THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 72
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Keep accurate records. You need to be able to keep track of the people you meet.”
Once again Renate has hit the nail squarely on the head. If your records are not accurate, just how do you think you are going to keep track of the people that you meet?
This is possibly one of the main reasons that I am so fond of Plaxo, because it does all of this for me. If any of my information changes, I need only change it once on my profile in Plaxo and it automatically updates my database with my new information. How cool is that?
There’s nothing worse than trying to set up a meeting with someone whose telephone number has changed or their e-mail address has changed or they seem have just dropped off the planet.
So, whilst it is important to ensure that your data base records are current and up to date, so too is it important to ensure that your data base has your up to date and current details too.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
MOTIVATION - INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES
MOTIVATION – INTEGRITY OR MAKING EXCUSES
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Dr Laura Schlessinger who says:
“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”
So which one are you?
I remember, as a young child, my father saying to me “You are not responsible for the name that you have brought into this world as it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world, is the name that you have made for yourself.” I am not sure that I understood the implications and the consequences of what he was saying as I was far too young, but these words have had a great impact on my life.
On my journey down the path of what we call life, I have often heard things like “the banks took everything I own, they were the downfall of my business!” Or what about, and this is my favorite “The VAT man is killing my business!”
My question to both of these (and countless others) is ‘why’? When you started your business and you went to the bank for a loan, presumably you had to sign a piece of paper, in the form of a contract that said – you will pay back x amount every month or words to that effect. So then why is the bank, now the bad guy, because he wants his money back? I really don’t get it at all! What about the VAT man – you collect money on behalf of the VAT man and in payment of this service, he gives you an interest free loan for two months and he also allows you to offset some of the VAT that you have already paid out, against what you have collected on his behalf – so every two months, when he wants his money back – how it is that he is suddenly the ‘bad’ guy? I don’t get this either?
Could it possibly because of your own short comings? Could it be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a Business Owner? Could it possibly be because you actually are not a person of integrity?
You see, instead of taking the bull by the horns and admitting to our own short comings and admitting to ourselves that we are the ones that have actually messed up . . . big time, we turn to the government, the banks, the interest rates, the weather/global warming (insert anything you want here) and then sit back smugly – because well, we were not at fault and we are people of integrity!
Guess what people? We aren’t! If this sounds very familiar to you and it is something that you keep saying – guess what? You are not a person of integrity! Own it!
But all is not lost because we can change who we are, and this is an easy one to fix! There doesn’t have to be any soul searching, heavy therapy or anything else.
It’s a simple case of “do what you say you are going to do”!
So now – now what are you going to do? Are you going to tell me that you are going to do something and then . . . well, only you will know what happens next.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Today’s quote comes from Dr Laura Schlessinger who says:
“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.”
So which one are you?
I remember, as a young child, my father saying to me “You are not responsible for the name that you have brought into this world as it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world, is the name that you have made for yourself.” I am not sure that I understood the implications and the consequences of what he was saying as I was far too young, but these words have had a great impact on my life.
On my journey down the path of what we call life, I have often heard things like “the banks took everything I own, they were the downfall of my business!” Or what about, and this is my favorite “The VAT man is killing my business!”
My question to both of these (and countless others) is ‘why’? When you started your business and you went to the bank for a loan, presumably you had to sign a piece of paper, in the form of a contract that said – you will pay back x amount every month or words to that effect. So then why is the bank, now the bad guy, because he wants his money back? I really don’t get it at all! What about the VAT man – you collect money on behalf of the VAT man and in payment of this service, he gives you an interest free loan for two months and he also allows you to offset some of the VAT that you have already paid out, against what you have collected on his behalf – so every two months, when he wants his money back – how it is that he is suddenly the ‘bad’ guy? I don’t get this either?
Could it possibly because of your own short comings? Could it be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities as a Business Owner? Could it possibly be because you actually are not a person of integrity?
You see, instead of taking the bull by the horns and admitting to our own short comings and admitting to ourselves that we are the ones that have actually messed up . . . big time, we turn to the government, the banks, the interest rates, the weather/global warming (insert anything you want here) and then sit back smugly – because well, we were not at fault and we are people of integrity!
Guess what people? We aren’t! If this sounds very familiar to you and it is something that you keep saying – guess what? You are not a person of integrity! Own it!
But all is not lost because we can change who we are, and this is an easy one to fix! There doesn’t have to be any soul searching, heavy therapy or anything else.
It’s a simple case of “do what you say you are going to do”!
So now – now what are you going to do? Are you going to tell me that you are going to do something and then . . . well, only you will know what happens next.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHE. . . . You Want to Dismiss Staff - Part !
ARTICLE 10
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
More and more I am getting questions around “when can we dismiss a staff member” or indeed “when should I dismiss a staff member”.
There are a host of reasons for dismissing staff, the question though is whether it will seen as ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ dismissal. When faced with a dismissal that is either ‘unfair’ or even borderline ‘unfair’, you can be sure that you might just end up at the CCMA and that brings on a whole different world.
So here are some pointers of what can and cannot be done – please be advised that these are ‘some’ pointers – certainly, not everything will be covered and always ask advice from a Labour Attorney should you be confused.
There is a ‘Code of Good Practice’ available on the Department of Labour’s website and whilst this deals with some of the key issues around dismissals, specifically those related to an employee’s conduct or their capacity to do a particular function, it remains general. In other words each case is usually quite unique and there are some instances where the issues or what took place are completely outside of what is considered ‘the norm’ in the “Code of Good Practice’. This may include but not be limited to circumstances such as the number of employees and so on and therefore a different approach would be needed to resolve these issues.
For the record the “Code of Good Practice’ was established as a guideline and it was not intended to be substituted for disciplinary and/or grievance procedures. These procedures still need to be followed correctly.
