Listener discretion is advised ——————————– A video transcription of the telephone call between a 911 operator and 105th, South Tower worker Kevin Cosgrove. Cosgrove pleads for help to the 9-11 operator in his call, at one point telling her that he is not ready to die, “Tell God to blow the wind from the West. It’s really bad. It’s black. It’s arid. Does anyone else wanna chime in here? We’re young men. We’re not ready to die.” Cosgrove is abruptly cut off as the tower …
I have been a fan of NBC’s popular sitcom “The Office” for quite some time. More than anything, the secret to the show’s success is its ability to develop a humorous parody of true life office situations, such as boring meetings, an irrational boss, office politics, competition, even romance. One of the areas the writers work on is humor in the work place. Two situations in particular come to mind: Michael Scott’s (the boss) inane ability to tell jokes to his staff, which nobody appreciates, and Jim Halpert’s barrage of practical jokes on his nemesis at work, Dwight Schrute (moving Dwight’s desk into the men’s room was my personal favorite).
In Scott’s case, as manager he simply wants to lighten things up in the workplace. Although he genuinely believes he is being witty, he is oblivious to the fact his delivery is not only bad, but his comments are embarrassingly crude and politically incorrect. Although he has the best intentions, his staff is simply shocked by what comes out of his mouth. In other words, instead of easing the tensions in the office, he compounds it.
In Halpert’s case, there is considerable tension between Schrute and himself, but because of Dwight’s offbeat persona, he makes an easy target for Jim who gets satisfaction watching his foil react to his pranks. This greatly relieves the stress of work, at least for Jim and Pam. However, Jim can become distraught if his practical jokes backfire.
The lesson from both scenarios is there is a fine line between adding levity to the workplace and making matters worse.
There is a trend in management today to promote humor in the workplace in the hopes it will relieve the tedium of work. Although this sounds all well and good, there are also pitfalls. First, not everyone shares the same sense of humor. What one person considers funny may be considered obnoxious or distasteful to another. Second, it is very easy to go over the line and tell a politically incorrect joke, thereby paving the way for a reprimand or, even worse, a lawsuit to be filed against the person, the company, or both.
Sarcasm is perhaps the most common form of humor found in the workplace, but this can get old quickly if done excessively and perceived in a negative context. Imitations of people can be comical, but it also reveals your true feelings about someone, plus, if your target finds out about it, you might earn their wrath or turn a friend into an enemy. To me, imitations of people in the office are the first hint that someone has their foot on a banana peel.
Practical jokes are still around, but not to the degree as exemplified in “The Office.” The biggest danger here is if the joke is manifested in front of a prospective or existing customer, thereby affecting business. Company newbies, particularly recent college graduates, beware: be wary of sophomoric hijinks in the workplace. Humor in the office is vastly different than what you experienced in college.
Is there room for humor in the workplace anymore? Yes, the prime intent is to relieve stress, engage the brain, and reinvigorate your coworkers. You should be cognizant though of the fine line between silliness and getting in the way of accomplishing productive work. Like any comedian, you should know your audience and tailor your humor accordingly. No, we no longer live in an era where crude jokes can be openly told in the workplace. We must be careful not to offend, but aside from this, there is nothing wrong with a little levity to liven things up.
And for God’s sake, don’t try some of Jim’s practical jokes at work.
Tim Bryce is a writer and management consultant located in Palm Harbor, Florida.
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/humor-in-the-work-place-1180613.html
In this six part Q & A series, I will address the challenges of balancing revenue management and service management.
What is your opinion on revenue Management in hospitality today?
Revenue Management is a multi-faceted strategic approach to pricing that can be very effective at promoting the bottom line. It works best for the overall sustainability of a hotel when it takes into account existing hotel standards and systems and especially when it can be flexible to loyal customers.
Do you think that all this heavy discounting and yield management really works (more retention of revenue)?
