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Kevin Eikenberry: Remarkable Leadership - Blog Business Success Radio

Author and leadership development expert Kevin Eikenberry, President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, and author of the powerful book Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time shares ideas for becoming a more effective leader, and for enhancing your personal and professional development by tapping into your own internal potential and skills. Kevin Eikenberry is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, November 1, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Kevin Eikenberry shares ideas for becoming a more effective leader, and for enhancing your leadership skills. You will learn:

* Effective leaders are made, and not born

* The qualities that all great leaders have in common

* How to enhance the leadership abilities that are unique to you

* The importance of lifelong learning for leadership development

Kevin Eikenberry (photo left) is the author of Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time and Vantagepoints on Life and Learning. Kevin is an expert in developing organizational and individual potential who lives with his family in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kevin holds a B.S. with honors from Purdue University.

Upon graduation from Purdue, Kevin began his professional career with Chevron Chemical Company, where he held a number of sales, marketing, training, and consulting positions. In 1993, he formed his own training and consulting organization, now known as The Kevin Eikenberry Group.

The Kevin Eikenberry Group is a learning consulting company that provides a wide range of services, including training delivery and design, facilitation, performance coaching, organizational consulting, and speaking services. They have worked with Fortune 500 companies, smaller firms, universities, government agencies and more. His client list includes various Chevron companies, John Deere, National Institute of Health, Purdue University, Southwest Airlines, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the U.S. Mint.

As a speaker, Kevin gives keynotes for organizations and non-profit groups on life-long learning, developing human potential, teams and teamwork, creativity and more. He has presented to the National Speaker's Association (NSA), to international conventions of the North American Simulation and Gaming Association (NASAGA), the International Society for Performance Improvement, the Association of Internal Management Consultants, and the National Association for Experiential Learning. He has also presented at regional meetings of the American Society for Training and Development, and the International Society for Performance Improvement.

Kevin is the developer of the Million Dollar Skills Learning System, a top flight learning system on valuable life skills delivered in bite-sized pieces that create powerful and productive habits. He hosted an internet radio program for two and a half years, Magical Movies. A former weekly contributing editor to the TechRepublic web site, his articles have been published in over 100 internet newsletters and web sites.

In 2004 Kevin received Distinguished Agricultural Alumni award from Purdue University. He was named an Outstanding Alumnus of Purdue University in 2002, and serves on the Dean's Advisory Council at Purdue. He has been recognized in the Who's Who in the Midwest and Who's Who Worldwide.

My book review of Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time by Kevin Eikenberry.

If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Kevin Eikenberry, President of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, and author of the powerful book Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time shares ideas for becoming a more effective leader, and for enhancing your personal and professional development, to boost your business or non-profit organization success. on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Kevin Eikenberry, Remarkable Leadership, personal development, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Carnival of the Capitalists at The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp

This week sees a business startup approach to the traveling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists and arrives at the new business blog known as The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today, as well as some of the best and most popular entries ever to the Carnival.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national economy and personal finance.

As you would expect from Carnival of the Capitalists, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, business, and small business.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones; as well as some long time contributors.

I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.

My post is titled "Recession proof your business" where I discuss how recession is one of the major themes, in the mainstream media, when discussing the economy. With the fall out from subprime mortgages, increasing numbers of housing foreclosures, and balance sheet write downs among the financial corporations, many business people are becoming worried about the future of the economy. Instead of tearing out your hair, it is always best to take the initiative and a proactive approach with your company.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

thecotc -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be hosted at a blog to be announced.

In the meantime, click your mouse over to the The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and get into business for yourself.

Tags: carnivals, capitalism, business, marketing.

Remarkable Leadership by Kevin Eikenberry - Book review

Remarkable Leadership

Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time

By Kevin Eikenberry

Published: Aug 30, 2007
ISBN: 9780787996192
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Effective leaders are not born, but are developed through learning to develop the skills unique to every person, writes Kevin Eikenberry in his powerful book
Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time. The book sets out in practical fashion, the appropriate steps to enhancing your leadership potential to the fullest extent possible.

