Set Yourself Up For Success This New Year

Filed Under (Self Help) by swapquot on 30-11-2009

Gabriella Goddard, Success Coach asked:


It’s 2008 and just as you did last year, and the year before that, you’ve probably set some New Year’s resolutions. By the time you get to February, these will be long forgotten as you get caught up with the daily grind of life.

Why not make a fresh start this year and do things differently by following this simple 5 step process. It’s easy, effective and very practical. It will help you make the changes that you know you need to make to bring new happiness into your life . . . starting right here, right now.

STEP 1: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Take a few moments and reflect upon the past 12 months. Think about the high points and low points. Spend at least 5 minutes reviewing your past achievements. Then write down your answers to the following questions:

-My biggest achievements in 2007 were

-Some of the things I wanted to achieve but didn’t are

-What stopped me was

STEP 2: CREATE YOUR FUTURE

As you sit here, contemplating the year ahead, realize that many of the things you do want in your life CAN happen. So cut out three paper circles and title them ’same,’ ‘better’ and ‘best.’ These are your 2008 film reels. Now think about the year ahead and what you really want out of all the areas in your life-relationships, career, money, personal growth, health, family and friends, social life and your physical environment. Then pick up the film reel you want to choose: “same,” “better,” or “best.” Now write the script for that film.

STEP 3: MAKE IT FEEL REAL

Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” What you imagine is a powerful precursor to success. That’s why your next activity is to create a Vision Board. Simply go through some magazines and cut out pictures that visually represent what your achievement looks like, feels like, smells like, and sounds like. Pick out images, colors, words, and patterns that best represent your most important dreams and achievements for the year ahead. Then make a collage of your pictures. Reflect upon these and really feel what it would be like to achieve your dreams.

STEP 4: PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE JOURNEY

Whenever you instigate any change, you create resistance. After all, it’s so much more comfortable sitting in the comfort zone isn’t it? But if you want things to be different, then you’re going to have to make changes. In a journal, draw three columns going across the page and title them ‘the change,’ ‘the obstacle,’ and ‘the solution.’ In the first column, list the changes that you will need to make to bring your 2008 aspirations into reality. In the second column write any obstacles and finally, brainstorm and come up with some solutions. You will notice, that when there is a will, there’s a way!

STEP 5: PRIORITIZE AND GO FOR IT!

Now it’s time to summarize and prioritize. Being focused is important for turning ideas into action. Put the first things first, and make sure your goals are specific and achievable and that you have a ’support person’ to keep you on target. To finish, review all the good work you have done so far and make a list of no more than 5 goals. Nominate somebody to whom you will be accountable to, and determine how and when you will update them.

Finally, remember that you can do anything if you really put your mind to it. If you’d like some extra support and inspiration to stay motivated and on track, why not sign up for my free downloadable One Big Gulp! Kit, which you will find at www.onebiggulp.com. Remember, it’s your life, your choice, so live your greatest life!



Succession Planning in Firms

Filed Under (Human Resources) by swapquot on 30-11-2009

adiele ndunuju asked:


Great firms and entrepreneurs always plan for the future of their businesses today. There is one popular Ibo saying that says, “Nothing stays forever”. Check out all the successful businesses in the world today, the secret of their success stories will not be far from good leadership and governance. The question then is what happens to these businesses when these good leaders are no more? The truth is that one day, somehow they will leave these businesses. That very agile and hardworking Director today will someday grow old, weak and retire. On the other hand, death they say is a necessary and an inevitable end, which must come when it must. We are also faced with that same question, “what happens to these companies when these good, vibrant, successful and hardworking Directors, Managers, Supervisors and Officers are no more active or in the system? This brings us to issue of Succession Planning. I have said it before in one of my blogs that he who fails to plan is planning to fail.

Succession planning can be defined in many ways, but they all boil down to making the necessary preparations and dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s towards who steps into a given position in a company at any future time. In a more professional approach, Succession planning can be seen as the process of preparing in advance to hand over power, authority, responsibilities and control in a professional manner without disrupting the operations, values, culture and goals of the organization.

