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It's Your Career. Love It, or Leave It  by Kevin S. Smith

Wouldn't the world be a better place if more of us loved what we do for a living? For many, at least on the surface it sounds like a farfetched idea - even an impossibility.

I Guess You Had to Be There!

- Kevin S. Smith

How long would  you drive your car while only looking at the portion of the road visible just over the hood ?

It has happened to most of us at one point or another in our working careers.  I am referring to the dreaded "meeting to nowhere" that inevitably ends up with little accomplished aside from a couple camera-phone shots of a coworker drooling on themselves as they fail to remain conscious.  These meetings are horrible and can do more damage to an organization that one may think.

We have all heard the phrase "you can only get out of something, what you put into it". The same remains true in our careers. As individuals grow within their expertise, one tool for continual growth is often overlooked.

Creating customer loyalty is a never ending challenge for every business owner. However, over the last few years the definition of customer loyalty has blurred and the key to obtaining it has been lost. So-called loyalty programs have become diluted and commoditized, leaving even the experts wondering if they do more harm than good.

If you have been a manager for any period of time, you have most likely heard of the 80-20 Rule. This is the “rule” that says 20 percent of activities produce 80 percent of the results. Perhaps 80 percent of your revenue comes from 20 percent of your customers. Perhaps 80 percent of your productivity is coming from 20 percent of your workers. Perhaps 80 percent of the time spent on human resource issues is due to problems resulting from 20 percent of your employees. Think about your business.

If you are a small business owner, you have no doubt seen a change in today’s workforce.  Today’s worker thinks differently, acts differently, and barely resembles the employee of a decade ago.  Therefore, the days of managing a workforce with yesterday’s methods are gone as well.  Today’s worker cannot be simply managed, because the modern worker has a mind of his or her own, as well as more potential than ever before.  This worker must be invested in, developed, and yes…led.