For the author, leadership is about facilitating change within yourself, your organization, and in developing the talent in other people around you. Kevin Eikenberry demonstrates that you already possess the skills to become a highly effective leader. The book provides a highly usable framework for building those personal qualities into effective leadership. The book stresses maximizing your greatest personal strengths, while minimizing your various weaknesses, to build your unique leadership abilities.

Kevin Eikenberry (photo left) recognizes the importance of interpersonal skills for developing remarkable leaders. The ability to communicate with others and to empathize with their problems and aspirations are essential to becoming a responsible leader. At the same time, the author understands that lifelong learning is crucial to continual improvement of a person's internal leadership skills. Because leaders are made, lifelong learning is a key part of maximizing those abilities.

For me, the power of the book was in the understanding of leaders as being made, and then providing a step by step process for that leadership development. The book is well constructed so the reader can work on any aspect of leadership that is suited to the reader. At the same time, other areas skills can be enhanced through the power of lifelong learning and development. Kevin Eikenberry creates a powerful, and ongoing process for all aspiring leaders to unleash their inner potential.

I highly recommend Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time by Kevin Eikenberry as a guide to developing your abilities as a leader. It is a keeper book, that can be returned to for valuable instruction, over and over again.

Read Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time by Kevin Eikenberry, and become the outstanding and effective leader that lies within you, waiting to be unleashed.

Tags: Kevin Eikenberry, Remarkable Leadership, personal development, business book reviews.

Antony Young: Profitable Marketing Communications - Blog Business Success Radio

Author and Marketing expert Antony Young, President of OptiMedia, and author of the ground breaking book Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment discusses how to measure the return on investment of your marketing program and how to develop the appropriate metrics to track your marketing outcomes. Antony Young is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, October 25, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Antony Young describes the importance of measuring the outcomes of your company's marketing plans. You will learn:

* The importance of measuring your company's marketing return on investment

* How to develop the appropriate metrics to track your marketing outcomes

* How to engage the customer with the right marketing communications message

* How to create an outcomes based company culture that values marketing investment

Antony Young (photo left) is the President of OptiMedia, and author of the ground breaking book Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment

New Zealand-born Antony Young began his advertising career with Saatchi & Saatchi in Aukland, later joining Colenso/BBDO, where he was promoted to media director in 1990.

In 1995, Antony Young relocated to Hong Kong with Saatchi & Saatchi as a board director and its regional head of media. A year later, he was appointed CEO of Zenith Media, as the network began launching across Asia. In 2001, he was named Asia CEO for ZenithOptimedia Group. Amtony transferred to London in 2003 as CEO of ZenithOptimedia U.K. Group.

My book review of Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment by Antony Young and Lucy Aitken

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Antony Young, President of OptiMedia, and author of the ground breaking book Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment discusses how to measure the return on investment of your marketing program and how to develop the appropriate metrics to track your marketing outcomes, to boost your business or non-profit organization success. on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Antony Young, Profitable Marketing Communications, marketing return on investment, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Carnival of the Capitalists at Blawg Review

This week sees a legal approach to the traveling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists and arrives at law blog (or blawg, if you prefer) carnival host Blawg Review.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today, as well as some of the best and most popular entries ever to the Carnival.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national economy and personal finance.

As you would expect from Carnival of the Capitalists, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, business, and small business.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones; as well as some long time contributors.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

thecotc -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be hosted at the business site known as PartnerUp.

In the meantime, click your mouse over to the Blawg Review hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and get into business for yourself.

Tags: carnivals, capitalism, business, marketing.

Eric Olsen: Building a People Focussed Organization - Blog Business Success Radio

Entrepreneur and internet publisher Eric Olsen, CEO of Blogcritics, describes how to manage large staff organization, including huge numbers of volunteers, to boost your business or non-profit organization success. Eric Olsen is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on a special day of Tuesday, October 23, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Note: This show was postponed from September 20.

