E-Tip 267 - The Value of Client Surveys

The start of a new year is a time of renewal for many businesses. And one of the best ways to help augment the process is to conduct Client Satisfaction Surveys, as they will provide a snap shot of what is and is not working in the eyes of a client.

What You Do Not Provide A Customer May Not Be Obvious To You...Even If You Are The President.

As you look back on 2009, you probably learned a lot about your business, but what may not be obvious are the things that a customer desires, wants or needs from your business. That being said, we suggest conducting a client and past client satisfaction survey. By implementing a survey, you will learn a lot about what your company is doing right and perhaps what you should be doing.

4 Ways To Conduct A Survey.

There are four main ways to implement a survey:

1. Face-to-face interviews
2. Telephone interviews
3. Written questionnaires (faxed back or mailed)
4. Online surveys

Of the survey types listed above, online surveys are by far the most cost-effective and the results can quickly be compiled with online survey tools. No matter what venue you choose, we suggest keeping three factors in mind: The quality of your e-mail or mailing list, the type of survey questions/choices and, of course, the results.

Survey The Right People.

Before you begin developing your survey questions, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. You will want to ensure that you know the name of the person being surveyed, their title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address. Do not hesitate to spend extra time double-checking your database's information.

Ask The Right Questions.

When you are ready to design your survey, ask yourself, what is the objective of this survey? If you are building the survey questions around multiple sections, use a logical break in the sequence of questions asked. If not, your survey will seem jumbled and confusing. In other words, keep your survey simple and straightforward.

When you are developing the choices for your survey, avoid score-based questions, as marketing research has discovered that survey respondents are often too generous with their scores when grading is required. For example, out of a ten-point scale respondents will typically select 7's, 8's or 9's and rarely ever dip below 6. Naturally, this results in inaccurate survey data that businesses cannot rely on for self-evaluation. Because of this, we suggest using:

• Strongly Disagree
• Disagree
• Agree
• Strongly Agree

When asking someone to grade a product, we recommend using a three-step expectation scale, like this:

• Much more useful than expected
• About as useful as expected
• Less useful than expected

Take The Results To The Next Level.

After sending out your survey, wait 1-2 weeks before collecting your responses. Keep in mind that when it comes to online surveys, a 30% response rate is considered good. Once you have your responses, use the data as a springboard for discussion with clients. Ask them if the results mirror their own sentiments regarding your services and inform them of any changes you may soon implement.

Executive Summary: Every business should strive for improvement, especially if they hope to succeed in this ever-changing business climate. One of the best ways to start to upgrading or changing things at your business is to ask the people who spend the most time using your products or services...your clients and past clients.

For more information, check out our website!

E-Tip 266 - Call Me After the Holidays

At last, we have reached December, a time of the year when things start to get interesting for many salespeople. This is when salespeople start to hear prospective buyers say things like:

• "Call me after the holidays."
• "Our business is slow right now, so we won't be buying anything until after the first of the year."
• "We're going to wait until after the first of the year before we change _________."

Unless what you sell can be given as a holiday gift, this time of year presents a unique and difficult challenge for many salespeople.

Here Are Just A Few Ways To Handle A Prospect Delaying A Buying Decision...

• "I understand. Some businesses are putting off _____________ until after the first of the year and because of that, I wanted to see if your company qualifies for our new cost saving ____________ program (or whatever your special offer is called), which has an extra bonus if you sign up by December 30th. This would save you X%."
• "I can relate to things being slow right now. By the way, I wanted to share with you a new _______ package to introduce our (insert your product/services here). How many employees are on your payroll?"
• "I can relate to things being slow right now, but tell me, will anything change after the first of the year that will prevent you from starting then?"
• "I understand. What day after the first of the year would you like to start your _____________?"
• "I understand. We can deliver the products now and bill you after the first of the year. Does that work for you? On top of that, you will save X% by avoiding the 2010 price increase."

What You Say After Being Told "No" Will Prompt A Prospect To Tell You Their Real Objection.

Often times, the reason a prospect stalls their buying decision is because they are afraid of taking a risk. They may be thinking, "Suppose this service doesn't work well for our situation-then I'll be in trouble." In addition to fear, another reason a prospect may be stalling is if their cash flow is off and they are not authorized to make any purchases. Whatever the real reason may be, you need to flush-it-out and solve it.

