Vocabulary and Business Terms Review Spring 2010

Business 100 Pride Hughes Kapoor 10th edition

1. Free Enterprise, p. 4.

2. One question to ask in a job interview, p.6.

3. One reason to study business, p.7.

4. The purpose of Business is to create a _______________ and make a ______________.

5. Name the four resources needed for business, p. 9.

6. ___________________ - ___________________ = Profit, p. 11.

7. Capitalism, p. 12.

8. Command Economy, p. 15.

9. Productivity, p. 16.

10. GDP, p. 17.

11. Deflation, p. 17.

12. Recession, p. 19.

13. Unemployment rate, p.19.

14. National Debt, p. 20.

15. Market Price, p. 21.

16. Specialization, p. 25.

17. Microeconomics, p. 11

18. Ethics, p. 37.

19. Trade Association, p. 41.

20. Caveat Emptor, p. 50.

21. Name one right of the consumer, p.53.

22. Comparative Advantage, p. 74.

23. ______________________ - _____________________ = Balance of Trade, p. 74.

24. Import Duty, p. 76.

25. NAFTA, p. 85.

26. Licensing, p. 87.

27. Letter of Credit, p. 88.

28. Bill of Lading, p. 88.

29. Strategic Alliance, p. 90.

30. Sole Proprietorship, p. 108.

31. Partnership, p. 110.

32. Corporation, p. 116.

33. Stockholder, p. 116.

34. Dividend, p. 118.

35. Board of Directors, p. 118.

36. S-Corporation, p. 122.

37. LLC, p. 122.

38. Non-Profit, p. 124.

39. Small Business, p. 136.

40. Distribution Industry, p. 139.

41. Service Industry, p. 139.

42. Production Industry, p. 139.

42. Entrepreneur Spirit, p. 140.

43. Business Plan, p. 147.

44. Franchise, p. 152.

Printable Copy: Vocabulary and Business Terms Review.doc

Thank you (foot)notes:

Be sure to follow Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine on Twitter: @JackYoest and @CharmaineYoest

Jack and Charmaine also blog at Reasoned Audacity and at Management Training of DC, LLC.

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Charmaine at Americans United for Life is looking for senior level talent. Please forward to a experienced management candidate.

Database Manager and Systems Administrator
Job Description

Americans United for Life (www.aul.org), the oldest national pro-life organization in the country, is looking to hire an experienced Database Manager/Systems Administrator to oversee database upgrades and expansion and to operate and administer its growing system and network as it expands its DC operations.

Candidate should have experience with building and managing network systems for a small to medium nonprofit, profit, association, or political organization with multiple locations.

Candidate should also have experience in database management of one or more of the above organizations.

Please send resume, salary requirements/history and cover letter to bryan.slater@aul.org

Salary commensurate with experience.

Follow Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine on Twitter: @JackYoest and @CharmaineYoest

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Position: Executive Director
Status: Full-time
Salary: Negotiable
Job Location: Reston, Virginia
Start Date: Immediately
Enough Is Enough (EIE), a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, emerged in 1994 as the national leader on the front lines to make the Internet safer for children and families.

Since then, EIE has pioneered and led the effort to confront online pornography, child pornography, child stalking and sexual predation with innovative initiatives and effective communications.

The ideal candidate for EIE Executive Director (ED) is an innovative thinker with a positive attitude who can multi-task, work well in group settings, and thrive under pressure. The ED position offers exciting opportunities to work with the national media; federal and state governments; federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; corporate America; non-governmental organizations; and faith-based communities.

Responsibilities include the daily management of EIE, including oversight of all administrative functions, program and operational leadership, financial management, development of new funding sources while maintaining existing ones, and the implementation of the organizational goals and objectives set by the CEO and Board of Directors.

Perhaps the most exciting opportunity this position offers is the chance to make a real difference in the fight to protect vulnerable children from the online threats of pornography and sexual predators. Become a leader of the nation's leading non-profit organization dedicated to protecting children online.

SUMMARY: The Executive Director is responsible for implementation of policies set by the CEO and Board of Directors as well as annual goals and objectives, financial, program, and administrative management of the corporation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Internet Safety 101 Program Management - Manage all aspects of EIE's Internet Safety 101: Empowering Parents program, including program launch and management of the national campaign, contract management, program outreach, program budgeting, program reporting and monitoring, and the development and distribution of program materials.

• Operations Management - Responsible for administration and overall operation of EIE, including reviewing and evaluating the results of program activities; monitoring contractual obligations; allocating resources for greater program effectiveness and efficiency; developing organizational and administrative policies; maintaining official records and documents; and ensuring compliance with federal, state and local regulations.

• Employee Resource Management - Responsible for employee/contractor evaluations, motivation, hiring, firing, review training, and the overall organization and management of all staff and contractors.

• Financial Management - Responsible for the financial management of the corporation, including developing and improving reporting processes, system design, database management and quality control, and the development and implementation of the annual budget.

• Grant Management and Oversight- Responsible for managing multiple government, industry and foundation grants.

• Internet and Information Technology - Responsible for maintaining a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in Internet Safety, communications technologies, and related areas. Must also be familiar with office management hardware and software tools, and their effective application in a small office environment.

• Corporate Liaison and Community Relations - Oversight of Corporate Development efforts , including sponsors, partners, and affiliate organizations. Responsibilities may also include attending and/or functioning as CEO's designee at task force and advisory board meetings.

• Sustainability - Responsible for developing and implementing plans approved by the CEO and Board of Directors that will ensure the continued impact and financial viability of EIE. This includes identifying and soliciting potential new funding resources and maintaining existing funding support from sponsors, partners, grants, and other donors, as deemed appropriate.

• General Counsel - Responsible for providing information, counsel, and operational updates to the CEO and Board of Directors, as required.

• Administrative Board Support - Responsible for support of all activities associated with the Board of Directors, including staffing for all Board meetings, meeting schedules, locations, development of meeting agendas and materials.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: BA or BS degree and seven years of increasingly responsible administrative and operational experience, at least five of which shall have been in a senior management capacity. An MBA degree is a plus. Must have extensive senior leadership experience and a proven track record in team building. Must be able to manage rapid growth of Enough Is Enough.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, financial reports, legal documents, technical procedures, or governmental regulations for grants; write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals; efficiently respond to questions from sponsors and partners, and members of the community; communicate effectively in both written and oral form; and, effectively present information to the CEO and Board of Directors.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the principles and techniques of research grant administration; contract administration and negotiation; fiscal and organizational management; principles and practices of marketing; public relations and communication; and experience in non-profit fundraising. Ability to plan, direct and coordinate activities; negotiate and administer contracts; work commercial vendors, government agencies, community groups and other organizations as necessary; communicate effectively in both written and oral forms; exhibit independent judgment in the development, implementation and evaluation of plans, procedures and policies.

How to Apply: Please send resume to Lillian Schoeppler via email at lillans@enough.org. All applicants should present two personal and two professional letters of reference at interview.

Your Business Blogger(R) and Charmaine also blog at Reasoned Audacity and Management Training of DC, LLC and Americans United for Life.

Follow on Twitter: @JackYoest and @CharmaineYoest

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Well published and very expensive, Harvard JD, Bill Saunders has just been hired by Americans United for Life.

AUL's, president and CEO, Charmaine Yoest, Ph.D., says,

We were lucky to get him.

The press release,

By Melanie Johnson | May 22, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC -- William L. "Bill" Saunders today joined Americans United for Life (AUL) as Senior Counsel. Mr. Saunders will be leading the development of an international edition of AUL's definitive legal guide Defending Life and contributing to AUL's work on bioethics, rights of conscience, and end of life issues.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, AUL President & CEO said: "I am very pleased Bill is joining our team. As a Harvard-trained attorney with extensive publications and a prominent reputation in the pro-life movement, Bill's addition is a strategic move for AUL as we head into our next phase of development. He will be an important resource for us as we move toward the coming Supreme Court nomination."

Mr. Saunders said: "It is a great honor to be a part of AUL, an organization with a reputation for excellence and unparalleled expertise. Working to expand the protection of human life beyond our national borders and to provide more resources to pro-life allies around the globe is a significant venture. This new project is critical as we see the targeted threats to life growing internationally."

Mr. Saunders was featured in Harvard's first Guide to Conservative Public Interest Law in 2003, and again in the 2008 edition, and he served on Harvard's Advisory Committee for its 2008 celebration of public interest law.

