Epic Living - Wellbeing Expert, Entrepreneur, Author, Man on A Mission

Recognizing Talent.

The below video clip was shot a couple of years ago.  The relevance continues, especially in these upside-down times we find ourselves in.  We're in a place where recognizing talent is essential.  And by the way, it starts with your soul and the art of searching people. 

I could write further on this, but check-out the video clip for more.

 

5 Easy Ways for Small Businesses to Cut Costs

Every penny counts, so get lean and mean. 

Every small business owner knows that costs are easier to control than revenue—and that’s especially important for startups, who can run up quite a bill while they’re waiting for things to take off. Here are a few ways you can boost profits and power through lean times, no matter what niche you serve.

1. Think used

Depending on the type of business you operate, you might be able to incorporate used items into your office or store to save money. Light fixtures, furniture, art, desks, computers and more can all be had for significantly less than retail if you do some Craigslist hunting. Don’t be afraid to repurpose industrial equipment that local companies might want to throw away, as it comes cheap and you get that cool ‘industrial’ design to your business. Be sure to test used electronics before purchasing—but a little extra time can save you a lot of money, particularly in the beginning when it matters most.

2. Move to the cloud

How much are you spending on printing out and distributing office memos? How often do you upgrade your version of Office or the Adobe Master Collection? Google offers great ways for companies to share ideas and create documents for free with their Google Docs collection. Adobe and many of software distributors offer low cost cloud-based services that require a very low monthly fee which can save you from having to spend hundreds on upgrades every year. Cloud storage solutions are also becoming more affordable and reliable; Google Drive, Drop Box and Microsoft all have great solutions which are all cheaper than buying multiple hard drives.

3. Be energy efficient

You don’t need to be moving into a new space to enjoy the savings from implementing energy efficient devices into your office. Start by considering new lighting solutions like CFL’s LED’s or even energy efficient tungsten bulbs. Unblock windows and utilize skylights if available. Not only do windows help save on lighting costs all that natural light can help make your employees happier. Instead of turning on the heater for the whole office, invest in some energy efficient electric heaters for the areas where it gets coldest. Hook up all electronics to smart power strips that automatically shut off all power once the day is over and everyone is gone.

4. Shop around

Let your office supply vendors know that you will be shopping around to find the best deals and prices on the products you use the most. Then do it. Online retailers like Amazon and Wal-Mart offer great prices on bulk items and often will ship free to your store or office. If you really like your vendors, offer them the option to price match or to offer you other services to make up the difference in cost. Do this with your internet, cable/satellite, and phone services yearly to ensure you’re receiving the best rates available in your area.

5. Rethink your location

Are you absolutely sure your location is best suited to your needs? Restaurants and some stores might be hard-pressed to move elsewhere, but you should still consider the cost benefits especially if you have a loyal clientele willing to go to another location. While you’re at it, you should consider allowing as many of your employees as possible to telecommute. By doing this and utilizing free Google services like Google Voice/Talk, Docs and Drive you can reduce the amount of space you need in an office, how much energy you have to pay for, and how much you have to spend on electronics.

Aimee Watts is a staff writer for Mobile Moo. She has spent ten years telecommuting full-time, and loves spreading tips and advice for fellow work-at-home parents. She loves gadgets, new ideas, and skiing with her two favorite people: her husband and teenage son. They live in Evergreen, Colorado. 

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Who Would Follow You, the Leader?

Celebrating the best of the Epic Living Blog, 2012. Enjoy!

I've been thinking a lot these last few weeks about what's the best measurement of quality leadership-in the business world and out. There's so much flowing out there about defining quality leadership, it can be a bit overwhelming. Did I mention burdensome?

I will attempt to set a context you can use to measure leadership in a way that you can pull out in virtually any situation. Maybe it's a question you ask a prospective manager or the HR recruiter who wants to know if you have any further questions.

The question comes down to this; "who follows you even though they don't have to?"

The answer to the above question is so important because anyone can follow when there is a stick and carrot involved. But what about when you're not in charge or some other circumstance changes the order of things? Every time I've met someone who has followed a leader without the force of position, I've encountered someone whose life has been impacted. Impacted in way that you can feel deep in your gut as the observer. Sort of like being in the audience when a great singer sings "that" song.

