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Egos and the Workplace - a Question of Shortsightedness
How many times have you seen a promotion elevate a person’s sense of themselves far beyond what seems warranted? Or are you familiar with the individual who constantly finds fault with the efforts of others as an obvious device to showcase their own greatness? But greatness is not measured in being a big fish in a small pond. Greatness is being a big fish in a big pond, that pond being the entire world . Greatness is rare. It’s unlikely you’ll find it in your organization.The next time you leave the office, open your eyes. What you’ll see everywhere are products of great minds that have created the world we know. No one in your Accounting, HR or even Research and Development Departments are capable of such watershed events or inventions. Automobiles, airplanes, buildings, harnessed electricity, how do we view all this with swelled ego. Of course, you don’t even need to leave the office. Sit at your desk, connected to the internet, and try to convince yourself you’re great.Why bother pointing this out? Aren’t we taught from the time we’re little that we’re special? I only do so because I’ve seen too often how a misguided sense of greatness can make one hypercritical of others. How it bestows on a person the right to judge others. How it can create a distaste for imperfection?If you need further proof of your own limitations, look beyond the inventions of mankind into the expanse of the sky. No, you aren’t great, but you just may approach greatness in your treatment of others. Help others do their jobs more effectively if necessary. Remove those silly notions of greatness from your self image, accept your own imperfections and those of others, and become a great person in the process.

your career needs? What decisions are you putting off? What improvements can you make in your own career?

Your Guide: Before I hand over the keys to career navigation, let me explain why I feel I am qualified to serve as your guide. In addition to having extensive training in Coaching with specialty training in Career and Business Coaching, I too have navigated several career changes. It is this personal experience that has helped me to help others to take control of the drive and to have a clear vision of the road. I have over 25 years of working experience, having worked a number of years in Corporate America in sales, marketing and management consulting in the information technology industry. I also took time to raise a family and became a community volunteer. I pursued a second master’s degree at age 40, worked as a psychotherapist and small business owner and then became CEO of my own coaching company and a partner Career Coach and Vice

4 Essential Steps to Eliminate Database Drama
Back in the day when I was still apart of corporate America, I found myself tasked with the huge job of figuring out what spiffy new company wide software system we needed and what would work best for us.Which computer system would work best? How do I know? Hour after hour of boring computer system presentation, endless trade shows and phone calls and I still didn't have an answer. By the time you figured everything in, each system I looked at was priced somewhere around $170,000.00.With $170,000.00 on the line, you can imagine I was not about to make a snap decision. So I changed my approach a bit. I really dived into why the old software wasn't working and what the team really wanted the system to do.What kind of difference could finding out what the team wanted make? Well, it turns out that 85% of the system we had was fine. But because I was able to nail down the processes behind what we needed, I hired a programmer at $25.00 per hour to come in and make the upgrades. The whole project cost about $2500.00 NOT $170,000.00.You're probably not sitting around thinking about spending $170,000.00 on new software, but you, like many of my clients may be scratching your head wondering if you should buy that new database or new software program that your friend has been raving about.Your pal maybe raving about a software packages like Outlook, ACT!, Goldmine, Filemaker Pro, or Access, which are all excellent programs. BUT, (there's always a big but) in order for them to be effective for YOU, you need to figure out what you need them to do for you.Here's what I mean. Think of a blank piece of paper. That paper could be anything. A love letter, a list, a piece of stationary, you could fold it and make it a card, you could crunch it up and make it a ball or you could get out your origami instructions and make it a swam. There are tons of things that you can do with that piece of paper.You have to think of software the same way. While it may not seem like i

Your Guide to Navigating the Road of Work

Do you feel that your life is an express lane and you are driving blindly? Ever feel that way about your career? You spend most of your waking hours on the thruway of work. Are you one of many people who are working in a job they are not satisfied with? Some wonder how they got where they are in the first place; did they somehow miss a turn along the way? Many have lost their passion for work altogether, they arrive each day on cruise control and return, gas tank emptied at the end of the day.