If A Prospect Still Says "No" Here Is What You Need To Do.

Like you, I talk to people who want to put things off until after the first of the year. In order to get around this, I do three things. First, I schedule a follow-up call in my database for the first week of the year. Second, I place them in my weekly e-tip marketing campaign so my company's name stays in their conscious and subconscious mind. Third, I send them relevant information about their industry, not notes asking, "Are you ready to buy yet?"

See below for some additional ideas:

• Postcards that promote special offers on your products or services
• Special reports or white papers about cost savings, customer success stories or related customer testimonials.
• Buying guides that help them make the best buying decision. Consumer Reports magazine does a great job at presenting this type of data.
• Letters from the president of your company thanking them for their past business.
• Independent articles that talk about cost saving from your product or services.
• Press releases on new clients, customer service guarantees or special interest projects.

Executive Summary: If a prospect is delaying their decision to buy from you, we recommend offering an alternative close. By doing so, you will most likely find the underlying cause of why they are not buying from you.

For more information about what Dale Carnegie can do for you, visit our website!

E-Tip 265 - Employee Motivation: It's Easier Than You Think!

The job of an owner, director or manager is to get things done through their employees. And to make this happen, they need to be able to motivate their staff. Nevertheless, for many people this is easier said than done.

Motivating People Is Poorly Practiced By Today's Leaders.

Regardless of all the research and books on the subject of motivating people in the workforce, employee motivation is not fully understood and often times poorly applied. To truly understand employee motivation we must understand people (which tends to be the weak link in the process).

Understanding people is a complex process; however, it is a necessary part of effective employee motivation. Once a person has mastered this skill, effective management and leadership is easily implemented.

On The Job Improvement Is Augmented Through One's Motivation.

No matter what we do for a living, everyone needs to be motivated. Whether you are a cabinet maker, baker or CEO of a Fortune 100 company, you need to be driven or at least motivated (internally or externally) to do your job.

Does Everyone Have Self-Motivation?

There is no simple or clear answer to that question. Self-motivation is a trait that everyone has, but the level of motivation varies from person to person. For any business to survive and succeed, they need to have employees who are motivated. While there are scores of options, our research has shown that most people do not know where to start. That being said, we have bulleted a few ideas to get you (or someone you know) started down the right path.

• Set High Expectations And/Or Goals
• Employ Positive Reinforcement
• Treat People, Job Descriptions And Positions Fairly
• Meet An Employee's Need(s)
• Restructure Roles And Responsibilities
• Financial Rewards Based On Job Performance

Motivation In The Workplace Is Valuable In Terms Of Both Revenue And Production.

You can improve your staff's motivation quickly (and often times at little or no cost) by following these five steps:

1. Improve Everyone's Work Environment: Look for simple ways to make it more enjoyable to come to work, like putting on a fresh coat of paint, having clean bathrooms or replacing some worn out carpeting. Even a larger or updated company sign can bring new life to the work environment.

2. Make Work More Challenging, Fun & Interesting: Training workers in new areas and assigning new job tasks can give workers new insights about the business and improve skill sets. This can build confidence in their ability to perform different job functions and increase worker moral.

3. Give Kudos For A Job Well Done: Everyone appreciates being noticed when they do something right or go above and beyond their normal responsibilities, especially if the job is monotonous or difficult.

4. Tie Money Or Perks To Outstanding Performance: Make bonuses or perks a motivation for employees to work harder and better at their job. Share their outstanding performance with other employees.

5. Keep An Open Line Of Communication With Everyone: You need to know if your people are no longer challenged or have become bored with their job. The only way to become aware of this is for employees to be able to communicate their desires to their immediate supervisor. Although no one can accommodate the needs of everyone, you should try your hardest to lend a proactive ear to their needs.

Executive Summary: There are many factors that motivate people. Surprisingly enough, pay, benefits and working conditions are typically given a low rating. And contrary to popular belief, money is NOT the prime motivator. People want to be respected, acknowledged and rewarded intrinsically for a job well done.

For more information, check our our website!

E-Tip 264 - 10 Strategies for Client Retention in 2010

With 2009 drawing to a close, many business owners we know are looking to put this year behind them and start finding ways to increase their business for 2010.

In today's competitive business environment, we have learned that it is more important to focus on building stronger relationships with existing clients. And to help you do a better job at this, we have compiled 10 tips that could easily turn your existing clients into proactive advocates for your business.