This all should make us remember that how we influence people (every day) is what builds true followers. And if we do it right, they will stay.

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How I Manage My Health

With a title like How I Manage My Health, you might wonder how broad I'm going here. Not very. I will keep this post confined to the physical, nutritional and how to engage with the medical community.

I want to give you a sense of how I'm managing my physical health by the following:

Exercise:

1. I exercise 6 days per week for about 30-45 minutes in each session
2. I work with weights, I run, I do core strengthening work, and I do yoga. These routines are alternated on opposite days. For example, Monday is running and core work, Tuesday is Yoga, Wednesday is wieght training, etc.
3. All of my training, with the exception of yoga, is based on high intensity intervals
4. I rest on Sunday because the Lord rested on Sunday. What's good for him is good for me.
5. I train alone (no people, no videos, no classes). My friend Rob Banhagel says I'm into the Zen of training. He's right!

Nutrition

1. I eat organic. I do this for a couple of reasons; it's good for me and I don't trust large corporations like Monsanto who are responsible for much of what's killing our population.
2. My diet is higher in protein and fat (the good variety). The carbs are not eliminated, but are lower and usually come from fruits and vegatables.
3. I drink 1-2 glasses of red wine daily with food.
4. I eat 1-2 ounces of dark chocolate (minimum of 72% Cacao and organic).
5. I use high quality whey protein shakes as a meal replacement. Usually, the shakes are for post-workout meals.

Now for interacting with the doctor community. As someone with Type 1 diabetes, I have been on a drug (insulin) for 25 years. I've kind-of made a promise to not use any other types of drugs if at all possible. I guess I believe that an all natural approach along with diet and exercise can reduce the chances, significantly, of the need for the pharma candy. So far I have been blessed in this area.

Three years ago, my endocrinologist at the Ohio State University recommended I go on a statin to lower my LDL cholesterol. In the diabetic world physicians like that number to be 100 or lower. My LDL was at 126, my total cholesterol was 187. I'm fortunate to be working with a medical team that acts more like a consultant than a parent, so we went through the dance of them recommending and me telling them I wasn't ready to start taking a statin. I just didn't give up on finding an alternative. In the late Autumn of 2011 I started do high intensity interval training and it made the difference because in April of 2012 my LDL dropped to 101 from 126.

The main point of my story is to, please, be the manager of your health. No doctor, no goverment, no organization was designed to do it for you. This is a "you" opportunity or problem. Another thing to remember is to have a clear understanding of timing and urgency when interacting with the medical community. Not all conditions are equal.

I wrote this post to let you know how I'm living out what I write and to let you know that Epic Living isn't just a title or phrase.

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What Management Doesn't Know Will Hurt Them

Does your manager operate on assumptions? It's kind of a turn on my saying, what management does know will hurt them. The following are some examples:

• We hit our numbers (cutting costs, revenue goals, quarterly profit), therefore we've earned the right to proceed with the next phase of growth.
• The last employee survey was better than the last, so we don't need to dig any deeper into past complaints of favoritism.
• We all have sacrificed, so morale isn't as bad as it may appear. Besides, we're a team.

Obviously, you and I could think of many other examples. My point is to illustrate the two different worlds management and employees live in. The most dangerous part is the inevitable collision to come. In America those collisions are happening on a regular basis. For example, our fiscal cliff is causing many publically traded companies to pay out one-time dividends at a lightening pace to beat what they see as the inevitble in 2013. The hike in tax consequences on dividend income. This is happening while many employees, and potential employees, are wondering when will the hiring will start again. The money is there for a dividend, why not for hiring someone.

Human beings are complex creatures. The DNA is fixed and we are who we are. Survival instincts, the need for affirmation and a desire for clarity are just a few to consider. How can this be missed. Lower quality leaders just don't know any better. Call it a leadership deficit that's difficult to remedy.

We're doing battle with culture here. A culture that staked everything, or so it seems, on some false-growth model. There needs to be some cleaning out to the rot. I'm not advocating we toss the entire system out, but I am advocating that we add some serious leadership development that is NOT based on giving the appearance of change. Way too many programs conform to keeping the status quo alive and well. We need to find courage now because we are far into the second-half. Expecting an epic comeback is a very dangerous outlook.

