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How Are You Leading Your Employees?

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Senior Business Man Working On Office Table With Smiling Face HaWhat do you look at as being your assets leading a company?

Some business owners are natural-born leaders, having those impeccable qualities that it takes to oversee others.

Meantime, some business owners acquire those traits over years of working for others, seeing what works and what does not work in running a company.

No matter how you came about being a leader, passing those abilities on to others over the years is one of the best contributions you can make as a business owner.

With that being the case, how are you leading your employees?

How to Be a Great Leader

In your efforts to be the best leader you can be in running a business, remember these tips to help others along the way:

  • Be an example – First and foremost, leading by example is crucial if you want to have a strong business model. When your employees see how it is done, they’re more likely to give you their best. On the flip side, being a yeller and a screamer does you or your employees absolutely no good. Yes, there are times when you will become frustrated in the workplace, but cooler heads should always prevail. If you have a problem with one or more employees, settle those issues professionally and in a private;
  • Be calm – As mentioned a moment ago, being calm under fire is a great characteristic to have as a business leader. When times get tough (and you know they certainly do), work to find solutions. Part of those solutions may come from your days ascending to a leadership role. Whether you took college courses in business management and leadership areas or got first-hand experience in jobs over the years, the ability to design how you want to lead is critical;
  • Be confident – There will be times when your business undergoes some transformations and/or some rough spots. Employees will look to you as the calming force to get them and your brand through it all. Showing a side of confidence (not cockiness or arrogance) is crucial during those times. As you guide your business through some difficult stretches or even unchartered waters, many of your employees will see you as a business owner they will want to be tied to for years to come. In doing so, you accrue loyalty from many of those under you, assuring you that you have a formidable team to go to battle with each and every day;
  • Be open – Do you currently have an open-door policy for employees wanting to vent when necessary? If not, you should consider doing just that. While it is not the job of your employees to complain about this and that in the workplace, they will on occasion want to discuss matters with you, matters that could be impacting their ability to fully get the job done. It could be an issue with a customer or customers, perhaps a matter with another co-worker, or how the overall business model is or is not working. When employees feel relaxed and confident in talking with you, it is a win-win for them and of course for you;
  • Be a future thinker – Finally, while your business is living in the present times, you have to think about where you want your brand to be five years down the road, three years down the road, even a year from now. Having an eye on where things are trending in your industry and how those trends will impact your brand are both important. That thinking towards the future is also important for your employees. If they see you talking gloom and doom about your business and/or your industry, do you really expect lots of them want to stick around? When you talk about growing your business, seizing the opportunities that are out there, you paint a much more positive vision for all.

Being a leader can certainly be stressful at times, but would you want it any other way?

There are many people who end up fearing leadership; many others take the bull by the horns and run with it.

When all is said and done, which one are you?

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Will Your Brand Stand Apart from the Crowd?

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Progress Forward Movement Momentum Measure Advancing Results 3dPromoting your brand is something that sometimes can seem like a 24/7 job.

But what if you failed to properly promote your brand? Could your business stand on its own two feet or would the end be in the near future for your company?

With all the competition that is out there for so many different businesses, it is important to separate oneself from the crowd.

In some cases, you may be able to do that all on your own. In other instances, you need the help of experts, experts knowing how to get the most brand attention possible.

So, will your brand stand apart from the crowd?

Know Where to Deliver Your Message

In running your business, you either hire brand promotion experts in-house or you seek outside help. Either way, do not convince yourself that this is not a priority, it truly is.

If you go in search of a media buying agency, what qualifications should they have?

For starters, any agency you consider doing business with must have the ability (and experience for that matter) to dig deep and truly understand who your audience is.

As an example, if you’re selling real estate, you shouldn’t be necessarily targeting the elderly. Yes, some elderly do change homes and/or apartments from time to time, but most will end up staying in their homes until they choose to move into a retirement center or pass away.

When you deploy a media buying agency to work with you in promoting your brand; they do the research (and analyze it) to truly get a better feeling of your audience.

Remember, consumers in 2016 have many avenues they can turn to in order to buy the products and services they rely on, so don’t make matters more complicated than they need to be.

Having a better feel for your audience includes knowing about their buying habits (where they like to shop, when they like to shop, about how much money they are likely to spend per shopping experience), approximately how much income they bring in on a yearly basis, whether or not they like to travel, if they have any important medical needs etc.

With knowledge of your audience and what types of shopping habits they demonstrate, the next key is seeing how your products and/or services can capture their attention, leading to more sales.

Don’t Ever Assume

For example, if you sell home healthcare products for senior citizens, where will you direct much of your marketing and advertising needs?

Remember, although the elderly typically do not spend as much time on the Internet as their younger counterparts, you would be foolish to avoid all online marketing and advertising initiatives directed at senior citizens. That would also include not having a presence on social media.

It is important to note that many elderly individuals and couples are limited in terms of physical mobility. As a result, they can’t get out to stores, malls etc. as much as younger folks. In turn, this means a fair amount of the elderly use the Internet to browse for and ultimately buy goods and services.