The 10 Tips To Help Your Client Retention Are:

Tip #1. Spend 10 - 20 Minutes Every Day Speaking With Two Existing Clients -Even though e-mail has become the communication method of choice for most businesses, we highly recommend picking up the phone and calling your clients. Once you have a client on the phone, ask them, "If you had a magic wand, and could wave it over us, what would you have us do that we are not already doing?" Alternatively, "What do you need from us that we are not providing?" After listening to your clients, execute the best ideas that work for your business.

Tip #2. Ask A Select Group Of Clients To Serve On Your

Board - By assigning your top or most creative clients to your board, you will have access to top-level thinking. Chances are they will come up with ideas you never thought of or did not think were important enough to implement.

Tip #3. Send Your Clients Articles About Their Business And/Or Industry -Your clients like to know that you have their back. Make an effort to send relevant articles to them. This small and simple gesture will help create a much more loyal customer base.

Tip #4. Invite Clients To Test A New Product Or Service (At A Discounted Price/Fee) Before You Offer It To Everyone Else - Exclusivity, or "invitation only," is an excellent way to get someone tied to your business. Not only that, it will save you time by acting as a beta test program. Their feedback will help you either fine-tune the deliverables or decide to can it all together

Tip #5. Start An Alliance With Your Clients Via A Seminar, Marketing Effort/Workshop, Or Special Affair - The more opportunities you take to spend time with your clients, the more connected they will become with your business. And the more connected they are, the stronger an advocate or referral source they are.

Tip #6. Give Them Added Value - There is nothing wrong with giving your clients something special, from 2-for-1 deals, buy 1 get X free deals, dollar or percentage discounts, free or discounted design services, etc.

Tip #7. Connect Clients Who Share Similar Interests Or

Ideas - If you have a client who needs help in a particular area that you know another client is proficient in, get the two together. You will look like a hero by finding someone who could solve their problem, and in the process foster a sense of friendship and trust.

Tip #8. Know Thy Competition - In today's ever-shrinking business world, you need to know how your competition is doing. Google your competition, visit their website and call them up as if you were a prospective buyer. What you find will amaze you, not to mention provide you with valuable information to help your business.

Tip #9. Shop Your Own Company - Hire a third party and have them call your company posing as a prospective buyer. Afterwards, ask them about their experience. The details they can provide will help you develop a better understanding of how you should be handling new clients.

Tip #10. Your Customers Are Always Right - For many, practicing this philosophy can be tough, especially when you know a customer is wrong. No matter what, work on making a client happy.

Executive Summary: Word of mouth advertising is the most powerful advertising there is for any business, but it is only attained by having clients who trust and believe in you. If your clients hold you in high esteem, they will not only tell people about you but also buy from you again and again.

For more information on Dale Carnegie programming, please visit our website!

E-Tip 263 - The Power of Corporate Gift Giving

Normally, our e-tips focus on ways to improve someone's leadership skills and strengthen their management skills. Nevertheless, with the holiday season only weeks away, we decided to discuss a leadership tool often overlooked or underused: the value and power of corporate gift giving.

Corporate gift giving is more than just an exercise in tradition -- it is a source of energy for team unity and positive employee attitude. Corporate gifts show employees that you value them, and are proven to increase morale and drive throughout the office.

The Best & Worst Corporate Gifts.

Bizjournals, the online division of American City Business Journals, conducted a survey with 200+ businesses about corporate holiday gift giving. In the article (click here to read the article) you will find the "do's" and "don'ts'" of corporate gift giving along with testimonies about the most successful corporate gifts and the effects they had on the recipients.

Here Is A Small Example From The Article...

According to Bizjournals, food gifts are generally received favorably, but only when some effort has been put into them. In other words, plain old popcorn in a can will not go over as well as, say, Omaha steaks.

Click here to read Bizjournals' survey on the best/worst corporate holiday gifts.

Ultimately, it is virtually impossible to please everyone that you give a gift to, but that does not mean you should not give one. What we suggest is to try to put a more personalized touch on your corporate gift giving.

As we have discussed before, being an effective leader is paramount to the success of your team structure. And as any smart leader knows, maximizing relationships is the fastest way to build strong and dynamic teams. They also know that giving a corporate gift is another tool that can help them achieve this and should not be dismissed as just a handout to the recipients.

