Releasing Potential through Leadership
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage-Growing, People
When you run your own business or social enterprise leadership skills are vital. Whether it is leading yourself, your volunteer team, your staff or your customers. And often as a young person you are taking on a leadership position for the first time, so you are just building your own leadership skills.
Great leaders make things happen by releasing the energy of others.
Traditionally the role of leadership consisted of controlling your subordinates. An effective leader was seen as someone who was able to get others to follow their orders with the results achieved limited to the vision and ability of the leader.
In an attempt to better understand the role of leadership and its ability to influence performance, leadership
guru Malcolm Knowles from the Uni of QLD business school looked at organisations as though they were
a system of human energy. Here’s what he discovered about what makes great leaders.
1. Leaders offer challenges and share responsibility
Creative leaders make a different set of assumptions (essentially positive) about human nature from the
assumptions (essentially negative) made by controlling leaders.
Creative leaders have faith in people, offer them challenges, and delegate responsibility. When people are given an opportunity to contribute, they’re more creative and productive. The more they feel their unique potential is being used, the greater their achievement.
2. Leaders involve their staff
Creative leaders know that people’s level of commitment to a decision is equal to the extent that they feel they have participated in making it. Creative leaders therefore involve their employees in every step of the planning process.
3. Leaders believe in self-fulfilment
Creative leaders understand that people tend to rise up to other people’s expectations of them. The sports
coach conveys to his team that he knows they’re capable of winning, the good supervisor displays faith in
her employees that they will produce superior work. There’s a positive relationship between positive
self-concept and superior performance.
4. Leaders value individuality
Creative leaders realise that people perform at a higher level when they’re using their unique strengths, talents and goals rather than trying to conform to an imposed stereotype. Team arrangements are therefore encouraged in which each member works at what they’re best at and enjoys most.
5. Leaders stimulate & reward creativity
Creative leaders understand that creativity is a basic requirement for the survival of individuals, organisations
and societies. Leaders exemplify creativity in their own behaviour and build an environment that encourages
and rewards innovation in others. ‘Failures’ are treated as opportunities to learn, which encourages
experimentation and growth.
6. Leaders love change
Creative leaders aspire to make their organisations innovative rather than static. They understand the theory of change and are skilled in strategies to cause it and deal with it.
7. Leaders emphasise internal motivators
Creative leaders focus on building achievement, recognition, fulfilling work, responsibility, advancement
and growth, and try to minimise dissatisfiers like organisational policy and admin, supervision and status.
8. Leaders encourage self-direction
Creative leaders understand that we all move toward states of increasing self-directedness and that we
look to leaders for guidance through this process.
What could you achieve today by releasing the energy of others?
Juicy Branding with Tim Pethick
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage, Marketing, Start Up Marketing
If you couldn’t be at the Sydney young entrepreneur event for young people currently running (and
interested in running) their own biz that The Frank Team organised, then you missed a fab talk from Tim Pethick, inventor and chief nudie, of nudie fruit juices.
But fear not, we’ve captured some of the highlights for you here so that as a young entrepreneur you can use them in your own business right now!
Here’s the story… Tim loves fresh juice. But he didn’t always have time to make his own, especially when travelling for work, so he conducted some in-depth research and started experimenting in his own kitchen with different blends of fruits and different sized bottles.
In their first week on the market in 2003 nudie sold 40 bottles! nudie now employs 86 people and nudie’s are available in 4,500 outlets around Australia – that equates to 150,000 bottles sold every week!
Here’s some random thoughts Tim shared with us about his journey to help give you an edge on branding your new products and projects.
The principal elements of Tim’s nudie success:
* Integrity of the product
* Product difference
* Brand
* Passion
* I didn’t know what couldn’t be done – industry outsiders think differently
Tim’s insights on marketing:
People are too busy and not listening
Cutting through the clutter is increasingly difficult
You can waste a lot of money on ineffective advertising
Consumers are looking for something else
For decades marketers have known “consumers have become more discerning” yet they treat them the same way
Marketers talk AT consumers rather than WITH them
Consumers are “trading up” – they want mini-indulgences
Get people talking – “word of mouth”
Getting the BRAND message across
Australians are “increasingly unhappy with, and ignoring, advertising”
81% say they are taking less notice of advertising
66% said advertising was boring and repetitive
75% say stereotypes proliferate
Source: Eye on Australia 2003
The lessons Tim has learned:
To challenge conventional wisdom
Just do it!
