Things To Leave in 2014

One of the greatest ways to make a change is to create a personal agenda.  The best way to keep in mind what is wanted is to be confident about what is not wanted:

• Apprehension
• Chaos
• Detrimental Actions
• Distraction
• Drama
• Foolishness
• Going Nowhere Relationships
• Guilt
• Indebtedness
• Junk Food
• Liars
• Lose-Lose Situations
• Mismanagement
• Obstacles
• Self-Disrespect 
• Self-Ridicule
• Self-Sabotage
• Thieves
• Time Wasters
• Unhealthy Environments
• Users

What are you saying goodbye to....?

2015 is the year to do something radically different and better.

tnd

Time Management is a Process

Currently:

• I am a mother of a busy high school teenager
• I  play video games, Play-doh, and hide and seek with my grandchild every weekend
• I am in a musical that will run for about 19 performances with possible media appointments for the month of December
• I began rehearsal for another theater production last week that is set for January through February
• I assist people with real estate matters
• I am working on two new books
• I am booking engagements and holding seminars based on my latest book

There is more to the list, but this is enough to get the gist. Let somebody tell it, they would say, "That is too much to be doing."  Let another ask, "How is that possible?"

Through the years, I have attended a plethora of time management seminars either while in Corporate America or of the self-help variety. 

I incorporated the tools from all of that training from the Gantt chart, to an iPAQ (a PDA before the smart phone and iPad and in all honesty has some functions that the smart phone and other equipment STILL lack - hint), a Daytimer or Franklin-Covey planner or system, High Performance Academy a spreadsheet, Microsoft Outlook, iCal, or just a good ol' plain notepad and a pen - all to something that would best work for me.

Of all the things out there, it may be difficult to find just one tool or system to keep a busy person on track - thus, time management absolutely requires personal customization. 

I created a thorough comprehensive Things-To-Do List to make sure that I complete at least 85% to 95% of what needs to be done to:

1. minimize procrastination, 
2. avoid distraction, and 
3. avoid getting behind on any deadlines.

I found it easier for my Things-To-Do List to be broken down in the following steps:

• Priority List - The Main Things I Must Complete Today, No Matter What
• Call List - Organizations and People I Must Reach Out to Today
• Pending List - Things Pending or People I'm Waiting on Before Next Steps
• Money Matters - Daily Checklist of Things To Do To Take Care of The Benjamins (money)
• Project List - A list of projects accompanied with a list of the five big things that need to be done to move a particular project forward

All of these things are placed in a folder that I keep with me from the office to my desk at home to sitting in a waiting room.

This information is revisited nightly as preparation for the next day.

I created a form package that seamlessly assists me in staying on track throughout the day from step to step that may help you in managing your busy day.

Visit www.ladyintelligence.com to submit your request.

Have a great productive day.

tnd

Your MLM Business May Not Be Your Business (Technically)

Multi-Level Marketing Business opportunities are in great supply.  The legitimate MLM businesses, the ones that follow some kind of governmental regulation, offer lucrative income possibilities.

Ah, possibilities - key word.

There are thousands of people who have become wealthy in building an MLM network.  MLMs are not typically pyramid schemes.  The only pyramid schemes are jobs where there is a boss who makes more and the subordinates usually always make less.  In MLM, someone in the downline of an organization can actually make much more than someone in the upline.  How?

Effort.  Extreme effort.  It's not an easy thing to do and it takes persistence, consistence, and perserverance.  Vision boards, weekly meetings/seminars/motivational events, non-stop communication, and little time for entertainment are all what helps to build a powerful network marketing organization.

The MLM business is classified as the networker's own business because the networker becomes the independent contractor and some of their business expenses are tax deductible.

The only problem about heavily regulated MLMs is that social media is a no-no for advertising.  In today's world where few people talk on the phone and opt to texting, e-mailing, tweeting, posting updates on their social media account, streaming music, and obtaining news from their smartphones, conducting telephone invitations and passing around flyers to events make for a day in and day out great amount of effort.  In some MLMs, it may be challenging to advertise where people's eyes are looking.

MLMs that don't allow for social media or digital advertising bring it home that the business is not really the independent contractors.  If e-mail messages and other types of electronic communication are prohibited, then that MLM is in reality a job with a couple extra tax benefits.

People who call the shots as to advertising, communication, and other day-to-day operations including branding are those who are true business owners and not pawns (may be a harsh word but reality can be a harsh word too) to make the creator of the MLM organization richer.

Consider how much energy to expend when building an MLM organization versus using that energy to develop own network with business plan, operations, and a system of personnel, products, and services.

But above all - the most important thing to consider is if there is a back-up plan for the MLM business.  The MLM business is corporately owned and operated by those never met unless it was at the national convention and the network marketer was there and shook their hand personally.

If an MLM corporation shuts down abruptly and all household income was based on that MLM, that can be immediate financial ruin for some.

Now is that MLM business really having your own business?

Online Job Searching

Searching for a job has come a long way. Back in the day, folks hit the pavement, door to door, filling out application after application and trying to be the first to grab the classified ads as soon as they come off the printing press.