Eric Olsen discusses low cost techniques for staff management in large organizations, including virtual companies and non-profits. You will learn:

* Proven low cost methods of rewarding and providing incentives

* How to communicate effectively with long distance employees

* How to avoid spending large amounts of money to maintain staff and volunteers

* Ways of building a growing company on a shoestring budget

Eric Olsen is the founder, editor-in-chief and publisher of broad-based online critical magazine Blogcriticsand author of local Cleveland blog Cleve-blog. He is a widely read and influential blogger.

His primary site, Blogcritics has gathered together over 1500 authors on a wide variety of topics and is a widely read news/information site with over 64,000 unique visits per day, and 50 new articles and reviews posted daily on a variety of topics. Based on the same model of editor-influenced citizen journalism, Desicritics was started by Aaman Lamba, under the guidance of Eric Olsen.

Eric Olsen was named a Trendsetter on the AlwaysOn/Technorati Open Media 100—a "power list of bloggers, social networkers, tool smiths, and investors leading the Open Media Revolution," in 2005.

Originally from San Pedro, California, Eric currently resides in Aurora, Ohio, with his wife and four children. He is a graduate of Wittenberg University with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with Eric Olsen, CEO of Blogcritics, describes how to manage large staff organization, including huge numbers of volunteers, to boost your business or non-profit organization success. on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Eric Olsen, Blogcritics, staff management, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Recession proof your business

Recession is one of the major themes, in the mainstream media, when discussing the economy. With the fall out from subprime mortgages, increasing numbers of housing foreclosures, and balance sheet write downs among the financial corporations, many business people are becoming worried about the future of the economy. Instead of tearing out your hair, it is always best to take the initiative and a proactive approach with your company.

Making your company recession proof, or at least able to survive an economic downturn, requires some planning and creative decision making. It is all too easy to simply say cut back on expenses and lay off staff. In fact, these rather simplistic steps may be counterproductive and do more harm than good. Along with the short term benefits, the longer term picture must be considered carefully. It is of little value to an organization to leave a recession unable to capitalize on the return of better times.

A recession proof company is a creative company. One of the hallmarks of a creative company is a willingness to listen to everyone within the organization and pay close attention to their ideas and suggestions. Front line employees in customer service, delivery, purchasing, operations, and sales often have powerful money saving ideas at their fingertips. There is no better time to employ cost cutting measures that do not harm the company's revenue than during an economic slowdown. Note that the cuts must be ones that do not impact revenue in a negative way. Think of them as eliminating unnecessary waste instead.

A recession proof company listens to its customers. That statement is often used by business, but is sadly often ignored as well. In recessionary times, many of your customers will be feeling the pinch. They may suggest different sizes of shipments, and even new product formats. Don't take their suggestions lightly. They may be offering you an entirely new and profitable product and service line. Simply changing your offer size, or something similar, can pay huge dividends. A recession is no time for take it or leave it marketing practices.

A recession proof business values its employees. Other companies will follow the traditional approach of laying off staff. It is time to go against the tide, and perhaps consider adding employees. Some very talented people will be let go by your competitors. There is no better time to add their skills and experience to your organization. They may bring some much needed fresh thinking and ideas to your company. At the same time, your current staff morale will remain high as they won't feel threatened by impending layoffs. Leave those concerns to your competitors.

A recession proof company understands its costs of providing its products and services. Knowing your cost of production, and cost of goods sold, helps to keep profits flowing in the face of possible price reductions. Be sure to understand all of the costs, including staff time, that go into providing your goods and services. This cost knowledge is especially important for service based companies where some services provided may be much more profitable than others. Let your competitors have the low profit margin business, while you take the highly profitable projects for yourself.