There are always more reasons not to Think big!
If you don’t think you can you can’t
Enjoy the ride (and others will too)
Focus on the customer
Be the best – don’t compromise
Size doesn’t necessarily matter
Don’t focus on the competition or you will lose
Branding the nudie way:
Make your product remarkable
Make it fun
Make it positive
Don’t rely on traditional advertising
Give it (positive) attitude
Engage the consumer – maximum dialogue;maximum involvement
Idea Inspirations – Where Ideas Can Come From
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage-IdeasAndOpps, Ideas
Great ideas are inspired by nature, necessity, and food, even boredom!
If you’ve got a great idea or you’re on the hunt for one, take heart and inspiration from the everyday ideas of these everyday people that have affected so many millions of lives.
The Need to Feed
Peter Durand invented canned food for the British Navy in 1813. The cans were made of solid iron and
usually weighed more than the food inside them. But Mr Durand forgot something – how to get the sealed food out!
The original instructions were “cut round the top near the outer edge with a chisel and hammer”. Nice.
In the 1860′s, when thinner steel cans were being used, Ezra Warner finally invented the can opener – a large curved blade driven into a can’s rim, and then worked around its edge with great force.
In 1870 the modern can opener was invented by William Lyman and included a cutting wheel to roll around the rim.
A Royal Flush
The very first flush toilet was invented by Sir John Harington in the 16th century for Queen Elizabeth.
Harington’s invention was, quite understandably, seen as a joke to his English buddies so it wasn’t until two
hundred years later that Alexander Cummings invented the S-trap, a sliding valve between the bowl and the
trap.
The master toilet maker, Twyford, revolutionised the loo business in 1885 when he built the first trapless toilet in a one-piece, all china design.
Food on the Go
To make a buck, German immigrants began selling sausages from carts in New York City in the 1860s. What
made their sausages different was that they were inside a milk bun with sauerkraut on top, thus making the
humble sauso easier to carry and eat on the street. The bun also kept things like mustard and relish from
sliding off, what soon became coined, the ‘hot dog’.
Helping out a Friend
The zipper was invented by Whitcomb L. Judson in 1893, who came up with the fancy fastener to help out a
friend who had a stiff back and couldn’t bend over to do up his shoes! Being mechanically minded, Judson
came up with a slide fastener that could be opened and closed with one hand. He patented his new creation
- the ‘hookless fastener’.
The term ‘zipper’ was coined as an onomatopoeia (named after the sound it makes) by B. F. Goodrich, whose company started marketing galoshes featuring the fastener in 1923.
Divine Inspiration
Arthur Fry was frustrated. Fry, a chemist for 3M, was a member of his church choir. Every time he stood to
sing, the pieces of paper he used as bookmarks would fall out and leave him frantically fumbling for the right
page in his hymn book. One day during a long sermon, Fry’s mind began to wander…he had a flash of insight.
Fry realised that he could make a bookmark that would stick to a page and be removed without damaging the
book. It just so happened, Dr. Spence Silver, another 3M employee, had created a new type of glue that
wasn’t very sticky, and would never dry. At first, Silver couldn’t think of a way to use his new glue, until Arthur Fry approached him with his idea.
Later in the 3M offices, people started to use the sticky bookmarks as self-attaching notes. Today, Post-it-notes are found in offices, homes, and schools around the world.
A great idea can change millions of lives. Why shouldn’t one of them be yours?
Tips for Resolving Conflict – Avoid The Biffo!
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage, People, Prepare To Be The Boss
In work and play what most of us want to know is what to do about the boffin in the corner office who’s always ticking you off, how to excel in your current job when you’ve got a ‘personality clash’ with your boss, or what to do when disagreement is the standard at every meeting. Here’s some things to consider.