In recent years, a person applying for a job online would have to type their life story in little character spaces after character spaces, question after question, and job application after job application.  Fortunately, today some companies are realizing what a waste of time and resources that is and are just satisfied with an uploaded resume.

Employment agencies have made it easier to register with their company to fulfill their clients’ job orders as well with just an uploaded resume and online testing from the comforts of home.  Some agencies send their candidates directly to the clients without ever laying an eye on the candidate.

Online job boards including those sponsored by local, state, and federal government make it easy for the applicant to post their resume with specific key words so that prospective employers can browse for potential candidates to call in for an interview. 

However, multi-level marketers, marketing and sales companies, and scammers also browse resumes and contact unsuspecting and desperate job seekers with no intention of offering them a true employment opportunity.

Here are a just a few recommendations when searching and applying online for a job:

• When posting a resume online to be viewable by prospective employers, only include e-mail address and/or phone number.  Do not include middle initial/name or any type of mailing address.  

• Apply electronically for a position directly to the company.  Some job boards will post a position saying that it’s with XYZ Big Company but when it’s time to submit an application or resume for the particular position, the link to apply is still on the job board site.  Go directly to XYZ Big Company’s website and search for that position on their employment or career page.  If it’s listed, apply directly on the company’s website or to whatever link XYZ Big Company provides on their website to submit an application.  If the job isn’t listed, let it go.  Only time to apply for a job with XYZ Big Company and it’s not on their website is through a bona fide employment agency – especially those with which you have registered.  Applying for a position online is time-consuming.  You can take a chance and apply for the XYZ Company job from the job board, but get ready for an onslaught of marketing e-mail messages about training, more jobs to apply for, and most likely no interviews out of any of it.

• Be careful of e-mail messages or phone calls from so-called agencies talking about they saw your resume on such and such board and that they have a position for you based on your resume and credentials.  If they ask for the last four digits or all nine digits of your social, don’t give it.  If they want you to sign a contract and fax it back to them, don’t sign it.  If they want your full name including the full spelling of your middle name, don’t give it to them – especially if you don’t usually use it in the course of personal or professional business.  Granted some industries such as healthcare, government or insurance companies may need this information to conduct various types of background checks, but do not give that information to these agencies WHO CALLED YOU out of the blue based upon your online posted resume and especially if you haven’t had an interview with anybody.  Check out the agency and get back to them (if proven they’re legit).  Some of these agencies have been found not to pay the employees that they have contracted to work with another company. The agency will receive their money from the company, but may seem to forget to do payroll or have some type of payroll issues.  Then some of these agencies aren’t agencies at all and just looking for information to conduct identity theft.

• Please beware of applying for a job on an online list where’s it’s free to register and post that something or somebody is “wanted” or “needed.”  Some legitimate companies are turning to these lists for recruitment cost savings but there are individuals and bogus groups that may use this type of advertising to lure in folks to conduct criminal activities. 

• Do not go to an interview without verifying that the company is legitimate and that the address pans out to be the company’s true location – this goes from any employment or career site source.

N

The Performance Review

Many folks will be returning to work at the start of the new year to face that annual performance review...that tool that most employers use to gauge an employee’s value to the company.

Back in the day, it was a simple meeting. Either Sam didn’t meet, he met, or he exceeded expectations....same with Sally.

Now, it’s a scientific study with factors outside the control of an employee.

Today’s performance review in large corporations is now based on a weighting system including mathematical calculations to determine if the employee should receive a merit raise, a bonus, or continued employment.

Today’s performance review is also based on personal opinion. Not only the supervisor has input, but fellow colleagues can provide feedback to an employee’s review. If the fellow colleague has a negative personal perception of the employee, their feedback will direct negative feedback toward that employee and be recorded as so on a permanent job record that will follow that employee maybe even after he or she leaves the company.

An employee’s success, livelihood and career track at a company is superficially dependent on this new almighty performance review.

Tips to survive the performance review:

• Be sure you know exactly where your source is. Your success, your growth, and your very existence is outside the walls of the place where you work.

• Your success is dependent on your own self-value.

• Your life is not based on where you work.

• Do not feel you need to be defensive about any statements. You know your skills, demeanor, character, and intentions better than anybody.

• Remember that your job is merely a means to keep cash in your pocket, a roof over your head, and food on the table. Your sun and moon does not rise and fall based on The ABC Company to where you report from the bus/train or pull up to everyday.

• Do respond with written factual documentation when responding to any personal negative opinions and do so with no emotion. Act like you’re Spock on the Enterprise.

• If the performance review turns out to be ridiculous, begin looking for another job immediately. The economy may seem tough and rough, but people are still being hired each and everyday. Also, put on a happy face that everything is okay. You are worthy to work at a place that is worthy to have you and that place is waiting for you right now.

• If the performance review is excellent, be sure to thank your supervisor and continue the good work. 

Edited and Reposted from a February 2011 blog post by Lady Intelligence.