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Meir Ezra: Leading to Serve

Aliyah Bergh 8 years ago 0
Meir Ezra - After working for five years as a car salesman, Jim was promoted to the sales manager position. During his first week as manager, he decided he needed to show everyone who was boss.

Jim cracked the whip. He held a meeting and told the other sales people, "I want 10 cars sold today or someone will get fired!"

Jim was pushy, demanding and angry. The sales people ran around looking busy and avoiding Jim. Everyone tried to force customers to buy cars, but car sales dropped.

Jim yelled even louder. "You can't sells cars by pressuring customers, you idiots! Now get out there and sell these stupid cars!"

After a month of this, his two best sales people quit. Sales dropped even further. The car dealership owner said, "Jim, if you can't turn sales around, I'm afraid I'll need to get another sales manager."

Jim said, "I can't believe this! What am I doing wrong?"

Five Bad Leadership Attitudes

Like many new managers, Jim did not really understand his role as a leader. He and many other managers have these wrong ideas about managing people.

1. "Because I'm the manager, you better respect me . . . or else!"

2. "People are lazy and so I need to force them to work."

3. "I am superior to everyone here which is why I can do anything I want."

4. "If you work for me, you need to kiss my butt."

5. "If you don't like how I run things, you can leave."

Because of these attitudes, Jim's staff were selling fewer cars and looking for other jobs. If Jim did not change his attitude, he would also be looking for a new job soon.

Just in time, Jim learned this vital fact about management.

A Key to Leadership Success

"I believe that to command is to serve and only gives one the right to serve." -- L. Ron Hubbard

After learning about this important leadership attitude, Jim said, "What? I'm supposed to serve others? How ridiculous!" But then he thought it through. The lightbulb above his head started to flash.

"If I serve my staff by training them about sales and about these cars, they will know how to sell better."

"If I serve my staff with kindness and courtesy, they will probably start to serve the customers better!"

"If I'm here to serve my department, I will help them make sales, not force them."

A New Day

The next morning, Jim brought a box of chocolate doughnuts for his staff and said, "Today is a new day! This may be a shock to some of you, but I've realized that I've been a bad manager. I want to try helping you instead of yelling at you, okay?"

Jim then served his sales people by giving them sales tips. "Give every customer a service. Learn as much as you can about their needs. Offer your best advice. Be kind and helpful."

He asked, "How can I help you each sell a car today?" The sales people had some ideas: "Fill the tanks full of gas so we don't have to buy gas during test drives." "Let us give out more brochures." "Give a doughnut to each customer."

Jim said, "No problem! I'll get you gas, brochures and doughnuts. Anything else I can do for you?"

The staff were stunned, but happy.

During the day, he helped his sales people give service to the customers, not pressure.

"She wants to discuss it with her father first? That's probably a good idea. Invite him down to meet us if he can."

"He wants to test drive ten cars before deciding? No problem."

"Can I get you folks something to drink?"

Jim persisted with his new service attitude. He thought of new ways to give service to his staff, his boss and their customers. Customers felt they were buying luxury cars because of the excellent service.

The sales people enjoyed their work. Jim had more fun with less stress. Car sales increased to record levels.

Service, Not Slavery

Jim had one small worry, "Will my people take advantage of me or run over me if I'm trying to give them service?"

He soon found this was not a problem when one salesman tried to boss him around.

The salesman said, "Jim, I need a few hours off to run some errands for my wife. And I need to borrow the demo car, okay?"

Jim said, "No. And you can't take off a few hours until I see you sell one car today. How can I help you do your job?"

Recommendations

Even if you are not officially a manager, you are a leader. People follow your example, learn from you, ask for your opinions, do what you do first and so on. Constantly improving your leadership skills is essential to your success.

1. Make a list of everyone you lead in one way or another: customers, staff, coworkers, family, friends, colleagues, even your boss.

2. Write down one or more ways you can better serve each person this week.

3. Provide these services to everyone you work with during the week.

Observe the results. Watch how people react. Notice how you feel.

If you persist with an attitude of service, your position will improve, your pay will increase and those you lead will be more successful.

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The Shearin Group Leadership Tips: Leadership tips for young entrepreneurs

theshearingroup 10 years ago 0
Young people who run businesses have particular advantages.

Heading up any organization is a thrilling privilege, especially when it’s your own. Young entrepreneurs today have a wealth of opportunity at their fingertips, and with practices like remote networking, borderless resourcing and even crowdsourcing, creating a business and achieving success in the marketplace is a real-world possibility. So what's the best way to build a great business as a young person? Here are my tips.

1.) Surround yourself with experts

As a leader, you should never settle for “just anyone.” When it comes to building your leadership team (and your greater business), seek out passionate and forward-thinking people who are experts and leaders in their field.