He speaks and writes frequently on international law and life-related topics such as stem cell research and cloning. He has submitted testimony on several occasions to the President's Council on Bioethics and has briefed Congressional staff multiple times on stem cell research and cloning. He delivered the annual J. Michael Miller Lecture at the University of St. Thomas (on international law) in February 2007, the annual R. Wayne Kraft Memorial Lecture (on bioethics) at DeSales University in February 2004, and the annual James Moore Lecture (on Sudan) at Millikin University in 1999. He has also lectured, and/or has been published, in many countries, including Italy, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Mexico, Qatar, Malaysia, Romania, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom.

President Bush appointed Mr. Saunders to serve on the United States delegation to the UN Special Session on Children in 2001-2002. In 2004, he served on the NGO Working Committee in connection with the Doha Intergovernmental Conference for the Family. He served on the organizing committee for the conferences of the World Congress of Families in Mexico City (2004), in Poland (2007), in Amsterdam (2009), and is a member of that organization's Management Committee.

Mr. Saunders served previously as Senior Fellow, Human Rights Counsel, and Director of the Center for Human Life and Bioethics at the Family Research Council. He has also practiced law with the firm Covington and Burling and taught law at the Catholic University of America. A member of the Supreme Court bar, he has authored numerous legal briefs in state and federal (and foreign) courts.

Follow us on Twitter: @jackyoest @charmaineyoest

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The best time to look for a job is when you have a job.

Question: But what if you don't have a job?

How to look?

And what to do meanwhile?

Answer: Go back to school.

Alert Reader, FaceBook and Twitter Friend, Janet, asks Your Business Blogger(R) about a common challenge:

What do I do about gaps in employment history; gaps on my resume?

If you are in this situation here's what the job seeker can do to 'mind the gap.'

Enroll in a course at your local community college.

Your Business Blogger(R)
The Washington Post

Continuous learning is, well, continuous.

And it doesn't have to be expensive.

Here are three FAB's, the Features, Advantages and Benefits of going back to class.

If you have a job or not.

First Feature

Meet a professor

Advantage

Learn subject matter.
Learn presentation -- interview -- life skills.
Get referrals.

Benefit

Cheaper than a personal coach.
Get a character reference letter.
Get employed faster

Second Feature

Meet other inquisitive minds

Advantage

Expand your Friend contact database.
Challenge assumptions.
Increased network of contacts for job referrals.

Benefit

Faster learning.
Cheaper than a job placement agency.
Get employed faster

Third Feature

Regularly scheduled class times.

Advantage

Encourages the student to get out of bed, out of the house.
Provides structure to the job seekers' week.
Forces the student to walk past career counselors' office.

Benefit

Get more done in less time.
Spend less time in Starbucks.
Get employed faster.

The purpose of continuing education is the gaining of new knowledge, skills and abilities. But this is even more important when one is out of work. A perspective employer is going to ask you a number of questions.

The first question will be, "What are you doing now?"

The perfect answer is, "As I look for my next position, I am taking a business refresher course at my local community college."

Remember: the best time to find a job is when you are working -- going to class is your job.

You may be unemployed, but you are busy: You are using your time wisely while you look for work.

As it happens, the Northern Virginia Community College has the perfect solution to help you find your next job.

Sit in my class.

NOVA has openings in my Business 200 class, Principles of Management. We will meet every Monday & Wednesday nights at the Arlington Campus, near the Ballston Metro. Beginning July 1 for six weeks.

Alert Readers know that Your Business Blogger(R) charges outrageous fees for a two day management seminar.

The same instructor at NOVA will set you back about 100 bucks a credit hour or about 500 bucks fully loaded for a three credit-hour class.

Course topics

1. Intro to Management
2. History of Management
3. Organizational Environments and Culture
4. Ethics and Social Responsibility
5. Planning and Decision Making
6. Organizational Strategy
7. Innovation and Change
8. Global Management
9. Designing Adaptive Organizations
10. Managing Teams
11. Managing Human Resource System
12. Managing Individuals and a Diverse Workforce
13. Motivation
14. Leadership
15. Managing Communication
16. Control
17. Managing Information
18. Managing Service and Manufacturing Operations

Call now to register. Operators are standing by.

Or apply on-line.

JYoest@NVCC.edu www.Yoest.com

This summer afternoon class is the perfect capstone after hours and allows the student to job hunt early in the early in the day.

Come join my class. And get employed faster.

Thank you (foot)notes:

For more on your job search: tattoos, lying, resume enhancement and trick questions follow links below.

Read Job Search? PASS This Test

See how "Sarah" is getting it right. To get your next job, assignment or project PASS this test! See how the mythical composite Sarah learned new behaviors to find new opportunities.

As first appeared in The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Virginia, January 20, 2002

To get a job, first get a plan and then get busy...

Your Business Blogger(R) is of a certain age from a certain generation with teenage children and is confused by various body art. I do not understand tattoos. (Except on my dad, who was in the Navy...) A future employer also may not understand body art. Not even Starbucks.

What is the first question hiring managers ask themselves? Get a Blog; Get Hired -- And the First Question

The Lie: A Guide to Fibbing in the Job Interview, it's not what you think.

Here's what your interviewer is really looking for, Job Interview: How To Tell If the Candidate Will Lie, Cheat, Steal?

There is actually controversy on hiring competence, Hiring Super Stars vs Tolerating Turkeys

Be sure to ask some questions in your job interview, Job Interview: 3 Questions for Your Prospective Boss.

Yes, High School still counts. Forever. What's the One Best Question to Ask a Job Candidate?

Why Were You Really Hired? The Two Qualities That Count.

Follow me on Twitter: @JackYoest

Watch The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey; short video

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You are in control of your own career. Start now.

Learn how to earn that promotion. Learn how to get that job.

On April 29, 2009 from 11am to 12:15 a career management seminar will be conducted at The NOVA Theater at the Alexandria Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College.

Save the date. The seminar is at no-charge and is open to the public. Space is limited and registration is required. Email me to hold your seat.

We will cover:

The five rules to getting promoted:

1) Don't make the boss nervous.
2) Deliver Completed Staff Work.
3) Adopt the US Army's definition of discipline (and it's not what you think).
4) Find a friend.
5) Get your boss promoted.

Your next big job. It will be:

A) From someone you know (slightly).
B) A created position.
C) In high technology.

The thoughtful professional knows that he is constantly selling his knowledge, skills and abilities to his boss and to his peers.

The professional knows also that each position on the company organization chart can be an opportunity to be groomed with a track record of success -- to move easily to a higher level...or another company.

The professional in a job search has the choice of pro-actively conducting a sales and marketing campaign to move to his next assignment by selling the intangible of his talent.

If the seminar attendee is on the job market, his choice is networking or not working.

The seminar reviews the steps needed to secure more responsibility within an organization or even another position inside his company -- or outside his current employer.

The purpose of this career management seminar is to increase your value to your current employer and to your future company.

And to prepare the attendee to move and to be ready to change jobs in a fast changing, uncertain world.

Who: Professionals interested in earning a promotion or seeking increased responsibilities or in conducting a job search.

What: The career management seminar will equip the attendee with strategies and tactics on how to increase the attendees' value in the marketplace of talent and to command greater compensation in another position.

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 11:00am to 12:15pm

Where: Northern Virginia Community College,
Alexandria Campus, campus map
The NOVA Theater; the new Bisdorf Auditorium, room 196
3001 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311 street map

Why: To enable the attendee to gain the greatest return on the attendees' time and talent in his income-producing career.

Cost: No Charge. Register here at JYoest@NVCC.edu. Space is limited.

He conducts career management training for professionals in industries from law to government, from for-profit businesses to non-for-profit organizations, from military to media.

He has participated in hundreds of personal interviews of job candidates and has been instrumental in the hiring of thousands of employees.

Jack also served in the Governor's Office of the Commonwealth Virginia as Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Resources where he acted as the Chief Technology Officer for the secretariat. He was responsible for the successful Year 2000 (Y2K) conversion for the 16,000-employee unit.

He was also a sales account manager with a medical device start-up and helped move sales from zero to over $12 million, opening over 300 accounts, resulting in a buy-out by Johnson & Johnson.

Jack has consulted across industries and in China and India.

Questions? www.Yoest.com, JYoest@NVCC.edu or call Jack at 202.215.2434.

Come to this class.

Parking info at the jump.

Thank you (foot)notes and suggested class reading:

Four steps to getting a job.

Helping sentences for employee evaluations.

Tattoos on your job search.

The secret on how to get a letter of recommendation.

Save the Date: April 29, 2007

Please pass this link on to a friend who might be interested.