Wish you had a AAA road map to guide you through your journey? Ever want to make a U-turn or take a more scenic route? Life is full of transition, beginning a job, pursuing a career, making a commitment to a relationship, having children, trying to balance work and family life and caring for aging parents. Our work affects our life and our life affects our work, both are intertwined. As a result your career often has its fast lanes; it’s off ramps, mergers and speed bumps along the way. Sometimes you might feel out of control, ready to spin out at any time, other times you are in cruise control. Learning how to design your own road map and how to take control of the wheel can help you to navigate your lifetime of career transitions. Learning the keys to a successful navigation can help you to navigate sharp turns, detour around accidents, and to enjoy a smooth, safe ride.

Chart your own course. Get to know yourself very well. The self discovery process will prevent you from making decisions that do not support your values, interests and passions. Without self knowledge you might find yourself “off roading” or worse yet, stuck. Use the tips below; they are the keys to a successful ride to help you to identify your ideal work and to make it your

own. Being familiar with what you really want in your life is like having the best road map in your glove compartment. I’ve learned, as a career coach, that many of my clients simply lack the map:

“I’ve been working for years at this job but find I have less and less energy at the end of the day. I hate it. But what else could I possibly do?”

“I chose this job because it was a good fit for me at the time. I wonder if it is possible to make a change. I’d like to work in the community or for a non profit group but don’t have any experience in this area, can you help? Can I make a change or is it too late?”

“I’ve been at home raising my family and now I’ve like to return to the workforce, I am not sure what to say about my absence? What transferable skills do I have?

“I feel like I’ve missed my calling. I want to work at a job I feel passionate about.”

“How can I make sure I get the next promotion?”

You have choices about your career destination; you get to pick your journey. You deserve to have work that is fulfilling, has meaning and uses your gifts. You also deserve to have a life outside of work. Since 9/11 many professionals have made career changes to reflect their interests and to increase their work/life balance. We realized that our lives are too precious to spend it doing something we don’t enjoy. My current clients include men who are turning from software engineering and project management to science, teaching, consulting and small business ownership. Many women are making decisions to leave the corporate world to raise their families or to start their own businesses or to find something in between that allow them to balance a life of childcare and elder care at the same time, all while finding some time for themselves. A 2004 study conducted by the Center for Work-Life Policy indicated that 37% of highly qualified women leave their careers for a period of time, 58% resort to flexible or part time hours. To summarize, what are you doing to meet your career needs? What decisions are you putting off? What improvements can you make in your own career?

Outdoor Advertising on Port-A-Potties
One of the best forms of advertising that you can do is to advertise on port-a-potties that are often used in the local parks, fair grounds and during major advance in your city. It works a whole lot better than yellow page advertising and while people are standing there waiting in line to use the port-a-potties they will read your advertisements.This means the exposure of your advertisement will not be lost amongst some 500 pages of over cluttered yellow page ads. Best of all you advertise on port-a-potties it will cost you a whole lot less than your yellow page advertising built each month and some outside advertising specialists believe it works five to 10 times better than yellow page advertising. Personally that sounds about right to me.So many businesses these days are very upset with their yellow page advertising and advertising on a plastic or fiberglass port-a-potties will get your message seen by hundreds if not thousands of people during each major event in the city. Many small businesses are snookered by fast talking yellow page advertising representatives who work for the phone company each year into spending thousands of dollars on their yellow page ads. Most are quite appalled by the limited amount of business that this generates.Personally I can't say I blame them for being upset with yellow page ads and that is why I would recommend in lue of advertising in the Yellow Pages, why not try the port-a-potties instead. Please consider this in 2006.

often has its fast lanes; it’s off ramps, mergers and speed bumps along the way. Sometimes you might feel out of control, ready to spin out at any time, other times you are in cruise control. Learning how to design your own road map and how to take control of the wheel can help you to navigate your lifetime of career transitions. Learning the keys to a successful navigation can help you to navigate sharp turns, detour around accidents, and to enjoy a smooth, safe ride.

own. Being familiar with what you really want in your life is like having the best road map in your glove compartment. I’ve learned, as a career coach, that many of my clients simply lack the map:

“I’ve been working for years at this job but find I have less and less energy at the end of the day. I hate it. But what else could I possibly do?”

“I’ve been at home raising my family and now I’ve like to return to the workforce, I am not sure what to say about my absence? What transferable skills do I have?

“I feel like I’ve missed my calling. I want to work at a job I feel passionate about.”

“How can I make sure I get the next promotion?”