Learn as much as you can from them and gain their input and advice on every big decision you make – from product to strategy to operations to finance, and so on. In the long run, these people will help shape your company culture and direction and they’ll turn you into a stronger leader.

2.) Stay on top of tech

Technology is becoming the driving force in a growing number of new industries and is rapidly taking over existing industries. As a leader, it’s imperative that you (and your team) keep up with tech trends and stay on the frontline of new developments – anything that crops up that can make your product better or deliver further innovation should not be ignored.

In Australia, for instance, this is particularly critical in the retail sector. Retailers, writes John Riccio from professional services firm PwC, “need to innovate if they are to remain relevant to the connected consumer.”

As a result, many retailers are being pushed by consumers to offer more accessibility and better services via various technological means, and the ones who don’t are likely to fall quickly behind - and many already have.

3.) Only take calculated risks

Hamdi Ulukaya, who founded Chobani and won Ernst & Young’s World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award last year said, “If you’re afraid of losing money, you will not make it to success.”

This is true for every start-up, but young leaders need to recognize that risk doesn’t mean just making a wild decision and then going for it.

Every risk you take, even the smallest one, must be thoroughly calculated. If you don’t calculate, your business will eventually fail. Projections (particularly financial), strategy options and risk management plans must be in place before the first step is actioned.

4.) Know when to delegate and when not to delegate

There’s a big difference between having to do everything yourself and wanting to do it yourself for the sake of learning.

While there will be plenty of things you can delegate early on, taking on business tasks and learning the ropes (just like an employee) will give you a much more thorough and in-depth understand of how your business runs and operates.

In turn, this will provide you with insight into how you can improve your approaches and procedures and will ultimately make your management, operations and leadership better.

5.) Keep innovating and evolving your product - even if you think it’s perfect, there will always be better

Many start-ups have a fantastic product/service when they first come to market. But once your product is out there, it’s important that you continue to improve, expand and develop what you’ve created. This is how you remain competitive.

This type of evolution is essential if you want your start-up to be successful in five, 10 or 20 years.

Consider how Richard Branson’s Virgin has moved from being a simple airline to an organization offering “astronaut” flights into outer space via Virgin Galactic - Innovation!

It might seem like an extreme way to “dream big”, but Branson realized there was much potential in the air/space travel arena and his ability to innovate at this level means that Virgin will continue to grow and innovate well into the future.

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Newport International Group Corporate Travel: Best travel money-saving tips

liennexmiranda43 10 years ago 0
The biggest problem with traveling though is the fact that it can be a rather expensive affair.

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Be it to escape the tortures of daily life; to partake in a fascinating cultural exchange or even just to see the pretty sights; everyone has dreamt of traveling at least once in their life. Articles on Facebook recommend it, tempting you with promises that it will change your life, help you appreciate yourself and others more with offerings of new experiences.
The biggest problem with traveling though is the fact that it can be a rather expensive affair.

That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t travel if you can’t afford to spend exorbitantly, it just means that you have to be smarter when it comes to traveling. There are many tips available online to help you cut down cost and save. Here are some really good ones you can find on various sites.

Clear your cache
When you’re doing your research online for cheap flights, transportation and accommodation, it’s best to clear your cache as often as possible. Most of these sites may be monitoring your web history and instead of dropping the price, they may raise it even further to raise their margin as they know it’s the destination and date you really want.

Book at the right time

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Finding the right timing to purchase airline tickets or even reserving a hotel room really defines how much you’ll end up paying. Book too early and you could miss out on a new sales promotion that could have saved you significantly. Book too late and you may not only pay more but receive far worse offers. So look out for the best deals, keeping track of when cheap promotions are announced and gather information from other people’s experience to help you figure out the best time to book a flight or room.

Be aware of extra fees

Ignorance may be bliss but not knowing all the possible hidden fees involved in your travel plans could be costing you more. Read the fine print of your payment purchases, taking note of the additional fees and how you can possibly cut them out. For example, knowing how much you’ll have to pay for baggage fees could help you from packing just enough without getting hit with extra charges. So find out more on all the extra fees and find ways to avoid them or keep them to a minimum.

Take advantage of reward points

If you have a credit card, loyalty or even membership card that can give you possible free flights or services for traveling, be sure to take advantage of them. Check the amount of points you have and if you’ve collected enough to get what you need, you can use them. But be sure to read the fine print and that there won’t be possible extra charges for the “free items” that you’re claiming. Also, don’t force yourself to spend beyond your means just to get the points that you need as the interest or extra charges you may get may be more than the cost of purchasing the actual item yourself.

Don’t overspend on travel insurance

You can opt for full travel insurance especially if your travel is rather expensive. But make sure that you’re not paying for one when another insurance that you already have has you covered. There are a number of credit cards that offer travel insurance as part of their cardholder agreements, as long as you purchase the flight ticket with the card in question. So check with your provider before making any decisions on insurance.