Event registration is also available to Friends on Facebook.

Details also at Management Training of DC, LLC.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 4:02 PM | Permalink
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Learn how to earn that promotion. Learn how to get that job.

On April 29 from 11am to 12:15 a career management seminar will be conducted at The NOVA Theater at the Alexandria Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College.

Save the date. Seminar is at no-charge and open to the public. Registration is required.

There are five rules to getting promoted:

1) Don't make the boss nervous.
2) Completed Staff Work.
3) Adopt the US Army's definition of discipline (and it's not what you think).
4) Find a friend.
5) Get your boss promoted.

Your next big job will be:

A) From someone you know (slightly).
B) A created position.
C) In high technology.

The purpose of the seminar is to increase your value to your current company so that additional responsibility will, like a magic cape, float down from on high and rest lightly on your shoulders.

And to prepare the attendee to move and to be ready to change jobs in a fast changing, bailed-out world.

Please pass this link on to a friend who might be interested.

Details will follow here and to Friends on Facebook.

Details also at Management Training of DC, LLC.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Four steps to getting a job.

Helping sentences for employee evaluations.

Tattoos on your job search.

The secret on how to get a letter of recommendation.

Posted at 9:24 PM | Permalink
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Your Business Blogger(R), also known as Your Business Professor has written dozens of recommendations for hundreds of students, clients, friends and vendors.

Question: If I wrote dozens of letters, then how did hundreds of people get a written recommendation from this very generous, very perceptive and very busy business consultant?

Answer: I didn't write them.

***

Before I got smart. (This took a long time...)
Linked here is a glowing recommendation from a United States Congressman for Your Business Professor for a presidential appointment. Note the glowing language. The detailed biography. The compelling argument.

Wow! That Congressman must really know Jack! Were they roommates in college? Are they cousins? Did they serve jail time together?

Nope.

The Good Congressman hardly knows me to send me anything other than a Christmas card.

No, the Good Congressman didn't actually write my recommendation.

I did.

***

Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill, Jr., the late Speaker of the House during Reagan's presidency, directed his staff to, don't take nobody that nobody brought. That the Speaker would only use his resources for someone who was sponsored by a trusted adviser.

A trusted third party...

To get a recommendation from a Very Busy Big Boss, find a friend who the Boss trusts. A trusted staffer.

With input from the trusted staffer, I composed a draft of my recommendation, which was, of course, fact checked, spell checked and signature ready for the Big Endorser's OK.

This is important: Very Important Busy People don't have time to write anything. They have speech writers.

If you want an endorsement or a recommendation, you will need to become a speech writer.

For your own content.

This is the first lesson in Completed Staff Work for subordinates. The Big Boss should only make decisions and sign his name.

The Boss does not do any work.

"Work" in the form that the individual contributor or staffer would recognized.

I tell Interested Parties if they want a written recommendation from me on why someone should hire them -- the Interested Party must first draft the letter so that I would know why I would make such suggestion.

Some one is going to have to do the thinking and the work for me.

This is how senior management works.

Some Interested Parties might suggest that Your Business Blogger(R) is not very bright and certainly very lazy.

Perhaps so. But.

This is how senior management works.

***

Now that the Alert Reader understands who really does the thinking and the working, let's review what should go into the writing of the recommendation.

Symmetry and Chemistry

The letter is written for a Big Boss to be read by another Big Boss. Well, OK, maybe not. Maybe your letter will be signed by an auto-pen (or secretary) and read by a trust adviser (or secretary).

The Letter of Recommendation has two purposes,

1) To assure the gate-keeper that your criminal record is irrelevant or that those tattoos are not visible with modest clothing (noticeable only in that YouTube video that you can't get deleted). And,

2) To get you a face-to-face appointment for the interview.

The Big Boss probably will not see your letter and/or resume until you walk in his office. (Remember, he's got staff to work and to think for him.)

The Hiring Manager is looking to answer two questions with Symmetry and Chemistry:

• Do we have the same values?
• Will we all get along?

Your Letter of Recommendation gets you two together. So what should it look like?

Personnel is Policy

The wife of Your Business Professor, Charmaine, worked in the Office of Presidential Personnel for Ronald Reagan who often said, "Personnel is Policy." No President or senior leader can make every decision at every level but he can have have trusted deputies who can act in the president's best interest -- making decisions that the president would make if he had enough time.

Your Letter of Recommendation should indicate that you will make recommendations and think and act just as The Boss would think and act.

Academics, journalists, consultants and even real managers will tell you that they are looking for independent, free-thinking individuals who advance independent thought and action.

This, of course, is a lie.

Managers want subordinates who will offer well thought-out recommendations and work to persuade The Boss -- But once The Boss makes a decision, the subordinate will implement the decision as if the decision were the subordinate's.

You will be hired for your wisdom and judgment.

Problem, Solution, Result

Give a short example of a problem you faced, a solution you devised and the result of your initiative.

"[Problem] When faced with a sudden snow storm, Mr. Jones rented a snow plow [solution] and cleared the parking lot assuring that customers could get to the store front where he worked as a cashier. His initiative not only provided a customer service and safety but increased the store's daily sales [results]."

Atta-Boys and Girls

What actions won you what awards? What superlative? All-American? Honor Roll?

"Mr. Jones never missed a session in my Business 100 class."

"Miss Jones volunteered as a researcher to find a solution to a BlackBoard software problem I was having."

"Mr. Jones would bring guests to my open lectures."

"Miss Jones got an "A" in my class and regularly contributed to the discussion."

"Mr. Jones was consistently on time."

"Miss Jones worked part-time while attending and completing her undergraduate course work."

Look and Feel

Your draft should allow space for the Big Boss letter head and signature block.

If there is an address to a third party, provide it in the body.

Be sure to (gently) alert the Big Boss of any deadlines or suspense dates.

If the letter is to be mailed directly from the Big Boss to a third party, request a blind copy to be mailed to you. We want to know how the Big Boss Staff may have modified your draft.

Ask someone to preview your social networking pages. Not sure about that bikini picture on Facebook? Take it down. Never have a picture taken with any, ANY kind of beverage in your hand -- alcohol or not. Water looks like vodka.

So, put the drink down and take your name tag off when the cameras are close. Including cell phone cameras -- especially cell phone cameras.

Do not use your too-familiar nick-name, Corky. Change your too-familiar email address, hotstuff@hotmail.

...So What?

Your reference letter or letter of recommendation is a one-page sales sheet; a marketing campaign to get you hired.

If you have had a real problem in your past, like that really interesting YouTube, email me for a consult. (Hint: I was young and needed the money is not a defense.)

Your Business Blogger(R) was still able to get a job after that unfortunate bar fight, street racing and other assorted events in his wasted youth. (No, no, not THAT wasted...)

And no, I do not need to see that video. Really.

###

Four steps to getting a job.

Helping sentences for employee evaluations.

Tattoos on your job search.

Posted at 8:23 PM | Permalink
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Conservatives have the correct content and communication, but what is needed now is control -- the control seen as a component of management*.

Quin Hillyer at the AmSpecBlog, the American Spectator Blog, writes, We Need Managers,

I can think of all sorts of conservative organizations that need better management skills. Maybe they should try to learn something here.

Alert Readers know that Your Business Blogger(R) reminds students and clients that management is defined as more than merely getting things done through others.

Management is getting things done through the ACTIVE SUPPORT of others. Lean how.

Your Business Blogger(R)
at the Stern Business School
at the New York University

Following is your invitation.

You Are Invited.

The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey: An Introduction
How to Manage Your Staff and How to Manage Your Manager

Well-run organizations have managers and staff who work to control events, instead of events controlling them. They anticipate the future . . . adapt to the present . . . and learn from the past.

Who: Managers who need to get in control of events or to better influence results

What: An introduction to The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey

1. The Management Equation:
Vocational Time vs. Management Time

2. How Management Really Works:
The Molecule of Management

3. The Who and How of Promotions:
The Freedom Scale

Alexandria Campus, campus map
The new Bisdorf Auditorium, room 196
3001 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311 street map

The class will center on the work of Ken Blanchard and Bill Oncken in their book The One Minute Manager Meets The Monkey. Also used will be the Harvard Business Review article, Managing Management Time: Who's Got the Monkey?, published in 1974, by Bill Oncken, Jr.. The article, an edited excerpt of the Managing Management Time™ seminar, has gone on to become one of the two most requested reprints in the history of the Review. The training summarized in the article is sometimes called the "Monkey Management" seminar.