For the ‘Code of Good Practice’ to be effective, both employees and employers should treat one another with respect. The spirit of the Code is for both parties to have a ‘win/win’ experience. The employer must be able to operate his/her business effectively and the employee must be able to work in a safe and efficient environment.
The whole purpose of the ‘Code’ is for the employees to be protected against frivolous actions on the part of the employer, however that said the employer is also entitled to a satisfactory work performance as well as acceptable conduct from their employees.
Next week we will look at some of the ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ reasons for dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You Want To Dismiss Staff?
Part 1
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
More and more I am getting questions around “when can we dismiss a staff member” or indeed “when should I dismiss a staff member”.
There are a host of reasons for dismissing staff, the question though is whether it will seen as ‘fair’ or ‘unfair’ dismissal. When faced with a dismissal that is either ‘unfair’ or even borderline ‘unfair’, you can be sure that you might just end up at the CCMA and that brings on a whole different world.
So here are some pointers of what can and cannot be done – please be advised that these are ‘some’ pointers – certainly, not everything will be covered and always ask advice from a Labour Attorney should you be confused.
There is a ‘Code of Good Practice’ available on the Department of Labour’s website and whilst this deals with some of the key issues around dismissals, specifically those related to an employee’s conduct or their capacity to do a particular function, it remains general. In other words each case is usually quite unique and there are some instances where the issues or what took place are completely outside of what is considered ‘the norm’ in the “Code of Good Practice’. This may include but not be limited to circumstances such as the number of employees and so on and therefore a different approach would be needed to resolve these issues.
For the record the “Code of Good Practice’ was established as a guideline and it was not intended to be substituted for disciplinary and/or grievance procedures. These procedures still need to be followed correctly.
For the ‘Code of Good Practice’ to be effective, both employees and employers should treat one another with respect. The spirit of the Code is for both parties to have a ‘win/win’ experience. The employer must be able to operate his/her business effectively and the employee must be able to work in a safe and efficient environment.
The whole purpose of the ‘Code’ is for the employees to be protected against frivolous actions on the part of the employer, however that said the employer is also entitled to a satisfactory work performance as well as acceptable conduct from their employees.
Next week we will look at some of the ‘fair’ and ‘unfair’ reasons for dismissal.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 71
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 71
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark. You know you are doing it. No-one else does.”
What a chuckle I had with this one! It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone blinks in the dark!
Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.
Let’s take this one step at a time :-
· always, always, always have your business cards close at hand. Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it. If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services.
· Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place. Your company name, contact details, web address etc. You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
· Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
· When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.
This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.
So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 71
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“Not marketing yourself is like blinking in the dark. You know you are doing it. No-one else does.”
What a chuckle I had with this one! It really did appeal to my sense of humour and I had this video moment of a cartoon with everything black as the lights are off and here and there you get a flash of white, that then very quickly turns back to black as someone blinks in the dark!
Marketing yourself need not be expensive, you don’t have to hire one of those marketing guru’s to do it for you – actually it is exceptionally easy to do it for yourself.
Let’s take this one step at a time :-
· always, always, always have your business cards close at hand. Your business card should have the name of your company and all of your contact details on it. If your company name does not say who you are (i.e. if your company name is ABC Plumbing we all know what you do, but if it is ABC Consulting), if possible have something on the back of your card that gives people an indication of what it is that you do, like a list of your services.
· Whenever you send an e-mail out, even if it is just one of the funnies you share with friends, have your signature in place. Your company name, contact details, web address etc. You never know who your friend may forward your ‘funnies’ to.
· Get onto some of the networking sites – not only business ones, but the social ones too, like Facebook (have you any idea how much business is done on Facebook?) – always put your company details and your contact details in your profile.
· When you meet people, even socially, always ask what they do and always find an opportunity to tell people what it is that you do.
This is marketing in its most basic form, inexpensive but vital to the growing of your business.
So go out there – meet people, build relationships, build your brand and above all, remember to have fun!
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, July 21, 2008
MOTIVATION - IT'S NOT THE WHAT, IT'S THE WHO
MOTIVATION – IT’S NOT THE WHAT, IT’S THE WHO
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “It’s not what you have, but WHO you have in your life that counts the most.”
Whilst on some level I agree whole heartedly with that statement, I would like to take it one step further and say that ‘It’s not only WHO you have in your life, but also who they have in their lives, that will count the most in yours’.
I have watched this in play over and over and over again – people sitting around a table chatting about this and that and suddenly a single comment is made and everybody interacts with everybody else in terms of somebody who knows somebody who can assist. It’s wonderful to watch this when it happens.
You see most people instinctively want to help others and sometimes this is the only way that they know how.
So I consider myself truly blessed, because I know a great many people, who know a great many people, and when I need help and assistance all I have to do is ask!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that “It’s not what you have, but WHO you have in your life that counts the most.”
Whilst on some level I agree whole heartedly with that statement, I would like to take it one step further and say that ‘It’s not only WHO you have in your life, but also who they have in their lives, that will count the most in yours’.
I have watched this in play over and over and over again – people sitting around a table chatting about this and that and suddenly a single comment is made and everybody interacts with everybody else in terms of somebody who knows somebody who can assist. It’s wonderful to watch this when it happens.
You see most people instinctively want to help others and sometimes this is the only way that they know how.
So I consider myself truly blessed, because I know a great many people, who know a great many people, and when I need help and assistance all I have to do is ask!
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
ARTICLE 9
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
ARTICLE 9
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . Are your Staff Expenses or Investments?
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Often when I listen to what is being said by SMME’s in the market place, I am amazed at some of the responses made to this particular question, and I wonder why it is that they employed staff in the first place.
For me, the only reason that I would employ someone is because of my need of their particular skill and/or talent, talent in the workplace. Let me clarify this for a moment.
