Monday, March 30, 2009

Time should be spent learning about what caused the economic problem before attempting to find a solution

John Taylor has done his homework and prepared an analysis in a new book.
clipped from www.forbes.com

He may not be delivering speeches that command world attention, but one man, Stanford economist John Taylor, has just produced an analysis of the crisis, a book entitled Getting Off Track, that proves as cogent, thorough and compelling as the Obama administration proves superficial, incomplete and unpersuasive. Taylor sums up his argument in his subtitle: How Government Actions and Interventions Caused, Prolonged and Worsened the Financial Crisis.


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Tax Receipts are a function of Tax Rates

As the rates rise the receipts fall. I am sure there is a correlcation.
clipped from www.forbes.com

Why The Tax Rate Debate Is Irrelevant

pic

In a 1924 speech before the National Republican Club, President Calvin Coolidge observed "that when the taxation of large incomes is excessive, they tend to disappear." Coolidge found that in 1916, 206 people had incomes of $1,000,000 or more, but once a higher tax rate on million-dollar incomes was passed, the number dwindled--falling all the way to 21 in 1921.

In his book, The View From No. 11, Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatcher's former chancellor of the exchequer, answered the above riddle with great ease. The Thatcher government inherited nosebleed rates of taxation, but as Lawson quickly found, the "higher rates we inherited were frequently not paid. The well-heeled and well-advised took great pains to avoid liability through the perfectly legal use of tax shelters of one kind or another; and the tax avoidance industry flourished as never before." Translated: When politicians target income for tax purposes, incomes change.

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Cup-of-Coffee Networkers

I have been really impressed with the Cup-of-Coffee Networkers concept of reaching people. It is like a combination of a Twitter mini-blog and a Gold Star referral group. Pople have an opportunity to develop a relationship at any level they want by meeting people face-to-face. I still see a need for referral groups that train people how to build lasting business relationships.

Larry

Sunday, March 29, 2009

A great company

compassionate care. Speak with Robert Kimberling.
Seniors Helping Hands, LLC  In-home Companion Care
Phone: 405.513.6670
fax: 405.513.6672
seniorshelpinghands.com

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Friday, March 27, 2009

Temperament at Core of Personality

A person's temperament is at the core of his or her personality -- and understanding that temperament can help motivate employees to peak efficiency. Here are four distinct temperaments identified by psychologists, with suggestions on motivating each kind:

  1. Preservers. These employees are driven by responsibility, obligation, and duty. They impose order in their lives, and will typically carry out the organizations policies and projects single-mindedly. Rewards: Recognize preservers for adherence to rules and policies, and for following through on projects. Reward them for their loyalty and dedication to the organization.
  2. Strategists. These employees are visionaries. Typically, they are creative and imaginative, and are often the catalyst for change at the company. They will question day-to-day chores that are not in line with the overall mission and vision. Rewards: Strategists consider being able to work on their own with little supervision a reward. They also appreciate the chance to learn -- whether it is by assigning them a challenging new project, signing them up for additional training, or helping them pay for classes outside of work.
  3. Mavericks. These employees are doers. They respond will to crises and are pragmatic. They seek constant challenges, preferring to take risks rather than cultivate security. Rewards: Mavericks appreciate the opportunity to negotiate different reward systems. Set nearly impossible goals for Mavericks, with high rewards and sit back and watch them work!
  4. Energizers. These employees are big picture people. They are concerned with ideas rather than tasks, and are not big fans of strict policies and procedures. They are idealistic, and often enthusiastically champion new causes. They are concerned with people and relationship issues. Rewards: Energizers thrive on personal recognition for their unique contributions. A personal note from a senior manager for a job well done goes a long way with these employees.
--- Adapted from HRM Magazine

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Evaluate Your Management Style

What is your first step in motivating others? Take a look at your own attitude. That's right -- your energy and perspective have tremendous impact on the people around you. Employees will pick up on your emotional cues whether you want them to or not. If you are cynical and pessimistic, you can expect the same from your employees. If you are optimistic and positive, the your entire organization can benefit from the effect this has on everyone.

Indeed the phrase, "Don't worry, be happy" takes on a whole new meaning in your management style.

Focus on Building Honest Relationships

Motivation by manipulation does not work. If you want to take a positive approach to the you way you encourage your employees to do their jobs, you need to build a foundation that emphasizes the connections between employee's home and work lives. Here are four ways to accomplish this:

  1. Build high opinions of each other's skills and strengths. Encourage your staff to compliment their colleagues at meetings with like, "Who helped you out this week?" Public praise from peers instead of the boss helps employees focus on their relationship to each other, which reinforces team spirit.
  2. Treat each individual as if his or her effort is the most important factor in team success. Pay attention to what people actually do and how their activities affect the bottom line.
  3. Reward teamwork. During performance reviews, be sure to note contributions to team goals along with individual effort. Employees will quickly realize the benefits of working toward team goals, and put less emphasis on standing out individually.
  4. Let people know you care about them as individuals. If you express interest only in their progress at work, workers will feel manipulated and become cynical. Show them that you are committed to their personal and professional development.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Twitter away your time

the amount of time spent twittering must be evaluated

How To Be Productive With twitter In Just 60 Minutes A Week

Follow Sol Solutions on twitterIf you’re getting used to twitter the good news is it doesn’t have to take more than 12 minutes a day to get valuable results from this excellent networking, news source, and marketing tool: twitter doesn’t have to be a time gobbling monster. A number of LinkedIn professionals expressed in recent group discussions that they felt twitter activity can be counter-productive. Here’s our take on how to turn a potential time consumer into a productive professional tool.

Please feel free to share your tips at the bottom of this blog to help others master their 12 minutes of twitter a day. We've provided a 6 step guide on what 12 minutes might look like at the bottom too.
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