Jack Yoest, Adjunct Professor of Management and President of Management Training of DC, is a former Armored Cavalry Officer in Combat Arms. His military leadership training and experience guides his management philosophy at the core of Managing Management Time™. He has managed software, health care and international human resource management companies.

Jack also served in the Governor's Office of the Commonwealth Virginia as Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Resources where he acted as the Chief Technology Officer for the secretariat. He was responsible for the successful Year 2000 (Y2K) conversion for the 16,000-employee unit. He was also a manager with a medical device start-up and helped move sales from zero to over $12 million, resulting in a buy-out by Johnson & Johnson. Jack has consulted in China and India.

Questions? email JYoest@NVCC.edu or call Jack at 202.215.2434 to save your spot.

Suggested class reading:

Do You Have An Incompetent Manager? From The Washington Post

Who's Got The Monkey? from the Harvard Business Review

One Minute YouTube Introduction:

Jack Yoest
202.215.2434
Adjunct Professor

*Management is traditionally defined as planning, organizing, leading, motivating and controlling.

There is no free lunch. The class is not FREE. It will be presented at no charge to the guests.

Parking and Directions at the Campus here.

Posted at 9:22 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest said Ben Franklin. And sometimes learning a skill will pay off in ways unintended and unanticipated.

My favorite interview question is to ask candidates,

An expert interviewer, like Your (humble) Business Blogger(R), can discern the contentment and the fire in the belly of the job candidate, by analyzing any gap between high school plans and the current stage in life -- I find that the larger this gap, the more unhappy the candidate.

Unhappy candidates make for unhappy employees.

Critics of this crazy question accurately say that technology, markets, the world have changed since we were in high school, back in the day.

And they are right: the material world changes. Less so people. And what people love to do, and how each individual candidate would like to make a difference -- remains constant thru life.

Here is my favorite example.

She was a competitive swimmer in her youth. And wanted to be a Life Guard. Her dream job that would make a difference. She trained, studied and was certified.

She found her calling; her vocation but she never found that job.

A disappointed teenager, she took a position as an Assistant Cashier in the athletic center at Camp of the Woods in Adirondack Park of upstate New York in June of 1982. She didn't get what she wanted, but at least she was near the water.

One afternoon while ringing up a sale, the young girl heard a commotion from the pool behind her across the hall.

A woman was just pulled from the pool. Limp, on her back turning blue. Not breathing.

Stunned on-looking bystanders frozen.

Inaction.

The teenage girl darted to the woman. Started mouth-to-mouth. The woman moved, struggled, gagged, puked and breathed.

And Lived.

Our teenager never got exactly the job she wanted; that job she trained for.

But her education did pay off. Especially for one swimmer visiting Adirondack Park.

Today that teenage girl, now a mature woman, lives out her high school dream making a difference in her dream vocation.

She wanted to make a difference in a unique way.

For Life.

And does so today.

Thank you (foot)notes:

The management at the resort was concerned that the near death by drowning would cause adverse publicity, I suppose. The life-saving event was never reported. Bad for business, you see. Our young heroine was never thanked.

And she doesn't want to be thanked now. And really doesn't want this blogged.

(But that's what husbands do.)

Posted at 10:54 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

Your Business Blogger(R)
at the Stern School of Business
New York University From the Leadership Institute,

Do you want your interns to be more organized, resourceful and effective?

The best internships enable interns to complete projects that create value for the organization, and to learn useful skills under the supervision of a mentor.

But interns often come to Washington with unrealistic expectations, which frustrate interns and mentors alike.

Send your interns to the Intern Workshop at the
Leadership Institute’s Stephen P.J. Wood building in
Arlington, Virginia on June 12, 2008,
from 9:15 am to 7:00 pm.

LI’s Intern Workshop teaches interns to set and achieve realistic goals during their internships.

Workshop speakers present tips about:

How to become an unforgettable asset

How to prioritize and get more done

Effective networking

Surviving on zero dollars a day

Personal development

This day-long workshop is free of charge.
It includes a free lunch and free dinner.

The Leadership Institute provides this service to philosophically like-minded organizations and offices to help you and your interns get the most out of your investment in them.

[To learn more about this seminar, click here.]

To register visit www.leadershipinstitute.org

For questions or additional information please
email Mary Koehn

or call (800) 827-LEAD

Your Business Blogger(R) will be teaching a short segment on Completed Staff Work and Managing Management Time(tm).

When LI says Free Workshop at the Leadership Institute, they really mean FREE. And there is a FREE LUNCH.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Jack Yoest is an Adjunct Professor of Management and President of Management Training of DC, LLC. He blogs with his wife Charmaine at Reasoned Audacity.

Posted at 1:29 PM | Permalink
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Is Obama Wright? - Pastor Jeremiah Wright & Senator Barack
forwarded by Soren DaytonFellow Blogger Soren Dayton forwarded an outstanding video that weaved Barack X. Obama's words and actions and pictures.

We live in the sight and sound generation. Where our preferred medium of communications is the moving picture.

A recent human resource management survey revealed that some 80% of influencers and decision makers in hiring will view a video of a job applicant. If you are applying for a job -- send a YouTube.

This is what Soren Dayton did. The video Soren Dayton forwarded is a type of job application for Obama and the presidency.

It is compelling! It is creative! It is brilliant!

Soren Dayton is fired. The McCain campaign threw Soren under the bus.

So Soren Dayton is out of the campaign gig. Which makes him available. Hire Dayton for your next project.

Dayton will get you noticed...

Thank you (foot)notes:

Join the Support Soren Dayton! group on Facebook. Your Business Blogger(R) did. I'm member number 61, I believe.

Soren Dayton volunteered his time and good name to support John McCain's candidacy for the Presidency. When he linked, via his Twitter account, to a hard-hitting video mashup against Barack Obama, the McCain campaign dumped Soren, and a national media conflagration ensued.

The purpose of this Facebook group is twofold:

1) To express support for Soren Dayton.
2) To let the McCain campaign know that we expect them to FIGHT, not roll over at the merest hint of controversy.

Posted at 7:36 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

The Family Research Council based in Your Nation's Capital, has a number of job openings.

In particular, Charmaine is looking for a Broadcasting Director.

The Broadcasting Director will manage the production, distribution and promotion of FRC's radio programs, and audio and video projects and products. The Broadcasting Director oversees production of and edits FRC's weekly radio program and the daily radio commentary. The Director is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of current broadcast projects and planning for new ones. This position maintains the production schedule for FRC's radio studio. The incumbent manages production, distribution, and marketing of FRC audio projects; to include radio programs, public service announcements, commercials, and audio tape productions. The incumbent also has responsibility for all video needs in the organization.

Salary is in line with experience and is based in Washington, DC. And,

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Radio Production, or related field and 5 years of related experience or equivalent combination of training and experience is required. Experience within and/or familiarity with the pro-family movement necessary. Preference will be given to applicants with related media experience and knowledge of pro-family policy issues. Strong organizational and administrative skills; and excellent written and oral communication skills are also required. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and experience with Excel is preferred. Experience in producing, recording, and editing radio program is essential. Knowledge of ProTools audio software, FTP Server, and studio equipment is essential. Knowledge of Final Cut Pro video editing software is helpful.

Contact FRC or email us.

Posted at 7:37 PM | Permalink
Comments (0)

The Family Research Council is looking for a key player. From the FRC site,

The Executive Assistant will provide administrative support to the Vice President for Communications and facilitate the daily activities of the Communications Department.

The Executive Assistant will make travel arrangements; assist in preparing and sending out news releases; maintain department's contact lists; make arrangements for meetings to include making catering arrangements.

Oversee, facilitate, and monitor the procedures pertaining to daily work flow and department communications. Represent the VP and the department in FRC staff meetings and interdepartmental meetings, as directed.

This position requires strong organizational, administrative, and budget management skills and the ability to adapt quickly to changes while using solid professional judgment.

This position also requires a high proficiency in the Windows environment. The incumbent in this position must be productive, competent, dependable, organized, focused, detail and task oriented, be able to carry out multiple tasks in a fast paced environment.

Must have a professional telephone manner. Requires BA degree and a minimum of 5 years experience in providing administrative support for senior staff or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Please leave a comment or contact FRC if you would have a referral for this position. Thank you.

Posted at 10:33 PM | Permalink
Comments (2)

He doesn't go to church.

Bob Knight and Brent Bozell
Photo Credit: Michelle S. Humphrey
from the Media Research Center It seemed that many of the clients of Your Business Blogger were having challenges finding integrity in job candidates. Even business schools are forced to teach ethics. Goodness.