It is always advisable to have succession plans written and documented in advance so that at any future time it will not be a Herculean task to have somebody succeeding another if the need arises. Succession plans should not be made available to all staff to avoid people pushing their ways through to a given position.

The ugly truth is that most businesses in the world today do not have formal and written succession plans. This normally causes problems when there is need for replacement of an exiting Officer.

In most cases succession planning is more difficult in one-man businesses. Succession plans should be of paramount importance to family businesses because of the informal ways such businesses are carried out. Assuming the sole owner of a vibrant business is retiring, the question is what happens to the business when he retires? Does he have grown up children who can manage the business? If yes, which of them will hold which position? What if the youngest of them all has the best experience and most hardworking of the children? On the other hand, does he want to sell the business? Well all these questions will be taken care of through a very thorough succession plan. Even if the sole owner dies without informing his family about this plan, the company lawyer can still implement this plan when he is no more. Succession plan is even of high importance in a one-man business because of the family attachment and emotions involved. Most one-man businesses die with the sudden death of their owners because of non-existence of a formal succession plan. There is no doubt that succession plans give way to smooth transition programs.

In case of a sole proprietorship, the plan takes care of who takes up which Management position, who inherits what share of the business and so on. The owner may decide to hand over the Management to his last child if he shows the best trait of leadership and have all his children share equally in the shares of the business.

In public firms, succession planning helps the firm to identify talented staff and develop them for future higher responsibilities through trainings and development especially when they show leadership traits. The plan ensures you can fill the key roles of your organization within the talents you have in the organization.

In other words, we can say that succession plan entails choosing tomorrows leaders today. Due to changes in technology and advancements in global strategies, there is the need to identify future managers who can meet up with such challenges.

This is also true for small firms as well as large ones. It’s not just succession to the top positions. It’s about getting the right person in place for every job. It may happen that some of tomorrow’s key jobs may not even exist now. If a firm plans to double in size and business line say in the next five or ten years, they will need more talented managers to take over during the growth period.

Succession plan involves leadership development. The only way to attract and keep good staff is to have a good career plan that has good succession plan in place, which will make them not to look elsewhere.

It is very important for firms to see succession plan as a very important organizational growth strategy. It is always a job that is carried out by the Human Resources department in conjunction with the Directors, CEO’s and Management team as the case may be depending on the type and size of the firm.

When there is a formal succession plan in place, it builds confidence in employees and reduces incessant employee turnover as what they are looking for elsewhere is already in the organization they are working for.

Like earlier said, Succession planning is the job of top executives in conjunction with the HR department and some times, some consultants are engaged to contribute in the decision. It is supposed to be updated periodically because an employee who is found eligible today may not be in the next few months or years. We can also notice a situation where those eligible staff who have been drafted to take over certain positions in the future leaving the company before that time.

From the foregoing, we can conveniently say that Succession planning involves identifying and monitoring the pool of talent in the organization and matching them with the future needs.

In succession planning, those who are always considered fit to be in the system are always decided through their inbuilt talents, competencies (both hidden and clear cut competencies), their leadership traits, their exposure to new technologies and innovations, the ability to develop themselves (educationally, training wise etc), their inbuilt potentials, ability to lean new things and to adapt to changes etc.

While planning for succession, gender, tribe ,age or number of years put in the organization should never be a yardstick for decision making.

In a nutshell, Succession planning should be carried out systematically for a good result following the steps below;



Deploy a succession management process.Make it a corporate issue in the organization that will be linked with the general organizational goals and objectives.

Human resources department should be responsible for the tools and processes associated with successful succession planning and should liaise and work hand in hand with the line managers for best results.

Identify your talent pool and discover the future leaders. (Note that this should be a continuous exercise).

Start focusing on the identified future leaders.

Engage the identified future leaders with greater responsibilities than they had before.

Keep an eye on them to match their results with the assignments given to them.

Always find out what they have flair for and try to align their responsibilities in that direction.

Train and develop where necessary for better results.

Monitor and assess performance and make your decision.

The truth is that most companies today do not have any succession plan. That is really a wrong approach to business, especially for those businesses that want to grow and stand the test of time. Today is the right time to start. Start planning today to avoid future organizational wreck.