Conflict is a multi-lane highway
Conflict is a situation where two or more parties perceive another’s goals, values, interests or behaviour as
opposing to their own. So conflict not only involves the ‘facts’ but also the way we feel about the facts. Your opinion on a situation is one possible point of view and is neither right or wrong, it’s just one interpretation.
Conflict is normal and everywhere
You know the saying, ‘there’s always one in every group’ ie: there will often be someone in any given group
of people that will get on your nerves! Expecting otherwise is unlikely because we all come in different
shapes and sizes, and that means different styles of behaviour, communication and ways of thinking.
Conflict is not necessarily negative – it can mean danger or opportunity. Within any office there’s usually a common desire to keep things running smoothly, so there’s a temptation to avoid or ignore conflict. On the flip side, stifling conflict can cause stagnation. If you’re focused on innovation and continuously meeting the challenge of change and opportunity in a creative way, dealing with rather than avoiding conflict will help you get there by using conflict as a key to finding solutions for the future.
Conflict is not a contest
Often when we’re angry, disappointed or annoyed, we love being right, justifying our position, and claiming
a Rocky-esq victory unto our foe! Unfortunately, that’s probably not going to create a peaceful resolution,
or put an end to any underlying issues. Why do you think Rocky had so many sequels?
To use another clichéd management term, you’ve gotta create a ‘win win’. The idea of win/lose – where one
party wins and the other loses – will not make for a happy workplace! Conflict requires us to seek a
resolution that works for both people. Remember, you’ve got to work with this person.
Tips for Creating a Win/Win
* Avoid making personal attacks – you’ll heighten the conflict and muddy the issues.
* Get to the heart of it (minus the emotion) using phrases like ‘When you (describe the action ONLY)… I feel… because…’
* Involve the other person in creating a solution. Try: ‘Here’s the problem as I see it. How do you see it?
What do you think we could do about it?’ Then listen to their ideas!
* If the methods you use to resolve conflict aren’t working, don’t keep spinning your tyres, find a
new approach.
* Make common courtesy and grace a personal value. Good manners are a mark of respect and
professionalism, and are genuine conflict-melters.
Buddhism Principles And Business
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Get Motivated, Homepage, Management
With Western culture increasingly being influenced by Eastern thinking, we attended a three-hour seminar on applying the principles of Buddhism to the business world. Here’s food for thought.
1. We’re Connected with everything around us
When you harm the things or people around you, it harms you. When you help others, you help yourself. Observing that ‘life’ is interdependent inspires altruism – having regard for the wellbeing or best interests of others – and is the basic principle behind the concept of karma where everything you do and think in your business and in life has consequences.
2. Your Mind is Powerful
Your life is a reflection of your thoughts, as the saying goes, ‘nothing is good or bad, thinking makes it so’. In other words, your opinions on the world around you are your interpretation, only one possible point of view. If you abandon your harmful thoughts and actions, that is, eliminate negativity and cultivate altruism, you can shape and inspire your workplace, and your world.
3. The Importance of Understanding
Working on yourself is the highest contribution you can make in life because if you understand yourself, you can understand others and therefore have compassion. If you care for yourself and the people who work with you, they are more likely to respond in kind. It’s your role as a leader to help build those around you by genuinely looking after their wellbeing.
4. Compassion in Business
Compassion for yourself and others is a benefit to you. But how do you act compassionately in a competitive business world? Consider there are two types of competition – wanting to be on top at the expense of others, and accepting that others want to be on top then working harder and smarter to get there.
Real success is built on strength, which comes from endurance, clarity and compassion. Strength rarely comes from losing your cool or forcing a harmful short-term win when faced with conflict or competition. When you have strength, you become someone to reckon with, someone who wins others over. But compassion doesn’t mean letting others walk over you, it requires earning a reputation of respect and integrity over the long-term.