A recession proof company lowers its debt levels. A recession is no time to have high overhead costs associated with servicing high debt loads. This is even more true if the debt incurred was for non-productive purposes. Those company limos, new designer furniture, and extravagant gala parties won't provide much long term value. Their repayment may cause some severe cash flow headaches though. Keep only productive debt on the books, and if you must expand, try do so organically from company cash flow. Being paid off means lasting through tough times.

A recession proof company is flexible and seeks opportunities where other companies see only doom and gloom. An economic downturn brings with it new product and service demands. Be sure to be ready to seize the day and your business will be safe from any threats a recession might bring.

Tags: recession management, creative thinking, tags, debt.

Profitable Marketing Communications by Antony Young & Lucy Aitken - Book review

Profitable Marketing Communications

A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment

By: Antony Young & Lucy Aitken

Published: May 1, 2007
ISBN: 9780749449421
Format: Hardcover, 212pp
Publisher: Kogan Page Ltd

Marketing is often considered an unnecessary cost, and it's up to marketers to demonstrate to cost conscious CEOs that marketing is an investment, writes co-authors Antony Young and Lucy Aitken in their book Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment. Marketing has to provide a measurable return on investment, to maintain its place in the corporate spending plans, or face being the first victim of spending cuts. The book outlines how to create practical metrics for maximizing marketing profitability for business.

The authors consider marketing outcomes to be measurable and their value to a company's bottom line is demonstrable. In order to achieve the potential return on investment that marketing can provide a change in organizational culture must take place. A company that recognizes marketing is an investment, with its own set of tracking metrics, must also view customers in an entirely new way. No longer is it sufficient to broadcast a message to all consumers. Instead, the modern consumer must be targeted with an engaging conversation.

Antony Young (photo left) provide the outline for creating useful metrics for calculating the value of improved marketing communications. Once the ability and discipline to measure outcomes are developed, the opportunity to differentiate between successful and less valuable marketing campaigns is in place. Positive marketing outcomes will create an outcomes based company culture.

Differentiation from competing products and services, and the ability to create brand loyalty with customers, are traceable with the right metrics in place. An investment approach to customer engagement and a focus on tracking outcome results, writs Antony Young, will enhance the company bottom line. Involved customers will appreciate the more personalized and engaging marketing approach. Enhanced brand loyalty is one measurable outcome of stronger customer loyalty.

For me, the power of the book is the practical approach to measuring the effectiveness of a marketing campaign. By considering money spent on marketing as an investment, whose ROI can be tracked through the application of the appropriate metrics, Antony Young has written a groundbreaking book. No longer must management be satisfied with muddling through with their marketing expenditures and campaigns. From the moment of inception, through the communication with the customer, to the ultimate purchase and long term relationship, the entire process and outcome can be measured for effectiveness.

I highly recommend Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment by Antony Young & Lucy Aitken for its step by step approach, to developing the appropriate metrics, for realizing the actual return on investment of any marketing program. The emphasis on engaging the customer, and developing a long term relationship, is essential to an outcomes based company culture.

Read Profitable Marketing Communications: A Guide to Marketing Return on Investment by Antony Young & Lucy Aitken and turn your marketing program into a measurable investment for increased return on that investment.

Tags: Antony Young & Lucy Aitken, Profitable Marketing Communications, marketing return on investment, business book reviews.

Chris MacAskill: Anti-Establishment Business Ideas Pay - Blog Business Success Radio

Entrepreneur and anti-establishment management advocate Chris MacAskill, President and Co-founder of photo sharing company SmugMug, discusses the power of an anti-establishment attitude, and the freedom to rock the boat, as keys to your business success. Chris MacAskill is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, October 18, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Chris MacAskill lives the anti-establishment creed and shares ideas, about how a little boat rocking can go a long way, to boosting your company's success. You will learn:

* Why being anti-establishment helps in competing with entrenched competitors

* How to create a profitable and debt free, and family owned business

* Why having a fun element boosts productivity and morale

* How to leverage the blogosphere as part of your anti-establishment campaign

Chris MacAskill (looking anti-establishment in photo left) is Co-founder and President of the family owned photo sharing company SmugMug.