See you next time.





Raleigh NC franchise consultant Franchising 4 Success introduces a child education development franchise

Filed Under (Business Opportunities) by swapquot on 30-11-2009

franchising4 success asked:


Kid to Kid franchise, offered by Raleigh NC franchise consultant and franchise business consultant, Franchising 4 Success is a time tested child education development franchise.

At Kid to Kid Franchise Systems we tend to do things a bit differently than most franchisors. One thing we like to do differently is call our franchisees ‘owners’. To us they are more than just a franchisee they are owners of an exclusive Kid to Kid location and an extension of our values. Our owners are also our customers, and as such we strive to go above and beyond to make sure their needs are met. After all our success is directly correlated to their success.

We believe our owner community is a wealth of knowledge and that sharing this expertise between all of our owners is essential to making our Kid to Kid system better. In order to help foster this communication we have set up several programs. One such program is our annual owner’s meeting that brings owners together from around the world. We implement new systems, release updates, and receive feedback from our owners on how to improve. There is also time set aside for owners to gather and share ideas and best practices. Friendships (and sometimes a little healthy competition) are created that last long past the meeting. Without spending a long time explaining the details, another program we have is our Performance Groups. During performance group meetings a group of your peer owners will spend some time in your store, evaluate your business practices, and look for ways to improve. We even send out a Kid to Kid Franchise representative to administer the meeting. This is just another way we set ourselves apart.

Franchising 4 Success also has Zoup franchise information. Learn Zoup franchise information from your St Louis Missouri franchise consultant, Franchising 4 Success. It is an entrepreneur franchise and food related franchise for sale.

Zoup is the leading quick-casual soup concept restaurant that is defining the category with its premium and proprietary soups and other recipes; state-of-the-art store technology; and strong operational and procedural support. Zoup is an exciting and rewarding own-your-own business built on an innovative, dynamic, proven concept and a rock-solid operational framework.

Zoup is the right concept at the right time for the right people. Your St Louis Missouri franchise consultant is Franchising 4 Success. Get Zoup franchise information about an entrepreneur franchise and food related franchise for sale.



A Success Mindset Wins Everytime

Filed Under (Goal Setting) by swapquot on 30-11-2009

Danette Hibberd asked:


You’ve heard it before. “Success is a state of mind”. Some may argue that success is a result of luck, while others profess it to be the result of the careful planning, preparation and of course, focused action. Yes, the latter is somewhat true but you will also see that there are some exceptions to this rule.

How often have you heard of two people attempting the same objective only to have one of them succeed? Have you ever wondered why this is so? Perhaps it is luck, or timing or even tenacity. Possibly, but in more cases than not, it is the person’s mindset that is the determining factor in whether the result is failure or success.

So, what is a mindset? In most cases, this refers to the predominant state of mind on a daily basis. It is what one thinks about, focuses on and expects from their daily experiences. When one typically thinks negative thoughts, expects the worse or is pessimistic about life, then that is exactly what will be attracted into their life. Conversely, with positive thoughts and a success mindset, you will expect only the best and focus on a successful outcome, and yes, you will win most if not every time.

This seems to make sense. But then you may wonder how it works, or why a success mindset is so important.

A success mindset is crucial if we are to achieve the life we desire for many reasons, but here are three crucial ones.

1) A success mind-set boosts your self-confidence and self-belief.

When you hold a lack of belief in yourself a sense of powerlessness and futility usually comes along with it, and this is the exact opposite of a holding a success mind-set. Lack of confidence means you see no point in even attempting to be successful because it just doesn’t happen to or for you. Obviously, this type of mind-set is a recipe for failure in any endeavor.

Having a true success mind-set, on the other hand, means you totally believe in yourself and in your capabilities. You believe you can be successful at almost everything you try, and you’re willing to give it your best shot. And as you strive more and more, the more confidence and self-belief you build in yourself – until you’re virtually unstoppable!

2) A success mind-set strengthens your determination.