So, imagine if you had zero online advertising and marketing initiatives directed at senior citizens? Do you see now why you would be missing out on a piece of the pie?

Lastly, be sure to socialize your brand’s message.

Whether you are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn or countless other social mediums, you should be pounding your message home regularly on such sites.

Once again, don’t discount the elderly or any other group for that matter, thinking that social medium is a wasteland for many consumers.

As it turns out, many consumers check their social media sites on a daily basis, oftentimes more than once.

By being there and offering them valuable products and services, you once again increase the odds of seeing your sales numbers going up.

Standing apart from the crowd is not rocket science, but it does take some time and effort on the part of anyone working with your brand, along with you and your team.

If a media buying agency was not on your radar before, paint a new image moving forward.

 Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Owning Your Voice

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Owing your voice isn’t about the ability to make sound.Owning your voice isn’t about the ability to make sound.

It happened so quickly. I could talk one day. Then I couldn’t. Radiation treatments to kill the tumor on my vocal cord had taken my voice. My ability to make sound was injured so severely that someone had to talk for me when friends (or insurance companies) called on the phone.

In private, I tried making noises or simply saying “hello.” All that came was weaker than a whisper. I felt caught in a horrible dream. If I screamed for help, no one would hear me. No one would know.

It was frightening.

Without a voice, sharing thoughts was grueling. So I stopped sharing them. Unable to share, I lost my desire to learn. My curiosity dissolved. Without a voice to share my thoughts, I lost my mind’s voice — the words in my head that helped me form them. So I stopped having thoughts. I got to know what it’s like think nothing at all.

By the time I started to get my voice back, I had lost the art of conversation. My world had become so small I had nothing to talk about. I had to find the purpose for my voice again. I started reading and listening to what others were saying. I started trying on points of view to find where my mind stood on topics people were talking about.

And as my own thoughts returned, I realized that this time I had learned the hard way what I had stumbled across my first time around. Owning your voice isn’t about owning the ability to make sound. It’s about owning your own thoughts.

Be Irresistible,

Liz

Put Your Mind to It

Ask yourself what you believe about who you are and where you’re going. Think about it daily, so that the next time someone asks you can answer with your clear, strong voice. Next time you’re asked what you think, be sure the voice you answer with is your own.

More from Liz . . .
about Owning Your Voice:

Do You Own What You Know?

How Often Do You Listen to Yourself?

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Seven Signs That You Need a Life Coach

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The idea of getting a life coach is, in some circles, may be unpopular. The whole concept of employing a professional to help you improve your life tends to get resigned to something only celebrities, the over-zealous and the deeply-troubled do. Simply admitting you’re considering seeking some ‘life-help’ is seen as admitting you can’t cope.

But the truth is, there is nothing shameful in trying to improve yourself. Whether it’s your mind-set, your self-belief or your approach to life in general – the gentle push of a life coach is something most of us could benefit from; whether or not we’d ever admit it.

Do you think you need a life coach? Read on for seven sure signs that you do!

You’re ‘Lost’

Perhaps you’ve just left school or university and don’t know where to turn next. Maybe you know you need a career change but don’t know what industry appeals. Perhaps you’re being pressured to settle down and aren’t sure if family life is for you.

A life coach can help you to establish what it is you really want from life and give you the push needed to go and get it.

You’re Living for Other People

Many of us stroll through life making the mistake of trying to make everyone around us happy, while forgetting to do what makes us happy. In fact, one of the number one life-regrets cited by those on their death beds is ‘not being true to themselves’.

It’s understandable why so many of us spend our lives pleasing others; we’re brought up in a world of social rules and restrictions that emphasise ‘thinking about others’, and of course, we should always try not to ‘do unto others as you would have them do to you’.

Yet at the same time, we have to, within reason, do what makes us truly happy. A life coach can help you figure out what this is and instill in you the confidence to stop shying behind social restraints and start living for yourself.

You’re Afraid

We all have our fears, whether it’s of spiders, clowns or even cotton wool (bambakophobia – in case you were wondering). However if ‘fear’ is affecting your day-to-day life or holding you back from living your dreams, it’s time you did something about it.

Scared to leave a relationship? Fearful of quitting a job? Maybe the thought of moving somewhere new fills you with anxiety? Life coaches can help you to face up to your fears and conquer them.

You Want to Change Yourself

Whether on the inside or the outside, a life coach can help give you the tools to change yourself for the better.

Regardless of if you want more confidence, to lose weight or to become a better role model for your children, a life coach can help.

You Want to Improve Your Relationships

Perhaps you struggle to see eye-to-eye with your parents or maybe you find it difficult to hold down friendships. Maybe you even find yourself having brief fling after fling and want to nurture a relationship that’s more meaningful.

A life coach can help you uncover why you’re having issues building and maintaining strong connections, while altering your mind-set and attitude so that you can finally enjoy the human bond so many take for granted.