So I ask Bob Knight, who runs the Culture and Media Institute a part of Brent Bozell's Media Research Center about this. Bob's team just released a report, The National Cultural Values Survey.

Smart Human Resource gurus have always used an unspoken, intuitive cultural profiling to test job candidates.

Bob Knight's Survey quantifies with hard numbers what managers have all been feeling over the last few years.

And it turns out the HR professionals may have been right. People these days have a ...flexible compass on truth.

The Culture and Media Institute released this report at The National Press Club on Wednesday in Washington, DC. I ask Bob, "What should hiring managers use to determine a good job candidate from one that would break the law, lie, or use drugs?"

"This is a problem for business and for us all," Bob said later. The variable on honesty can be measured by the professed attendance at a house of worship. "The determining line would be going to church at least twice a month." However, Bob was quick to remind me, "You can't ask that in a job interview."

Questions based on Faith Based Hiring practices would be, well, discriminating.

In favor of the crooks and liars and liberals.

In The National Cultural Values Survey: America: A Nation in Moral and Spiritual Confusion, Bob finds that,

The survey reveals that 74 percent of Americans believe the nation is in moral decline, and that a culture war is indeed occurring in America.

Indeed. First-line supervisors see this daily and battle with the challenge of finding ways of selecting good employees.

Managers would often gauge an aspect of culture and class of a job candidate by observing the prospective employee's behavior at a restaurant. Table manners were important, but the astute manager watched how the candidate would treat the wait staff.

Bob Knight's Survey takes this test to a higher level and gives a vignette on measuring honesty in a table called, Cheating on a Restaurant Bill,

You are out to dinner with a group of friends. When the check arrives you notice that several
items are missing from the bill. Your friends say you should just pay the bill, and that it’s the
restaurant’s own fault for making the mistake. What would you do?

85% of church-going conservatives would Tell the waiter and pay the right amount. Only 52% of the Godless liberals would be forthright.

The 18th-century atheist and culturally-correct philosphe, Voltaire, recognized this problem. Even though he believed Christianity was an "infamy," he wrote that "I want my attorney, my tailor, my servants, even my wife to believe in God."

Voltaire wanted this accountability to God not for his employee's eternal salvation, but as a Total Quality Management System. "...Then I shall be robbed and cuckolded less often," he concluded.

The Frenchman and the Jesus-loving Christians. Voltaire hated them. But he hired them.

And so should you.

Thank you (foot)notes:

If you are a manager, please comment on your favorite (legal) tactics to find honest employees.

What's the One Best Question to Ask a Job Candidate?

Also see MRC's Business and Media site.

And NewsBusters.org

And mark your calendars for Media Research Center's 20th Anniversary Gala on 29 March. Your Business Blogger and Charmaine will be there with some of the smartest people in DC. You be there too.

Business Pundit has more data that supports one of Bob's findings -- children make us more honest and better people. See Do Parents Make Better Managers?

See Mike Paul's Reputation Doctor.

All links are unpaid.

Read Major Findings of the Survey at the jump.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 7:57 PM | Permalink
Comments (9)

Our US Army is getting more recruits with tattoos. And so are you.

A third of the population 18 to 29 has a tattoo. Your Business Blogger is a bit outside this age range and our five-kid penta-posse has not yet demanded needles with ink. But this is an exploding fad that will affect business hiring.

Body Piercing
Tools of the Trade
courtesy: Gotham Here I will review only the deliberate body modifications. Not the accidental. (Scars are tattoos with better stories.)

We just hired a number of employees. Not one of the attractive young women had any body art. That I noticed. Not that I was looking.

My concern is less with my outdated preferences than that potential candidates knew my preferences. If I control cutting the check, I'll control the body cutting. I'd like some input in what peeps I be hangin' wit'.

I prefer non-smokers with no (visible) body art. Conjugated verbs are a plus.

Job seekers must remember that symmetry and chemistry between interview-er and interview-ee is what gets hired. It is not fair. But remember, I'm writing the check.

So tattoos and other self-mutilations are not for me. And it's not likely that I would hire such decorations. But one of my managers with hiring authority might. One of my clients might. But not me.

(And please don't ask me about trans-gender: If you take a meat cleaver to your manhood, there would probably not be a fit between us. Because you would be crazy.)

And I'm not the only fuddy-duddie. The Vault reports,

Companies with dress and grooming codes are on the strongest legal grounds when they defend their policies based on legitimate business reasons.

At Starbucks, "baristas" who serve the $5 lattes can't display any tattoos or wear any piercing jewelry besides small, matched pair earrings. Each ear can't have more than two piercings. Serving upscale coffee demands upscale workers, according to Starbucks, and tattoos don't fit that scheme.

So what's right? What is wrong with tattoos?

Sometime ago I questioned my Rabbi, Daniel Lapin, on the issue of tattoos. Yes, I'm Presbyterian who sits at the feet of the JollyBogger. But everyone also needs a Rabbi; a teacher. Your coach doesn't have to be faith-based. But the "donations" can be tax deductible...

My Rabbi said that ancient Jewish tradition held that a person's body does not belong to him; it belongs to the Creator and we borrow this earthly vessel for a while. Which is why the tattooing of identification numbers during the Holocaust was so humiliating to the Jews.

So if I interview you, or some other old codger interviews you, don't tell us about your tattoos. It is not part of the job description.

You will be hired for your wisdom and your judgment.

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Posted at 10:29 PM | Permalink
Comments (11)

Truth
Sculpture by
Gianlorenzo Bernini
1652 An ancient Jewish Proverb goes He that covers his sins shall not prosper. There seems to be a disturbing trend that hiring managers are facing: job candidates who lie.

Director Mitch, The Window Manager, one of the best business blogs in the business, had a reader in a job interview with a dilemma:

How should a job candidate handle embarrassing, possibly unethical questions from a hiring authority?

He gives three interesting options. "I see the hiring process as a battle with HR and will use any means, fair or unfair, to trip them up," says Mitch. That's because he views questions about why any employee who left a previous job as "unethical" to begin with. So Mitch asserts that an unethical question does not deserve an ethical answer.

Your Business Blogger is not so sure.

I once asked my favorite management guru, Bill Oncken, about the challenge of dealing with supervisors who cross ethical lines from right to wrong. His wise advice was to separate, or fire, or not hire, or run away from any hint of a lack of character.

Only deal with people with integrity, says Oncken; who is filthy rich and never married with no hungry kids who need shoes and private schools. (His hobby is skydiving -- out of boredom, I believe.)

But as the Window Manager outlines, sometimes you really, really need the job.

We've all been there. Sometimes we rationalize that ". . .the HR kumquat is a jerk who didn't ask a fair question, or a legal question, . . . and no one will ever find out if there's fudging on the job application. Evil deserves contempt. (Anti) Personnel departments don't actually add value to a company, anyway." Or so the thought goes.

When faced with an unethical boss or an unethical hiring manager, Bill Oncken, author of Managing Management Time, suggests leaving immediately. Even when the hit hurts your wallet.

"Sometimes," Oncken says, "You have to finance your integrity."

And this requires monetary as well as emotional maturity that not all of us possess.

I would not recommend lying as a response to any question, no matter how awful or illegal the interrogation. But Mitch does suggest humor or a superlative as a possible way out of troubling questions. As in "I took time off to train for my ascent of Everest." Or something like that.

Humor is a dodge that Your Business Blogger used to use. My heartfelt response to questions about my misspent youth is, I'm not responsible for anything that happened during the Nixon Administration.

If humor or deflection does not work -- that last sentence never worked for me -- brutal truth might be necessary.

Years ago, I was once fired by a company - twice - in the same month, both times by fax, the insulting medium of the day. I would always reveal this firing whenever asked. I would explain that it was the dangerous downside of working for thinly capitalized companies in trouble. And my explanation had the added benefit of being true.

I would always get the hard stuff out of the way soonest. I would put it all on the table. Just as sales pro's know: Whoever raises the objection, owns the objection. And get the "no's" out early.

On my hiring travels as interviewer and --ee, I've learned that there are two kinds of problems: big and small.

Many small problems perhaps can be side-stepped - without being untruthful, like my little incident deep in North Carolina. (Hint: Never throw drink bottles from a '57 Chevy at high speed.)

Early in my career, whenever that "Were you ever arrested?" silly question would come up, I would always write in NA. Drag racing on the interstate highway system was truly "Not Applicable" to the entry level sales job I was hunting. And if any explanation was required, I wanted to do it in person, rather than be eliminated by rote in HR. A face-to-face sales presentation has the highest close rate.