Management is toying with grave consequences when it forgets this.

 

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The Essential Element

Until organizations realize that people are the essential elements of what make things work, we will forever have a win-lose proposition. Meaning, the organization thinks they've won and people are always on the losing end of the stick. Paying lip-service to this will only further deepen the hole. 

I admire any leader that has the courage to speak up and act. These types of leaders are willing to pay a steep price, in-order to fight for something worth fighting for. This is rare. Far too many people of influence are looking the other way.

The absence of leaders willing to raise their hands is the rot we have on our hands.

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The Future of HR with Carol Morrison of i4cp

The following is an interview I conducted with Carol Morrison of i4cp on the future of HR. A very compelling conversation we had.

Carol Morrison is a Senior Research Analyst. She has been with i4cp for eight years, researching and writing about the talent, strategy, and leadership issues that directly affect organizational performance. In addition, Carol has authored articles for Talent Management Magazine, Chief Learning Officer, HRPS Journal, Human Resource Executive, and other publications.

 

I’ve heard for some years that HR professionals desire a role that makes them more of a partner in the business enterprise. Is this desire becoming a reality? Are they moving the needle?

You’re absolutely right. This has been – and continues to be – an evolution for HR and the business partner role. i4cp’s interviews with CHROs and other top HR and business leaders confirm that many are shifting their HR functions toward greater efficiency in handling the transactional and administrative duties typically associated with HR. Technology is helping to enable that transition.

In turn, greater efficiency affords HR professionals more time to focus on the value they can provide to the business by helping to identify issues that impede productivity, by uncovering potential opportunities, and in working with business leaders to better leverage the contributions of the workforce. As i4cp’s recent study, The Future of HR: The Transition to Performance Advisor, underscores, the HR professional’s role is all about driving organizational performance and that’s unfolding in more companies today.

What traits/strengths should the HR professional of tomorrow possess?

Exploring competencies that the future HR professional will need is one of the core aspects of the i4cp study. Certainly, keen business savvy is the starting point for a business partner who can be a trusted and credible advisor to business leaders. It’s more than an understanding of basic financial statements and business models. It’s in-depth business acumen, along with such competencies as strategic thinking, the ability to develop and execute strategy, a strong sense of ethics, organizational design skills, comprehension of metrics and analytics, decision-making capabilities, and an understanding of technologies and information systems.

CHROs with whom we spoke told i4cp that HR performance advisors need to know how to ask the right questions to get at the issues important to the business. They need courage to speak up when it’s important to question the status quo, and the emotional intelligence that enables them to effectively function in volatile situations and to serve as confidantes when business leaders need reliable counsel.

How will the HR function stay relevant in the next 10 years?

By contributing those competencies just described. As long as organizations employ workforces, HR will be not only relevant, but crucial. Human capital generally represents an organization’s greatest investment and its greatest asset. If you are a leader who believes that employees and their contributions are key elements that drive innovation, differentiation, and competitive advantage, then there’s an important place in your organization for HR professionals who can help you optimize performance by ensuring that your workforce is appropriately trained, motivated, and deployed to execute your business strategies.

In some ways, HR is exploring the last frontier that holds promise for truly affecting business performance. The economic challenges of recent years have sharpened leaders’ abilities to cut costs, streamline processes, and wring all they can from tangible organizational assets. There is tremendous power in the intangibles that employees bring: discretionary effort, creativity, tenacity, wide-ranging talents, and the desire to excel – to name just a few. HR is the integral link in the performance chain – the force for uncovering and developing that human capital potential.

On the whole, do most HR professionals understand the challenges ahead within the world of work?

Yes – certainly as well as any of us can understand the challenges within our volatile business environment. HR professionals see the work world’s issues reflected in the faces of the employees and managers they serve every day. So long as HR professionals – and those involved in every other business discipline – remain curious, eager to learn, and engaged in moving their organizations ahead, they’ll rise to the challenges that come their way.

In fact, HR already may be ahead of the curve. HR professionals often are intimately involved in organizational change initiatives. Leading the way for change and helping employees and leaders, alike, adjust to it has afforded HR professionals years of opportunities to develop the agility and resilience to meet even unanticipated circumstances with solid skills and resolve.