Executive Summary: The past few years have been hard on the American workforce; companies everywhere have endured tremendous stress and pressure from the tumultuous economic climate. This holiday season, more than ever before, it is important for companies to celebrate their employees' hard work through holiday gifts. By taking heed of Bizjournals' findings, you can avoid giving gifts that feel like handouts and instead give gifts that make people feel appreciated, and that appreciation will translate to increased work drive.

For more information on Dale Carnegie, please visit our website!

E-Tip 262 - 10 Tips to Help You Maximize Your Leadership Skills

Having been in the professional training industry for many years, I am often asked what type of leadership tips could augment our leadership classes. With that in mind, I have put together a number of tips to help you or someone you know become a better leader.

10 Tips To Help You Maximize Your Leadership Skills:

1. Build Better Relationships - Great leaders know the value of relationships. Know who people are, what is important to them and what motivates them. Knowing this will help you understand their goals and how you can support them. When you help people, they will care about you and your goals in return.

2. Get To Know People On A Personal Level - If you take the time to get to know someone you like, they will no doubt come to like you, too. Furthermore, it is always nice to ask people about their family and interests. You will also find that if people like you, they will be more open to helping you and taking the extra time to get things done.

3. Develop A Mentoring Program - Great leaders know that mentoring someone will not only help develop that person's career, but also help them refine their skills.

4. Be Upbeat And Stay Positive - In the business world, it is easy to criticize what everyone does and be negative . . . especially in this economy. As a leader, you need to find ways to stay positive and find ways to do things better, faster and more effectively. It is important to remember that people are not perfect, and while you do need to call someone on their poor performance, great leaders know the value of acknowledging when people are doing things right. Doing so builds a positive work environment that helps make people feel appreciated.

5. Know Your Strengths - We are all better at some things than others are. That being said, you will find that it is better to spend time working on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. By working on your strengths, you will find you can rise to the expert level sooner than you would by working on your weaknesses. Bottom line: Know what you are good at and keep at it.

6. Surround Yourself With People Who Complement You - As I mentioned above, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Great leaders know what their weaknesses are and find people who support their shortcomings. Not because they need to cover their weaknesses, but because they know the benefit of having a strong team -- and when the team wins everyone wins.

7. Look At Your Career, Not So Much At The Company - Great leaders know that they are the ones who will create their own career path; therefore, they will work on making it happen. And once they become an expert in their selected career, they will find that they can go almost anywhere they want.

8. Respect Your People - If you do not like to be around people, let alone lead people, then do not take a leadership position. Conversely, if you do want to be in a leadership position, start building relationships with people by respecting what they do. Additionally, it is important that a great leader never miss an opportunity to learn more about the people behind them. Great leaders never skip an employee's birthday gathering or a holiday party because they are too busy -- they know that work will always be there.

9. Balance Your Work And Personal Life - Great leaders are often times driven people, but they know the key to success is to balance work and family. Life is too short for you to live at your job. One day, when work is winding down, you will think to yourself I wished I had changed things. Unfortunately, it will be too late to do so. Great leaders set career boundaries and know when to spend more time with family and friends. Doing this will make you a stronger leader.

10. Evolve Into Someone You Want To Become - Great leaders know that they are individuals and that as an individual, they are not required to be like everyone else. They also know they can take the path less traveled, as the risk is sometimes greater than the reward. If you want to be a great leader, become a person of great interest who has great skills.

Executive Summary: Great leaders know the power of information when it comes time to leading people, information they gather from listening to people they respect. They also know what to say, how to say it and when to say it so that during tough times things get done.

For more information, or to receive these e-tips by email, visit our website!

E-Tip 261 - Great Leaders Have These Traits...

Many owners and executives often ask us what makes a great leader, and what types of skills or traits they should look for in an up-and-coming person. From what we can tell, the fastest way a talented person can learn to become a great leader is to have a mentor, attend seminars and take leadership courses. Sure, certain people have a natural ability to lead others, but great leadership skills are not developed overnight.

Based On Personal Experience And Research, We Have Determined That Great Leaders Have These Traits:

§ A great leader writes down their goals and reads them daily.

§ A great leader is able to inspire workers to work

both smarter and harder. Instead of firing someone,

great leaders know how to get their staff to do their

best.

§ A great leader is open toward learning; they seek wisdom and knowledge from everyday experiences.

§ A great leader does not fear doing what is right, and uses the right words at the right time.