When you do not hold a success mind-set, one failure is enough to convince you that pursuing your goal is a waste of time. Tenacity and determination are not present in your world. When you don’t become a raging success on your first attempt, you surmise that it simply wasn’t meant to be. Unfortunately, few things worth having are obtained so easily!

A success mind-set, however, strengthens your awareness that a failure is not the end of the story – the feedback you receive is telling you that it’s just one more way that didn’t work out the way you planned. In fact, a true success mind-set makes it obvious that the only true failure occurs when you stop trying.

3) A success mind-set encourages fruitful actions.

Have you ever found yourself either confused or wandering round in circles because you didn’t know the best way to approach a specific goal? Perhaps you had an idea of the best course of action but you felt intimidated by some of the action steps required. As a result, you may have kept sabotaging your efforts as you searched in vain for an easier or less frightening way to your goal.

With a true success mind-set, you will always know the most effective course of action that will lead directly to achieving your goal. You will also have the inner confidence and determination to pursue them – which is a sure recipe for . . . you guessed it; success!

To develop a success mind-set you need to incorporate the following ten qualities:

1. Reach and strive for your dreams

2. Think positively

3. Believe in yourself

4. Believe you can do better

5. Learn, grow and develop constantly

6. Be willing to take chances

7. Give it your all

8. Expect the best in every situation

9. Be willing to fail

10. When you fall down, pick yourself up and try again

By following the above strategies, you will not only feel more successful from the inside, but your results will be more in line with those of a person with a true success mindset.



How does a white man in america climb the ladder of success in business?

Filed Under (Financial Services) by swapquot on 29-11-2009

debateMe asked:


Is the model for a whiteman to climb the ladder of success the same as one for a chinese man in america? Are there social barriers that prevent the chinese man from moving up to the executive suite?

What is the secret to success in school?

Filed Under (Other - Education) by swapquot on 28-11-2009

Terri asked:


I’m just curious about what people think. I already have success in school. I have good grades. I just want to know if a lot of people know the secret to success as much as I do.
Hey Bestie,

Thanks for the suggestion, but you have already told me about the secret to success in school at school on friday… I’ll see you at school on Monday…

What type of factors should I speak about for Keys to Success of a company?

Filed Under (Higher Education (University +)) by swapquot on 27-11-2009

man with a plan asked:


For a non-profit historical society, I am trying to implement the most important success factors we are adding to their current business plan. I focused on interactiveness, low cost methods of growing, utilization of their property in short. My teacher said these are weak and to search the term on Google. I was not able to find anything on Google. I am not quite sure what she is trying to get across, should i be focusing on what the management needs to do? On the products? Any insight would be helpful.

Job Interview Success!

Filed Under (1135) by swapquot on 27-11-2009

MgmtCnsltIntl asked:


Do you loathe job interviews? We’ll show you what to do – and what not to do – for these nerve racking situations! Watch Nicola as she applies for a job at marketing company ABC Co and learn how to handle the tricky questions! As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), Sydney-based Management Consultancy International provides small and large organisations with training solutions to maximise effectiveness. MCI has a suite of tailored training packages and can identify and customise …

Shocking Video Unearthed Obama Hypocrisy On Iraq Success

Filed Under (News) by swapquot on 27-11-2009

Speakmymind02 asked:


Speaking at Camp Lejeune Today Feb 27, Obama talks about the success in Iraq which he and the Democratic Party tried to undermine continually. One week ago President Obama also called for 17000 more troops to Afghanistan to stabilize the situation, yet argued against the same policy in 2007 in Iraq. Obama almost appeared to take credit for the improving situation in Iraq, yet this video shows Barack Obama and Joe Biden in their own words showing how absolutely wrong they have been at every …

Any advice to have success using Champix the stop smoking pill?

Filed Under (Other - Diseases) by swapquot on 27-11-2009

?Hoping this is my month? asked:


My father has been a smoker for more than 30 years and is going to start taking Champix the stop smoking pill. Anyone take this before? Have any success stories with it? And also how long should u take it for? It comes in a 2 week dosage so after 2 weeks is it supposed to work or should u take it again? Please any helpful tips for champix to be successful would be great!! Thank u so much!

Motivational inspiring sayings | lfc sayings | love and romantic sayings