Fortunately, I don't have big problems, like a felony conviction, but the terminations come close. I have been fired more times than any single reader of this reputable blog. Goodness, I'll bet I've been fired more than ALL you readers combined, including Rush Limbaugh.

But there is hope for big problems on this side of eternity: Find a Friend. Any real position or client these days will be 1) A created position, 2) In high technology and 3) With someone you know.

Clients and projects and employment come these days through a network of friends and contacts. Who love you.

Like I do.

And that's no lie.

To thine own self be true,
and it must follow,
as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man. Shakespeare.

So. When to lie? Let slip a little fib?

Never.

Don't bear false witness -- even about yourself.

Was this helpful? Do comment.
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Thank you (foot)notes:

It is not known if Rush Limbaugh actually reads this blog.

Posted at 3:09 PM | Permalink
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Charmaine on C-SPAN Charmaine is looking for an executive assistant, here in Your Nation's Capital. See the job listing here.

Executive Assistant to VP for Communications:

Provide administrative support, advice, and assistance to the Vice President for Communications and facilitate the daily activities of the Communications Department.

August 28, 2006 - Monday

High proficiency in Windows environment (Microsoft Word 6.0, Excel 5.0 and database). Productive, competent and dependable individual with team spirit. Ability to carry out multiple tasks in a busy environment. Keyboard speed of 35 cwpm. Experience in maintaining files. Must have a professional telephone manner. Organized, focused, detail and task oriented. Requires BA degree and a minimum of 3 years experience in providing administrative support for


Debating on Bloomberg senior staff or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Must be productive, competent and dependable with team spirit, able to direct and carry out multiple tasks in a busy office environment. Must have strong organizational, administrative and budget management skills and ability to adapt quickly to changes while executing solid professional judgment.

Charmaine from FRC on
NBC Nightly News

Charmaine runs a busy shop.

Hint: Her last four hires read/write blogs. Hint.

Was this helpful? Do comment.
Consider a free eMail subscription for this site.

Thank you (foot)notes:

Charmaine blogs at Reasoned Audacity and FRCBlog, and is the wife of Your Business Blogger.

Posted at 11:45 AM | Permalink
Comments (0)

Microsoft has one real point measurement for hiring.

IQ

Your Business Blogger has hired (computer) coders, sales reps...and government bureaucrats.

When given the option of head count and budget flexibility, I always recommended to my managers to hire the most expensive talent possible -- the Super Stars.

Even when hiring government workers.

Into Good and Evil reminds us that when talent really counts, when talent determines life and death, who would get hired? He points us to Professor Kingsley Browne in The Ace and the Turkeys,

"Given the cognitive and temperamental patterns required, it is not surprising to find that the ability to fly aircraft successfully in combat is an ability that not many have. Indeed, it is not an ability that even all combat pilots have. Aviation analysts recognize that the majority of combat kills are scored by a small minority of pilots. Mike Spick has observed: "The gulf between the average fighter pilot and the successful one is very wide. In fact it is arguable that there are almost no average fighter pilots; just aces and turkeys; killers and victims."

Fighter pilots, like sales guys in a role playing exercise, can practice and give a passable presentation, but,

As one Air Force pilot stated, "Most guys can master the mechanics of the systems, but it's instinctive to be able to assimilate all the data, get a big picture, and react offensively. Not a lot of guys can do that."

But the Air Force has a challenge most sales managers don't: Separating the Aces from the Turkeys,

Ideally, one would have only "aces" or "killers," leaving the "turkeys" and "victims" to another career path. The difficulty lies, however, in the fact that there is no known way to separate the aces and the turkeys prior to combat. Unfortunately, many of those who will end up being turkeys often do not know what they are getting into. These pilots may have the ability, intelligence, and know-how to fly the plane well, but they ultimately lack the "fighting spirit" that they will need in combat. " (Buffalo Law Review,Winter, 2001, 49 Buffalo L. Rev. 51,Women at War: An Evolutionary Perspective By Kingsley R. Browne)

But the hiring manager does have an advantage over an Air Force Wing Commander, the civilian Ace has a track record of Kills.

The best indication of future performance is past performance. Our armed forces are hampered by looking only to recent combat or aerial engagements -- and there aren't that many of those dogfights. The hiring manager has different metrics of combat measures for top business talent. Eat what you kill. Who had produced the best numbers?

In this human resource practice and strategy, there are down-sides as Anita Campbell, my editrix at Small Business Trends citing the Trizoko Biz Journal mentions. She and others make the valid point that Super Star and Aces are nearly impossible to manage. And, indeed, can only be managed by Super Star managers.

But if these crazy iconoclasts can be harnessed, a big 'if' to be sure, big numbers are sure to follow. For example, when I had a modest software company, I learned the hard way that a one genius coder was worth a half dozen coders. And not because he (and he was usually a 'he') was faster, but that his work was nearly bug-free. Which saved me from hiring three coders just to patch.

With my sales teams, Pareto's 80/20 Principle always played out. But the top guy, usually a deviant was always a standard deviation above the norm. My #1 sales guy was sometimes double the sales of #2, the rest of the sales team on the long tail. That #1 guy drove me nuts. But I loved his numbers.

And government bureaucrats? Goodness. I once had an agency head 'lose' a $100 million department. It was necessary to find it for obvious political reasons, but we only became aware of the lost unit because I was working the Y2K rollover and really needed to find all the laptops. We finally found it. Hidden away, quietly working away. And there were lots of good excuses why it was floating alone off on its own org chart, in its own universe. How they got paid is outside the scope of this post. I was assured that it was not illegal.

So Anita and Trizoko Biz are right, Super Stars are a pain.

But I wonder how many $100 million business units are lost. And could be found with a few dozen more IQ points.

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Thank you (foot)notes:

Your Business Blogger's columns appear in Small Business Trends on Tuesdays and Small Business Trends Radio on Fridays. Please tune in.

Posted at 10:38 AM | Permalink
Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Every motivational speaker uses Babe Ruth as the example to just keep swinging for the fences. Joy always comes with persistence. Keep Swinging!

This is a lie.

Your Business Blogger
with sales baubles:
Always avoid
braggards and
blowhards
like this.

Managing salesfolks is the best job in the world.

And the worst job in the world. Your Business Blogger has had a number of sales teams full of Babe Ruths. The swings, the misses, the whining. The winning.

The pain. Even for the Babe, striking out would hurt.

But not all sales guys have Ruth's talent.

Most fail.

And here is the script so that you, too, can see failure coming down the track. Like a whistle before the train wreck, listen for these clues.

It starts in the interview. The bragging sales guy [ tout chapeau aucun betail ]says, "Hire me..."

1) I can sell anything, (You Want Refrigerators in Antarctica? I'm Your Man) and so he begins,

2) Exaggerate the client's interest, (They Love Us, Baby) with

3) Unfounded optimism, (The Deal is Done -- Good as Booked) then

4) Excuses Galore, (The Order is Coming -- Next Quarter, You Can Take That to the Bank) -- here it is:

5) Disaster, (My Contact Quit, Stabbed in the Back, Poor Bugger.) followed by

6) More Optimism (We'll get 'em Next Quarter -- Guaranteed) and later

7) Finger Pointing (It's a terrible territory; It's not the man -- it's the land.) finally

8) Abandonment (Great concept; a little too soon...Sign this expense report.)

And he's off to another start-up making even more money. (Not that I'd know.)

So, if your need something to sell; You Want Refrigerators in Anartica? I'm Your Man.

Meanwhile, check out my upcoming post on working with super star Bono -- coming tomorrow. U 2 can be a star. (See #2 and #3 above.) "Hire me..."

Was this helpful? Do comment.
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Thank you (foot)notes:

Be sure to know When to Quit.

And visit my weekly column in Anita Campbell's Small Business Trends.

Posted at 9:07 AM | Permalink
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Blogs are better
than classifed ads Whenever Charmaine or Your Business Blogger have to hire someone, the first question we ask ourselves is,

Who do we know?

So we then tap into our network of contacts and friends and get the background propaganda on candidates.

But to really, really know a candidate, we'd like to check deeper on:

Their Opinions, and

Are their Opinions worthy? and

Does the Candidate want those Opinions known, and

Does the Candidate want to make a difference?

To learn it all fast and easy, we ask, "Does she have a blog?"

We now have an (unwritten) rule: We like to hire only those who write and read blogs.

