goods and services you provide (income)
2.The money you spend on inventory, supplies, wages and other items required to keep your business operating. (expenses).

5. Ask for the sale.
A home business entrepreneur must always remember that marketing, advertising, or promotional activities are completely worthless, regardless of how clever, expensive, or perfectly targeted they are, unless one simple thing is accomplished–ask for the sale. This is not to say that being a great salesperson, advertising copywriting whiz or a public relations specialist isn’t a tremendous asset to your business. However, all of these skills will be for naught if you do not actively ask people to buy what you are selling.

6. Remember it’s all about the customer.
Your home business is not about the products or services that you sell. Your home business is not about the prices that you charge for your goods and services. Your home business is not about your competition and how to beat them. Your business is all about your customers, or clients, period. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused, including your policies, warranties, payment options, operating hours, presentations, advertising and promotional campaigns and website. In addition, you must know who your customers are inside out and upside down.

7. Become a shameless self-promoter (without becoming obnoxious).
One of the greatest myths about personal or business success is that eventually your business, personal abilities, products or services will get discovered and be embraced by the masses that will beat a path to your door to buy what you are selling. But how can this happen if no one knows who you are, what you sell and why they should be buying?

Self-promotion is one of the most beneficial, yet most underutilized, marketing tools that the majority of home business owners have at their immediate disposal.

8. Project a positive business image.
You have but a passing moment to make a positive and memorable impression on people with whom you intend to do business. Home business owners must go out of their way and make a conscious effort to always project the most professional business image possible. The majority of home business owners do not have the advantage of elaborate offices or elegant storefronts and showrooms to wow prospects and impress customers. Instead, they must rely on imagination, creativity and attention to the smallest detail when creating and maintaining a professional image for their home business.

9. Get to know your customers.
One of the biggest features and often the most significant competitive edge the home based entrepreneur has over the larger competitors is the he can offer personalized attention. Call it high-tech backlash if you will, but customers are sick and tired of hearing that their information is somewhere in the computer and must be retrieved, or told to push a dozen digits to finally get to the right department only to end up with voice mail–from which they never receive a return phone call.

The home business owner can actually answer phone calls, get to know customers, provide personal attention and win over repeat business by doing so. It’s a researched fact that most business (80 percent) will come from repeat customers rather than new customers. Therefore, along with trying to draw newcomers, the more you can do to woo your regular customers, the better off you will be in the long run and personalized attention is very much appreciated and remembered in the modern high tech world.

10. Level the playing field with technology.
You should avoid getting overly caught up in the high-tech world, but you should also know how to take advantage of using it. One of the most amazing aspects of the internet is that a one or two person business operating from a basement can have a superior website to a $50 million company, and nobody knows the difference. Make sure you’re keeping up with the high-tech world as it suits your needs.. The best technology is that which helps you, not that which impresses your neighbors. 

11. Build a top-notch business team.
No one person can build a successful business alone. It’s a task that requires a team that is as committed as you to the business and its success. Your business team may include family members, friends, suppliers, business alliances, employees, sub-contractors, industry and business associations, local government and the community. Of course the most important team members will be your customers or clients. Any or all may have a say in how your business will function and a stake in your business future.

12. Become known as an expert.
When you have a problem that needs to be solved, do you seek just anyone’s advice or do you seek an expert in the field to help solve your particular problem? Obviously, you want the most accurate information and assistance that you can get. You naturally seek an expert to help solve your problem. You call a plumber when the hot water tank leaks, a real estate agent when it’s time to sell your home or a dentist when you have a toothache. Therefore, it only stands to reason that the more you become known for your expertise in your business, the more people will seek you out to tap into your expertise, creating more selling and referral opportunities. In effect, becoming known as an expert is another style of prospecting for new business, just in reverse. Instead of finding new and qualified people to sell to, these people seek you out for your expertise.

13. Create a competitive advantage.
A home business must have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. This is nothing more than a fancy way of asking the vital question, “Why will people choose to do business with you or purchase your product or service instead of doing business with a competitor and buying his product or service?” In other words, what one aspect or combination of aspects is going to separate your business from your competition? Will it be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalized service, better customer service, better return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these?

14. Invest in yourself.
Top entrepreneurs buy and read business and marketing books, magazines, reports, journals, newsletters, websites and industry publications, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of business and marketing functions and skills. They join business associations and clubs, and they network with other skilled business people to learn their secrets of success and help define their own goals and objectives. Top entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and training courses, even if they have already mastered the subject matter of the event. They do this because they know that education is an ongoing process. There are usually ways to do things better, in less time, with less effort. In short, top entrepreneurs never stop investing in the most powerful, effective and best business and marketing tool at their immediate disposal–themselves.

15. Be accessible.
We’re living in a time when we all expect our fast food lunch at the drive-thru window to be ready in mere minutes, our dry cleaning to be ready for pick-up on the same day, our money to be available at the cash machine and our pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it’s free. You see the pattern developing–you must make it as easy as you can for people to do business with you, regardless of the home business you operate.

You must remain cognizant of the fact that few people will work hard, go out of their way, or be inconvenienced just for the privilege of giving you their hard-earned money. The shoe is always on the other foot. Making it easy for people to do business with you means that you must be accessible and knowledgeable about your products and services. You must be able to provide customers with what they want, when they want it.