Here I am working an 18 hour day and suddenly more sustainable work flows in than I can possibly deal with (sound familiar). So I need to employ someone who can assist me with the mundane things that take up so much of my time in the office. Clearly I need an assistant that has strong administration skills, who would be able to keep the office administration up to date, who could manage my diary, who would ensure that I can get enough uninterrupted time to do what I need to do in order to service the clients, while he or she get’s on with what they need to get on with. For me this would be a junior office administration clerk, who I could, over time, train up and who could eventually progress to a mini-me. Well not quite a ‘mini-me’ because he or she should have attributes that compliment mine as well as be able to do some of the things that I hate doing. So the bottom line is I would not employ a junior hairdresser, now would I?
Now even though I do not go through a recruitment agency or talent lab type experience, there is still a cost to me employing someone to assist me. I would obviously have to take into consideration that persons salary and related costs, like commissions, UIF, SDL, the different types of leave pay, workmen’s comp and any other legislative requirements pertaining to the position.
Then of course, there is the extra office space, equipment (such as computers etc), utilities. Don’t forget things like medical aid, retirement schemes, training, absenteeism and so on.
What about training and perks such as car allowances, cellphone allowance and even travel allowances?
Suddenly I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all of the expenses, and this is even before I have actually hired the person.
Having more than a little knowledge of the Labour Act, I would also have to start making provision for things like legal fees, for fighting CCMA and Labour Court cases, as well as costs related to “pay backs” or compensation orders that may be granted! Whew!
There certainly is a lot to consider, and herein lies much of the challenge. You see, many people when they take on a staff member, don’t think about these at all. All they see is this huge pile of work that needs to get done and a person who will do it – but we are not working with machines or robots, we are working with living, breathing, human beings.
So now the question is again – is the money that you spend on your staff, in order to acquire and retain them, for the skills that they need to possess, in order for them to perform the tasks that you need performed – an expense or an investment?
Some say that staff are an expense and that often this expense is among the biggest, if not the biggest in the annual budget.
Others see staff as an investment in their company.
I don’t really think that there is a right or wrong answer in this instance as it is entirely dependant upon whether you see your staff as a ‘necessary evil’ or as an asset. It would be dependant upon your own perception and/or mindset.
For me, in my personal capacity they are both!
For me it’s about using proactive measures, it’s about minimizing unnecessary costs and avoiding costly legal battles which would make my employees an asset. I would do this by having the correct procedures, processes and contracts in place and by being fair.
On the other hand, I am also a realist and I do know that things go wrong and that there are other expenses and cost that would have to go into the pot. Un-measurable costs that are associated with issues around the need for time to prepare cases for CCMA and/or Labour Court, not to mention the time that is actually spent at the CCMA and/or Labour Court.
When you take all of this into account, it’s no wonder that so many individuals try, where possible to stay away from hiring employees. It’s no wonder that many see hiring employees as a cost only, with very little added benefit received from them and usually an utterly horrid experience.
The bottom line is as always – what do you think?
The point that I am trying to raise with this article is that proper investigation and/or research needs to be done prior to employing someone! Don’t look at the huge pile of work that needs to be done, have a major freak out and then hire the first person that comes along – you would be in for a huge amount of expense that you hadn’t bargained on.
Stop for a moment and really think about it – would this person be an asset to your company or would they only be an expense?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Friday, July 18, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 70
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
PART 70
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
Dr. Renate Volpe, in her nugget cards entitled “Networking Tips” says:
“The keeping of confidences, is an unwritten rule of successful networking.”
Ain’t that the truth! I met with a lady (let’s call her Anne) a couple of days ago for a more in depth ‘one on one’ meeting and she really had me reeling. You see we had initially met at one of the networking meetings that I go to on a regular basis. I had taken her card, as well as the cards of the people who sat on either side of her and I was now having my customary chat to ascertain exactly what it was that she did, who her target market was so that I could understand how best to either refer her or connect her up with people that she could add value to or who could add value to her.
During the course of the discussion, she started talking about one of her clients, let’s call him Tim. Apparently Tim had quoted on a job for his client, let’s call him James and then when he received the relevant materials for the job, he noticed that his supplier had given him a whopping discount. The bottom line was that the materials that he had quoted on (and usually put a 15% mark up on as part of his fees) had in fact been supplied to him at cost plus 10% as the supplier was clearing out his warehouse for new stock. This in financial terms meant that Tim was paying 50% less than what he had quoted on.
Tim now faced with a dilemma because there were several options. One would be not to say anything, and keep his quote exactly the way that it was thereby increasing his margins and his profits exponentially, two would be to tell James the truth and pass the saving onto the client and three would be to tell James of the windfall and suggest that they split the unexpected windfall between them. Personally I liked the third option the best – it would be a win/win for both of them.
Whilst we were having this discussion, my friend James saw us chatting and came over to greet me. Without missing a beat – Anne asked for his opinion and in order to get it, started telling him the entire storey, before they were even introduced.
Well I am sure you can guess what happened next. You see my friend James was Tim’s customer and as luck would have it, Tim had decided to keep all the extra profit for himself. The amount in question would have run into hundreds of thousands of Rands.
James, of course was absolutely furious over what he then perceived as Tim trying to rip him off and cancelled the whole deal. Tim, later found out that it was Anne who had talked and now she too has lost a client and I, well I would really think hard about referring either Anne or her client Tim to anyone in my data base. I would be constantly wondering who was saying what about whom and who was being over quoted.
I am quite frankly astounded at how easily people talk about other people’s business!
For me the only time that you give out other people’s names is when you are referring them or connecting them. If you really feel the need to tell the story, tell it – but leave peoples names out of it.