So perhaps re-examine the values by which you measure your business ‘success’ (ie: not solely by your bottom line and market share) and consider introducing an extra distinction and measure – altruism.
5. Going Global If you keep your mind still, you’ll find peace. Living in a world where the three biggest killers of our time are anger, anxiety and depression, we’re constantly adding our own emotions, stresses and ego to the stillness of the day. By learning to quiet your mind, and give up or release the stress, and breathe slowly and deeply, you’ll quiet and clear your mind. You can then gain an awareness of the bigger picture and see things from all points of view.
On a global level, when we find inner peace, barriers between people are dissolved and the world no longer seems so hostile because your perception has greater insight.
Some great principles to bring into business.
Building a Great TEAM – First Steps
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage, Homepage-Growing, People
Finding the right people to work with – whether for your own business or the various projects you’re running – is less about warm and fuzzy feelings of ‘teamwork’ and more about generating productivity and values alignment.
Let me explain.
It’s one thing to get a group of volunteers or staff together to participate in a team building adventure course that identifies the leaders and followers of your team. It’s a whole other story to take serious time out to really investigate the skill gaps of your team and then fill those gaps with people who share the same
values and business vision.
So STEP ONE to building a great team is to conduct a ‘skills audit’ of your existing team (which may only
consist of one person so far – you!). Do you and your team have all the vital business roles like accounting,
marketing, strategy, IT etc, covered? If it’s time to expand then it’s time to fill some of those gaps.
Start
plugging the holes where your business or project will most benefit – either in terms of sales/income or
productivity/delivery/service. No use hiring a web guru to build a funky new website if your main product is
denture cream for over 60′s!
STEP TWO – don’t choose staff based on their skills alone. You need to create a ‘values match’. Not unlike
the perfect match of dating, you need to hire people who value the same things as you and your biz/project.
So think about your biz/project’s vision … can this potential new person help you to reach that goal? Are
their dreams and ambitions aligned with yours – both personal career goals and the goals of the biz? There’s
no use hiring a great finance guy who could care less about animal rights if you’re trying to find homes for
stray pets.
On a less obvious level, if you value integrity, freedom and creativity, you want to find teammates who share
those similar philosophies. A clash of values is one of the key reasons people quit their jobs or become
de-motivated and unproductive.
The other key to building a great team around you to help you achieve your goals – and this applies in
business as well as life – is the value of networking.
Networking is still a bit of a dirty word, implying
endless sessions of Friday night drinks and self-absorbed schmoozing. Not so. Effective networking is
about accepting invitations to events and opportunities that directly help you to build your own skill set and
mix with like-minded people who you can learn from and share experiences with.
The more people you meet and genuinely share your experiences and contacts with, the more business
opportunities naturally come your way. The key word there of course, is ‘genuine’. If you’re just attending
networking events to plug your own biz people will quickly lose interest. If you’re interested in learning new
skills, swapping ‘war’ stories, and helping others out, ‘biz karma’ brings it right back to ya.
So before you draw up contracts and job descriptions, think about what you need and what values you are looking for.
Show Me the Money – Funding Your Idea
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage-GettingStart, Money
It’s the number one question we get asked “how do I get money to start up my business, are there any grants?”
First up – there is no easy money available, especially now, and as a young person…otherwise everyone would be starting a business. So be prepared to do your research, work hard and put some of your own cash in.
What does it takes to bring in the money to support your business idea (or social enterprise), and then how do you manage it once ya got it?
Read up…
There’s a number of places you could go to get financing for your idea. You could:
> Submit a financial proposal (detailing what amount of $ money you need over how long and your plan to pay it back!) with your business plan to a bank to secure a business loan.
> Find a venture capital investor to inject some cash into your business. They’ll want to see a financial proposal, your biz plan, and know exactly when they can get their hands on a piece of your profit pie. Check out the Australian Venture Capital Association & Business Angels & AusIndustry . Plus the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board can help you prepare your proposal for this – tell them Frank Team sent you!
> Secure a financial backer or sponsor. If there’s a company out there who wants to target the same market you do, and you share similar business values, then approach them with a sponsorship proposal they can’t resist. You may offer branding rights, promotional opportunities, product placement, signage etc in return for their financial investment.