Discounting is a sometimes effective short-term strategy, but it is unsustainable because it can have long term impacts. Look at the recent closure of the Fairmont Resort, Blue Mountains , a hotel with competitive rates, as one example of a good hotel that priced itself under its market. I prefer value-add strategies for luxury products like hotels (keep the price the same but add-on indirect costs like upgrades and valet parking and shoe-shining), because I think customers equate low prices with poor quality and that has a negative brand impact, which does not sustain them.
In support of my discount-wary philosophy, the Observatory Hotel on Kent St, Sydney, has a ‘no discount’ policy that has seen it consistently able to charge high rates and generate revenues which are, by my observation, then invested in its people, these people then produce better service, which in turn adds value and can then be reflected in even higher prices… and so the virtuous cycle continues. It is a phenomenon particular to hotels and airlines and other luxury items.
Do you think that hotel pricing policies are giving fairness and satisfaction to all customers?
No, but the nature of service and hotels is that all customers are different and have different needs so this does not concern me so much. What does concern me is the opposite point of view. A lot of RM strategies rely on shifting market trends and movements that classify all people arriving at a certain time as one particular group. Therefore, I am no longer Mr Smith, regular customer who always gets a suite with a beautiful view for a consistent rate, but now I am Mr Smith arriving on a busy Thursday night and so now I must pay more or less than before because that’s economics. That is economics, but not service. This is not honouring his loyalty nor rewarding it.
What is your opinion on all this cost cutting which is going on at the moment? Do you thing that employees are working in very “tough” environment, understaffed, stressed…?
Cost Cutting is vital but managers need to see themselves and their departments as ‘profit centres’ and emphasise revenue generation as well, as this will empower staff to see themselves as part of the success of the business= more motivation= better service. Furthermore, the old adage, you need to spend money to make money, is as apt as ever.
Do you think employees are able to provide high service standards working hard as they do today, if they do?
I believe the secret of service is that EVERYONE in a hotel has to be committed to it, not just those in the front line (Jay Kandampully’s internal customer service theory and practice) and training is constant. Hotels are boring when the work is not hard so as long as it is rewarding and enjoyable it will be reflected in the levels of service.
What is your opinion on the service quality provided in hospitality industry today?
I can only comment on Sydney and I think it’s fair to say it is variable, although there is much speculation that many experienced people are coming back to the industry in the downturn so maybe it will rise. Service is an investment and a state of mind and managers must lead by example in the service they show their staff. Service begets service and I think there is a ’service is someone else’s job’ prevailing mentality.
Do you find “cutting corners and working overtime” as a threat which can bring erosion in the service industry in regards to quality?
Luxury involves no stone left unturned and no corners cut and a time commitment on behalf of staff. Overtime will sometimes be included, but it is the ‘casualisation’ here that is the most impactful to service. Hotels that have some success with casuals use them as a ‘top-up’ in busy times only. Christine Burnet, Exec Housekeeper at the Novotel Darling Harbour, speaking at ICMS said that their policy is to staff for 75-80% occupancy with full-timers to ensure consistency, and then topping up with casuals above this occupancy. She says the secret to keeping casuals at the same standards as full-timers is to offer them as many of the privileges as you offer full-timers (Christmas party, locker, uniform wash) as you are entitled to under the Award.
How would you connect revenue management and service quality? Revenue Management is a multi-faceted strategic approach to pricing that can be very effective at promoting the bottom line. It works best for the overall sustainability of a hotel when it takes into account existing hotel service standards and systems and especially when it can be flexible to loyal customers. The strategy should suit the market (e.g. corps will respond to up-sells to higher room categories if they are reasonable and allow them to have privacy and meetings in their room, and leisure will stay longer [ minimum nights restriction] if convinced etc.) and must recognise loyalty. Overall, according to the economic theory of C- Demand Curves, rates for luxury items like hotels should reflect the level of service the hotel ASPIRES to (best possible case) as this is where brand image will be strengthened, positioning will be assured, and demand will emerge from high-end markets.