How Corporations Can Use Real Estate To Access Untapped Capital
Most corporations of any size and scale have large investments in the land and facilities necessary for the successful operation of their business. While making corporate investments into real estate assets may seem to be a reasonable strategy at first glance, they are rarely investment or capital driven decisions, but rather operating decisions that in retrospect usually fail to maximize the leverage and value of their land and facilities beyond what is typically provided for within traditional ownership and financing structures.When an operating business finds itself in need of low cost capital their corporate real estate assets should be evaluated as a source of readily accessible quality capital. While a number of financially engineered solutions are available to maximize corporate real estate assets the most commonly used structures center around Sale Leaseback transactions. Sale Leaseback transactions are popular solutions for the following reasons:Improved Financial Statements: By moving corporate real estate assets “Off-Balance Sheet” financing solutions are engineered that create no mortgage or other indebtedness to be carried as debt on your company's balance sheet. The immediate boost in cash without offsetting debt can improve the overall financial health of a business. Book income typically increases in the transaction's early years, with rent payments less than the interest and depreciation under conventional financing. With our solutions, the book value of company assets is effectively understated — enhancing your company's Return on Assets (ROA).Financial Flexibility: Corporate real estate transactions are not bound by formalized loan industry or REIT requirements, giving lenders flexibility to meet the operating needs of your business. Rents can be fixed for the full lease term without inflation adjustments or any percentage rent. Rents can also be stepped to be lower in the early years or reset periodically to take advantage o

ur glove compartment. I’ve learned, as a career coach, that many of my clients simply lack the map:

“I’ve been working for years at this job but find I have less and less energy at the end of the day. I hate it. But what else could I possibly do?”

“I’ve been at home raising my family and now I’ve like to return to the workforce, I am not sure what to say about my absence? What transferable skills do I have?

“I feel like I’ve missed my calling. I want to work at a job I feel passionate about.”

“How can I make sure I get the next promotion?”

You're Ready To Sell - But is Your Business?
Proper preparation for the sale of your business is one of the most important things you can do. If you were selling your car, you'd probably vacuum the inside and wash and polish the outside in the hope of selling it faster, or getting a few hundred dollars more-or both. In a competitive business sales environment and a world of ever more savvy buyers, it's more important than ever that you put a little "polish" on your business as well when it's time to sell. Start by putting yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer and ask yourself, "What can I do to make this business more attractive?" You, the seller, are an important part in the overall marketing plan, and your role starts with cleaning up your business-both physically and financially. Remember, as a seller of a business, you are now a retailer in the business for sale market, and the buyer is your customer!!!If you focus on the areas listed below, the chance of selling your business and getting the price you want will go up substantially.Financial RecordsA buyer has to understand the financial past and future potential of your company. This means you need to have up-to-date financial statements-income statement and balance sheet-on a monthly basis. They should clearly and accurately reflect the operations of the business. Try to minimize "extra" expenses and be sure all of your revenue is reflected. Consider having a bookkeeping service prepare your financial statements-it increases the quality of your information and the confidence buyers will have in that information.Physical AppearanceFirst impressions count. Whether you run a high end retail store or an equipment rental yard, your facility needs to be clean and organized. Get rid of excessive clutter and old inventory. Make sure any signs are professional (not hand written!). Touch up paint, replace old carpets, replace broken glass, repair broken fixtures. Remember-you're trying to tap a buyer's emot

illing, has meaning and uses your gifts. You also deserve to have a life outside of work. Since 9/11 many professionals have made career changes to reflect their interests and to increase their work/life balance. We realized that our lives are too precious to spend it doing something we don’t enjoy. My current clients include men who are turning from software engineering and project management to science, teaching, consulting and small business ownership. Many women are making decisions to leave the corporate world to raise their families or to start their own businesses or to find something in between that allow them to balance a life of childcare and elder care at the same time, all while finding some time for themselves. A 2004 study conducted by the Center for Work-Life Policy indicated that 37% of highly qualified women leave their careers for a period of time, 58% resort to flexible or part time hours. To summarize, what are you doing to meet your career needs? What decisions are you putting off? What improvements can you make in your own career?