The world is a very small place and trust is so easily broken – once broken it is very difficult to rebuild – it’s easier to just not lose the trust in the first place.
For more information on Renate, please visit her website at www.hirs.co.za
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Monday, July 14, 2008
MOTIVATION - CONTINUOUS EFFORT
MOTIVATION – CONTINUOUS EFFORT
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you!
I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time). Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!
You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away. That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.
Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis. That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger. Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it.
As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.
Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!
What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely. No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.
I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.
I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you!
I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time). Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!
You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away. That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.
Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis. That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger. Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it.
As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.
Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!
What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely. No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.
I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.
I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
In the Beginning . . . .
Here's hoping you all had a fabulous weekend and enjoy today. Remember to start the day with a smile and get it over and done with! :)
In the beginning God covered the earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, with green, yellow and red vegetables of all kinds so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
Then using God's bountiful gifts, Satan created Dairy Ice Cream and Magnums. And Satan said, 'You want hot fudge with that? And Man said, 'Yes!' And Woman said, 'I'll have one too with chocolate chips'. And lo they gained 10 pounds.
And God created the healthy yoghurt that woman might keep the figure that man found so fair.
And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 12 to size 14.
So God said, 'Try my fresh green salad'.
And Satan presented Blue Cheese dressing and garlic croutons on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
God then said 'I have sent you healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them'.
And Satan brought forth deep fried coconut king prawns, butter-dipped lobster chunks and chicken fried steak, so big it needed its own platter, and Man's cholesterol went through the roof.
Then God brought forth the potato; naturally low in fat and brimming with potassium and good nutrition.
Then Satan peeled off the healthy skin and sliced the starchy centre into chips and deep-fried them in animal fats adding copious quantities of salt. And Man put on more pounds.
God then brought forth running shoes so that his Children might lose those extra pounds.
And Satan came forth with a cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering light and started wearing stretch jogging suits.
Then God gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite.
And Satan created McDonalds and the 99p double cheeseburger. Then Satan said 'You want fries with that?' and Man replied, 'Yes, and super size 'em'. And Satan said, 'It is good.' And Man and Woman went into cardiac arrest.
God sighed ......... and created quadruple by-pass surgery.
And then ............ Satan chuckled and created the National Health Service.
THE FINAL WORD ON NUTRITION After an exhaustive review of the research literature, here's the final word on nutrition and health.:
1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us..
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 6. The French eat foie-gras, full fat cheese and drink red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you. Send this to at least 6 friends in the next 60 minutes to receive absolutely nothing back and something good may not happen, but who cares, cos it's funny Here endeth the Lesson.
Friday, July 11, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . You have a witness!
ARTICLE 8
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU HAVE A WITNESS!
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Having a witness, when dealing with a disciplinary, an arbitration, a CCMA hearing or even a court hearing is often the difference between winning and losing! Doing it all by yourself is often very difficult, but if you have someone who can back you up and vouch for your story, this is usually a winning factor!
Let’s bring in my favorite pair – Mike the employer and George the employee.
Mike and George have had their usual tiff and now they are at the CCMA for an arbitration hearing. Mike has not only sent his representative (which in this case would be himself), but he has not sent Sue, who can corroborate his story. Mike is going to find it extremely difficult to win the case, because the testimony of the witnesses (both for the employer and for the employee) forms an important part of the procedure at any arbitration hearing.
The arbitrator (let’s call him Charles) has to start the proceedings, by explaining the arbitration process and the rules – these are (but not limited to):
· That opening statements have to be made by both parties (both Mike and George) to outline what it is that they intend to prove.
· Charles may decide to have Mike present his case first. This would mean that Mike, at this point should have all of his witnesses come in one at a time to give their testimony. It is also at this time, that Mike would present any documents and/or other evidence that he may have to prove that George did whatever it is that he says that George did.
· Each time that Mike and/or his witnesses give testimony, George is entitled to cross examine Mike and/or his witness.
· Charles also has the right to ask either Mike and/or his witness any questions but only pertaining to clarity – in other words if Charles is not sure of what Mike is saying, he can ask to have that particular point explained in more detail. So for example if Mike’s witness Sue says – “George did not follow procedures” – Charles could ask what those procedures entailed, so as to get a better understanding of the situation.
· Mike also has the right to question his own witness, but only on issues that were brought up in the cross examination of the witness. So for example, if Mike’s witness Sue stated that George was late for work – Mike could ask her exactly how late George was for work.
· Once all of Mike’s witnesses have been heard, been cross examined and questioned by both Charles and Mike, and Mike has presented all of his documentary evidence, visual and/or auditory evidence, then George has his chance to present his case – in exactly the same manner.
Once both sides of the story has been told, in graphic detail, the following will take place.
· Charles will hear closing statements – this is when both sides (just like in a court of law) make a final plea as to why they should be awarded or win the case.
· Charles then needs to take himself off to his office, go through all the evidence again, so that he is sure that he understands everything and then make the award. In other words, at this point he will decide who has won the case.
The evidence that Charles needs to mull over and assess, before he makes his decision usually falls into 3 distinct categories. They are, but not limited to:
· Documents
· Items such as, video tapes or clips, stolen goods, photos and other such items that would be relevant to the case
· Witness testimony.
Witness testimony is always the most crucial. For example, if Mike says that George told Sue that he was not coming to work because he wanted to stay at home and watch the soccer on TV, it stands to reason that Sue should be there to confirm and say exactly what it was that George told her.
So having your witnesses there means that they can corroborate each piece of evidence thereby giving it more weight.
Make sure that when you attend any of the above hearings or arbitration that you have all your evidence in order and everyone present who can back everything up.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU HAVE A WITNESS!