Chris MacAskill (father) and Don MacAskill (son) started the original company to build a new video game-oriented web service in February 2002. By August 2002, though, their focus shifted. A small portion of their video game website was spun into a full-blown photo sharing service called SmugMug, which officially launched in November 2002.

Prior to establishing SmugMug, Chris was the founder and CEO of fatbrain.com, which he sold to Barnes and Noble. His son, Don, was the first non-founding employee at Best Internet, where he designed the networks that hosted Hotmail, eBay, and Fatbrain.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with entrepreneur and anti-establishment management advocate Chris MacAskill, President and Co-founder of photo sharing company SmugMug, as he discusses the power of an anti-establishment attitude, and the freedom to rock the boat, as keys to your business success on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Chris MacAskill, SmugMug, anti-establishment business, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Carnival of the Capitalists Season 5 Opens Part 2 at Dispatches From Bloglivion

This week sees a blogiversary approach to the traveling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists and arrives at CotC co-founder Jay Solo's technology and business blog known as Dispatches From Bloglivion. CotC has completed four very successful years, and with this 210th edition, begins its fifth year. Carnival of the Capitalists is now the oldest uninterrupted blog carnival.

This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today, as well as some of the best and most popular entries ever to the Carnival.

Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national economy and personal finance.

As you would expect from Carnival of the Capitalists, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, business, and small business.

It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.

We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones; as well as some long time contributors.

I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.

My post is titled "Management mistakes: Playing favourites" where I discuss how few bad management practices can destroy office morale faster than a manager who plays favourites. Accompanying the disillusionment of the staff members, with the guilty employer, is much lower productivity and work output levels. Instead of creating a state of harmony, employee mistrust and resentment is the usual result of choosing the office version of the teacher's pet.

If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:

thecotc -at- gmail -dot- com

You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!

If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.

Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.

The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!

The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.

The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.

Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.

Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.

Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be hosted at law blog (or blawg, if you prefer) carnival host Blawg Review.

In the meantime, click your mouse over to the Dispatches From Bloglivion hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.

If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and get into business for yourself.

Tags: carnivals, capitalism, business, marketing.

Management mistakes: Playing favourites

Few bad management practices can destroy office morale faster than a manager who plays favourites. Accompanying the disillusionment of the staff members, with the guilty employer, is much lower productivity and work output levels. Instead of creating a state of harmony, employee mistrust and resentment is the usual result of choosing the office version of the teacher's pet.

There are several ways that favourites can be selected. Some singling out of golden employees are flagrant and intentional, and easily seen and understood by the staff. Other forms of favouritism are less well known and may even be completely unintentional on the part of the manager.

Perhaps the best known relationship is the office romance. The manager will often heap benefits on the object of their affection. Those fringe benefits are very often company property and not part of the beloved's job description. Many companies have rules against office liaisons for a reason.

Attachments between peers may only cause limited damage, and are often good matches, and may even help worker morale. Of course, not all relationships end well, and any dalliance may cause severe repercussions as well. A very real problem arises when a much superior manager dates someone far below their company level. Sadly, many of these circumstances can also involve sexual harassment and other illegal and coercive activities.

Another form of picking and choosing favours involves the ubiquitous "old boys network". Often, these staff members go back many years in the current or different organizations. They are very often good friends outside of work as well; and have been that way for years. Managers in this situation are very susceptible to giving special treatment to their long time buddies. Very often, as well, the old friend may not be a very good worker. As usual, the other members of the staff are quick to notice the disparity in treatment and office morale drops like the proverbial rock. Staff productivity soon follows on that same downward spiral.

A less well known, but also frequent special treatment arrangement, occurs with an employee who was credited with some great achievement. If the award was deserved, the staff members will applaud the reward, and work harder to join the ranks of the elite. "Employee of the Month" awards can be very motivational for some employees. On the other hand, handing the award to the undeserving (in the eyes of the staff) can lower morale very quickly. They will see the award is not based on merit but on other less desirable intangibles. Lower office morale is the usual next step in the process.

