Speed as a TrendWritten by Harry K. Jones
Observing and reacting to trends makes difference between success and failure in today's marketplace. Technology is shrinking time and space, giving customers more choices and businesses more competition with less time to respond. Thus, speed is an emerging trend that impacts business in a number of ways.In today's turbulent business world, most profitable businesses are those that anticipate and react quickest to customers' needs. Success means moving more quickly than ever before. It doesn't mean pushing yourself to work at an overstressed, breakneck pace. It does mean taking a whole new focus and approach to working, selling, managing and leading to speed up business. Researchers and consultants are talking to businesses to find what does and doesn't work in an era of accelerating change. Whether it's GE or Motorola in manufacturing, Wal-Mart or Home Depot in retailing, or Southwest Airlines in service sector, thriving businesses are practicing some common key essentials. * Focus on customer. Ask, listen, and respond. * Align with future. Benchmark and prepare. * Be an innovator. In an era of rapid change, improvement through innovation is king. * Do it with quality. It lowers costs, increases speed, builds pride, and improves customer loyalty.
| | Building Better Bridges: Networking for Personal ProductivityWritten by Kathleen J. Wheelihan
Mistakenly, networking is sometimes viewed or approached as selling, aggressive, simply passing out business cards, or used solely for personal gain. However, true spirit of networking involves getting to know people and developing relationships, giving without obligation, and exchanging business cards when there is a reason to stay in touch, such as a mutual interest or information or resources to be shared.Why emphasis on networking? In case you aren’t already convinced through your own experiences or that of other people you know, following statistics underscore importance of effective networking: * A referral generates 80 percent more results than a cold call; * Approximately 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking; and * Most people you meet have at least 250 contacts. And while these facts are reason enough to focus on improving one’s networking skills, there are other benefits of networking too. Among them, networking can enrich your life, providing new experiences and knowledge. One of best ways to get started is to consider what you have to offer to people in your network, such as special skills, information, experience, or knowledge, followed by asking yourself what you might need help with. Networking begins with listening and sharing—people helping each other to achieve their respective goals. Little things as simple as clipping an interesting article, sharing a useful website link, or answering a question in your area of expertise are all ways to add value to people in your network. These things show people you care, help build relationships, and establish rapport and trust so that when you need help it will be there for you.
|