§ A great leader respects people's differences and their opinions.

§ A great leader is willing to take the first step into an unknown challenge and knows how to help others do the same.

§ A great leader knows how to self-motivate.

§ A great leader makes people feel they are important and shows genuine appreciation toward other people.

§ A great leader will tackle tough assignments without complaining about how difficult the environment or situation is for them.

§ A great leader knows the value of preparation.

§ A great leader knows how to teach their knowledge to others; they are great mentors.

§ A great leader is not self-centered; they care about sharing the success with others.

§ A great leader is proactive in getting things done and is willing to take chances.

The Key To Being A Leader

Some of the most important characteristics of a leader are their ability to:

• Provide others with vision
• Motivate others to do a better job
• Inspire people
• Help others to become an innovator
• Help others to become successful
• Share in success
• Recognize people on their accomplishments

Executive Summary: Successful leaders choose to lead and their skill or ability will determine the size of their business, company and even their position in the work place.

For more information, visit our website!

E-Tip 260 - 4 Tips to Drive Innovation at Your Business

Most experienced managers know how important it is to have people provide them with creative ideas because they understand that they cannot experience any type of growth if they try to go at it alone. And without a team approach to creativity, the spark of innovation is quickly extinguished. In fact, many people want to be in a position where their input is not only accepted but also implemented.

How To Drive Innovation At Your Business.

If you cannot innovate, your business you will end up leaving the door open for your customers to look elsewhere for a solution to their problems. To help you differentiate yourself in the marketplace through innovation, we have developed 4 tips that are sure to help drive results at your business:

Tip #1. Acknowledge The Importance Of Other People -Good leaders know the importance of sharing credit when a group comes up with creative ideas. Good leaders also know that their staff will continue to contribute new ideas when their ideas are acknowledged -- even if their idea is not always implemented.

Tip #2. Be Proactive In Asking Your Staff For Their Ideas, Thoughts And Opinions - Face it, you are leading a group of people and must make sure the process and procedures are followed; however, there is nothing wrong with being proactive by asking people for their thoughts on how to get something done faster and better. Do not underestimate your people. They most certainly know more than you think.

Tip #3. Do Not Voice Your Ideas First - We all know there are many people in the business world who like to "play it safe" by not stepping out of bounds with new ideas or suggestions. Be sure to draw out potential ideas by asking them to give you their ideas first, before you give them your own.

Tip #4. Recognize Someone's Innovative Ideas - One particularly strong aspect of human nature is an unconscious demand for approval. This is built into our DNA and is something we all want and need. To maximize someone's potential, do something that recognizes their contribution, such as a small gesture like a $5 gift card for a local coffee stop. Remember, it is more about recognizing their contribution than the reward itself.

Here Are Some Additional Recommendations Based On What Great Leaders Do:

• Tell people you appreciate their input; more people leave their company for lack of recognition rather than lack of money.
• Work on catching people doing something innovative.
• Take responsibility for the "happiness" of your department.
• Ask people for their opinions.
• Tap the creative and innovative perspective of all your employees -- no matter how long they have been at the business.
• Take every opportunity to ask a question and then listen intently to someone's answer.
• Allow creativity by having an open discussion about all types of possible solutions/innovations.
• There are no wrong answers, just better answers when innovating a business.
• Set up a specific time and topic that asks people for their ideas and suggestions on innovating the business and ask them to bring 10 new ideas to the meeting. Provide them with a document beforehand that reads along the lines of "What are 10 ideas on innovating or marketing X, Y and Z."

Executive Summary: Great leaders promote and drive innovation by having a strong and creative team behind them. Yes, technology and money will often drive innovation, but more often it is the realignment of a business' current assets (people and technology) that makes all the difference.

Your Next Step: If you want to find out more about how Dale Carnegie® Training can make your business more effective, or need more information on this subject, please send us an e-mail at the address below.

For more information, visit our website!

E-Tip 259 - Successful Family Succession Planning

Approximately 80% of all businesses in the U.S. are family owned. Unfortunately, most of them never survive beyond the initial generation because the founders and those who hope to succeed them cannot agree on five key areas:

1. The needs and interest of the business.
2. Changes in expectations and commitments.
3. Lack of communication.
4. Lack of adequate succession planning.
5. Failure to separate family needs from business management needs.