> Apply for a grant and enter competitions. There are stacks of grants out there, though it can be tricky to nail one if you’re a for-profit company. Nevertheless, check out Community Builders , GrantsLink and AusIndustry from the Australian Government for some leads.
> Contact your local Business Enterprise Centre or industry association/network for suggestions on available grants and competitions relevant to your industry/business idea.
> If your folks are cashed up, it could be time for a little “family investment” but know that mixing business with family can get messy. Make sure there’s a repayment plan in place.
> Consider self-funding as well as starting out small then building your biz up, many successful companies were started on less than $100! Dip into your savings or perhaps get a credit card just to start with – be sure you can pay it off before the massive interest kicks in though.
Make sure you build a budget! A budget allows you to map out how much money you’ll need to get your idea off the ground plus estimate your revenue.
Step 1 – list all the actions you need to take over the next year to get your idea to market (everyone’s list will be different) eg: marketing brochures, website, bank loan repayments, office space, accountant’s fees, salary, internet connection, stationery etc.
Step 2 – Now source quotes from companies who can provide these services eg: call some printing companies and ask them how much they’d charge you to print your A4 posters. Now add up all your quotes.
Step 3 – Work out how much money your idea will bring in eg: you estimate people will pay $15 for your ‘widget’. So how many widgets do you need to sell to cover your costs and make a profit?
Step 4 – If your costs are too high, go back to Step 1; work out how to do things cheaper or what you can cut back on.
Step 5 – Keep your finances in check by referring to, and updating, your budget regularly. Consider creating one for your start up year and another for your second year in operation so you can map out the all-important flow of cash through your business – otherwise known as a Cashflow Statement.
Getting Money from Customers – Your Payment Options
January 26, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage, Homepage-GettingStart, Money
There are lots of different ways that you can get your customers to pay you. It is a matter of thinking about what works best for your customers and you, as well as what you can actually set up and use.
What payment methods will you offer your customers?
CASH
This is probably the easiest, to begin with. Cash works if you are in front of your customer at the point of purchase, like at the markets. Always make sure you have change!
CHEQUE
You can allow customers to pay you via cheque. They will make the cheque out to you (your full name) or your business name, depending on how your business is set up. If you are running as a sole trader under your own name and your bank account is under your name, then ask your customers to put your name on the cheque. If you have a business bank account under the business name then ask your customers to put the name of your business on the cheque.
You will need to go to the bank and deposit the cheque to then get the money transferred into your account. This can take a few days to “clear” (ie: where they check the other person has the money in their account and takes it out to then put into your account).
Sometimes people make write cheques when they actually don’t have the money; which you wouldn’t know. And so their cheque will “bounce” (your bank will tell you that the cheque was dishonoured and they could not get the money from the person’s account ) and your bank will charge you a fee for this. It is then up to you to chase up the person to ask for your money, again. However, most of the time cheques are totally fine and quite easy for your customers.
DIRECT DEPOSIT
You supply a Tax Invoice that outlines to your customer what you are charging them for with your ABN (Australian Business Number) and your bank account details (Account Name, Bank, BSB Number) to your customer and they use internet banking to deposit the money directly into your account.
This is a very popular method now with internet banking. It means you don’t have to set foot in a bank – yey, no lines! Plus it is quite instant, you can sometimes have your money within 1 day, if your customers are super nice and pay you straight away.
CREDIT CARD
You may like to offer your customers the option of paying by credit card. This will mean that you have to set up a Merchant account with a bank, which will cost you money. And the bank will take a fee for each transaction that you put through. You will need to do your research to get the best deal from a bank.
PAYPAL
If you don’t want to go through the banks and set up a Merchant account, particularly at the beginning, then use PayPal. through PayPal you can take payments online, as well as orders from people using their credit cards which you then put through the PayPal system.
Yes, PayPal does take a fee on each transaction, so do your research and see if that works out for you and your pricing structure to ensure you are still making money.