16. Build a rock-solid reputation.
A good reputation is unquestionably one of the home business owner’s most tangible and marketable assets. You can’t simply buy a good reputation; it’s something that you earn by honoring your promises. If you promise to have the merchandise in the customer’s hands by Wednesday, you have no excuse not to have it there. If you offer to repair something, you need to make good on your offer. Consistency in what you offer is the other key factor. If you cannot come through with the same level of service (and products) for clients on a regular basis, they have no reason to trust you . . . and without trust, you won’t have a good reputation.

17. Sell benefits.
Pushing product features is for inexperienced or wannabe entrepreneurs. Selling the benefits associated with owning and using the products and services you carry is what sales professionals worldwide focus on to create buying excitement and to sell, sell more, and sell more frequently to their customers. Your advertising, sales presentations, printed marketing materials, product packaging, website, newsletters, trade show exhibit and signage are vital. Every time and every medium used to communicate with your target audience must always be selling the benefits associated with owning your product or using your service.

18. Get involved.
Always go out of your way to get involved in the community that supports your business. You can do this in many ways, such as pitching in to help local charities or the food bank, becoming involved in organizing community events, and getting involved in local politics. You can join associations and clubs that concentrate on programs and policies designed to improve the local community. It’s a fact that people like to do business with people they know, like and respect, and with people who do things to help them as members of the community.

19. Grab attention.
Small-business owners cannot waste time, money and energy on promotional activities aimed at building awareness solely through long-term, repeated exposure. If you do, chances are you will go broke long before this goal is accomplished. Instead, every promotional activity you engage in, must put money back in your pocket so that you can continue to grab more attention and grow your business.

20. Master the art of negotiations.
The ability to negotiate effectively is unquestionably a skill that every home business owner must make every effort to master. It’s perhaps second in importance only to asking for the sale in terms of home business musts. In business, negotiation skills are used daily. Always remember that mastering the art of negotiation means that your skills are so finely tuned that you can always orchestrate a win-win situation. These win-win arrangements mean that everyone involved feels they have won, which is really the basis for building long-term and profitable business relationships.

21. Design Your workspace for success.
Carefully plan and design your home office workspace to ensure maximum personal performance and productivity and, if necessary, to project professionalism for visiting clients. If at all possible, resist the temptation to turn a corner of the living room or your bedroom into your office. Ideally, you’ll want a separate room with a door that closes to keep business activities in and family members out, at least during prime business and revenue generating hours of the day. A den, spare bedroom, basement or converted garage are all ideal candidates for your new home office. If this is not possible, you’ll have to find a means of converting a room with a partition or simply find hours to do the bulk of your work when nobody else is home.

22. Get and stay organized.
The key to staying organized is not about which type of file you have or whether you keep a stack or two of papers on your desk, but it’s about managing your business. It’s about having systems in place to do things. Therefore, you wan to establish a routine by which you can accomplish as much as possible in a given workday, whether that’s three hours for a part-time business or seven or nine hours as a full-timer. In fact, you should develop systems and routines for just about every single business activity. Small things such as creating a to-do list at the end of each business day, or for the week, will help keep you on top of important tasks to tackle. Creating a single calendar to work from, not multiple sets for individual tasks or jobs, will also ensure that jobs are completed on schedule and appointments kept. Incorporating family and personal activities into your work calendar is also critical so that you work and plan from a single calendar.

23. Take time off.
The temptation to work around the clock is very real for some home business owners. After all, you don’t have a manager telling you it’s time to go home because they can’t afford the overtime pay. Every person working from home must take time to establish a regular work schedule that includes time to stretch your legs and take lunch breaks, plus some days off and scheduled vacations. Create the schedule as soon as you have made the commitment to start a home business. Of course, your schedule will have to be flexible. You should, therefore, not fill every possible hour in the day. Give yourself a backup hour or two. All work and no play makes you burn out very fast and grumpy customer service is not what people want.

24. Limit the number of hats you wear.
It’s difficult for most business owners not to take a hands-on approach. They try to do as much as possible and tackle as many tasks as possible in their business. The ability to multitask, in fact, is a common trait shared by successful entrepreneurs. However, once in a while you have to stand back and look beyond today to determine what’s in the best interest of your business and yourself over the long run. Most highly successful entrepreneurs will tell you that from the time they started out, they knew what they were good at and what tasks to delegate to others.

25. Follow-up constantly.
Constant contact, follow-up, and follow-through with customers, prospects, and business alliances should be the mantra of every home business owner, new or established. Constant and consistent follow-up enables you to turn prospects into customers, increase the value of each sale and buying frequency from existing customers, and build stronger business relationships with suppliers and your core business team. Follow-up is especially important with your existing customer base, as the real work begins after the sale. It’s easy to sell one product or service, but it takes work to retain customers and keep them coming back.

Author: James Stephenson

This way of looking at organizations borrows heavily from anthropology and sociology and uses many of the same terms to define the building blocks of culture. Edgar Schein, one of the most prominent theorists of organizational culture, gave the following very general definition:

The culture of a group can now be defined as: A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. (Schein 373-374)

In other words, as groups evolve over time, they face two basic challenges: integrating individuals into an effective whole, and adapting effectively to the external environment in order to survive. As groups find solutions to these problems over time, they engage in a kind of collective learning that creates the set of shared assumptions and beliefs we call “culture.”