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Having a witness, when dealing with a disciplinary, an arbitration, a CCMA hearing or even a court hearing is often the difference between winning and losing! Doing it all by yourself is often very difficult, but if you have someone who can back you up and vouch for your story, this is usually a winning factor!
Let’s bring in my favorite pair – Mike the employer and George the employee.
Mike and George have had their usual tiff and now they are at the CCMA for an arbitration hearing. Mike has not only sent his representative (which in this case would be himself), but he has not sent Sue, who can corroborate his story. Mike is going to find it extremely difficult to win the case, because the testimony of the witnesses (both for the employer and for the employee) forms an important part of the procedure at any arbitration hearing.
The arbitrator (let’s call him Charles) has to start the proceedings, by explaining the arbitration process and the rules – these are (but not limited to):
· That opening statements have to be made by both parties (both Mike and George) to outline what it is that they intend to prove.
· Charles may decide to have Mike present his case first. This would mean that Mike, at this point should have all of his witnesses come in one at a time to give their testimony. It is also at this time, that Mike would present any documents and/or other evidence that he may have to prove that George did whatever it is that he says that George did.
· Each time that Mike and/or his witnesses give testimony, George is entitled to cross examine Mike and/or his witness.
· Charles also has the right to ask either Mike and/or his witness any questions but only pertaining to clarity – in other words if Charles is not sure of what Mike is saying, he can ask to have that particular point explained in more detail. So for example if Mike’s witness Sue says – “George did not follow procedures” – Charles could ask what those procedures entailed, so as to get a better understanding of the situation.
· Mike also has the right to question his own witness, but only on issues that were brought up in the cross examination of the witness. So for example, if Mike’s witness Sue stated that George was late for work – Mike could ask her exactly how late George was for work.
· Once all of Mike’s witnesses have been heard, been cross examined and questioned by both Charles and Mike, and Mike has presented all of his documentary evidence, visual and/or auditory evidence, then George has his chance to present his case – in exactly the same manner.
Once both sides of the story has been told, in graphic detail, the following will take place.
· Charles will hear closing statements – this is when both sides (just like in a court of law) make a final plea as to why they should be awarded or win the case.
· Charles then needs to take himself off to his office, go through all the evidence again, so that he is sure that he understands everything and then make the award. In other words, at this point he will decide who has won the case.
The evidence that Charles needs to mull over and assess, before he makes his decision usually falls into 3 distinct categories. They are, but not limited to:
· Documents
· Items such as, video tapes or clips, stolen goods, photos and other such items that would be relevant to the case
· Witness testimony.
Witness testimony is always the most crucial. For example, if Mike says that George told Sue that he was not coming to work because he wanted to stay at home and watch the soccer on TV, it stands to reason that Sue should be there to confirm and say exactly what it was that George told her.
So having your witnesses there means that they can corroborate each piece of evidence thereby giving it more weight.
Make sure that when you attend any of the above hearings or arbitration that you have all your evidence in order and everyone present who can back everything up.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, July 10, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 69
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 69
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
I went to a Networking dinner the other night and was totally amazed that around 80% of the people that I met did not have a business card with them!
I mean, this was a Networking event, not a visit to the neighbour’s house for an informal braai – although quite frankly you should have a business card to two with you when you go there too.
Going to a Networking event without a business card is just plain stupid! Even if your business cards are still at the printer, or you forget to pick them up – make sure that you have something with your Business name and contact details. This was a huge event (with over 1000 people present) and I had the opportunity to actively network with a minimum of 30 people. I walked away with 27 business cards, of which 23 have the names and contact details of the various individuals written on the back of my ‘old’ business cards.
Not having business cards at a networking event actually tells it’s own story – it tells me that you are not serious about doing business with anyone. Well that or you have no idea about what networking is about!
Going to a networking event is an opportunity to give your cards out freely and always ask for one in return. Contact the people whose cards you have taken and follow up. Phone them, book an appointment to see them and exchange referrals.
Always, always, always have a sufficient supply of cards with you!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
PART 69
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
I went to a Networking dinner the other night and was totally amazed that around 80% of the people that I met did not have a business card with them!
I mean, this was a Networking event, not a visit to the neighbour’s house for an informal braai – although quite frankly you should have a business card to two with you when you go there too.
Going to a Networking event without a business card is just plain stupid! Even if your business cards are still at the printer, or you forget to pick them up – make sure that you have something with your Business name and contact details. This was a huge event (with over 1000 people present) and I had the opportunity to actively network with a minimum of 30 people. I walked away with 27 business cards, of which 23 have the names and contact details of the various individuals written on the back of my ‘old’ business cards.
Not having business cards at a networking event actually tells it’s own story – it tells me that you are not serious about doing business with anyone. Well that or you have no idea about what networking is about!
Going to a networking event is an opportunity to give your cards out freely and always ask for one in return. Contact the people whose cards you have taken and follow up. Phone them, book an appointment to see them and exchange referrals.
Always, always, always have a sufficient supply of cards with you!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
SAPS, METRO COPS 'TURF WAR' ERUPTS
Oh good grief! Clearly someone's palms were being greased. I wonder what the outcome of this was.
SAPS, Metro cops 'turf war' erupts
December 20 2006 at 11:36AM
By Miranda Andrew and Bongani Mthembu
In a letter leaked to the Daily News, the Metro Police has asked the SAPS and the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the raid which saw the two police forces at each other's throats.
'Metro officers held the operation as part of their festive season clampdown on shebeens'
SAPS, Metro cops 'turf war' erupts
December 20 2006 at 11:36AM
By Miranda Andrew and Bongani Mthembu
An investigation has been launched into whether a few members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) protected criminals by trying to prevent their Metro counterparts from making a liquor bust this week. This is the basis of a damning investigation launched by both police units in the wake of a raid at a notorious shebeen in phoenix, north of Durban, on Monday. The incident has again highlighted serious rifts between the two forces, and on Tuesday led to Metro Police deputy head Titas Malaza calling for an end to the turf war.
