The Pitch - Business News Network with Andrew Bell

Business owners looking for capital should look for the Business News Network's new weekly show on Wednesdays called “The Pitch”, hosted by the positive Andrew Bell. I was on this past week and was impressed with the courage of these business owners to pitch. Here were the two companies both seeking under $2M in capital.

• First up was Gary McCone, President & CEO, Preo Software, who discussed his software management system, which helps large companies save money and trees by printing less. It is a public company and has signedon some big name clients.
• Then there was Marcus Anderson, President, Broadplay, who has a mobile marketing and application development company looking to expand vertically and geographically.

Each firm is looking for between $750k and $1 million.

5 Factors to Make You Happy

Keeping yourself motivated for business is critical. Does your personal happiness levels have an impact on your company's performance. It seems logical that happiness and motivation go hand in hand. But business people are struggling along and it is very 1982 right now. Is happiness also elusive? You may have heard about The Happiness Project best seller helping people maximize their own joy, and hopefully those around them too - Tiger Woods had his own Happiness Project and we know how that impacted on his family...

Researching how to get happy, expert Gretchen Rubin, writes:

I recently read the very interesting collection, C.G. Jung Speaking: Interviews and Encounters. In 1960, Jung was interviewed by journalist Gordon Young, who asked, "What do you consider to be more or less basic factors making for happiness in the human mind?" Jung answered:

 "1. Good physical and mental health.
2. Good personal and intimate relationships, such as those of marriage, the family, and friendships.
3. The faculty for perceiving beauty in art and nature.
4. Reasonable standards of living and satisfactory work.
5. A philosophic or religious point of view capable of coping successfully with the vicissitudes of life."

Jung also added, “All factors which are generally assumed to make for happiness can, under certain circumstances, produce the contrary. No matter how ideal your situation may be, it does not necessarily guarantee happiness.”

10 Steps to Get Your Staff Ready for A New Hire

With a new hire, the people within the company may get their feathers ruffled by not being involved early enough. Managers are busy and sometimes it is easier at the time not to bother with managing the human emotions of new hires. I was reminded by Jocelyn Cossar, an expert in managing change, of the importance of getting organized and it really takes such a small amount of time with big pay-offs. Cossar gives The 10 Steps For Good Change. These were appreciated by my client, and I asked Jocelyn if I could share her process:

"Many have said, although sometimes hard to believe, that change is a good thing. We all know that employees resist change because they feel they stand to lose once the change goes through.  A good approach to resistance to change is to see it as an opportunity for engagement. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to change management."

1.  Consult with employees during the decision-making stage
2. Discuss with employees the reasons for the change
3. Ask for feedback on the proposed change
4. Clarify everyone's role in the change process
5. Involve employees in the implementation strategy
6. Develop a timeline on specific actions of implementation
7. Determine the priority of actions
8. Provide training on new systems or procedures
9. Review the progress of the change
10. Maintain open lines of communication

Jocelyne Cossar, CHRP

HR ON DEMAND

www.hrondemand.ca

jocelynecossar@hrondemand.ca

office: 905.582.4379

mobile: 416.333.7081

10 Steps to Get Your Staff Ready for New Hire

With a new hire, the people within the company may get their feathers ruffled by not being involved enough. I was reminded by Jocelyn Cossar, an expert in managing change, the importance of getting organized and who gave Human Resource input about the 10 steps I needed to get in place. These were appreciated by the client and I asked Jocelyn if I could share her process:

"Many have said, although sometimes hard to believe, that change is a good thing. We all know that employees resist change because they feel they stand to lose once the change goes through.  A good approach to resistance to change is to see it as an opportunity for engagement. Below you will find a step-by-step guide to change management."

1.  Consult with employees during the decision-making stage
2. Discuss with employees the reasons for the change
3. Ask for feedback on the proposed change
4. Clarify everyone's role in the change process
5. Involve employees in the implementation strategy
6. Develop a timeline on specific actions of implementation
7. Determine the priority of actions
8. Provide training on new systems or procedures
9. Review the progress of the change
10. Maintain open lines of communication

Jocelyne Cossar, CHRP

HR ON DEMAND

www.hrondemand.ca

jocelynecossar@hrondemand.ca

office: 905.582.4379

mobile: 416.333.7081

What Extras Helped Those Who Rose to Leadership?

Why take the time to meet new people and introduce them to others in your network?
High achievers don't turn into leaders, even if they seem to have the right skills, without the power that comes from going beyond the letter of the job and doing what Harvard Business School professor, Moss Kanter, calls "The Extras". 
One that caught my eye is  being a connector. Malcolm Gladwell explored this skill set in his best seller, Blink, and explains why it makes such a huge difference in rising up the business ladder of influence and success. Here's Moss Kanter's comment on being a connector:

Opening doors. Power to the connectors! Those who rise to leadership keep their virtual Rolodex rolling. They know enough about others to spot something of interest to them and pass it on, opening doors or making key introductions. In the new networked companies, connectors are the go-to people, the must-haves at meetings. The effects are viral. The more they connect, the more connections come to them.