Gareth Morgan describes culture as “an active living phenomenon through which people jointly create and recreate the worlds in which they live.” For Morgan, the three basic questions for cultural analysts are:

What are the shared frames of reference that make organization possible?
Where do they come from?
How are they created, communicated, and sustained? (Morgan 141)

Elements of organizational culture may include:

• Stated and unstated values.
• Overt and implicit expectations for member behavior.
• Customs and rituals.
• Stories and myths about the history of the group.
• Shop talk—typical language used in and about the group.
• Climate—the feelings evoked by the way members interact with each other, with outsiders, and with their environment, including the physical space they occupy.
• Metaphors and symbols—may be unconscious but can be found embodied in other cultural elements.

Morgan proposes four essential strengths of the organizational culture approach:

It focuses attention on the human side of organizational life, and finds significance and learning in even its most mundane aspects (for example, the setup in an empty meeting room).

It makes clear the importance of creating appropriate systems of shared meaning to help people work together toward desired outcomes.

It requires members—especially leaders—to acknowledge the impact of their behavior on the organization’s culture. Morgan proposes that people should ask themselves: “What impact am I having on the social construction of reality in my organization?” “What can I do to have a different and more positive impact?”
It encourages the view that the perceived relationship between an organization and its environment is also affected by the organization’s basic assumptions. Morgan says:

We choose and operate in environmental domains according to how we construct conceptions of who we are and what we are trying to do. . . . And we act in relation to those domains through the definitions we impose on them. . . . The beliefs and ideas that organizations hold about who they are, what they are trying to do, and what their environment is like have a much greater tendency to realize themselves than is usually believed. (Morgan 149)

According to Edgar Schein, cultural analysis is especially valuable for dealing with aspects of organizations that seem irrational, frustrating, and intractable. He writes, “The bottom line for leaders is that if they do not become conscious of the cultures in which they are embedded, those cultures will manage them.” (Schein 375) It is significant that Schein uses the plural “cultures.” Using open-systems concepts, we know that members of a group culture may also belong to subcultures within an organization. Since organizations do have a shared history, there will normally be at least a few values or assumptions common to the system as a whole. But sometimes, as in many orchestra organizations, the subcultures have had different experiences over time, and their group learning has produced very different sets of basic assumptions.

Organization members interpret the behavior and language of others through their own cultural biases. Each member’s (or subsystem’s) set of beliefs, values, and assumptions becomes their unquestioned “reality”; they then perceive behavior inconsistent with their own biases as irrational, or even malevolent. The organizational culture model suggests reinterpreting such conflict as a product of different sets of experiences. Instead of looking at conflict as “right” versus “wrong,” this approach suggests that subsystems examine the assumptions underlying their behavior, honor the experiences and learning that led to those assumptions, and then investigate whether those assumptions still work well in the present.

This is an exemplary application of “double-loop” learning, a term coined by Chris Argyris of National Training Laboratories in Washington, D.C., and now in general use among organizational theorists. In contrast with “single-loop” learning, or the process of solving problems based on an existing set of assumptions, double-loop learning also involves becoming aware of a group’s underlying assumption set and continually inquiring whether it is still useful for the task at hand.

Because culture is so deeply rooted in an organization’s history and collective experience, working to change it requires a major investment of time and resources. Help from a change agent outside the system is often advisable. Without such help, it is difficult for insiders to view their “reality” as something they’ve constructed, and to see meaning in things they normally take for granted.

Sourced: http://www.soi.org/reading/change/culture.shtml

DEPENDABILITY
Management and executive staff and corporate employers overall see Dependability in these good qualities:

1.Always Follows Directions
2.Consistently Accurate
3.Works Independently
4.Gets Along with peers, management, and clients
5.Good Grooming and Hygiene
6.Always On Time to work and back from breaks.
7.Good Attendance - Does not take off all their sick time just because they have it
8.Cooperative, but asks good questions
9.Upbeat and Proactive Attitude
10.Team Player

HONESTY & INTEGRITY
This is more than just telling the truth. It includes doing your best work for your work team, your company and your boss. Holding back because one is afraid of working more than others and not be rewarded for it is an immature belief; such an employee needs to sit down with the supervisor or boss and ask about the chances for advancement and raises and how to accomplish them.

The action of doing as little as possible while others make up the difference is not a likeable personality trait at work, at home, or anywhere else. Remember that many founding colonies and new nations began by leaders telling their settlers, “He who does not work, does not eat.” Such an employee will make enemies of coworkers and also not be promoted. In addition, this negative trait will definitely show up as a problem on annual performance reviews.

Examples of dishonesty and lack of integrity:

•Working more slowly than the standard pace.
•Having coworkers clock in for them when late. This is usually illegal as well.
•Pilfering work-related supplies and equipment.
•Extended breaks and rest room visits.
•Completing personal tasks on the job, using company equipment and supplies, including the telephone and Internet.

POSITIVE, PROACTIVE ATTITUDE
Attitudes project your beliefs and values, and what you think of your job, coworkers and boss. It is shown in the quality of your work. The boss is aware of your individual attitudes at work and is watching them every day. They are as important as the work that you produce. A “positive” attitude does not always mean “happy”, but it is better to be upbeat at work rather than brooding and angry, “Positive” can also mean proactive, which means you go after things and don’t wait for them to come to you (using initiative).

Good Attitudes:
•Smiles
•Good posture
•Pleasant tone of voice
•Complaining through proper channels, while offering ideas for improvement.
•Respect and courtesy
•Managing conflict and anger
•Good job performance
•Interested in others

Bad Attitudes:
•Blank facial expression or a frown
•Slumping in chairs, leaning on walls
•Sarcasm, unmodulated voice, mumbling
•Complaining on the work floor
•Trash talking about the company to coworkers; enabling bad attitudes among others
•Displaying anger inappropriately
•Substandard job performance
•Ignoring people at work

Good attitudes help get you promoted, make friends, please customers and raise sales. Good attitudes increase your value to your company.