In a letter leaked to the Daily News, the Metro Police has asked the SAPS and the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the raid which saw the two police forces at each other's throats.
'Metro officers held the operation as part of their festive season clampdown on shebeens'
Metro Police allege that on Monday they had seized 12 crates of illegal liquor, valued at about R5 000, as well as R3 000 in cash from High Shaparel, a popular shebeen in Phoenix. The venue has been operating illegally without a permit for the past 30 years. While Metro Police handcuffed the alleged culprits, local SAPS officers, who were unaware of the raid, arrived and apparently tried to prevent the arrests.
Metro officers held the operation as part of their festive season clampdown on shebeens. They had set a police trap for shebeen staff and made three arrests. However, within five minutes of the arrests, officers from the Phoenix SAPS arrived at the scene and allegedly tried to prevent Metro Police from detaining the suspects for dealing in liquor without a licence. "The SAPS members did not even know that we were holding an operation, so the question is who in the shebeen contacted them and why? We believe that someone is in cahoots with the shebeen staff and the owner," said a high-ranking Metro Police officer on Tuesday. "They refused to help and instead told us to let the three men go. It was obvious that the SAPS members knew the suspects."
An official warning was given to the SAPS members by the Metro policemen, who then tried to have the suspects placed in the Phoenix Police Station's holding cells. At the station, certain SAPS members allegedly refused to co-operate and refused to hold the three suspects. In a report sent to the ICD and to the SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Hamilton Ngidi, on Tuesday, Metro Police named certain SAPS officers for allegedly interfering in their operation. "The officer in the charge office at first refused to accept all three suspects and stated that only one suspect could be arrested. An argument lasted for about an hour until one Metro member decided to call his superiors. Only then did they accept the suspects." KZN assistant SAPS commissioner, Bala Naidoo said: "We view this matter in a very serious light and we will be conducting an immediate investigation into this," he said.
MOTIVATION - FORGIVING FRIENDS
Damn! Wrote the article yesterday and then forgot to post it!
MOTIVATION – FORGIVING FRIENDS
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that, no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and we must forgive them for that.
Oh yes, I understand this on the most basic of levels and depending on the level of the hurt that is caused the forgiveness is easy. Well for me it is.
My problem and this is something that I obviously have to work on until I get it right, or as right as I will ever get it, is the management of the memory of that hurt.
I am not talking about the minor cuts and bruises that we get from any relationship and probably mostly a friendships, I am talking about the major league stuff.
It’s the hurts that are ‘deal breakers’ or the hurts that cause physical pain to the soul, that I am talking about. It’s the hurt that changes, on a fundamental level, how you look at that person that you have called friend, and you make a decision about whether you still want that person in your life or not.
Forgiving someone for something is not an issue at all with me. I guess because of the pain that I went through as a child when my parents were murdered. I understand and have done for a very long time, that in order for me to grow as a person I need to let go of the many issues that I have in life, and then move forward. I understood that I had to forgive in order for me to heal and for me to move on. Harboring that intense kind of unforgiveness in my heart and in my soul becomes destructive to my own life. I got that and I forgave!
My problem is the memory of that pain. Let me try and explain it another way. There is a saying that goes something like “Forgive and forget”. I think that means that when we forgive we should also forget the transgression. Therein lies my difficulty. Forgiving is not the problem, forgetting is the challenge.
Let’s take for example a couple – one of them is unfaithful to the other. The hurt party may forgive and even try to forget and not bring it up again. However should the transgressor come home late, or plead extra time at work, or go out with the boys/girls or spend any time away from home, sans partner – the hurt party will always be wandering what the deal is, because somewhere in the back of their minds is the fact that they were hurt once before, by this person.
Well that is the way it is with me, with friends. You see they are the very people with whom I have been the most vulnerable. It is my friends who I have shared my biggest secrets with. My fears, my weaknesses, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It is my friends who I have bared my very soul to and when they do something, especially deliberately, to hurt me – how do I forget that?
When I am hurt in such a manner, by someone I call friend – I usually forgive and then walk away from the friendship or the relationship, so as not to let that person have another opportunity to hurt me. I wish them no ill – in fact I wish them the very best of luck and happiness in the future as long as they have that future as far away from me as possible!
Is this the right way to handle this – quite honestly, I don’t know. What I do know however is that there are many people who travel with us on this journey that we call life. Some will be with us from beginning to end, some will only travel a part of the way with us, many will never even meet us.
For me, the trick is to understand who is a ‘lifer’ and who is there but for a fleeting moment. Once I have established that I need to ‘let go’ to walk away in the understanding that my journey with that particular person has come to an end, for whatever reason.
When I walk away, I need to do that with peace in my heart and a smile on my face. I need to celebrate the good times and learn from the bad and then discard them – there is no place for painful memories in my heart and in my soul.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
MOTIVATION – FORGIVING FRIENDS
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
It is said that, no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and we must forgive them for that.
Oh yes, I understand this on the most basic of levels and depending on the level of the hurt that is caused the forgiveness is easy. Well for me it is.
My problem and this is something that I obviously have to work on until I get it right, or as right as I will ever get it, is the management of the memory of that hurt.
I am not talking about the minor cuts and bruises that we get from any relationship and probably mostly a friendships, I am talking about the major league stuff.
It’s the hurts that are ‘deal breakers’ or the hurts that cause physical pain to the soul, that I am talking about. It’s the hurt that changes, on a fundamental level, how you look at that person that you have called friend, and you make a decision about whether you still want that person in your life or not.