A fourth, and very difficult to handle issue arises involving staff with children. Very often, a parent will be given permission to leave work to attend a sick child. On the surface, the action appears good and helpful. Beneath that glittering surface, however, lie the seeds of dissension. Non-parents may view the parents as receiving special treatment in the form of time off that is unavailable to childless or unmarried staff members. To prevent this asymmetry, a good manager will provide alternative time off, or a block of time that can be used for personal or family reasons. With the unnamed time block, all staff members receive the same treatment regarding away time.

If you are serious about being a good and fair manager, it is essential that you not play favourites among staff members. Not only does it build resentment, but it costs the company money. Poor staff relations and lowered business revenue are not good for anyone.

Play fair and your business and staff relations will prosper.

Tags: personnel management, staff relations, business, office morale.

Are you a clueless manager? Small Business Trends Radio - My interview

I had the distinct privilege of appearing as a special guest on my good friend Anita Campbell (photo left) Small Business Trends Radio show on Blog Talk Radio. The interview took place on Tuesday, October 9 and we took a light hearted approach to the topic "Are You A Clueless Manager".

It was a lot of fun to be interviewed from the other side of the call for a change. Instead of being strict and serious about an important topic like bad management practices, I took a more humourous approach. I believe it made the subject more interesting, and perhaps a few lessons were learned along the way. After all, most of us have had the experience of working for a clueless manager. Some of us, including me (sadly, I must confess), have even been one at some point in our careers.

Over at Small Business Trends is a great post that describes my presentation very well. Be sure to read the summary of the show, and let Anita Campbell know what you thought of the discussion.

I was podcasted on Small Business Trends Radio

Tags: Small Business Trends Radio, Anita Campbell, clueless manager, Blog Talk Radio.

Richard Laermer: Join the Punk Marketing Revolution - Blog Business Success Radio

Author and marketing expert Richard Laermer, CEO of RLM Public Relations, discusses techniques for marketing in punk revolutionary style, and for creating and developing new ways of thinking, for your business success. Richard Laermer is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on Blog Talk Radio.

The show airs live on Thursday, October 11, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Richard Laermer lives the punk marketing ethos of creative thinking and revolutionary action, while staying true to your core beliefs and values. You will learn:

* How to see punk marketing as an entirely new way to live

* How to understand the shift in marketing power into the hands of the consumer

* How modern technology has made old school marketing techniques obsolete

* How to develop a partnership with your customers to help one another succeed

Richard Laermer (sketch left) is a frequently-quoted authority on media culture and hype, Richard is a former magazine and newspaper journalist, the author of five bestselling books including Punk Marketing: Get Off Your Ass And Join the Revolution, and co-host of TLC’s Taking Care of Business.

Richard first worked as a reporter beginning in 1979 and his columns, reporting and reviews have been published in The New York Times, New York Daily News, Reuters, USA Today, People magazine, Saturday Review, US Weekly, Interview, New York Post, Rolling Stone, Soho Weekly News, and Editor & Publisher, among others.

Richard Laermer founded RLM Public Relations in 1991 when he recognized companies' increasing need for effective media representation. He saw clearly how publicists were not grasping the intricacies of their clients' businesses.

With many years' experience as a journalist, Laermer understood how to deliver results for his clients while respecting the demands placed on overburdened reporters. Over the past decade, RLM pr has got results for its clients by capitalizing on current and emerging trends.

My book review of Punk Marketing: Get Off Your Ass And Join the Revolution by Richard Laermer.

To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with author and marketing expert Richard Laermer, CEO of RLM Public Relations, as he discusses techniques for marketing in punk revolutionary style, and for creating and developing new ways of thinking, for your business success on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Richard Laermer, Punk Marketing, creative marketing, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

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