WILLING TO WORK
You show your willingness to work with these qualities:

1.Ability and Desire to Communicate- Organizing and present your thoughts clearly.
2.Intelligence- Showing common sense and the ability and desire to learn.
3.Self-Confidence - Showing assertiveness and initiative.
4.Accepting Responsibility - Takes on new challenges, admits mistakes and fixes them.
5.Leadership - Being a good example, taking charge.
6.High Energy Level.
7.Imagination.
8.Flexibility - Adaptable, accepts changes.
9.Gets along with others.
10.Handles Conflict
11.Sets and Achieves Goals - Continuous improvement. Has personal direction,
12.Occupational Skills - Able to do the job and accept new training.

Classic Miscommunciation - Who’s On First?
USES DOWN TIME PRODUCTIVELY

When you are not busy at work, or between major projects, be productive by doing these things:
1.Read trade journals and magazine articles about your company and the industry in which you work.
2.Read about current trends in your industry on the Internet.
3.Ask for, or find, new tasks to do; help someone else.
4.Think of a better way to do something in your job or in the company.
5.Clean and organize your work area.
6.Update your filing systems, clean out old email messages, etc.
7.Write an article about your job or your industry and share it with your boss.
8.Take an online class that is relevant to your job. Some of these are free of charge.

Author: Patty Inglish

The backbone of your practice management system–your computer hardware and software–should already be up and running. (See “Starting a practice: 5-6 months out–Office design and supplies,” June 18, 2004, available at www.memag.com.) A good computer system can handle most front- and back-office tasks, several of which we’ll discuss in this article.

Putting the proper systems in place

Telephones. Your practice can’t thrive without a first-class phone system. But before you purchase one, determine what your needs will be: Which rooms do you want phones in? Do you want a system that automatically phones patients with a recorded message to remind them of their appointments? Will any of your employees need hands-free capability? What do you want patients to hear when they’re on hold–classical music, perhaps, or information about your practice? Will you want voice mail?

After you decide on options, it’s easiest to use a local phone provider to install the lines you’ll need. In fact, because of contractual agreements, you may be limited to one provider in your area that can do the work. However, once the wiring’s finished, you’re free to purchase your phones and other hardware from another provider or from an office supplies store like Staples or Office Depot, both of which allow you to place orders through their Web sites. Likewise, carefully compare rates offered by various long-distance providers, to find the plan that best fits your calling patterns.

Ultimately, the cost of any system will depend on the features you choose and the number of lines you get. At a minimum, a solo practice should have three lines (one of which should be the doctor’s private line), plus one each for a fax machine and a computer modem. Ideally, though, you’ll want something faster than a traditional dial-up line for your computer, so ask your phone carrier if it provides either DSL or ISDN. Or ask the local cable company if it offers cable hookups to the Internet. If you can get a fast connection, that’s one fewer dedicated phone line you’ll need.

Think carefully before you opt for an automated telephone system. Most patients, especially older ones, prefer to speak with someone directly. Personal attention may make the difference if you’re building a patient base from scratch. If you feel you need an automated system, structure it so that the receptionist has adequate time to answer before the call is directed to the system.

* Answering services. A good answering service will represent your practice well and be attentive to patients. A bad one, operated by rude or disinterested personnel, could drive people away. Choose your service carefully, pay attention to how it performs, and don’t lock yourself into a long-term contract until you’re happy with the way your calls are handled. You can ask colleagues to recommend services they’re pleased with, or see if your hospital has an in-house service that you can subscribe to.

Tell the service how you want calls fielded and when you should be paged. In other words, define what you mean by “emergency.” Will that include calls from your spouse and kids? “Make sure the service gets a return phone number–two, if possible–and a specific reason for the call,” says Christopher Zaenger, president of Z Management Group in Barrington, IL. “A short message saying so-and-so called is useless.”

Under no circumstances should an answering service provide medical advice.

* Mail. As helpful as fax machines and e-mail are, you’ll still need to send plenty of things through the post office–packages and patients’ billing statements, for instance.

If you expect your new practice to start out small, purchasing stamps and bringing packages to the post office may suffice at first. But once the volume of mail swells, you’d do well to investigate other options. The US Postal Service (www.usps. gov), for example, has a service called PC Postage, which allows you to print postage from your personal computer. The Postal Service also offers postage meters that allow you to dispatch mail and packages right from your office. Money for the meter can be transferred directly from your corporate bank account automatically or via a phone call. Pitney Bowes (www.pb.com), an independent office technology and services company, also offers postage meters for small offices.

For packages, compare the Postal Service’s rates with those of a few independent carriers, such as DHL (www.dhl.com), FedEx (www. fedex.com), and UPS (www.ups.com). Use a street address as your mailing address. Private carriers aren’t permitted to deliver packages to US post office postal boxes.

* Transcription. Your colleagues can recommend worthwhile medical transcription services. They can tell you what they pay per line (10 to 14 cents is typical for a US-based service) and whether the company is accurate and reliable. Before you sign on with a service, speak with at least two physicians who use it, and ask whether it offers a no-cost or low-cost trial period.