Forgiving someone for something is not an issue at all with me. I guess because of the pain that I went through as a child when my parents were murdered. I understand and have done for a very long time, that in order for me to grow as a person I need to let go of the many issues that I have in life, and then move forward. I understood that I had to forgive in order for me to heal and for me to move on. Harboring that intense kind of unforgiveness in my heart and in my soul becomes destructive to my own life. I got that and I forgave!
My problem is the memory of that pain. Let me try and explain it another way. There is a saying that goes something like “Forgive and forget”. I think that means that when we forgive we should also forget the transgression. Therein lies my difficulty. Forgiving is not the problem, forgetting is the challenge.
Let’s take for example a couple – one of them is unfaithful to the other. The hurt party may forgive and even try to forget and not bring it up again. However should the transgressor come home late, or plead extra time at work, or go out with the boys/girls or spend any time away from home, sans partner – the hurt party will always be wandering what the deal is, because somewhere in the back of their minds is the fact that they were hurt once before, by this person.
Well that is the way it is with me, with friends. You see they are the very people with whom I have been the most vulnerable. It is my friends who I have shared my biggest secrets with. My fears, my weaknesses, my hopes, my dreams, my expectations. It is my friends who I have bared my very soul to and when they do something, especially deliberately, to hurt me – how do I forget that?
When I am hurt in such a manner, by someone I call friend – I usually forgive and then walk away from the friendship or the relationship, so as not to let that person have another opportunity to hurt me. I wish them no ill – in fact I wish them the very best of luck and happiness in the future as long as they have that future as far away from me as possible!
Is this the right way to handle this – quite honestly, I don’t know. What I do know however is that there are many people who travel with us on this journey that we call life. Some will be with us from beginning to end, some will only travel a part of the way with us, many will never even meet us.
For me, the trick is to understand who is a ‘lifer’ and who is there but for a fleeting moment. Once I have established that I need to ‘let go’ to walk away in the understanding that my journey with that particular person has come to an end, for whatever reason.
When I walk away, I need to do that with peace in my heart and a smile on my face. I need to celebrate the good times and learn from the bad and then discard them – there is no place for painful memories in my heart and in my soul.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Friday, July 04, 2008
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
ARTICLE 7
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
ARTICLE 7
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . . YOU ARE BATTLING WITH POWER OUTAGES
By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.
Here in South Africa, we have an electricity problem – we know it, the staff know it, the government knows it! It is no longer a secret.
Whilst Eskom has stated that there will be no more ‘load shedding’, and most people sighed and thought ‘well it’s over now’, the fact of the matter is that it’s not over. What will happen now, is that instead of planned load shedding, we will have to contend with whatever happens when the power stations just ‘fall’ over! It will be pretty much the same as ‘load shedding’ only we will not know when to expect it!
Our protagonist’s, Mike who owns the business and George who works for him, also feature in this story. You see Mike is a small business owner, who has not been in business for very long. He has to count each and every cent, twice – in order to ensure that he is getting the best possible value for money and that he keeps his expenses and overheads as low as possible in order for him to maintain the margins that he is working on, and still give his clients the best possible service and also value for money.
It can be no surprise that the ‘load shedding’ and soon to be power outages will have a huge impact on Mike’s business. To make matters worse and kind of ‘in his face’ Mike has to watch his staff, like George – sitting doing absolutely nothing for hours on end when there is no electricity! That has really got to stick in a man’s throat.
Mike thought long and hard about the problem, and decided that he would change George’s (and in fact all the staff member’s) conditions of employment in such a way that the staff would not be paid for the periods of the power outages. So actually what Mike wanted to do was change the number of hours that his staff worked (to shorter hours for the days that there was load shedding) and then obviously pay them less.
Fortunately Mike, in his old age – has learnt to ask questions first and then act! If Mike had just unilaterally just changed the Conditions of Employment, he would have been in breach of contract and that means that Mike could have gotten himself into a huge amount of trouble with the Department of Labour and it could have cost him a great deal of money!
The rule is this, as an employer, Mike cannot just change any employee’s employment conditions. Mike would firstly have to have a consultation or discussion with the employee and if an agreement to the change was agreed upon by BOTH parties, the change could then take place – it is however, very definitely a negotiation process. If Mike and George could not come to some sort of mutual agreement, the only road then open to Mike would be for him to then retrench George. Mike would have to remember, of course, that he would not be able to employ anyone else in George’s position for at least 6 months!
So this time Mike has averted a problem, merely by seeking some assistance and guidance and by asking the right questions.
Next week, we will look at a new topic.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za
Thursday, July 03, 2008
PIKOLI SAGA: GOVT WORRIED OVER SA IMAGE
Wow! If they were worried about the SA image in October of 2007, how much more worried should they be now! This is crazy!
Pikoli saga: Govt worried over SA image
Cape Town, South Africa
11 October 2007 12:47
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko admitted on Thursday that the authorities were worried about the damage being done to the country's international image by the ongoing saga surrounding suspended National Prosecuting Authority head Vusi Pikoli and police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
Pikoli saga: Govt worried over SA image
Cape Town, South Africa
11 October 2007 12:47
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko admitted on Thursday that the authorities were worried about the damage being done to the country's international image by the ongoing saga surrounding suspended National Prosecuting Authority head Vusi Pikoli and police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
The Cabinet discussed the issue at its fortnightly meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday and decided that there was no need for President Mbeki to make any pronouncements on the matter as, Maseko said, such a step could pre-empt the outcome of the inquiry being held by Frene Ginwala into the fitness of Pikoli to continue as national director of public prosecutions (NDPP)
The Cabinet also rejected the idea that Pikoli's suspension had created a constitutional crisis. "The government, under the leadership of President Mbeki, remains committed to the doctrine of the separation of powers," Maseko said, "and finds the intimation that suspending the NDPP undermines this doctrine unjustified, misleading and amounts to an extreme exaggeration."