The most recent example is Joe Carter from Evangelical Outpost. Charmaine hired him for some work, and we only knew of his talents through the blogosphere.

For example, Tom McMahon quotes Joe in Important Stuff,

Why do so many people buy into the ridiculous notion that a daily diet of "current events' is anything other than a mindless (though perhaps harmless) form of amusement? Even ardent news-hounds will admit that the bulk of daily "news" is nothing more than trivia or gossip. How much of what happens every day truly is all that important? How many of us have ever even stopped to ask why we have daily news?...

As Malcolm Muggeridge, himself a journalist, admitted, "I've often thougt...that if I'd been a journalist in the Holy Land at the time of our Lord's ministry, I should have spent my time looking into what was happening in Herod's court. I'd be wanting to sign Salome for her exclusive memoirs, and finding out what Pilate was up to, and...I would have missed completely the most important event there ever was."

Indeed, imagine if Dan Rather had been a reporter during that era: "...three revolutionaries were crucified on Golgatha today. Included among the executions was a man called Jesus, who some Jews considered to be the messiah. Those hopes were dashed, however, around three P.M. when Roman soldiers declared Jesus dead. And now...this...."

Oz Guinness also wrote about our fast-paced world; the, "Now this...culture" where every event is superceded by something, anything, to hold our short attention spans.

Joe Carter is a guy who knows signal from noise.

And a guy who thinks like this is someone we needed on the payroll.

I wish we could get Tom McMahon.

To help in your job search see PASS this test.

Basil's Blog has a picnic.

Posted at 1:11 PM | Permalink
Comments (1)

In your job search you are prepared to answer many questions.

But there are questions you should be prepared to ask. Questions for your possible new boss. And not just the trite and true, "Tell Me How You Came To XYZ Corp." My questions are to (dis)qualify him. You may not want to work for him. And if you really, really need the job, you at least won't be blind-sided.

1) Love. Does he love me? I was humbled to have Jesse Brown, the former Veteran's Administration Secretary for Bill Clinton, as a business partner.

"Does he love me?" was Jesse's one rule for taking on a new client or a new job. "If the love's there, all else will fall in." Look for; get the feel for the love. Yes, yes, I know it's an emotion. But so is misery. Look for the love.

The Honorable
Jesse BrownJesse was an honorary campaign manager for the Al Gore presidential race. Which meant he was a $100K contributor. And could have any job he wanted. So I asked him why he gave the money, he wasn't going to take a position in a new administration. "I wanted to help my friends get jobs." He didn't need anything for himself; he sincerely wanted to help others. Including me. And no, I was not about to take any Gore job. Please. But he could have made it happen.

2) Strategy. What would you do if you hit the lottery? Or the IPO is successful, the rich uncle dies. What would your potential boss do if he had a sudden windfall of piles of cash? I asked that in a job interview and was surprised. The hiring manager leaned back, and with a far away look in his eye talked about opening up a marina. His big dream. His big dream was not in that building and I wasn't a part of it. I didn't feel the love.

JJ Abrams with Tom Cruise
Credit: Stephen VaughanThe right answer is seen in JJ Abrams, the director of Mission Impossible III with Tom Cruise. He was recently asked what he did with all his money and about his work,

Next up for Abrams is a "Star Trek" movie, now in pre-production, which will unleash his inner geek as never before. He'll also be working on "Lost," trying to ensure the show doesn't splinter into so many directions that it chokes on itself or stops moving.

There's not a lot of talk from him about downtime.

Asked if he has any plans for his money, he seems confused.

"What money?"

You know, the money you get paid for all this incredibly lucrative work.

He thinks for a moment, then tilts his head and points to his locks.

"Hair care," he says.

The reporter's question was met with a joke. JJ Abrams really didn't think about the money, didn't think about the stuff it could buy. Or taking long vacations. He was consumed with his passion of making movies. The Love.

If you had the wealth of Solomon you should be doing exactly what you are doing now. The right answer from your potential manager is, "If I struck oil in my front yard, I'd still be doing what I'm doing now." And he is really saying, "I love it here and so will you."

3) Tactics. What classes are you taking now? Continuous learning is, well, continuous. Life-long-learning is the hallmark of leaders.

Benjamin Franklin"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest," said Benjamin Franklin. An outstanding prospective boss is reading a compelling book, just finished a seminar on international business etiquette, or studied parallels on initiative between business units and military units for a board presentation.

Education and continuous improvement is the one thing every boss should care about.

I was surprised to learn this.

Your Business Blogger once acted as the COO of a Fortune 350 size organization. In my first meeting with the human resource directors, I asked them what was the one thing our employees wanted.

I thought it would be more money. More time off. Vacations days. Sick leave. The typical union demands.

Nope. The nine HR professionals, who happened to all be women said, unanimously, education. More budget and time for improving knowlege, skills and abilities. More opportunities for studies and credentials. (Then they'd clamor for increased pay based on increased efficiency. Clever buggers.)

So we opened attendance for adult education programs at local universities and community colleges. And squeezed out budgets for fancy business consultants to teach advanced management skills. Everyone was happy. Our employee retention rate improved.

If your new manager doesn't care about adult education for himself, he won't care about it for you.

So you are now armed with three qualifying questions to test your next boss. Or try them on your current boss if you are looking for an excuse to leave. But get a new job first.

And let me know how it goes.

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Thank you (foot)notes:

Jesse Brown passed away almost 4 years ago. I still miss him. My inaugural post was dedicated to him.

Basil's Blog has a Picnic.

Mudville Gazette has Open Post.

Posted at 9:49 AM | Permalink
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The wife of Your Business Blogger is hiring talent in Your Nation's Capital.

At the Family Research Council. Defending Family, Faith and Freedom.

If you know of a candidate, please email me or comment.

Director of Media Relations

Under the direction of the Vice President for Communications, develops and implements FRC's daily communications strategy. Develops media messages and strategy and implements plans for both immediate response news items and long-term projects on FRC issues. Builds relationships and conducts interviews with news outlets. Promotes FRC president and other FRC experts to news outlets. Oversees the distribution of FRC publications to the media. Assists Development department to increase donor awareness of media activity. Serves as an FRC spokesperson. Works as an Associate Producer of FRC Simulcasts. Manages Media Coordinators.

Manager of Audio & Video Production

Under the direction of the Vice President for Communications, produces and edits FRC's 90-second daily radio commentary and the 30-minute Washington Watch Weekly. The Manager of Audio and Video Production maintains the production schedule for FRC's radio studio. The incumbent manages production, distribution, and marketing of FRC audio projects; to include radio programs, public service announcements, commercials, and audio tape productions. The incumbent also has responsibility for all video needs in the organization; to include taping, editing, and posting FRC events on the web, in coordination with the Web Editor. The incumbent in this position will also be responsible for special video projects as they are developed.

Web Editor

Under the direction of the Vice President for Communications, serves as the editing and preparation channel through which all publications, papers, and communications from all FRC departments are funneled for the most effective presentation on FRC website. With assistance and expertise of information technology staff, insures posting, revision, and arrangement of material on website. The incumbent works to enhance FRC's Internet presence and image as a public policy research, education, and advocacy organization. The incumbent is responsible for managing the content and appearance of FRC web sites. Prepares all materials (publications, papers, legislative updates, press releases, etc.), including promotional material and FRC merchandise, for posting on website. Monitors web site traffic and provides weekly reports on traffic trends.

This position requires an undergraduate degree in political science, history, or social science and three years in a professional office environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Requires the ability to engage with all levels of staff and mgmt with tact and diplomacy. Excellent organizational skills, ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and demonstrated ability to function in fast paced environment. Incumbent must have demonstrated conceptual, writing, and editing skills along with technological expertise in html and web design. Previous web editing and image design experience a must. Knowledge of the public policy arena as well as family and cultural issues is essential.

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What were your
high school dreams? If you want to do well in job interviewing, get Smart.

No, not the secret agent. Get Brad. Brad Smart, Ph.D..

A friend from an Ivy League university group eMailed asking about interview questions a while back.

She wanted to be prepared. She knew better than to waste time asking job seekers stupid questions, So tell me about yourself...

There's a better way. Unless you really, really trust your HR department.

The best question, as Brad suggests is,

What were your career plans in high school?

For the interviewer, the easiest way to gauge compatibility is to determine the 'happiness' of the job candidate. If he's not happy were he is, he won't be happy were he's going.

I recommend these candidate contentment questions; a legal line of questioning:

Career Dreams...
behaving before shaving

Tell me about your high school days.

