by Courtney Ramirez on April 5, 2011
A recent study in Psychological Science sheds light on an interesting way to make better decisions. According to research conducted by the University of Twente in the Netherlands, people make better decisions when they have to “go.” Researchers had study participants drink five cups of water and then answer a series of questions forty minutes later. The participants were more likely to make better choices when their bladders were full.
But rather than wait until your decision makers have to “go” to make decisions, there are other ways that can drive great decision making for your organization. Good decisions are critical in leading a business toward success, so owners and managers should pay close attention to these keys.
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by Courtney Ramirez on January 25, 2011
There’s a lot on your plate when you are CEO/Owner/Head Honcho of your own business. Taking responsibility for your business and every decision can be both empowering and draining. If you love what you do and are passionate about making your business a success, it can sometimes be hard to balance your work life and your home life. In fact, without careful planning you can find yourself so focused on your business that you forget to nurture your relationships and your own sense of well-being.
Whether a solo professional or CEO of a growing company, you need to take time to balance your life. Without time to relax and restore, you’ll find yourself stretched beyond the limit – unable to make the right decisions, unable to be fully involved in your business or your life.
Now is the perfect time of year to take stock of how you’re doing and restore balance back into your life. The follow tips will help you move forward in 2011 with a better work/life balance:
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by Courtney Ramirez on September 1, 2010
Productivity is a major concern in the modern workplace. Without this efficiency, your business will stagnate and lose its competitiveness. But, productivity doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Satisfied employees are more likely to be productive, so you need to hire people who are a perfect match for the job and create conditions that lead to more satisfied employees.
For the hiring process:
- Write a clear description of the job. Include logistical details of the position including each task required, as well as the values and behaviors that would be best suited for the position.
- Share this description with each potential candidate. Ask each how they might fulfill the tasks required for the position. Watch for their enthusiasm about the tasks and the passion for the position. Evaluate both their potential to complete the basics of the task, as well as their interest in doing the task.
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by Nick DeGraff on December 15, 2009
As fast as Technology seems to change and advance, year by year that pace quickens even more. Just consider that in the last 10 years, ‘new’ technologies like e-mail and instant messenger have become old hat and now social and business networking sites such as twitter, facebook, and LinkedIn are the ‘new’ technologies.
Technology has now become the major agent of change in the business world, surplanting marketing, research and development, and even profit. Social networking has become a standard marketing tool. Communications and computing hardware have become mobile Blackberries and wireless/cellular technology is eroding the function of the desktop pc. Software-as-a-Service and cloud computing have even changed the way technology products are delivered.
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by Nick DeGraff on December 11, 2009
Writing a good press release may be a Fine Art, but it also isn’t Rocket Surgery. Any seasoned PR professional will tell you that the real key is to approach the press release process from the point of view of a journalist.
The journalist’s world is commonly filled with short deadlines and a literal flood of press releases competing for their attention. A typical news room will get hundreds of press releases per day, and all but a very few will end up somewhere other than the trash can. What can you do to give your news the best shot at making the cut?
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by Nick DeGraff on December 1, 2009