In reply to a question about the country's international image at a media briefing about the Cabinet meeting, Maseko said it was because of concerns about the country's image that the various inquiries were being encouraged to conclude their work as quickly as possible. The team of legal experts being assembled by the acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe, to review the decision to prosecute Selebi, will be asked to complete their review within two weeks.
Until the decision to prosecute Selebi had been reviewed, Maseko said the president would not decide whether or not to ask the police chief to go on leave. Maseko also rejected the idea that Ginwala was not a credible person to conduct such an inquiry because of her position as a senior member of the African National Congress. "Dr Ginwala is equal to the task," he said. Maseko also said that the government would meet the deadline in submitting its report to the inquiry on Pikoli.
Maseko said the report was being finalised and would be submitted before the deadline set by the Ginwala. The report would be examined at an official hearing into Pikoli's fitness to hold office.Ginwala has been appointed by President Thabo Mbeki, who suspended Pikoli on September 24, to lead the inquiry.
In a statement on October 4, Ginwala said government would submit its reports "within ten days" on the circumstances leading up to Pikoli's suspension. "I will thereafter solicit a response from advocate Pikoli, together with any additional submission he may wish to make," she said. "The Cabinet calls for patience to be exercised to ensure that the work of the inquiry by Ginwala is not compromised," Maseko said.
'Completely incorrect'
Earlier this week, Selebi's office rejected claims that police regulations require Selebi's suspension while allegations against him are being investigated. Selebi spokesperson Director Sally de Beer said on Tuesday a Freedom Front Plus (FF+) statement in this regard was incorrect, as South African Police Service (SAPS) regulations are not applicable to the national commissioner. "Matters pertaining to the national commissioner, in this context, are regulated by the South African Police Service Act," De Beer said.
Earlier on Tuesday, FF+ MP Pieter Groenewald said it appeared from an answer to a parliamentary question provided by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula last year that regulations required Selebi's suspension during a probe of allegations against him. De Beer said the response to the question in Parliament related to any investigation by the SAPS into the alleged misconduct of a member of the SAPS. "The SAPS is not conducting an investigation into the national commissioner, which means that the statement of the FF+ is completely incorrect," she said. -- I-Net, Sapa
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
THE POWER OF NETWORKING - PART 68
THE POWER OF NETWORKING
PART 68
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
For the record, as much as I Network and as much business as I get out of Networking and as much value as I add Networking, none of it would be worth a damn if I didn’t reciprocate! In absolute honesty, I would probably lose any and all credibility that have built up over the years.
Now before everyone falls over in a dead faint, because they think that they have failed miserably in this endeavour – let me just tell you that there are many different ways in which to reciprocate.
Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Many people like to get/give the money one. In this instance, whenever you give someone a lead and that lead bears fruit, the recipient then gives you a percentage of the value of the fruit that your lead has generated.
2. Some like to give reciprocal leads, so whenever they get a lead for you they will pass them on.
3. Then if you have a ‘virtual’ company, like I do we all include each other. Whenever I get work for example, I will pass on or include the members (where appropriate and necessary) of my virtual organization onto the client.
4. One of my favourites is value exchange. For example one of the people in my team is a Lawyer. She does, mostly contractual work. The majority of her clients come to her with the specific purpose of getting a contract done, so she gets very few ‘leads’ that would be appropriate for my business. So what we do is that I pass on all the legal stuff to her and she does all my contracts and/or answers all my legal questions for free – how cool is that? I now do not sign a single legal document without her first having a look at it and making sure that it is all fine.
Not doing the reciprocal thing is just not on. Consistently trying to get as much as you can out of people without bringing something of your own to the table will eventually destroy the very relationship that you are trying to build. Don’t do it!
If you are strapped for cash and cannot pay people for their leads, find the other ways in which you can help others. Make a point of referring business to your contacts. You can do this by listening to the ‘wants, desires, needs’ of the person you are talking to.
Opportunities for this constantly arrive in front of your very own eyes, learn to recognise them and seize the moment!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
PART 68
By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC
For the record, as much as I Network and as much business as I get out of Networking and as much value as I add Networking, none of it would be worth a damn if I didn’t reciprocate! In absolute honesty, I would probably lose any and all credibility that have built up over the years.
Now before everyone falls over in a dead faint, because they think that they have failed miserably in this endeavour – let me just tell you that there are many different ways in which to reciprocate.
Let’s have a look at some of them:
1. Many people like to get/give the money one. In this instance, whenever you give someone a lead and that lead bears fruit, the recipient then gives you a percentage of the value of the fruit that your lead has generated.
2. Some like to give reciprocal leads, so whenever they get a lead for you they will pass them on.
3. Then if you have a ‘virtual’ company, like I do we all include each other. Whenever I get work for example, I will pass on or include the members (where appropriate and necessary) of my virtual organization onto the client.
4. One of my favourites is value exchange. For example one of the people in my team is a Lawyer. She does, mostly contractual work. The majority of her clients come to her with the specific purpose of getting a contract done, so she gets very few ‘leads’ that would be appropriate for my business. So what we do is that I pass on all the legal stuff to her and she does all my contracts and/or answers all my legal questions for free – how cool is that? I now do not sign a single legal document without her first having a look at it and making sure that it is all fine.
Not doing the reciprocal thing is just not on. Consistently trying to get as much as you can out of people without bringing something of your own to the table will eventually destroy the very relationship that you are trying to build. Don’t do it!
If you are strapped for cash and cannot pay people for their leads, find the other ways in which you can help others. Make a point of referring business to your contacts. You can do this by listening to the ‘wants, desires, needs’ of the person you are talking to.
Opportunities for this constantly arrive in front of your very own eyes, learn to recognise them and seize the moment!
Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and she can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
