The Thriving Small Business

tips for small business

Emotional Intelligence – Do You Possess These Important Competencies?

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We have been programmed since we were little children to care about our Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Because we know that people with high IQs are typically smart – and consequently very successful.

However, we now know that business leaders with strong Emotional Intelligence (EQ) competency also have an advantage in the workplace. Read the Full Article →

8 Components Of An Effective Internship Program

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If your organization does not have an internship program, you might be missing out on some great talent for a low cost.

It is estimated that 20-25% of newly hired employees come from internship programs.

Organizations use internship programs as part of a recruitment strategy that is aimed at achieving business objectives. Read the Full Article →

How Well Does Your Organization Evaluate Its Training?

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For those of us who have been around for more than a minute, understand how technology has infiltrated the work environment.

Gone are the days of filling out a (manual) timecard, typing a memo or filling out a paper expense report. Technologies are used for all of these tasks that once required a pen, paper, and typewriter. Read the Full Article →

7 Advantages of Hiring Freelancers

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The unemployment rate is at historic lows which is great news for the economy – but not such great news for small business owners who need help.

Low unemployment creates hiring challenges for all organizations, but particularly for small businesses. 

Lots of small businesses (mine included) now use temporary employees to help bridge the gap. Read the Full Article →

Example Customer Service Standards

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Most know that successful organizations have great customer service.

And we all know that it is our employees who take care of those consumers who pay the bills.

I find it interesting when I intereact with an organizqtion and employees are curt, uninformed or simply rude.

I seem to scratch my head and think, “how can you possibly have a profitable business with employees who chase customers away?”

Every organization should have a basic expectation for employees to provide good customer service. Read the Full Article →

4 Steps to Successful Project Management

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It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run – the ability to successfully manage projects is a crucial component to getting things done.

Projects are a series of tasks performed by people involved in accomplishing a goal or solving a problem. 

Projects can be short-term or long term. Each has its own unique set of issues, but both strive to improve operational efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. Read the Full Article →

5 Advantages of Professional Networking

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A simple life reality is that people need people. We need our family, we need our friends, and we need others in our industry. Which makes professional networking so important.

Professionals use networking as a means to form relationships with others, in like or related fields, that help to expand ones’ effectiveness in an organization or industry. Read the Full Article →

13 Examples Of Empowered Employees

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Empowerment is a buzz term that we hear a lot about in leadership. A culture that embraces employee empowerment, understands the role workers have by taking care of the needs of the customers they serve.

Empowerment is defined as “the giving or delegation of power or authority; authorization; the giving of an ability; enablement or permission.”

Empowerment is based on the belief that employees have the ability – and want to take on more responsibility. 

Empowerment is a way to give employees greater authority and responsibility to take care of the needs of the customer and to provide employees with the means for making influential decisions. Read the Full Article →

7 Ways to Demonstrate Ethics and Integrity in Your Business

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The success of an organization is built off of the trust of customers, employees and the general public.

According to a Gallup poll, “68% of adults worldwide believed corruption was widespread among businesses in their country…… and 60% of adults in the U.S. responded this way in 2017…..”

The best way to gain that trust is to demonstrate ethics and integrity in business practices. Read the Full Article →

Employee Turnover – 6 Tips To Retain Employees

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Unemployment is at historic levels. At 3.8 percent unemployment, finding and retaining workers is a topic of discussion for every business owner.

According to a Work Institute Report, one in four workers, will leave their jobs this year to go work for another company and that 77 percent of that turnover could have been avoided. Read the Full Article →

6 Things You Might See In Project Based Learning

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One of the great joys of managing people is watching them develop and grow professionally.

For employees whose job performance is managed, opportunities for development and professional growth is a natural outcome.

Developing employees needs to be specific and intentional.

Employees need to be given the opportunity to learn, grow and make mistakes. Read the Full Article →

13 Tips For Improving Job Satisfaction

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According to a Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 88% of US employees reported overall satisfaction with their current job in 2015.

This number is the highest level of satisfaction in 10 years. The purpose of the survey was to identify those factors that contribute to employee satisfaction in the workplace. Read the Full Article →