What is your general opinion on the subject and as a teacher in hospitality what would you advise current students (future managers) on this matter?
Be very wary of putting rates at the centre of your management. Service is a proven generator of revenue and solidifies brand image long term, but accounting works in short periods (quarters, even months!) and does not pick up on this, so take into account long term accounting periods as well. For example, you might occasionally break your budget monthly for training, but over a year watch staff turnover decrease and service feedback results increase. The biggest problem with revenue management (in my opinion) is that it has created a market of price-sensitive guests whose focus is better deals, not the intangible wonders hotels can provide. We only have ourselves as hoteliers to blame. And the saddest part of it all was that the height of the revenue management phenomenon came at a time when disposable incomes of customers had never been higher. That is, when we could have put a premium on our rooms and food and spent money on staff training and development and on produce. That was short-sighted.
The International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) was established in 1996. In recent years, ICMS has established itself as a global leader in management education. In association with its strategic partner Macquarie University, ICMS offers Diplomas as well as Associate, Bachelor and Master Degree programs in the areas of Hospitality, Events, Tourism, Retail, Sport and Property.
A lot can happen in a trade show and if you’re not careful, you could lose a lot through product theft, damage, pilferage and mismanagement. Learn the ways you can ensure trade show security and make your participation a more enjoyable experience.
Physical Security
Physical security is the first concern of every trade show participant. This refers to your immediate surrounding, which can include buildings, visitors and other participants. When considering security for your trade show, keep the following in mind:
- Is the location of the trade show accessible and considered safe?
- Is the building where the trade show will be held considered sound?
- Is there sufficient support and protection from professional security personnel?
- How many exit points are there from where your booth will be standing? In case of an emergency, will you be able to reach those exits in a short period of time?
- Does the building offer safety equipment (fire extinguishers, automatic sprinklers, smoke alarms, etc.?)
- How will participants and visitors enter and leave the room or building?
- Are people checked by security personnel before they enter?
- How many security personnel are involved in keeping peace and security during the trade show? Is the number of security personnel enough compared to the size of the building or trade show area and number of participants and visitors?
- What types of security equipment are being used to ensure that the trade show is safe?
- Is there a possibility that the trade show will attract troublemakers? If so, what are the security measures that the organizers have put in place?
- In case there is a problem, is there a representative of the trade show organizers you can turn to for help?
Product Security
Product security is your next concern but it’s equally important. To keep your products safe, here are things you need to consider:
- What is the likelihood that your products will be stolen, pilfered or damaged because of mishandling?
- What are the security measures you have put in place to prevent these from happening?
- Is there a trade show participant whose products are considered unsafe, such as flammable materials or potentially toxic chemicals?
- If you’re using electronic devices to keep your products safe, do you have access to emergency backup or power in case it goes out?
- Can you and your sales personnel handle the number of people who will be coming to your booth to browse, examine, review and inquire about your products and services? Do you have security gadgets that will allow your visitors to freely interact with your products without your participation?
A trade show can do a lot for your business but only if you know how to keep your products safe. Learn the ways you can implement and maintain trade show security. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/ways-to-maintain-trade-show-security-1177186.html
In some instances the company’s management is to blame when it comes to fraud cases. As much as the management takes decisive steps to prevent fraud, they are the ones that propel their juniors to commit these acts. This they do unawares by not considering that the people they are managing are also human. In this article I will dwell on how to manage the accounting department for here is where fraud instigates.
One area that the management should avoid is exerting pressure on accounting staff to complete their work in unusually short periods of time in the name of controlling fraud. Putting pressure on accounting staff to take a short time to perform their duties will simply lead to manipulation of data entries, with the fraudsters alluding to mistakes due to hurried calculations and recordings.
Since fraud usually gets discovered way after the fraudster has made his/her kill and has been replaced. The current accountants could also take advantage to commit fraud and blame it on the previous ones. The business management team should therefore ensure accountability of all accounting staff by avoiding a high turnover of key accounting personnel.
