First of all, this question has nothing to do with antacids.   My question relates to the Human Capital Resources in your business.  How do you spell relief when it comes to hiring and retaining your employees?  All too often employers make one or more of these Top 10 Hiring Mistakes:*

1. Not knowing what you are looking for
2. Inadequate interview preparation
3. Poor selection of interview questions
4. Hiring too quickly
5. No awareness of the halo effect
6. Hiring people just like you
7. Raising standards unrealistically
8. Using only one interviewer
9. Not checking references thoroughly
10. No interview process in place

So let’s assume you’ve made it past the hiring hurdle. You’ve done your homework and have a system in place which has taken care of the mistakes listed above.  You have an enthusiastic group of employees.  Now how do you ensure that they don’t quit?  How do you ensure that they work well together?  How do you keep them engaged and empowered? 

Are you available...so that God can show up in your work place?

First, let me clarify what I mean by availability.  Availability is;

• Helping your employees & customers recognize their unique gifts and talents. 
• Is praising your employees and customers in a genuine way.
• Tapping into the unutilized strengths of your employees, so they can work at their highest capacity.

Goals are a key to our success.  They are what the business world uses as its report card.  I believe our goals must also be connected to our life’s mission and vision. Our goals, in order to be accomplished and more importantly to bring us closer to fulfillment, must also be anchored to something which is bigger than ourselves.  As I reflect on what I was created to do and the work which is meant exclusively for me, I feel every part of my Body, Mind, and Spirit telling me to share my beliefs.  So I boldly share with you my thoughts regarding why I know that I was “Created for a Purpose.”   

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution in the past?  How long have you stuck with it?   A google search of this topic retrieved over 69,000,000 results.  I am sure you will agree that is a lot of noise about resolutions.  Many times we think of New Year’s resolutions in regards to personal goals such as getting in shape or losing weight.  I believe that businesses need New Year’s Resolutions as well.

Research conducted by psychologists at the University of Scranton indicates that the percentage of people who maintain New Year’s resolutions falls sharply as the weeks go by. 

The Economy Got You Down?         

Is there an epidemic of people wallowing in “self pity” because of their perceived circumstances? When you approach a potential client are they telling you they have cut their budget? They have suspended staff development training?  They don't see any value? They are scared they may not survive? Or is it a tape which is playing in your head? I can’t approach this business, they’ve cut employees. I can’t approach this group they have been in a cash flow down turn for the past two years. How am I going to make a living? God, am I doing the right thing? My purpose today is to offer you 3 Tips to jump past this hurdle.

Have you ever wondered, Why is this happening?  Why can’t they get it done right? Why is this taking so long?  I’ve been there, unfortunately more than once.  My passion to learn more about the spirit of the Entrepreneur, the dynamics of team building and  leadership development has brought me to the realization that when I was asking, why…why…why?  I was actually indulging in a self absorbed pity party, aka, feeling sorry for myself.  This victim and scarcity mentality creeps up on us before we know it.  I have found through my personal trials and errors in business that when I have been frustrated and unhappy it was because I was focused on myself.  This may be of comfort at times.  This is a time we pick up the phone and call a friend or two and tell them our Why…Why…Why woes, but at the end of the day what good has it done us?  Is this level of questioning serving any greater purpose or it a complete waste of our precious time and energy?   

“We have all heard this euphemism Sink or Swim. Obviously as business owners and managers, we should be focused on swimming (succeeding), but what happens to us when conditions are turbulent? We can’t touch the floor? We can’t see the bottom?”

Sink or Swim? I think I’ll swim…

As I was working on my article for this month the euphemism, Sink or Swim just kept coming to mind. While on vacation with my family in Mexico I experienced a near panic attack. I was swimming in the beautiful blue waters. I am a fairly good swimmer as long as I can touch or see the bottom. On this day the beautiful waves were breaking close to shore and you didn’t have to go far into the ocean before you could not touch the floor or see the bottom. I was enjoying a refreshing swim, until my husband said he was going in, I told him I was going to stay out a little longer and float but I couldn’t seem to do that, the waves and current were pulling at me from every direction. I began to head into shore but felt like I was just swimming in place. Luckily my husband was still close by so I called to him for help. He immediately saw the panic on my face and told me to calm down and breathe. He offered me his hand and we swam in together.