In a typical business, the needs of the individuals are a distant second to the company's goal; however, in a family owned business, the needs of certain individuals sometimes overshadows the needs of the business . . . which often times leads to family problems.

The Typical CEO Stays In His/Her Job An Average Of Five To Seven Years . .

Often times CEOs stay on for five to seven years, but in family-owned businesses, the owner stays in their position a lot longer while their children and/or family members sit back until he or she decides to move aside . . . a process that causes tension in the family.

Family-Business Owners Need To Take A Serious Look At Their Own Needs, Their Family Needs And Their Business Needs.

To help family owned businesses succeed, we strongly suggest discussing succession planning sooner rather than later. Statistically speaking, by the time a company is in its third or fourth generation, family members and individual needs tend to be disjointed which often leads to the company being sold off or dissolved altogether.

Three Areas Where Family Members Often Disagree Or Run Into Problems.

1. Someone wanting to take more income out of a business vs. reinvesting it into new technology or equipment.

2. Hiring a family member for employment vs. looking at the needs of their company.

3. Certain family members want to take the business in a new direction vs. keeping the business as "status quo."

Most family businesses can continue without interruptions if members can bring into line the following:

• Provide career opportunities for family members.
• Understand that ownership must be purchased at a fair price.
• Agree to develop clear guidelines for everyone's involvement.
• Develop clear guidelines on management systems and procedures.

Summary: Succession planning can be done on an informal or formal basis, but must be done nonetheless. That said, we suggest meeting three to four times a year to ensure everyone is on board with the current business practices, understanding issues and opportunities. If not, your business will run the risk of operating in areas that are unclear; costing the business tens of thousands of dollars a year. Second, these meetings provide a forum for talking about areas of interest, problem issues and roles, both short term and long term for all those involved.

For more information, visit our website!

E-Tip 258 - No News Isn't Good News

As the economy continues to fluctuate for many industries, we are still seeing a record number of employee layoffs, pay cuts/freezes, benefit cuts and 401(k) match suspensions. Because of this, many executives are finding it challenging to deal with their employees.

Silence Is Not Always Golden

During times of economic uncertainty, a management team's silence can reduce the number of employees who are proactive. In fact, a study by Harvard Business Review revealed that even a small layoff demoralizes employees so much that many leave at the first opportunity that presents itself. To avoid this, it is imperative for management to communicate with employees in order to keep them engaged at their work over the long haul and through the bumps in the economy.

Your People Need Information And Reassurance

One of the things we have come to learn is that employees want accurate and honest information about their future. If not, the rumor mill will be working overtime and spin things in ways that will boggle your mind. To help you address this issue, we have developed a number of tips to help you communicate better with your employees:

1. Make Benefits More Accessible - The most common complaint heard from employees is that they do not know how to find information on their benefits or how to use them. Some do not even know they have certain benefits, like flexible spending accounts or a 401(k) program. To solve this, we suggest having a "Benefits Resource Center" where employees can login and access tools, information, options, etc. on all of their benefits.

2. Listen To Your Staff - Listening to your staff will help you respond to the most important employee concerns, and will provide valuable insight on how they are feeling about the direction of the company. Listening to your staff can also help you quantify what programs or initiatives they feel are best for the company. So how do you do this? There are many ways to listen to your staff, from surveys at an employee meeting to talking with certain employees one-on-one. No matter what approach you take, give people the opportunity to express their thoughts so that you understand what they are thinking and feeling.

3. Keep Your Executive Team And Leaders Visible - The reality is this: The more visible your executive team is, the more your employees feel connected with the company. Make it a policy to have your team keep their door open during the day and encourage them to invite the employees they manage in to express their thoughts. Your team cannot be withdrawn in times of employee layoffs, cutbacks, and changing business strategies. While over-communicating is never wise, it is critical to inform your staff of your business strategy for success. History has shown that it is best to share general information sooner than later.

4. Celebrate As A Team - When you achieve any type of milestone, make it a point to celebrate. This is especially important during difficult times or challenging initiatives. By recognizing milestones and the people that make them possible, you will instill a sense of progress, optimism and hope.

Summary: Employee engagement is critical to the success of any business. Not only does someone's buy-in help you get the work done, but it also becomes your extra edge during tough times. When you need added help to meet deadlines or work with reduced resources, engaged employees are more likely to pitch-in and make things happen. Business leaders in companies of all sizes can make and save money by keeping their employees engaged; however, the only way for this to happen is to make their engagement a priority for your business.