Saving on food

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Other than hotels and airfares, your next biggest expenditure is definitely food. Rather than eat out constantly, look into booking a room at a hotel with apartment or suite facilities that include kitchenettes. This way you could prepare some of your meals in the room and save on exorbitant restaurant prices. In the same way, go for hotels or homestays that offer free complimentary breakfast.

Be sure to do as much research as you can when you’re planning your travels and don’t be afraid to ask the providers questions on any areas that may be unclear. Do read reviews of the services or items you’re interested in purchasing and always check out other brands or services to make a good comparison. Traveling may take a lot of work, but the efforts may make the entire process worth it, so don’t give up! Keep learning and reading what you can online and you’ll soon be enjoying that dream holiday you’ve always wanted.

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Use mouse wheel to access search history

CLuxe 11 years ago 0
I would like to have the mousewheel find earlier search terms when the search window is open. 

For example, I hit Ctrl-F, and the find window opens.  Currently, I can use the up and down arrows to select earlier search terms.  It would be a lot nicer if I could also use the mouse wheel.

I think this would be a very easy change, and would make searching a lot nicer.

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5 Things to Know About the Cost for Knee Surgery by Howard Marans MD

Abigail Powell 8 years ago 0

Howard J. Marans, MD, discusses the cost for knee surgery.


Here are five things to know:


1. There are two main type of knee surgery: open knee surgery and arthroscopic knee surgery.


2. Open knee surgery is most commonly used to treat more extensive knee problems, such as total knee replacement for arthritis.


3. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive form of surgery that can be used to treat less extensive knee problems, like meniscus or ligament tears. It is preferable to use arthroscopic knee surgery whenever possible, due to its lower risk factors, shorter downtime and lesser costs.


4. There are several factors that can influence the cost of knee surgery:


  • How high the local cost of living is
  • Whether or not open knee surgery is used
  • Whether or not a hospital stay is required
  • How long it takes to perform the surgery
  • How many resources the surgery takes to perform
  • What the individual surgeon's rates are

5. Insurance covers orthopedic knee surgery costs because knee surgery is only used in cases where it is medically necessary, but the different insurance policies vary widely in the terms of their coverage.

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Meir Ezra: Negative Emotions Make You Fail

Annabelle Mouratidis 8 years ago 0

Meir Ezra - Pete, the new Sales Manager of ABC Autos, was yelling at the salespeople to do better, but with no improvement. The company owner, Mr. Christopher, was getting desperate.

He sat down with the sales manager and said, "Pete, since you took over the Sales Department, our car sales have been going down. You've got to quit yelling at the salespeople. Our old sales manager never yelled. Please give it a try."

Pete said, "Where I come from, you have to yell at the sales people if you want to get sales. Fire me if you want, but I'm gonna yell."

Mr. Christopher said, "Okay, I don't care what you do, just get the sales numbers back up this week."

So Pete held a sales meeting and screamed, "IF YOU DON'T MAKE AT LEAST ONE SALE THIS WEEK, YOU ARE FIRED!"

The sales staff ran out and started calling people on the phone. They said things like, "You HAVE to call me back!" "I know it's been six months since you were here, but I need to see you." "Your old car is dangerous; you must come in NOW!"

A couple walked in to browse. Four salespeople charged at them. The couple jumped back, mumbled "No thanks" and headed for the door. Another salesperson was blocked the doorway and said, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

The couple fought their way out the door and the salespeople went back to their telephones.

Emotional Reactions

When things don't go your way, how do you react?

Some people get more emotional, more reactive. They get frustrated, sad, angry or worse. They react without thinking.

Unfortunately, this can make a short-term improvement. This is why bosses will threaten, scream and pound. They don't realize FORCED productivity is slavery and always backfires.

In 1971, L. Ron Hubbard wrote: "THE PRIMARY BARRIER TO PRODUCTION IS HUMAN EMOTION AND REACTION."

Careers, jobs and businesses fail when emotional reactions take over.

Mr. Christopher Hires a New Manager

Of course, sales at ABC Autos went from bad to worse and Pete was fired. The owner, Mr. Christopher, decided to run the sales people himself.

First, he held a sales meeting with gourmet pizza. They celebrated Pete's departure.

Next, he showed the staff how to use kindness and intelligence to sell cars. No more emotional outbursts and reactive behavior.

By the end of the week, sales increased and continued to increase each week.

Everyone -- managers, employees and the self-employed -- all ruin their productivity and income if they dramatize their negative emotions.

Sixty Examples of Human Emotions and Reactions That Hurt Your Income

You must remove, control or ignore the following types of emotions and reactions to improve your personal power and performance. They are wrecking your forward progress.