At any one time the accounting staff should not be short-staffed, this helps to avoid collusion. Few accountants may easily conspire and agree in unison to defraud the company in secret. They may also chart to commit fraud due to pressure of work as their numbers are few.
The accounting office plays a major role in ensuring a sound financial management. The accounting staff ought therefore to be given good salary packages and incentives to motivate them. This will go a long way to satisfy their financial needs and hence prevent fraud.
Stephen is an business management expert. He researches and studies on big and small business strategies . Website: Business Management Secrets for efficient business operations. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/business-management-role-in-preventing-fraud-1175252.html
I have often been asked to help others work through issues of burnout. As a business owner you’ve most likely experienced days (or weeks) when you feel you’ve been running around like a chicken with your head cut off and typically when the tail wags the dog you immerge feeling that you have little or nothing to show for your effort. Whenever I speak with an entrepreneur about potential burnout, I have them take the opportunity to go back and reexamine their original purpose. I have found that the process laid out below always results in ignited productivity, passion and helps preserve their sanity.
The first key is re-igniting your drive which is born from your internal motivation, your “fire in the belly”. We are never more productive than when we perform functions because we want to - not because we have to. One way to motivate your self to achieving this is to remember the original reasons that motivated you to choose the business that you’re in. Why you chose the business opportunity in the first place. When we first began this entrepreneurial path we took every day and made the most out of it, enjoying the simple feeling of daily accomplishment. We were convinced that this was a defining time in our business life and we were committed to making the most of it however, much like a chandelier on a dimmer switch, the illumination of that original inspiration has slowly faded without us noticing. For many of us, if we do not halt this track, it will translate into full-blown burnout and can eventually be the beginning of a slow death of our business.
In order to feel accomplishment through the process again, we need to define what the process accomplishes or satisfies in us as an individual. So what’s the question we need to ask ourselves? It’s a variation of the question “what’s in it for me?” However we need to alter the question to get the answer we can use. The actual question we should ask is “what’s in it for me other than money, that fulfills me?” Take a piece of paper and write down as many answers to that question that come to mind in 5 minutes.
As entrepreneurs we’ve made the choices we have made because we were deeply inspired make them. When we force ourselves over a period of time to perform a function through manufactured motivation it is the first step toward eventual burnout. It is a sign that you have lost your original inspiration, which will have a direct adverse-effect on our drive and focus. It extinguishes that “fire in the belly”; the foundational purpose that fuels why you do what you do. Unless we define the main needs in our life that this role can satisfy, we can never justify any extra effort and sentences us to living our business life at the lowest common denominator…. we might as well be an employee and have a regular job! This is the polar opposite of what will sustain long-term high effort as a result of the deep satisfaction.
So in light of this, how do I relate to the process in a way that reconnects me with enjoying it on a daily basis? I must basically redefine my job description in a way that emphasizes the parts of the process that I most enjoy doing. Note that it does not mean that you won’t need to perform tasks that you least enjoy but rather it allows you to acquire the motivation to do them. What fulfills me daily is to tirelessly work to unlock the potential of others who truly want that for themselves. Everyday I am inspired to coach my team and my clients to individually attain their defined short-term and long term goals while experiencing a sense of accomplishment throughout every step of the process.
Your road map to success is not solely focusing on the end result but rather the daily process, which if executed vigorously, will ultimately give you the results you desire. I cannot say this strongly enough: allowing yourself to take satisfaction in the daily process is paramount. We are all able to feel that sense of accomplishment when we concentrate on the A+B of the success formula on a daily basis and not focus solely on the end result (i.e. monetary results). Notice I said “not solely”. Satisfaction from our end results and goal attainment is important but it also comes far more naturally. I’m suggesting that one just cannot starve themselves on satisfaction, only to binge like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet when they reach a long term goal. That method causes the individual to appear to others as an ego-maniac when they experience success because of the co-dependant relationship they have developed with it. No one else understands that they are actually eating all they can now because they have no idea when the next time they’ll be allowed to dine on satisfaction again.