You’re Unhappy

This is perhaps the number one sign, since it covers so many of the above points and so many more.

If you’re simply not happy, whether or not you know why, a life coach can help you to take the steps needed to turn your life around and start seeing the joy in living again.

One of the reasons a life coach can be so valuable in this instance is that we often think we understand the root of our sadness, yet we’re often wrong. A life coach can help establish the real cause of your unhappiness, which is undeniably the first step on the road to happiness.

You’re Happy!

Yes, you heard me right – even if you just love your life and wouldn’t change it for the world you can still benefit from the help and support of a life coach.

When you’re happy, you’re far more open to growth and will absorb advice much more easily. Happy people are the perfect candidates for life coaching! If you’re happy now, why not aim for ecstatic?!

Elise Carr, MA of StellaMuse Life Coaching puts it very well:

…your MIRACLE, which comes from living your highest potential, emerges through life circumstances and events. These events demand more of you than you think possible at the time. These life events do not make you what you are; they are an invitation calling you, asking your to journey and reveal what you truly are to yourself. And it is in these deeply challenging  times that you need to merge the power of the Divine with the power of your spirit and your character. This is the alchemy that awakens and unleashes your highest potential, and this is what I guide Stella Souls just like you to awaken to.

Image Credits: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Liz Strauss is back sharing her voice online once again

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Liz StraussI wanted to let you know that Liz Strauss is back, sharing her voice online once again. Liz and I are working together to bring you new thoughts on success and updates from the GeniusShared community.

Every Tuesday, we are now sending out a regular email newsletter. The first edition went out this week. Each newsletter contains a short feature post from either Liz or I as well as updates about things that are happening within the GeniusShared community or right here on Successful-Blog. We will also be sharing much more about Liz’s new book — Anything You Put Your Mind To — which is being published September 21, 2016.

If you would like to sign-up to receive our weekly email newsletter, simply complete the form below.

Both Liz and I, are looking forward to helping you share your genius and do anything you put your mind to — in business and in life.

Kind regards,

Jane

Are Identity Theft Thieves Eyeing Your Business?

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Keyboard With Blue Security KeyIs your business as fully protected as you would like it to be?

For those running businesses with physical locations (office spaces etc.), keeping intruders out is a relatively easy task.

You have locks on the door, perhaps video cameras watching over your building, maybe even security guards. No matter what it takes to keep your office and workers safe, you’re willing to do it.

But what about those intruders you can’t see coming through your workplace doors? How do you keep them at arm’s length?

As all too many business owners have unfortunately discovered, identity theft thieves are a problem, a problem that has potential to cost those running companies major dollars. When you throw in the notion of upset customers, things can get out of hand rather quickly.

With that being the case, are identity theft thieves eyeing your business?

Take Steps to Protect Your Company

So that you can keep your business (and your employees) as safe as possible, are you covering the following bases?

  • Physical safety – Going to and from work should not be a big deal, but some employees (depending on where the office is located) may feel threatened at times en route to and leaving the office. Do all you can to assure them that they have nothing to worry about during this part of their day. If your office is in a rough part of town, either look to hiring security and/or recommending workers travel in pairs or larger groups during the day or night;
  • Identity theft – It is oftentimes the hidden dangers that can be the most damaging for a business owner. If online criminals are targeting your business, do not take the threat lightly. Just one successful identity theft attack against your brand has the potential to do major financial damage, along with the negative public relations fallout that would ensue. While online criminals are always looking for new ways to go about striking businesses (and consumers for that matter), you can lessen the odds you will be hit by making sure your online security software is as strong as it can be. One problem for business owners may be that they feel they are too busy to sort through the various security software programs on the market. As a result, they open themselves and their brand up to attack. One means to solve this part of the equation is by turning to services that review various security software programs. Whether you opt for an Identity Guard review or others on the market, the time spent doing so will prove well worth it. Once you have a security software program in place, make sure it is regularly updated;
  • Employee awareness – Since your employees are the bread and butter of your organization, it is imperative that they are part of your front line of defense against criminal actions. Whether it is a customer trying to get away with something to damage your business or an employee trying to cheat the company, your employees’ eyes and ears always should be focused. Unfortunately, some employees have been known to (and were caught) commit identity theft against their employers and/or customers. You should always have a system of checks-and-balances in place to lessen the odds of this problem occurring in the first place. For example, having one employee in charge of the books (accounting etc.) may seem ideal, what if that person has some dishonest intentions in mind? Having another set of eyes to review the books etc. is certainly not a bad idea. In the event you catch one or more employees committing illegal acts against your business (stealing money, identity theft etc.), make sure they are not only susceptible to losing their jobs, but could also face legal action.

Whether the threats come from outside your business or ultimately prove to be inside jobs, you can’t put your brand at risk.

Do your best to limit the chances of one or more people taking your business to the cleaners.

Remember, it is not only the financial fallout that occurs from identity theft and/or employees stealing from you, but you also lose credibility among your customers when such acts take place.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.