Don’t Lose Out!
There’s a great opportunity coming up for you to boost morale and productivity. Or bust it.
Yep – we’re talking about March Madness.
How do you manage the mad clash between business and basketball during March?
Do you:
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ban office pools and game watching sessions?
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pretend they don’t exist?
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participate?
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embrace and enjoy all the opportunities and benefits that come with it?
Or are you even concerned?
Your concern and how you handle it will depend on many factors, one of which is your interest in basketball. Even if you aren’t interested in basketball, I think you will be interested to know that a recent study shows that March Madness costs employers as much as $1.8 billion. If that number doesn’t get your attention, wait until you see the statistics on streaming video subscribers and their use of the “Boss Button”.
While March Madness can have a negative impact on your organization, we prefer to focus on the positive impact that March Madness can have.
IF —- IF managed skillfully.
In our special report on Managing March Madness, we share four common Mad Management Styles and seven specific suggestions for handling the madness that can help you experience boosts instead of dips in morale and productivity.
This report is free to all “Business Class” subscribers. Simply fill in the blanks below and instructions for download will arrive in your mailbox shortly.
Not yet a subscriber? Provide the information requested above and we’ll send you “Managing March Madness” and activate your subscription to “Business Class” at the same time. It’s a free e-zine on a mission to boost morale and productivity in business.
Need more info about our E-Zine ?
copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc
Brainteaser of the Week #19
Use a brainteaser to start or revive or end a meeting. A great way to shift the brain, spark new energy, maybe even cause a giggle or a smile. All of which can help you boost morale and productivity.
Instructions below.
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Prune the letters away to reveal great rewards
T T H I E M E L A E N T D T E E R N S E A R W G A Y Y
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Answer to be posted in “Comments” section this afternoon.
Credits: Created by Jan Bolick
Related Articles:
Quick List: 10 Things to Prune
If you’ve just tuned in to Business Class this week - we’re talking about pruning and it’s impact on morale and productivity. In case you want to “catch up”, see:
Today is Quick List Day, when we post 10 by 10 on Tuesday.
So – here are 10 things or areas in which most businesses could use some pruning:
- Paper
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Forms and reports
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Items on to-do list
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E-mail
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Junk mail
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Magazine/newspaper subscriptions
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Meetings
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Interruptions
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Mistakes
As you make decisions about what to prune, keep in mind your desired end result. Prune anything that will hold you back or take energy away from the activities needed for that end result.
Mad because I’m not giving you more direction on what and how to prune the 10 things/areas above? If I did that, it wouldn’t be a very Quick List.
I’ll give more hints later on but don’t wait for that. I think you already know lots of things that are draining your time and energy. Don’t you? Those are the first ones to prune!
As a reinforcing reminder, post the Quote of the Week(below) on your computer screen. Get directions for doing this at: Quote of the Week: On Pruning .
The Quote of the Week is from the 2 Little Time section of our Quote Library which contains over 130 motivational quotes for business. Valuable business tools, ready to post, print and share – available for free right here in our Quote Library.
copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc
Related Articles:
Pruning: A PowerTool for Business
Pruning is a power tool for boosting morale and productivity - yours and your team’s. It helps those who feel they have 2 little time. Making it easier to get 2 goal. And for those of you in search of ways to be a better manager, knowing how and when to prune, teaching others the same and empowering them to do so, will make you a better manager. It may even make you a hero in their eyes.
I came to understand the power of pruning about 20 years ago when Jennifer came to work as my assistant.
During her first week of work – she came into my office with her scissors and started cutting my plants. A snip here, a snip there. And then on one – she snipped and snipped – cutting it all the way down to the dirt.
I gasped! and said, “Jennifer! No! ”
“Jan”, she said, “ the leaves are dead! You killed them. Now I’m going to keep you from killing the roots.”
“But Jennifer – it just needs some water!”
“No it doesn’t need water. You were drowning it by giving it more water!”
I stared in disbelief as I said to myself, “There is no way that plant is ever coming back.” Read more
Quote of the Week: On Pruning
It’s time to prune the shrubbery…and for me, that’s always a good reminder of the value of pruning in all parts of life. It’s a strategy that:
- provides relief to those who feel stressed by 2 little time
- provides focus for those eager to get 2 goal
- brings an immediate, lingering and usually lasting boost to both morale and productivity
Thought/discussion questions:
1. What are the most important areas of focus for you right now?
2. What ”miscellaneous activity” can you “stop off” so that you can “concentrate your force” on the items you mentioned in question #1? For additional ideas on this, see 10 Things to Prune in Your Business. Meanwhile, as a reminder of the importance of pruning season, post the above quote on your computer screen. See directions below.
Related Articles:
Directions for downloading above quote to your computer screen: Read more
A Tip from the President
Actually – 5 tips from Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, who was born on this day in 1809.
Lincoln left us with many words of wisdom that can help those of us who want to be better managers…those of us who want to get 2 goal…those of us who feel pressed by 2 little time.
Here are our top five favorite quotes from Abraham Lincoln: Read more
Free & Frugal PR Tools
Great article from BUSINESS.COM: Free & Frugal PR Tools To Help Your Business
Hope you enjoy!
Is your vision missing in action?
Note: This article is for you if you want to be a better manager, especially if you often feel like there is 2 little time to “get it all done”. And even more so if you often find yourself angry at others for not helping more. It may be just he thing you need to help you get 2 goal without quite so many nightmares. A sure boost to morale and productivity.
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Years ago, I was on the decorations committee for a large event. Connie was committee chair. For five months, she planned elaborate decorations. Occasionally she asked committee members for help finding odd objects or materials. Other than that we had little involvement until the day of the event when all fifteen members of the committee were asked to be at the site from 9 am until 3 pm to put the decorations in place.
At 9 am, she arrived with a car full of boxes and crates and bolts of fabric and on and on. Our first task was to help unload her car.
We stacked all the items just inside the door of the room in which the event was being held, then stood and waited for our next assignment.
Connie turned and looked at the fifteen of us eagerly waiting – looked at the stack we made – then impatiently told us we had stacked everything right where she was going to build a decorative volcano. Read more
Quote of the Week – On Action
If you want to be a better manager, pay close attention to our quote of the week.
Especially if you often feel like there is 2 little time to “get it all done”.
It may be just he thing you need to help you get 2 goal without quite so many nightmares.
A sure boost to morale and productivity.
If you’d like help making and sticking to a plan to get 2 goal, contact us about our coaching programs and team retreats.
Meanwhile, you can use the above quote as background or wallpaper for your computer with just three clicks. Read more
Team retreats can be a stupid waste of time.
Team retreats can be a stupid waste of time.
They can also be powerfully productive tools for managers and business owners who care about morale and productivity.
Like the one this person attended:
“It strengthened the work of all departments
by unifying and reinforcing company-wide goals.”
Learn more about how to have the kind of team retreat this person attended.
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