Gratitude is More than a Platitude--It's a Smart Business Strategy
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
2y ago
Writing in the Harvard Business Review Blog (January 23, 2012), Tony Schwartz cites a worldwide survey conducted by Towers Watson. The survey states, “The single biggest driver of engagement is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their well being.” Would it surprise you to learn that less than 40% of workers feel so engaged? With such a low level of engagement, people do not feel appreciated. They do not feel valued for their contribution the success of the organization. The bad news is that they leave to work other places and the worse news is that they stay ..read more
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Why Customer Care Is the Secret Sauce to Success
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Many companies tolerate poor customer care. Could the damage be $84 billion annually for US companies as some sources claim?  In a recent trip to an automobile dealer to purchase a car, the sales person stunned me. After a test drive in a pre-owned car with 25,000 miles, I asked for a copy of the CarMax report. He attached his business card to the report and put it on his desk. I explained this was my first stop in shopping for a car. He pushed the report across his desk to me. He said, “I hope I’ll be here to help you when you decide.” He stood up and walked away. That dealership has a s ..read more
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Use a Culture Makover to Yield Better Results
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
The shared assumptions, values and beliefs in your business, are the culture producing your results. How people in your organization dress, behave and execute their jobs is influenced significantly by this system. It’s everywhere. It permeates everything. It’s an invisible yet powerful force. It’s the corporate personality. The cost of a toxic culture can be high turnover, customer defection, infighting, inferior quality products, and more. Save yourself the effort of a brilliant strategy to solve the problem. The underlying issue is the culture your team and you have created. One summer I wor ..read more
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Maintenance Saves Time and Money
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Let’s face it. Repairs and maintenance are not glamorous. They are, in fact, an inconvenience.  Many entrepreneurs put it off. They are simply too busy running their businesses to maintain equipment, update software, train employees, and revise procedures, for example.  If you do not have time to maintain the parts of your business you rely on to serve your customer, how do you have time to do it when they break? And, they will break. It can take as long or longer for the required fix than staying up to date. It can be more expensive as well. The interruption to your b ..read more
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How Structure Is Part of the Vast Success Conspiracy
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Most entrepreneurs are structure averse. Why cramp your style? It’s so easy to make it up as you go.  Plus, it's a lot more exciting. Granted. Rules, systems and structures can feel restrictive. I’ve even known managers who enforce the rules to wield their power. It is counterproductive when your business is there to support the structure and not the other way around. Recently I learned of a small business growing rapidly from $1 million to over $4 million. Three employees could manage the company at $1 million and less. However, the founder recognized the need to introduce some stru ..read more
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10 Ways to Outsmart the Saboteurs of Your Vision and Goals
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Having an inspiring vision and well-crafted goals are no guarantee your business will achieve them. It is often the norm to put a vision and goals on the shelf so you can get back to work. This frustrates people, especially if they have been part of the process to craft the vision and define the goals. Nothing changes. People you need for your business to succeed lose heart. This is expensive and leaders lose credibility. The root of the problem is people, even smart people, are willing to tolerate the current reality rather than experience change. Asking someone to change, even if it’s benef ..read more
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Why Giving Is Risky But Worth It
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Giving is a worthy endeavor. It has its downsides, however. It can be dangerous on the high road of giving. Adam Grant writes in Give and Take that givers are some of the most successful people. There is more. Givers are on the other end of the spectrum, too. They are the least successful. If your time, money, and creativity are flowing in only one direction, away from you, it’s a set up for burnout and depletion. To do your best work, you cannot be operating on an empty tank. When I think of giving, I am reminded of my dear friend. She looks for ways to give just because she can. It is her na ..read more
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Clarify Your Priorities to Increase Your Revenues
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
  There are many competing priorities in running a business. Everything looks important. The problem is you cannot do everything and do it all at once. Your business suffers because you cannot give the proper attention to what moves your business forward. You spend your resources on activities that reduce your efficiencies and reduce your profits. When you clarify your priorities, your team and you can make wise choices about how to spend your time, creativity and money. For example, scrambling to meet externally imposed deadlines such as paying taxes diverts your attention from other act ..read more
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How Generosity Is Making Your Business a Better Place
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Many business owners wonder if generosity is a smart business decision. Image courtesy of suphakit73 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net There is an ongoing debate about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for business. CSR is usually associated with big companies. Regardless of the size, your business can incorporate CSR in its business model. It is an act of generosity. Companies embrace social responsibility not only for the benefit of the community in which they operate but also for the benefit of the company. Going above and beyond what the law requires is an act of generosity. Companies can help ..read more
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The Power of Clarity
Berkana Co | Corporate Culture
by Ann
3y ago
Lack of clarity at any level in your organization diminishes the possibility of success. Being unclear about the purpose of your business, for example, no one knows what strategies to pursue. If you do not know where you intend to go, any direction will do. Didn’t the Cheshire cat say this to Alice in Wonderland? It is costly to operate without clarity. Talented people spent time, creativity and money on the wrong initiatives. When lack of clarity frustrates the people that you hire, they do not do their best work. This has an impact not only internally but also externally with customers as we ..read more
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