If you set daily activity goals, you can feel satisfaction in your job everyday (make certain that you reward your self when you reach those). Remember: The only way to achieve any long-term end result is to focus on being fulfilled through the process on a daily basis, which naturally results in greater effort. There will be no need for a forced increased in daily discipline when you enjoy and are fulfilled through the daily processes you accomplish. The 4 Keys to avoid burnout and maintaining a healthy daily perspective are:
* Define what you truly enjoy in your present business role.
* Make your goals to reflect daily activities you can control rewarding yourself when you reach them knowing that they will eventually result in growth over the long haul.
* Don’t negatively evaluate yourself on results you can’t control - it will damage your efforts to control the things you can.
* It is practically impossible for you to be a successful, inspirational entrepreneur if you believe what you do is only about the bottom line…. so don’t let it be!
So take a business time-out, recalibrate, refocus and re-ignite the excitement about what you do!
Written by:
Patrick Daugherty
The Biz Coach
Patrick Daugherty has a passion for coaching business executives and entrepreneurs to reach their personal and professional goals. To learn more about Patrick visit his blog: http://www.squidoo.com/patrickdaugherty And full profile at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdaughertyArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/business-owner-burnout-make-your-burnout-prevention-plan-now-1173699.html
Records Management is an important part of every business. Choosing the right Records Management Strategy for each specific business, however, is as unique as the company itself. For example, while it’s important to keep current records and documents close by, it’s also necessary to file older records out of the way so that you’re not tripping over them on a daily basis. And still, you need to be able to have access to the files when they are needed for research, audit, or a customer issue. All of which begs the question - what is the right strategy for my business and our files?
To start, there are two main ways of keeping your older, legacy business records. You can choose to either store the hard copy original records in paper format, or scan them to digital images (PDF, for example.). There are advantages to both methods and the decision is based on your specific business requirements.
Electing to store your paper files involves placing records in file cabinets, and eventually boxes so that they can be physically retrieved when needed. By electing to keep the paper files, you will be able to maintain complete file integrity, including any important notes or information that may be included in the files. In some businesses this extra information is very important and needs to be kept with the file. While scanning can replicate many of the features of having “notes” and other inclusions, it’s often best to retain these types of documents in hard-copy format.
Storing records in paper format, however, can take up a lot of space and is best done in a storage facility. Placing older documents in file storage boxes allows you to send your records to an outsourced storage facility, where they’ll be safer and more secure. An off-site storage facility is typically the best option for maintaining your records long-term.
Keep in mind that Boxes of old records take up valuable office space. In addition, if you choose to maintain paper documents, locating stored items needs to be as simple as possible. It’s often quite a task to locate an older file if you don’t have good storage and organization system. A professional company that specializes in records management will provide you with the best option since they can take over the entire storage process. They will organize and store your records and if you need a particular file you simply need to request it.
If you feel that keeping hard-copy, paper records is not for you, then you may want to consider scanning documents and storing them on disc or hard drive. Scanning records for storage can reduce the amount of physical storage space necessary, and can also provide immediate search and retrieval capabilities. Scanning is typically best when you have files that are very similar to each other and the information can be easily indexed. This is important to note, as each and every document will need to be “tagged” with some sort of Metadata, or keywords that will allow for easy search and retrieval later on.
Having files in an electronic format can help when you need to send or share information. Scanned files can be retrieved easily when needed. It can also help to enable access to the same files from multiple locations at the same time, meaning that whether you are at home, in the office, or travelling abroad, you can still have access to the same information from your files.
An important factor to understand is cost. The real measure of which option is right for your business will come down to cost and frequency of retrieval. If no one will ever look at a file, or a box of files again, but you need to keep them for a certain period of time, then offsite file storage is likely your best option. This is because without retrievals, the costs of scanning a box - pulling staples, time spent scanning, and indexing the metadata - will likely exceed the cost of storage by a 10:1 Ratio. This means that you could store Ten Boxes for Seven Years, for the cost of scanning just one upfront. If, however, your staff will need access to these files frequency, these numbers can reverse rapidly, making scanning the more cost effective option.