In addition, the HR leaders who shared their views with i4cp made clear their investment in providing their promising talent with unprecedented development options. Often, these involve stretch assignments, job rotations, and specialized training that extends far beyond the boundaries of HR. That means HR professionals are learning about operations, finance, marketing, and other business functions, along with the challenges they face. They return to HR with expanded networks that cross functional lines and with a deeper understanding of the issues challenging employees and managers organization-wide.

How can entrepreneurs, who are building organizations, include HR in the vision and execution of business strategy?

By doing just that – including them at the top level from the outset. Savvy executives know that HR leaders are valuable members of teams charged with developing business strategy. Leaving human capital considerations out of strategy formulation is an ill-informed approach that seriously jeopardizes execution. You wouldn’t leave out budget considerations when planning new business objectives. Nor would you ignore the technologies or equipment you’d need to accomplish your desired ends. Employees and their skills are an equally vital element. Strategies require execution, and that falls to managers and employees. In many companies, carefully crafted plans fail because leaders leave human capital considerations out of the strategy mix.

When i4cp researchers interviewed Larry Myers, SVP of HR at T-Mobile, he observed that “companies that understand the impact that sophisticated, top-quality HR organizations and professionals can have, automatically gain strategic and business advantage. Their executive teams would not think of making a step strategically without involving HR.”

Successful entrepreneurs understand that ideas, resources, technologies, processes and people must be deftly melded in order to bring business goals to fruition. They include HR leaders in developing strategies to ensure that they’ve addressed all the elements necessary to capably executing those strategies.

 

How We Get Work Done

My friend, Andy sent the following video from TED this week. It's a great talk on how we get work done and how we don't get work done. It may strike you as revolutionary or foreign, but I see it as the future of how we will get work done.

 

Ideas Are Not Enough

Ideas are not enough in business and personal. There was a point in my entrepreneur journey, though, when I believed having a great idea was enough. It isn't.

I attended a breakfast meeting this morning sponsored by a local group, TechColumbus. The presenters were from Clarus Parners and they gave wonderful insights into the art and science of presenting your business for funding/investment.

As I sat in the meeting, I couldn't help but think about how much I've learned over the last 5 years. I'm pleased to be where I'm at today. One of the big lessons is understanding that you can't just rely on a good or great idea. Your ideas need a full-spectrum of attention. It runs from capital to advice.

Here are some notes from the presentation this morning:

• Know your sales trends. Are they up? Are they down. Is the trend long or short-term in nature?
• What's the real value of your idea? Warren Buffett said, "Price is what you pay. Value is what you get."
• Be realistic in your projections.
• Investors want to see that you've got "skin in the game." How much of what you've got (money, time, intellectual property, etc.) is attached to the idea?
• Funding comes when both sides see desired value.
• Surround yourself with quality advisors.

 

Candor and Clarity

I've written before about the importance of clarity on the part of managers. Most of that was directed at mid-level managers who are often tasked with leading individual contributors.

This post is directed at those who are steering at the senior level. It may be an obvious, but candor and clarity is important. Consider the following:

• Every organization should be willing to be clear and candid about the direction of the enterprise. If you are a publicly-held group, then you may have some disclosure issues to navigate. That said, legal limitations on what can and cannot be disclosed should not be an excuse for a lack of candor and clarity.
• Every organization should let their employees know what the value system is based on, even if it means the employee is not at the top of the list. Avoiding this discussion/communication could be fatal. So many employers and employees operate under assumptions. Assumptions that go out the window when the storms come.
• Every organization should be clear about how the organization makes money. This places a shared accountability and education.
• Every organization must understand the life-cycle of and employee and give those employees the room to move on. So many organizations live in fear of employees leaving. Turn-over (internally or externally) due to terrible managers is bad (really bad), turn-over due to an employee completing the mission and moving onto a new dream is a great thing. By the way, the latter example might make your company a highly desired place to work.
• Every organization should be able to communicate when the end is near. I know it sounds morbid, but don't tell an intelligent adult things are good when collapse is not far off. By giving them the tough reality upfront you give an opening to prepare. Every good employee deserves this kind of candor and clarity.

If you work for an organization that finds candor and clarity nearly impossible, I would consider moving on because a lack of candor and clarity is usually a sign of decline. The irreversible type of decline.