Whining, snippy comments, avoidance, the silent treatment, revenge, disrespect, acting up, resentment, moaning, sulking, death wishes, blaming, fear, mocking someone, hate, getting upset, yelling, lump-in-throat sadness, emotional pain, complaining, being grouchy, mood swings, hostility, false sincerity, making someone wrong, political games, jealousy, preaching, overwhelming someone, anxiety, sarcasm, despair, harassment, pretending to be hurt, disagreeing without thinking, giving sympathy, demanding sympathy, getting even, antagonism, terror, being critical, belligerence, exasperation, acting stupid, regret, pity, gossiping, feeling useless, apathy, anger, lying, hopelessness, being stressed out, crying, confusion, sighing, being glum, hysteria, being a victim and cutting off communication.

Reaching your goals and succeeding as never before means you need high-level performance. You must be capable of high-volume work. The road to success does not include negative emotional reactions.

To succeed, you must shake off the emotional reactions, get focused and get working.

Recommendations

  1. Lighten up. Stop taking yourself so seriously. Read "Being Too Serious Can Drive You Crazy" at www.tipsforsuccess.org/seriousness.htm.
  2. Set goals you can get excited about. Focus on your goals whenever you feel negative emotions. Read "How to Set Goals You Can Get Excited About" at www.tipsforsuccess.org/goals-link.htm.
  3. Be stronger using the recommendations outlined in "How to Generate Personal Power and Command of Life" at www.tipsforsuccess.org/personal-power.htm.
  4. Take better control of yourself. Use the free coaching tools at www.tipsforsuccesscoaching.org.
  5. Improve your mental health. Buy and read the book Self Analysis. Available at http://bridgepublications.com/30-minute-mental-workout.
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Our Specialties by Dr. Howard Marans

Faith Watson 8 years ago 0

Our Specialties

As a leading whole orthopedic care provider, OC Orthopedic specialists consider each patient unique and work with them to understand their special needs and concerns. We treat the whole patient by getting to know them as we gather insights and information to help us select an appropriate course of treatment.



Follow Dr. Howard Marans on Tumblr and Dr. Howard Marans Quora page.

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Ramesh Shivakumaran – Sharjah Container Terminal

Spiridon Dunbar 9 years ago 0
When Maritime Heritage Partners with Global Ambitions

Gulftainer in UAE

Founded in 1976 to manage and operate two ports in the Emirate of Sharjah, Gulftainer is now the largest private independent container terminal operator in the world, with a strong global presence and business interests in East Europe, South America, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

We believe in the power of partnerships and have developed strong ties with global shipping lines that value high productivity and service flexibility. Best-in-class port operations wouldn’t be complete without a world-class third-party logistics provider. And that’s why we launched Momentum in 2008 to deliver cost-effective supply chain solutions from transportation and freight forwarding to warehousing and logistics cities. After more than 35 years, we have grown from strength to strength to become a globally competitive port operator and third party logistics provider.

The Emirate of Sharjah has always had a long history of maritime trade, with a shoreline on both the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. To build on this legacy and create a company with global ambitions, we opened the Sharjah Container Terminal (SCT) 37 years ago. SCT the first purpose built and fully equipped modern container terminal in the Middle East, it had just one berth and only around twenty men. Since then, SCT has grown significantly and today can boast three berths, five cranes and other supporting handling equipment operated by over 300 operators – a few having been part of the original team from 1976!

The Terminal utilises modern machinery to provide the most efficient turnaround possible for vessels and also offers tailor-made solutions for port users. With excellent productivity levels and online offerings for customs facilitation, SCT also boasts plenty of space and inland access to its own inland depot for warehousing and cargo handling.

SCT handles containers on behalf of over 40 shipping lines, including all of the world’s top 20 companies. Major shipping lines calling at SCT include American President Lines (APL), Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Maersk Line, MAG Container lines, United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Fruitex International Shipping, Yang Ming Line, Ethiopian Shipping Line and Star Feeders, as well as other regular operators.

Partnering Shipping Lines with Integrated Services

What We Offer

Throughout the terminal’s history, Gulftainer has continued to improve and develop the port to serve Sharjah, Dubai and the other Northern Emirates with our hallmark efficiency and productivity. With direct links throughout the Gulf, the Indian Subcontinent and East Africa, Sharjah Container Terminal is an ideal gateway for shipping lines to import and export cargo. This terminal is supported by Momentum - our complete third party logistics provider (3PL), which offers clients a comprehensive range of integrated logistics services, including transportation, freight forwarding, warehousing, logistics cities, container repair services and contract logistics.

Key Benefits of Partnering with SCT

  • Saved time with faster turnaround for vessels and equipment
  • Fully computerised warehousing and distribution centre
  • Customs, health and inspection formalities on site
  • Direct berth access, flexible berthing
  • Vast yard and terminal space
  • 3PL services provided by Momentum
  • Trained staff, experienced management, first-class security
  • State-of-the-art port management system