Industrial
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This Approach The reason files get out of hand is that we ask ourselves the wrong question when deciding whether or not to file something. We ask, "Is it conceivable that I might want to refer to this again someday?" The answer is always yes (anything is "conceivable"), so we file everything. Instead of asking that question, use this one: "If I wanted this item again someday and didn't have it, what would I do?" Usually you would get along just fine without it. But, if it were really needed there are usually simple ways of getting it. For example, why maintain a file of the company's employee publications when you know that if you needed a back issue you could get it by calling the publication office. Excessive record-keeping is a symptom of insecurity and defensive thinking. It indicates that you are less concerned with attaining objectives than you are with documentation, and that your thinking is oriented to the past, not the present. Unless you happen to be in the library business, your organization's goals probably have nothing to do with the accumulation of records, so always follow the Mark & Spencer maxim, "If in doubt, throw it out!" —Leadership Nothing can make you feel older than the discovery that your children are studying in history class what you studied in current events. —Herbert Prochnow What We Can Learn From The late Earl Nightingale once told a story about a boy named Sparky. For Sparky, school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero. Sparky also failed Latin, algebra, and English. He made the school golf team, but lost the only important match of the season. There was a consolation match, but he lost that too. He was awkward socially. He was not actually disliked by his classmates, but he was almost completely ignored. There's no way of telling how he might have made out at dating. He thought he was in love with a little red-haired girl, but he was so shy that he never once asked her out for fear of being turned down. He was a loser, and he and his classmates knew it. But, somehow, he decided to roll with it, keep trying and live with whatever resulted. The only thing important in his life was drawing. He was proud of his ability even though no one else appreciated it. He submitted some cartoons for his high school yearbook, but they were rejected. He did not have the money for further education. After completing high school, he took a tremendous chance and wrote a letter to Walt Disney Studios. He was told to submit some samples. He spent a great deal of time on the drawings. They were rejected. Another loss for the loser. So Sparky decided to write his own auto biography in cartoons. He described his childhood self — a little boy loser and chronic under achiever. The local paper thought it was different enough to be interesting. Then another paper picked it up. Then another. Then a syndicate. And it soon become famous worldwide. For Sparky, the boy who had such a lack of success in school and whose work was rejected again and again, was Charles Schultz. He created the "Peanuts" comic strip and the little cartoon character, Charlie Brown, whose kite would never fly, who never succeeded in kicking a football and who never got a date with the little red-haired girl. — Bits & Pieces How To Read Much Faster Preview material by reading the first sentence of each paragraph. That's where the main ideas are. As you begin to read, underline each sentence with your index finger at a rate that is a little faster than is comfortable for you to read. Don't try to read late in the day. Most people can double their reading speed and increase concentration by reading early in the day, when they are fresh. With some business books, you can get the basic ideas simply by reading the table of contents and then the first and last sentences of each paragraph. Read at a desk, using incandescent lighting, and angle the material 45 degrees to reduce eyestrain. After reading correspondence, jot down your decision or thoughts immediately, so you don't need to reread it later. — Learning Techniques Don't Be Afraid Someone once asked a famous conductor of a great symphony orchestra which orchestral instrument he considered the most difficult to play The conductor thought a moment then said: "Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists. But to find one who can play second fiddle with enthusiasm—that's a problem. And, if we have no second fiddles, we have no harmony." —Leadership Putting your best foot forward also keeps it out of your mouth. — Morris Mandel Badly
Written Good Advice When writing memos, reports and other written communications, keep your sentence length to less than eight words. The American Press Institute's annual readership survey reveals that reading comprehension declines drastically if a sentence contains more than eight words. Sentences with six to eight words draw almost 100 percent comprehension. —The Motivational Manager Women speak because they wish to speak, whereas a man speaks only when driven to speech by something of burning importance outside himself like, for instance, he can't find any clean underwear. — Jean Kerr Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. — Roger Andersen A Champion's Creed "I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed. And the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I fail and keep trying!" — Tom Hopkins |
How Does
Your Company
How would workers in your company respond? —Management Memo General Colin Powell On The Secrets Of Success There are no secrets to success. Don't waste your time looking for them. Success is the result of hard work, perfection, persistence, learning from failure, and loyalty to those for whom you work. —Today's Leader You will never have all the information you need. Being creative is like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. — E.L. Doctorow A 70-Year Perspective On The Income Tax The following, is from an Iowa businessman writing the IRS in 1930, when the income tax went from 1% to 2%: "Gentlemen: "Through the various laws, I have been held down, held up, walked on, sat on, flattened and squeezed until I do not know where I am, what I am, why I am or if I am. "These laws compel me to pay a merchants tax, capital stock tax, real estate tax, property tax, auto tax, water tax, gas tax, light tax, cigarette tax, cigar tax, street tax, road tax, school tax, sales tax, occupation tax, processing tax, gasoline tax, personal property tax, state income tax, state franchise tax, electricity tax, federal income tax, cotton tax, payroll tax, old age pension tax and --- I almost said carpet tax. "I am suspected, inspected, disrespected, examined and re-examined until all I know is that I'm supplicated for money for every known need, desire or hope of the so-called human race. And because I refuse to go out and beg, borrow or steal money to give away, I am cussed, discussed, boycotted, talked to, talked about, lied to, lied about, held up, held down and robbed until I am plum ruined. The only reason I am clinging to life is to see what the hell is coming next."— Los Angeles Times Syndicate Four Requirements For A Sound Organization There are four requirements for a sound and successful organization:
Successful managers do not all fit the same mold, but one thing they have in common is integrity. Despite the seeming contradictions from Washington in the last few years, dependable people of high character, who won't compromise their standards, are still destined for success. So are their companies. —The Achievement Challenge —Thought Starters— When negotiating, build some "acceptance time" into your schedule. No matter how attractive a proposal may be, it is unreasonable to expect the other side to accept it immediately. Allow some time for the negotiators on the other side to consider the offer --- and perhaps try to impress their own constituency with a request for further concessions, even if they are in fact very satisfied with what you have already offered.
Don't overdo to-do lists. When everything that would be desirable to do gets put on a to-do list, the length of the list can be daunting. Instead, maintain two lists. The first containing the things that must be done right away. The second those that you'd like to do. or which can be done later. Use the second list for future planning, but base current -actions on the first list.
Take advantage of the fresh outlook, curiosity and questioning minds of those newly hired. Don't waste their first six months pressing them to conform to company rules and regulations. Instead, tell them: "You have a fresh perspective. Before you become part of our problem. I want you to keep a journal. Write down what you think the company is doing right ... and wrong. Everything that needs to be improved. Let's discuss these observations periodically during your first six months!"
Don't be afraid to delegate employee recognition. Face it. Some people are not good at handing out praise. If recognizing employees is hard for you --- consider delegating the task. Find a key employee on your staff-who enjoys (and is good at) making people feel good. Make employee recognition a formal part of his or her job description. This will free you to handle the work you do best.
Leadership can be taught by example. Thousands of ordinary people have led others to do extraordinary things. It's a myth that leaders are born. not made. or endowed with mystical powers. Leadership can be learned by observing how others lead people.
Spend time like money... recognize that you have only a limited supply. Use it to do what is important to you --- not what others say should be important. To find out what you really care about: 1) think of dreams that you have had for a long time, 2) identify and confront your reasons for not pursuing them and 3) then go for what really matters to you. People often do this after traumatic events, such as heart attacks or job losses Much better --- do it now.
Be a "people" person. Management problems always turn out to be people problems. |
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