Here at The Frank Team we take cheques & Direct deposits for our workshops that we do with various clients (schools, uni’s, community groups, local councils, government departments & young professionals). But for our products we use PayPal which means we can take credit card payments, which is great flexibility for us and our customers.
With any payment method always be totally up front with your customers about your payment terms; when you expect to be paid, how & how much. Here at The Frank Team we take a 60% deposit before the workshop and then 40% after the workshop, and have 14 day terms (ie: our customers have 2 weeks to pay).
Making Money Online from Your Skills
January 25, 2009 by admin
Filed under Homepage, Homepage-IdeasAndOpps, Ideas, Start Guide
As full time “normal” jobs become harder to come by, it is the perfect time to jump online and start to make money from your skills & start your own business in the process! Plus online no-one has to know how old you are, which is perfect for young entrepreneurs…..cos it is all about the quality of your work instead.
If you are like many under 20s who have gone to uni, you have a degree (and are slowly paying it off) but may be finding it hard to get that first “real” job. Or you have made your way through a few contract jobs, which are great while they last but means cashflow is up and down. Or you are contemplating putting off the job search altogether and keeping on studying!
Or perhaps you are like my friend Cristina – she is originally from Venezuela where she completed her under graduate degree in international relations. She then travelled to Japan to study her Business degree while also perfecting her Japanese. Over the past 6 months she has been knocked back for work on over 20 occasions, despite all of her degrees and enthusiasm. But she can speak 4 different languages fluently; English, Portuguese, Spanish & Japanese.
Have you thought about MAKING MONEY ONLINE using your skills? Your language skills, your professional skills from your degree (if you are a lawyer, accountant etc) and even your technology skills……these are quite valuable online!
Quit complaining about not being able to find a job and it is so tough out there….and start being entrepreneurial and use what you already have; your skills!
If you speak languages fluently, think about doing ONLINE TRANSLATION. There are websites that list the profiles of online translators (where you can set up your profile & really talk yourself up!) and people who are looking for translators come to and “pick” someone to work with.
So far I have found:
- Multilingo
- Elance
If you have a professional skill, like you are a qualified lawyer, accountant, counsellor, psychologist, mechanic, web design – then you can use all of that knowledge and get paid for it. Answer people’s questions online, and get paid for your time in answering those questions. Here are some sites to check out and use to take your professional knowledge (that you have spent a lot of money to get!) and start to make some money from and of course build profile & experience through as well.
- Guru.com
- Elance
If you are a really great writer, have just completed studies in communication of some sort, enjoy writing & like the idea of making money from your writing then that is possible as well.Start by checking out these sites….and yep, putting up a profile for yourself and bidding for work.
- Guru.com
- Helium
Even get paid to write reviews of blogs, books, movies, websites…….on and on it goes!
….there are heaps of sites where you can get paid to write reviews. This blog post I found is very helpful.
If you are a designer; graphic design, web design, coding, programming etc….then there is a HEAP of opportunity online to start making money. Although all of the coders and programmers should already know that right?! Try these places out….
- Elance
And finally – for odd jobs & other ways for making money online try….
- Craigslist classifieds for job ads
- Start up an ebay business selling stuff online
A great tip (I got from an insider who has been making money online since he was 15!) is to get onto forums online, forums where people are discussing your area of expertise. See what questions people are asking about, answer those questions & then offer your services for further help. The more niche the forum, the better quality people you will find.
I have not used any of the above sites myself – so I would suggest some of your own research to find the BEST ones to go with first. Do some research (online of course) and look for recommendations from other “freelancers” about the better sites to post your profile and bid on work through. And also research how to put up profiles on each of these sites that get you results.
But basically, quit complaining about “tough economic times” and “I can’t find a job” and start making money online using skills you already have!
And for ultimate in how to MAKE MONEY ONLINE guide then check out this blog post.
If you know of any other great ways to make money online, good & reputable sites to use…then tell us all about it and spread the good news!
Triple Bottom Line Reporting
January 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Sustainability
The 3