The latest trend in transcription is to send dictation to overseas-based companies, many of which are located in India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other developing countries. Most of these firms provide the same services as their US counterparts, with much quicker turnaround (due largely to time zone differences) and at around half the cost. The speed of your Internet connection may determine how useful an Internet-based service would be for you. Naturally, the faster your connection, the better.

A bigger issue, though, may be privacy. If sending patient information over the Internet concerns you, you may want to use a local service instead. Verify, though, that it isn’t subcontracting to an overseas service.

“Also, make sure that the service signs a business-associate agreement,” advises Keith Kamperschroer, a Milwaukee CPA and practice management consultant with Kolb+Co. This contract, which any healthcare lawyer should be able to draw up, imposes many of the same HIPAA privacy requirements on the transcription company that you’re bound to as a private practitioner. The service should also assure you that its subcontractors, if it uses any, are following the same security standards.

* Laundry, janitorial, and security systems. The best way to find good services in these areas is to ask similar medical practices in your area which companies they use for regular and biomedical waste. Also find out what problems, if any, they’ve had.

For each type of service, get the name of a company contact. Ask this person how employees are screened and for proof that they’re “bonded.” (In short, bonding allows the company to make good if something in your office is broken or stolen.) Moreover, get a copy of a sample contract and read it before you go ahead and hammer out the details of your own contract.

* Getting paid for what you do

Health plan contracts. Unless you plan to open a cash-only practice, you’ll have to sign contracts with multiple health plans. Your practice management consultant should be familiar with the plans that offer the best fee schedules for physicians in your specialty, but your local or state medical society may have this information, too. At the very least, your medical society should be able to tell you which carriers do most of the business in your state. And, of course, your colleagues are a good resource, as they’re likely to have the name of a specific representative at each insurer, whom you can call to start the ball rolling.

One-year contracts are the most common, although some can be for as long as three years. A shorter time frame works to your advantage if you later find you’re being underpaid or that the contract’s terms are too restrictive. Most one-year contracts, however, renew automatically, so if you want to address something prior to renewal, be sure to do it during the negotiation period or you’ll be locked into the same agreement. The negotiation period is usually one to four months before the anniversary date.

The most important thing to look at in a contract is the insurer’s fee schedule. Never sign a contract that doesn’t specify what your reimbursement will be based on. Understand, too, what adjustments the plan may make to your charges. These adjustments are also known as “negotiated discounts,” and as the name suggests, you may be able to negotiate them with the payer.

Be sure you consider what the contract allows you to bill patients for directly. Copays and deductibles are generally okay, but charges for educational materials or for telephone or e-mail consults may not be. You also should familiarize yourself with how to handle disputes with the plan; some provide for arbitration.

It’s smart to have an experienced healthcare attorney review all insurance contracts and modifications before you sign them.

* Your fee schedule. Your practice’s fee schedule should list all of the commonly billed services in your specialty, along with your fees, which should be comparable to those of similar practices in the area.

Putting together a fee schedule can be difficult, especially if you’ve had no experience with billing insurance companies, so it’s best to entrust a management consultant with this task. He or she may advise you to base your charges on some percentage of Medicare’s fee schedule, since most third-party payers work off that….

Collin Crawford Consultant’s Office Solution

Netcomm Services was founded in 2008 by it’s founder Mr. Alvin Chia. Mr. Chia has been working in the IT industry for 20 years implementing and maintaining numerous Lan/Wan systems in Asia Pacific region working with partners on various projects and will be the main contact person for any queries and handling of project tasks.

The purpose of NS existence is to provide a 1 stop shop fast, reliable network system integration, consultation, desktop support (software & hardware) to SOHO/SME computer users and setup/relocation of server room

The vision of NS is to provide fast response, informed expertise & consistently high quality solutions to customer at a reasonable price

The main area of specialization are as follow:

Lan

Setup & Migrate Windows based servers (2003 & 2007 server edition)

Configuring Active Directory, Web servers, Applications & File servers, ISA Proxy server, and Backup storage server, Wireless network

Installing Tape drives to backup system and files on Symantec software.

Setup & configure Windows XP, Windows 7, MS Office 2003/2007 softwares in new Client pc to connect domain and servers for printing and shared folders

Installing, trouble shooting Windows XP, Win 2000; Vista clients. Repairing, OS and replacing hardware.

Setup of Pabx system (Avaya, NEC, Fujitsu), digital call master, IP Phones and configuring the PABX

2WIRE integrated ADSL and home wireless installation & configuration

Wan

Implement ADSL, Mega pop line for connection to remote sites offices by setting up router, switches (Cisco & Nortel), modem

Video conferencing equipment (Polycom) using ISDN line

Voice over IP system (VOIP)
 
Security System

Using Symantec, MacAfee, Nokia on client pc and Trend Micro, PCTools, and Norton products in servers
SSL certificated on Web servers.

Storage Systems

VERITAS, Symantec & Arc serve

Web Server

Setting up Web server and creating home page for Web hosting
 
Computer room setup and systems consultation

 Planning of computer rooms setup, power source (3 phase independent power supply), Air conditioning, Raised floor, Equipment racks, UPS, Structure cabling, wireless network

Outsource Contract
 
Provide desktop, Lan/Wan support outsource contract and charges base on per call or annual agreement

For More Queries:

Please call Adrian Collin Png at HP: 81970562.

Author: Adrian Collin Png http://www.collincrawford.com/about/

How do customers decide where to eat, where to shop, or where to go to exercise? Are they more likely to listen to what a company advertises about its customer service or what their friends have to say? More often than not, they listen to their friends. Savvy customers shop for service as much as price and spread the word when they get good service. A happy customer may compliment those who provide good service but is also entitled to express displeasure when appropriate.