For more information, visit our website!

Check Out our November One-Day Seminar on Reducing Workplace Stress!

One-Day Seminar: Conquer Workplace STRESS

How to Conquer Workplace Stress could change your life. You'll be amazed at how much more productive you are and how much better you feel when you eliminate the lack of focus, fatigue and inertia caused by anxiety and stress.
More Information


This seminar will take place November 18th in Shelton, CT

Sign Up Here!

E-Tip 257 - Get Your Employees More Engaged!

In today's global and competitive economy, it is critical for a business' workforce to have high productivity. Unfortunately, recent Gallup* and Conference Board** research indicates the following:

· 54% of employees are not at all engaged at work*

· Only 29% are truly motivated and engaged*

· 53% of American workers are unhappy in their jobs**

According to these points, over half of the American workforce is disengaged and unhappy at work. It is safe to say this is a formula for poor productivity and run-of-the-mill corporate earnings.

Click here for a list of 25 tips to engage your employees.

How Does A Business Like Yours Get Their Employees More Engaged?

A number of business experts recommend empowering your employees in the following ways:

· Make sure they are part of the solution

· Make sure they are part of the continuous improvement process

· Make sure they have a forum for their opinions to be heard

To ensure this happens at your business, we recommend three key strategies:

• Clarify job descriptions and responsibilities
• Provide your employees with the proper training to facilitate their job requirements
• Make everyone accountable for their job function and give financial rewards/incentives when certain levels of measurement are reached

Create And Maintain A Business Environment That Is Consistently Fair

Dale Carnegie^® Training has helped tens of thousands of organizations over the years. And if anything has been consistent, it is this: Not one organization was perfect. People still feel overloaded and stressed by meeting deadlines and mismatches in compensation, not to mention policy changes that typically take place without much internal discussion. By being open and truthful with your staff, you can weather these challenges.

Summary: As you can see, many companies need to hone their employee leadership development skills to provide the most opportunity for their current workforce. Primary benefits for businesses that succeed in this area include lower recruitment spending, increased employee morale and people being open to covering additional job functions without any added dollars to their paycheck.

For more information, visit our website!

E-Tip 256 - 9 Employee Engagement Tips for Your Business

Last week, we outlined the first 4 Employee Engagement Tips. This week we wrap things up with tips 5 - 9 to help you maximize your employee engagement events or programs.

5. Invest In Your People With On-site And Off-site Training - Training comes in different flavors. You have a myriad of choices, from hiring an inside trainer to hiring companies like Dale Carnegie. We suggest a core training program in communication, problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Better communication increases positive outcomes.

6. Ask Your Staff How They Are Really Doing - To help build the bridge to employee engagement, it is important to have open dialogs with your employees by using statement starters like this: "It is one of my goals to improve my skills as a manager/business owner/GM. Tell me, what could I be doing differently?" After having some dialog, ask them, "What could I be doing to make your job easier?" No matter what they say, keep in mind that you asked them for their opinion. That said, be prepared for an honest answer.

7. Laugh Often, Be Positive And Stay Away From Negative Discussions - I know that running a profitable business is filled with lots of stress, but we also need to know that laughing is a nice way to take the edge off the stress. One way of doing this is to take your team off-site for a team-building exercise or recreational event. Additionally, stay away from participating in negative discussions, as they are caustic to the organization.

8. Reward Your Employees In Ways That Motivate Them - Getting to know your employees will help you find new ways to motivate them and boost worker productivity. We often suggest finding the good in everyone and rewarding each and every employee on your staff.

9. Follow Through On Your Re-Engagement Activities - If you plan to develop a company-wide re-engagement program and do not follow-through, it can backfire and cause even more stress for your employees. Why? Many employees are frustrated with training programs or employee programs not backed by management. Are you committed to following through with your employees? Are your managers committed to keeping your employees engaged, involved in and excited about their day-to-day work?

Summary: Your employees are your company's greatest asset and their united ideas, feedback and enthusiasm will keep your business growing and profitable. While a small percentage of people will give their all and do their best no matter what type of working conditions they are in, the majority of people in today's workforce need the guidance of a skilled manager who welcomes their ideas and asks for their opinion. By opening a dialog, you will give these people a greater sense of job security and will have a direct impact on the profits of your business.

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