Contract Manufacturing: Choosing The Right Way To Go
Choosing the right company to handle your needs for contract manufacturing is the difference between doing well and doing less than well at your project. The good news is that there are some excellent quality companies out there that will serve your needs effectively from the start. Here are some things to think about when hiring contract manufacturing companies to assist you.• Consider how well they communicate with you. You have ideas, needs and plans that need to be effectively communicated to the company that you work with and they then need to implement them into their finished product. If they can not communicate well with you from the beginning, who is to say that they will down the line when it is even more important for them to be on the same page?• Consider the range of scope that the company offers as well. A company that offers many services and many fields of service is nice for convenience and quick turnaround, but a company that specializes may offer a more thorough project for you as well. Determining what fits your needs the best is important.• It is of course wise to consider budgets and financial information as well. There is no telling the amount of need you have here, so doing a little leg work will help you to find the right cost for your needs as well.When it comes to contract manufacturing, you will find excellent individuals and companies to do the work you need them to do effectively right here on the web. As the best place to locate the contract manufacturing companies out there, the web is the best place to turn for your need.Try googling for “contract manufacturing” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.

your career needs? What decisions are you putting off? What improvements can you make in your own career?

The Keys to a Successful Ride:

1. Give your Map a Name: Write your Mission Statement: Who are you really? What are your passions? What are your values, what motivates you and what gifts do you have that you want to share with others? What is your personal brand, those unique qualities that make up who you really are? What do you want out of your life? What do you dream of? Write your own mission statement for your life and work by knowing yourself well. If you feel stuck, try to think of what you enjoyed doing as a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Ask your friends what they enjoy about you the most. Find your life purpose. When you do, write your mission statement for your work and your life. You will find that knowing your life purpose will help you to make the career decision that reflects your values and uses your talents.

At age 62 she took the time to evaluate her life and to reflect on what she really wanted. She remembered that she really loved her bohemian style life when she was younger and carefree. She compared that to her task oriented life and her long list of accomplishments. Upon making this discovery she limited her proficient “to do” list to only 8 items and replaced that time by doing the things she loved, she started yoga, walking daily and singing in her choir. Ironically once she did this she was also to get the job that she was seeking, switching from high tech to healthcare.

2. Label your Main Attractions: A successful ad campaign for Tide revealed its special “blue crystals”, its unique selling point. What are you main attractions? What do you have to offer in talent, skills, education, gifts that make you unique? What are your successes? Write down your CAR stories, tell the story of a Challenge you experienced, the Action you took to solve the challenge and the Result that you gained. Learn the art of self promotion. Do it in a way that you are comfortable with, but do it. Making your attraction visible will keep it on the map; make it a showcase that everyone wants to visit. If you practice this tool it will be easy for you to use it in an interview or to gain the promotion you want. Take a moment to write down your “blue crystals.”

I am working with a woman in Boston who has a passion for politics and environmental issues. While she was able to express her environmental interests in her research at work, we both sensed that her voice needed to be heard in a bigger way. Once she was able to turn down the volume of self doubt and turn up her personal volume she became a free lance writer and public speaker. She is getting paid for publishing her opinion and expertise and has established a writing desk in her home, a rest stop where she can freely write and let her voice be heard.

3. Take a look around: “Should I stay or should I go?” Are you working at a job where you don’t enjoy the scenery anymore? Are you feeling like your gifts are not being used and your work is not appreciated? Do you have a tug in the pit of your stomach when you leave for work in the morning, wishing you were at home instead? Are you concerned that your position may be eliminated but are not being proactive?

How do you know when you really should be taking a more scenic route? It is not unusual for adults to have experienced multiple careers in their lifetime and many jobs. The days of staying in one place and receiving an award at the end are long gone. It is okay change lanes. First

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Business merchant accounts are critical to have if you want to accept credit cards. Despite the fees, the customer convenience and no hassle approach to receiving your money make it worthwhile to have a business merchant account.

Business brokers help you in the sale and purchase of businesses. They charge fees for providing brokerage services. The fees depend on the size of the business, the final sale and the purchase price. There are different business brokers for dealing with different kind of businesses. For example, some of them might specialize in mergers, and others in acquisitions. Apart from the fixed fee, most of the brokers also charge commissions. The commission can be computed on the basis of the selling or purchase price of the business. The larger the price, the greater the leverage to negotiate commission rates with a business broker.

Many people believe that yellow page advertising is the best possible advertising for a new business, but let me tell you I have heard some horror stories in my past. In fact let me tell you about one story, which is pretty much unforgivable. I was told by a Yellow Page Advertising Representative that the book closed in two days and if I did not get my Ad in now I could forget it until next year.

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