Make A Great Impression.

Customers and clients appreciate genuine care and concern. Seeing salespeople or administrative staff hustle to help or immediately look for answers to pressing concerns makes a strong statement to a customer. Recognizing that an employee is empowered to deal with a problem speaks volumes about the company and its progressive policies.
Establish Customer/Client-Friendly Strategies. Make it easy for people to do business with  you by being welcoming and attentive, always.

Here are some tips that will serve you well:

• Have friendly receptionists or greeters on the front line.
• Avoid computerized voice run around on phone.
• Be well-staffed.
• Train personnel.
• Empower salespeople to think and act creatively.
• Provide fast response.
• No high pressure.
• Don’t nickel and dime customers.
• Offer what customers need.
• Ensure availability of advertised specials.
• Deliver on promises.
• Meet deadlines.
• Ensure polite & sensitive collection practices.
• Have measurable service standards.

Actively Respond to Problems.

When issues arise, someone needs to be on the front line to listen attentively and deal with the problem. Don’t make excuses. Apologize and act quickly. Go the extra mile to offset negative feeling. Make sure a resolution is reached that satisfies the  customer or client. How a problem is dealt with not only goes a long way to retaining a customer, it can actually strengthen their relationship with the business. Great word of mouth will, no doubt, bring in more business when that person tells friends and associates about your company’s outstanding service.

Improve Service Constantly.

A company with outstanding service develops policies that meet customer needs first. Its commitment to unrivaled service strategies and quality customer service place it head and shoulders above the competition. You can develop stellar customer service by finding out what your customers want and giving it to them. Be proactive. Stay in touch with them. And if they call you, be sure to return their calls promptly.

Customers need to know how salespeople can help them and appreciate working with those who are empowered to deliver customer satisfaction. Delivering top notch customer satisfaction is more than a manual with policies and procedures. It is more than a good attitude and a desire to help — although that does go a long way. It is having a dynamic system in place for constantly reevaluating and implementing positive change.

Author: Carol Dunitz, Ph.D.

In the late ’90s, the Internet boom made millionaires out of many investors virtually overnight.  These “success stories” were in the news and magazines almost daily.  People love to hear stories of overnight success, and as a result, the media loves to seek out and publish such stories.  The idea of living the American dream without having to work or wait for it, is universally appealing.  However, this skewed perception of what success really is promotes the “instant gratification” desire, which is one of the leading reasons people fail.  True success, the kind that is achieved through personal development, is based on self-discipline.

Discipline is training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement. As young children, we are introduced to discipline through our parents.  Later, our teachers and religious leaders contribute to our discipline.  Along the way, other people such as grandparents, babysitters, and/or older siblings may join in.  By the time we are of age, we are all “disciplined out” and cannot wait to be on our own; free to do as we wish.  What nobody ever tells us, as youths transitioning into adulthood, is the discipline cannot stop — it must be transformed into self-discipline if we are to succeed in life.

Self-discipline is the ability to adhere to actions, thoughts, and behaviors that result in personal improvement instead of instant gratification.  As an adult, there is only one person who is with you 24 hours a day.  This person is the only one who can choose a life of success over a life of mediocrity.  This person is the only one who can write your goals and see to it that you take daily actions toward their achievement.  This person is the only one who will be there for you to see that you break your destructive habits.  This person is you. 

One of the key elements of success — persistence, is only made possible through self-discipline.  Whether your goals include becoming the next billionaire, losing weight, quitting smoking, or being the best parent you can be, self-discipline is needed to get you there.

Here are some suggestions on how you can become more self-disciplined.

•Master your time.  Spend your time on actions that bring you closer to your goals, not further from them. 

•Focus on true desires.  Once you put your goals on the back burner, they are as good as forgotten.  If your desire for instant gratification takes over, bring out your goals and review them.  If you often sway from your goals, keep your written goals where you can see them on a daily basis.  If you still find yourself giving in to the desire for instant gratification, change your goals and make the desire to achieve them more powerful than the desire for instant gratification.

•Link pain and pleasure.  Associate pain with acting on your every desire and associate extreme pleasure with reaching your goals.  The key is to visualize, or vividly imagine, yourself reaching your goals through self-discipline, and visualize the negative consequences of acting on your desires for immediate gratification.

•Build your self-esteem.  Without self-esteem there is no reason you would care enough to be self-disciplined.  Having the “we’re all going to die anyway” attitude is not conducive to self-discipline.

•Sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term happiness.  Know the difference between pleasure and happiness.  One can have a miserable life full of pleasures, in fact, many people do.  Self-discipline keeps you working toward your goals, which to many, is the way to true happiness.

•Beware of excuses, rationalization, and justifications.  Do not allow a miniature you dressed in a devil costume to pop up on one side of your head and sell you on instant gratification.  It is amazing how desires can alter coherent thinking.  Be aware of this when it is happening and allow your self-discipline to keep you from making poor choices.

•Think about both the short and long-term consequences of actions.  If your goal is to lose 10 pounds (as in weight, not English currency), then before you eat the chocolate cake in front of you, think about the guilt that you will experience after eating the cake, your lack of self-discipline, and your long-term reasons for wanting to lose the weight in the first place.