When you begin to consider storage or scanning of your documents you may begin to realize the enormity of the project. If you do the project in-house you’ll need manpower and storage space as well as a good method of filing and retrieval. To eliminate these problems it is recommended that you use a professional records management company. They can provide you with the fastest, easiest and most affordable solution to document storage. The final decision to store or scan your business documents is ultimately up to you. There is no universal answer but there are factors to consider that may make one option better suited for your business.
Keep in mind that this decision is part of a long-term business strategy that will give your company a better way to keep and locate documents when needed. Document and Record storage is one area that you and your management team are probably not concerned with on a day to day basis, so if you’re still not certain which strategy to pursue, it’s often best to consult with a records management company who can help you determine the best solution for your business.
Michael R. Thomas is Vice President of Client Services for Shoreline Records Management, Inc, and Author of the Upcoming book “Practical Records Management for the Busy Professional.” Learn more about Shoreline Records Management and to pre-order your free e-Book.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/should-i-store-or-scan-my-business-documents-1169881.html
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A review of the history and literature of strategies for managing change shows these 9 reasons for programme failure:
(1) Lack of board level support - The change programme is holed below the waterline if it doesn’t have the support of directors and senior management - and is seen to have their support.
(2) “Here’s one we did earlier” - Any attempt at a top-down, imposed “packaged-solution” that doesn’t capture people’s support will sink without trace.
(3) “Shuffling the deckchairs” - If the change is seen by people as simply “shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic”, then like the Titanic, the programme will slip beneath the icy waves of peoples cynicism and indifference. People need to believe in what they are being told and not to just see it as yet another organisation restructure exercise to justify senior management’s existence.
(4) Lack of leadership - The initiative needs a programme director with a transformational leadership style who is leads from the front - and is seen to be doing so and who totally owns the programme. If this role is not fulfilled - then the change management programme will fail.
(5) How people see the change initiative - People need to see what the change programme is all about and why it is necessary. They need to feel some form of connection with the reasons for the change and what is hoped to be achieved by it. They need to feel that it is worthwhile and necessary and something they are broadly in agreement with and that they can support.
(6) Lack of trust - People are sick and tired of reorganisations and restructurings and all of the insecurity that this engenders. Senior management and especially the programme director need to create an atmosphere of trust - otherwise fear and mistrust will have a corrosive effect and jeopardise the change management initiative.
(7) Under-resourced - It essential to the delivery of successful strategies for managing change that they are fully resourced with with the necessary people, training, time and budget. An under-resourced programme sends the message that senior management don’t really care and haven’t really thought it all through. So if “they don’t care - then why should we?”.
(8) Change resistance - If the impact of the change management initiative hasn’t been fully defined and explained to those people who are most affected by it, then it is very likely that they will resist the change. If the company has a history of “deck chair shuffling” then the level of negativity and resistance will increase.
(9) Unrealised benefits - if the processes of defining, managing and realising the benefits of the change are not handled properly, then the new capabilities may not be fully utilised or sustained. It is the role of senior management - via the programme director - to ensure that this is fully managed from the outset of the change programme
I invite you to visit my informational website packed full of useful and unique practical information on all key aspects of change management to: (1) Take advantage of these 7 FREE “How to Do It” downloads that will take you through all of the key stages of how to manage change - and show you how to manage successfully: (2) Find out the 3 main reasons for the 70% failure rate of all step change initiatives and how to avoid it. - Visit: “How to manage change - putting it all together” Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/strategies-for-managing-change-9-failure-reasons-that-you-can-avoid-1164119.html
Stephen Warrilow, based in Bristol, works with companies across the UK providing specialist support to directors delivery significant change initiatives. Stephen has 25 years cross sector experience with 100+ companies in mid range corporate, larger SME and corporate environments.
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