Getting it all done!

So often, we have so many things to do that it becomes completely overwhelming. This is especially true during the holiday season, where you have to juggle work, events and family. It will seem as if there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done. These tips I will provide you with will help you to make the most of your time and hopefully help you feel less like the guy in the photo.

1.    Write everything down – With the number of things we will have to remember, you’re bound to forget something. Write your to-do list for each day and week, placing the highest priority items at the top of the list. Cross off each item as you complete it for strong sense of accomplishment. Feel free to make this list on a notepad, or on your iPad. Just make sure that it is someplace accessible.

2.       Use your garbage/recycling bin – Sometimes things aren’t as jumbled as we think. Go through all of the items on your desk. If they are useful, keep them. If not, toss them. You should try as far as possible to keep electronic copies of everything that is important. Also, clean up your computer’s desktop. An organized work space will make a world of difference!

3.      A place for everything – After getting rid of all of that junk, make sure that the important things you saved have a home. Put all accounting records in the top left drawer, all personnel files in the top right. Continue using your system of organization as new things come in. Now, you won’t spend precious time wondering where you put things.

4.       Plan well – Don’t give yourself 10 minutes to drive from work to a meeting when you know the drive takes 30 minutes. Don’t plan to stay at the holiday party for one hour when you know that you can never leave before the Secret Santa gifts are given out. Be realistic! You’ll rush less and enjoy life a little more.

5.      Take control – If you feel like you’re becoming crushed by too many commitments, take a night off. Paula will understand that you can’t come to her Christmas quilting party. Michael will get over it if you can’t come over to watch the NBA game on Christmas Day. Don’t try to do everything. It’s the best way to be productive during this busy season!

Enjoy the holidays everyone! 

The Negotiating Seat, An Art!

In business, you will find that literally almost everything is up for negotiation. Contracts, scheduling and many other things in between. As an entrepreneur, you have daily decisions to make that would be in the best interest of you and your business.

Here are some tips for negotiating your next contract.

1. Decide whether this is really a project that you want to work on.
Sometimes we jump too quickly at "offers" or "deals" in hopes of securing the next major source of funding. It's best to take some time to think out the project more thoroughly and then choose wisely.

2. Give the client room for changes to be made.
Try not to come off as "money hungry" because that's a major turn off for many perspective customers.
Also, don't pressure clients to pay in full, especially if you are a service based contractor who is working on a gig over an extensive period of time.

3. Explain the price.
Yes we know that truly clients could never pay for the time you take to brainstorm, create, execute and evaluate brilliant ideas, but it's a good idea not to charge $100.00 per minute...you get my point.
Itemizing your invoices as well would work well for some clients.

4. Look for the long term investments!
It may often be worthwhile to say no to smaller clients that may tie up your schedule with little to no budget, while other contracts, if managed well, will bring in a harvest of returns.

5. You are in business...enjoy it!
Sometimes we take business too seriously. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely a serious topic, but the happier people in life, are those who love what they do.
Take risks, (calculated ones : that will stretch you and help you/your business to grow!)

If you want more tips on growing a successful business, we would be happy to share!!
All the best!

Building good employer/employee relations

Hello and Happy Wednesday everyone! You're about halfway through the work week -- on your way to a well-deserved break this weekend.

Most of my posts have been about public relations, but let's face it, promoting your business is useless if your business isn't working well from the inside out. Without the mechanics of the organization working well, you can't create a good product. Part of what we do here at SageEden is training -- we teach entire organizations the soft skills they need to create loyal clients. 

Today, I want to talk about employer/employee relations. Having a workforce that is motivated to do good work comes from them feeling respected, comfortable and valued on the job. One way to ensure that employees feel this way is to give them credit where credit is due. When someone does a good job, commend them for it. It shows that you value them enough to pay attention to that good things that they do and lets them know that they are contributing directly to the success of the company. In this same vein, if an employee does something wrong, don't belittle them or point out their faults in front of others. Pull the person you are managing aside, clearly identify the problem and give suggestions on how to handle the problem next time.

Another way of building good employer/employee relations is to include employees in the decision-making process. Show employees that their thoughts and opinions are important and valuable. It is also a great team-building exercise to get everyone working together on finding a solution to a problem. Also, allow employees to feel like there is an open line of communication between them and managers. Allot time for comments, questions and suggestions when you speak.

A major complaint of many employees is that their employers aren't considerate of their outside obligations. Remember that your employees have lives outside of work. They too have children, spouses, parents, siblings and friends that require attention. Don't demand that employees serve the company 100% of the time. In the end, you will create a poor reputation for yourself and your business, and good employees will take their skills elsewhere.

All of these suggestions for building good employer/employee relations seem to fall on the employer. However, the employee also has a major role to play. Make your boss feel more inclined to build a good relationship by arriving at work on time, showing good work ethic, and displaying a positive attitude. No employer will make the effort to create a relationship with an employee who is always in a bad mood or slacks off on the job. Show yourself worthy of your employer's time and energy.

If you are interested in training for your organization, don't hesitate to contact us. What we have on this blog is just part of a wealth of knowledge we have available to share with your employees or co-workers. Remember -- good employees lead to good business.