What if you do not have the self-discipline to work on building your self-discipline? (Ahh, what irony…)  If you have made it this far in the course, chances are you do.  However, if you still doubt your own abilities or perhaps would just like some reinforcement, consider the martial arts.  Besides self-discipline, martial arts training can help with confidence, fitness, coordination, and more.

Self-discipline is not an easy characteristic to practice.  It is, however, an invaluable characteristic to have if achievement and success are important to you.  True success comes as a result of self-discipline.  Remember, when it comes to success, there are no shortcuts.

Sourced: http://www.yeartosuccess.com/members/y2s/blog/VIEW/00000019/00000222/Self-Discipline.html

Organizational Behavior is a non-performance related set of practices which when implemented in organizations lend good credibility to the organization for its ethics. Imagine, an organization also gets the label of an ethical company along with the company already known for meeting the productivity expectations. It is this thought process that drives many business owners to experiment with the thought of implementing organizational behavior practices in their companies.

How can one implement Organizational Behavior practices in their company?

Implementing and managing organizational behavior practices are almost the last steps for companies to consider for the practices. Enough thought and effort should be given on learning various theories related to Organizational Behavior.

Business owners must understand Organizational Behavior deeply and also assimilate the fact that integrating organizational behavior practices in the company may cause resentment within the employees resulting in a possible dip in productivity.

Business owners can tackle this in two ways -

Research on the employees to find out their reactions to a perceptible policy change
Prepare a contingency plan which could deal with the possible dip in productivity levels.

Though both the methods are highly recommended, the former is highly advocated as a very efficient approach to change management.

Business owners could decide on implementing the organizational behavior practices in their companies after considering the strategic objectives of the company as well as the Operating model of the company. In most case, these practices are set in such a manner that they blend well with the Operating Model of the company.

Remember, any efforts to integrate and implement organizational behavior practices in a company may be a failure if the business owner does not get the support of all the employees. Of course, the business owner may manage the implementation of organizational behavior practices in his company.

There are many theories for Organizational Behavior which act as valid inputs for companies or business owners to implement Organizational Behavior practices. You would have Theory X, Theory Y, Hiedelberg’s theory and more to choose from. The best way of implementing organizational behavior practices is to present the problem statement before the employees and ask the employees to come up with behavioral changes which could help the company to achieve its business objectives.

Business owners could understand ways of implementing the practices effectively by reading sources of information provided by Robbins, Schermerhorn and many more.

Business owners must realize that organizational behavior practices are not desired to cause a dip in productivity. It is to ensure that the company is highly disciplined and ethical in its approach to work.

Author: Ruth Campbell

Really though. If you’ve taken a look recently at any of the major job boards, chances are you could find the same position, described twelve different times although they are really just the same. Why is that? More importantly, what are you trying to convey? Let’s not kid ourselves, at the end of the day, we all know what we’re talking about. Using elaborate “Job Jargon” can seriously affect your pre-employment screening process and therefore, here are some tips on posting an accurate and representative description of your job:

1. Be Honest About Your Expectations
Don’t try to make a construction job sound like you’re looking for a laid off plastic surgeon. Stick to the key points and responsibilities of the job, because chances are if you inflate the description of what you’re actually looking for you’ll:

A) Get a strange and completely over-qualified pool of applicants who in turn will want an equally inflated compensation package.
B) A completely useless talent pool since all the applicants will not have the necessary hard skills that are actually required to fulfill the requirements of the job. Again, if you’re hiring for construction workers but make it sound like you’re in need of a CA - chances are most CA’s won’t want to do manual labour - at least not on the construction site and for a living.

2. Elaborate On Nothing
Rather then creating a wonderfully written and detailed job posting, leave something to the imagination. The danger of saying too much as that you’ll potentially discount many qualified and capable applicants on the basis of what you may have said. If an applicant is truly interest in the position, you’ll know because chances are you’ll receive a resume or email from them. Therefore, stick to the facts and be prepared to go into more details once you’ve met your candidates in the flesh.

3. Lay Off The Labels
In a day and age where you can get a PhD or MBA by answering your spam email - refrain from making your job sound like something they’re not. Directors, VP’s and Account Executives come a dime a dozen these days, so don’t try to impress anyone with the title. If you’re looking for a manager, don’t advertise the position as anything above that level. Otherwise be prepared to dole out above-managerial salary that comes with. You may also just end up with individuals looking to score a sweet title and nothing else. Although one can make the argument that the line of titles is blurred, use your best judgment and advertise the position as something slightly lower then what it actually is.

4. Use An Appropriate Job Board/Posting Tool
Did you know there are literally thousands of niche job boards out there. Take a look at the Beyond.com network for example. You can find anything from geographical to industry and trade sites at Beyond and many other websites that offer job posting services. Make sure that you post your position on the appropriate niche job posting site, chances are they exist. Doing so will increase the possibility of you receiving quality applicants that at least have the right qualifications that you’re looking for.

5. Use Hiring Assessments
I can’t stress enough the importance of using hiring assessments BEFORE you engage any applicants. Don’t waste your time, money and energy on anyone before they’ve taken the time and shown you that they’re actually interested in the position. Companies like ClearFit provide employers with the opportunity to receive FREE personal hiring and employee development reports. The science and monotony of hiring has been automated and made extremely efficient. It would be foolish for you not to take advantage of these tools to find employees that “fit” your company.