What did you want to be then?

What was your dream?

Yes. High School. All of life is high school. [sigh]

The rationale is that the closer the current position of the candidate to his High School dream, the more content the candidate is. You should only hire contentment. With fire-in-the-belly.

For example, take my favorite example, Your Business Blogger. I proclaimed in high school the desire to be a 'merchant.' A salesman. A peddler and presenter. Of intangible Big Ideas.

Today, for me: Nirvana. A consultant with a blog.

A review. Here's a quick three point landing for evaluating a job candidate:

1) Symmetry and chemistry
2) High school dreams
3) Track record

1) Don't fill the slot with a slut. In the job search, as in a search for the mother of your future children, symmetry and chemistry is fertile ground. And like getting married, this is the first hurtle in seeking and/or filling a position. It is a courtship dance of both parties on both sides of the interviewing table.

This was the one thing Jack Welsh didn't bother to quantify. (Except, maybe the slut part.) (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) Although he could certainly justify his decisions. But the big decisions involved more than numbers. It was, well, a feeling. Welsh named his book after it: Straight from the Gut . It also can be called wisdom and judgment.

For example, anyone who retains Your Business Blogger would probably like this article: Dads, Death and Debt of Honor.

If you don't care for the article or the writing or my world view, you won't like me. And I won't care for you much either. Symmetry and chemistry.

2) Too cool for school. I was Co-Captain of our high school basketball team, a lifetime achievement once dismissed by a recruiter. His client didn't have a basketball team, he snorted.

Jerk.

He obviously did appreciate my leadership skills...so I didn't get the girls, the NBA didn't call, I didn't get the job. Ask about high school. Get ready for angst.

3) A reasonable rearview mirror. The final point is the easiest. The track record. Where the best indication of future performance is past performance. The easiest to measure. And verify through reference checks.

Even with candidates competing for entry level jobs, there should be few surprises on how the new hire will turn out. Hire character and integrity first. Job competence can be trained. Goodness, even gruff personalities can be coached. But counseled only on a firm foundation of Boy Scout qualities. Beyond knowledge, skills and abilities.

And there will be a test. At every open job position to be filled.

And you thought you were done with high school.

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Thank you (foot)notes:

The high school question comes from Jack Welsh's HR consultant, Brad Smart, Ph.D.. Yep, that's his real name.

And sometimes I suggest the opposite of symmetry and chemistry. See Hire the Homosexual.

More references and checklists at the jump.

Mediations has advice on blog skills helping student job seekers.

Mudville Gazette has Open Post.

Continue Reading »

Posted at 3:01 AM | Permalink
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Hire the Best People,
but don't get sued

The law is an *ss -- an idiot...
Charles Dickens

And don't get sued. It was like playing defense. You can't win it, but you can lose it.

Anyway, when interviewing job candidates, a series of trick questions are necessary to:

1) Get answers and
2) Stay within the Law

Sometimes mutually exclusive, because the law is, well, an *ss.

So. During the interview, I would say, not ask, to the job candidate,

"That is a beautiful ring [on the third finger on the left hand]..."

"I have the five best kids on the planet..."

"I love California! I was born in San Diego..."

"I've been married to Charmaine for 16 years this May..."

This work is best left to your anti-personnel, personnel department. The HR professionals have become as vital as lawyers. And can kill a contact or contract even faster.

Here's more from our friends at Military.com,

Illegal: Are you a U.S. citizen? Where were you or your parents born?

Legal: Are you authorized to work in the United States? What other languages do you speak? This question is okay as long as it relates to the job you are interviewing for.

Illegal: How old are you? When is your birthday?

Legal: Are you over 18 years of age? Again, this question is considered legal if it relates to the job.

Illegal: What's your marital status? Who do you live with? Do you plan to have a family? How many kids do you have? Do you have childcare arrangements?

Legal: Travel is an important part of the job, would you be willing to travel as needed?

Illegal: Do you belong to any clubs? What are your affiliations?

Legal: Do you belong to any professional trade organizations that you consider relevant to your ability to perform this job?

Illegal: How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

Legal: Are you able to lift a 50 lb weight and carry it more than 100 yards for this job?

Illegal: Do you have any disabilities? Have you had any recent or past illnesses or operations? If so, please list the dates of these operations.

Legal: Are you able to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations?

Illegal: Have you ever been arrested?

Legal: Have you ever been convicted of a crime? The crime in question should be related to the performance of the job in question.

Illegal: If you've been in the military, were you honorably discharged?

Legal: What type of training or education did you receive in the military?

And this is why you will never hear back from a company about why you didn't didn't get that job. It is rude. But it's not personal. It's personnel, and

It's the Law. It has made us all *sses.

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Thank you (foot)notes:

Photo credit US Navy.

And this is why managers are socio-paths.

Basil's Blog has a picnic.

Mudville has Open Post.

Posted at 7:50 AM | Permalink
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See how "Sarah" is getting it right. To get your next job, assignment or project PASS this test! See how the mythical composite Sarah learned new behaviors to find new opportunities.

As first appeared in The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Virginia, January 20, 2002

To get a job, first get a plan and then get busy

by Jack Yoest

Two years ago Sarah, a technology worker asked, "How do I get a life?" Now she asks, "How do I get a job?" With unemployment the highest in six years, uncertainty has arrived this holiday season like the proverbial lump of coal: How would she find work?

Sudden unemployment, or looming job uncertainty, is one of life's great challenges. It's a stress test, but it's one you can learn to pass.

Here's how: use this coming New Year as an impending event to trigger the start of new behaviors. This is the time to be jolly, reduce uncertainty and increase paycheck security. Here's how Sarah, and you, will PASS this test!

Get a Plan. New Year's Resolutions notoriously never make it past the Super Bowl. So get a plan. Don't confuse the ultimate goal -- new job or new assignment -- with the individual steps you will take each day. Write down the actions you will do every day, every week.

PASSing involves managing behaviors, not goals. One of Sarah's action items was to shake ten hands at every event she attended.

Your Plan should be concrete and specific; your behaviors should be discrete and measurable: include numbers of phone calls, numbers of people you meet, number of letters you send. Numbers, Numbers, Numbers. This is important. What you count, counts.

Get Accountable. Find a friend and let them know your plan. Regularly update the friend who might be your spouse, relative, or bartender. This is the most difficult part of the process: ask for help and manage your mentor, someone who cares about you. If you can't find a mentor, email your plan to me. (I don't care about you either, but what works is telling someone what you will do and then reporting that you did it.) Asking for input is key -- people may not have a job for you, but they will always have advice.

Get Seen. The cliche is wrong: it's not

Continue Reading »

Posted at 8:28 AM | Permalink
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Citizen Smash is looking for a job.

The number one characteristic a hiring manager should study is not on a candidate's resume: Character. Hiring committees know only about an applicant's mettle from a third party observation.

This is an openly biased endorsement for Citizen Smash at Indepundit.

We all can evaluate track records, competencies. We can objectively measure and manage knowledge, skills and abilities.

The subjective measure of a man is more challenging.

The most important component in getting a measurement of character is checking references. In critical positions I like to have an enthusiastic champion for the candidate somewhere in the "degrees of separation" between us.

I've never met Smash, but please accept my reference. Here's how I know Smash is one of the good-guys:

Charmaine, my better half at Reasoned Audacity, was working the G8/Live8 in the UK when her site crashed. Our host didn't take kindly to the spike in traffic volume.

So there was Charmaine in London on 7/7 and she couldn't post. We were racking up transatlantic charges working to get her back online (with an unresponsive web hosting service -- a topic for another post.)

Smash immediately understood the frustration of a fellow blogger and quickly posted her most recent entries from the Google cache.

If he would do this for an unknown "large mammal," then it is a reasonable bet that he might be a bit more responsive to a supervisor who signs his check.

Hire Smash. Contact him. Or contact me.

He's looking for a job in IT. Please pass this link on to someone who might know someone.

Come back for later posts where we discuss the biggest mistake a manager can make.

Thank you (foot)notes:

BloggerJobs and Hiring.

9Rules is hiring blog writers.

Belmont has discussion on culture.

Hiring Tech People has two questions for candidates.

BNET has hiring for passion.

Woodster has good news for geeks.

My Blog of HR has blogging makes the world go around.

Basil's Blog continues in this public service.

Report to Mudville Gazette for Open Post. And while you're there see WILLisms reporting on Europe's anti-American leanings and unemployment (only Will could put them both in the same post and pull it off.)

Good posts at Outside the Beltway with Traffic Jam.

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