Collin Crawford Consultant’s Career Management

Fresh entrants
Career-transition
 There are more chances of success, when you are working in the fields of your interest. Tap on your basic interests and behavior patterns with PASS. The Profile report contains numerical and graphical presentation of 34 types of interests and 10 patterns of behaviors. It highlights your major interests and strong behaviors. The program then recommends 32 Job groups and shows which are most appropriate for you.

Education guidance for choosing the University major

It is a challenge for a student (sec 3 and above) to decide on further studies. They are influenced by successful relatives or group of friends.

Let Pathfinders assist them making an informed decision.

It’s a long winded road ahead; and cannot afford U-turns!

Business coaching

Why ideas do not become actions – people in the organization have the knowledge to perform; however, they do not apply the knowledge while working. This is performance gap. The coaching helps to reduce the gap.

Business strategy
Improving business results
Budgets
Cost reduction
Internal controls
Policies and procedures
Job design
Training and Development
Functional skills

Resume writing and Interview skills
Cost reduction
Internal controls
Training needs analysis
Finance for operation managers
Customer service
Service excellence 
 Career In Transition
(Employee Assistance program for those facing retrenchment woes)

Economic downturn made an impact on the lives of PMET (Professionals, Manager, Executives, and Technicians). Many have lost jobs.

Pathfinder programs tell them that this is not end of the world; and they are not empty handed. The program builds their winning mindset. 
It is difficult to find jobs in current situation.
Pathfinders guide them for gainful employment.
Such individuals can tap on their wealth of experience.
Either they can be self-employed, or become free-lance professionals. 
Pathfinders hold their hands to prepare Resume, Cover letter, and make them ready for Interviews.
Information on Job market is provided to them.
SME businesses welcome their experience and maturity.
Priority job matching services – proactive approach to the prospective employers

Author: Adrian Collin Png http://www.collincrawford.com/about/

Promoting a Good Workplace

Why Are Reviews So Important?
The answer to this question may seem obvious; every employee needs to know what the expectations and standards are for their job. Yet, most companies do not have a formal performance review program in effect for their employees. Reviews are given when an employee is being disciplined or when it is time for a pay review. Longevity, sick time, relationships with customers, vendors, and/or co-workers, and the ability to get along with management are the standard criteria used to evaluate the success of an employee. Although vitally important, these areas offer only one dimension of evaluating the value of an individual to your company.

Every employee needs a well-defined plan to maximize his or her success during the year. This plan is the roadmap needed for each employee to increase their productivity and have a feeling that they are an important part of a team. Sales Creators helps build individualized job descriptions that provide both the process and the standards for each employee. This written format is customized to your business and is incorporated into your marketing plan. When each employee is provided with a roadmap the expectations are no longer ambiguous and they know the precise tasks and how to reach or exceed the standards set by the company.

Expectation Reviews Personalized For Each Employee
Every job should have clearly defined duties, tasks and/or responsibilities. Every job has areas that should have performance standards and expectations placed on the tasks performed under its umbrella, or job description. These are the cornerstones to improving productivity and profitably in that department. This written format sets the standards that must be obtained by the individual. It falls under management’s domain to help by providing the training and support needed to reach the goals.

Monthly reviews by department heads using these and other tools can be productive and rewarding, and not something to dread. If an employee has exceeded the expectations (and many will) this review time can be spent praising and giving recognition for their great work. If an employee has not reached the standards, then the communication and guidance can be directed at specific areas that need attention. A plan of action is then agreed upon by both parties and put into action (additional training, daily reviews or assistance, or corrective action) with a follow up review time set within two weeks.

Once individual standards have been achieved it is time to move into TEAM building and setting team goals and expectations. Reviews are the scoreboard in every stadium for every sport; reviews tell everyone who is winning and who is not!

Performance and Reviews in the Sales Department
It has been said that ’salespeople are different,’ and that is usually true. A sales team in a company is the conduit to the money vault. When you need more money, turn the cash flow value by increasing the sales goals and have a marketing plan that will support these goals.

Reviews for the sales department are also critical. If a salesperson has not reached the standards, then the communication and guidance can be directed at specific areas that need attention. A plan of action is then agreed upon by both parties and put into action (additional training, daily reviews, role playing and monitoring phone calls) with a follow up review time set within two weeks. Even within companies that believe in formal personnel reviews and performance standards, management frequently evaluates salespeople by the same criteria they use for administrative, operations or support personnel and this method will not produce the results you need.

Sales Creators will design an effective and achievable set of standards by which your company can conduct a professional personnel assessment and review program. This process will complement your sales team’s achievements as measured by their expectations and goals. We will help you evaluate their results in such areas as: activity, goals, prospecting, customer relations, sales profitability and administration.

Teamwork Is Building Employees That Want Cooperation, Communication and a Single Purpose
Once your company has individual performance standards and your employees in that department are reaching their goals, it is time to pull your team together. Set group goals and expectations and provide incentives for the group when the goals are reached. Daily feedback of results is needed to keep the assembled team focusing on the new goal. This review should move the focus for training and advice from management to the team. Let them share their ideas and experiences. The team performance goals will be much larger numbers than an individual’s numbers, and at first it may seem very difficult to reach. That is why management must break the monthly goals into daily achievable activity; then individual and target numbers seem more attainable. Management must not only give praise to the individual doing the exceptional work, but must also focus on the team results and praise, correct, or redirect accordingly. During the team building period (the first 6 months) meeting and discussions with the group should spotlight the positive aspects. If there is an individual who is not meeting their goals, bring them in for counseling via a one-on-one meeting.

Sourced: http://www.salescreators.com/Section3/workPerf.html