CUSTOMER STAKEOLDER...

Keeping Customers on Top

Employees, customers, shareholders, and suppliers of a firm are the key organizational stakeholders. There are obligations to these subjects that are often considered to be affected by organizational self-interest.

Customers help in holistically establishing the organizational reputation and identification. For example, Procter and Gamble is an ideal market-driven global powerhouse that has billion-dollar brands such as Olay, Tide, Crest, and Folgers etc.

It is important to realize that understanding the needs and offering high-quality products are the major attributes for a company's success.

Customer Loyalty and Business Ethics

Today, the contribution of customers in developing ethical programs and social responsibility standards is not quite clear. In a study, the ethical environment of a firm was found to be positively associated with customer loyalty. However, there are many variants of customer loyalty.

In competitive markets, market orientation and customer focus are the key drivers of organizational performance. Still, intense competition may also create unethical behaviors. For example, it is well documented how Pizza Hut and Papa John's attacked each other in advertising campaigns, declaring that each provided the 'freshest' ingredients. The matter was in the court of law and was resolved by civil litigation.

Ethical Customer Stakeholder Relationships

There is an implied reasoning about good faith and fair dealing. Performance cannot just be a matter of the firm's own discretion. This is not an ethical requirement but it has also been legally enforced in many states. Good faith and fair dealing may enforce a contract or a transaction according to the parties' expectations.

Therefore, ethically questionable practices can be treated with civil litigation. Ethically inappropriate judgments have a base for legal resolution. As an instance, Wal-Mart had roughly twelve lawsuits per day or one every couple of hours. Wal-Mart is the most sued public organization. The lawsuits stem from Wal-Mart’s customer interactions and their perceptions about the organization.

Consumer Protection and Legal Aspects

Ethical responsibilities have a strong base of legal protection. At the federal level, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) makes sure that consumer protection laws are enforced. Within FTC, the Bureau of Consumer Protection protects consumers from unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices.

At the state level, there are consumer protection statutes and deceptive trade practices laws. Consumer protection issues include product liability that refers to a business' legal responsibility for the product performance.

False or misleading communication can destroy stakeholders' trust in an organization and may be considered fraudulent. Ethical advertising is increasingly becoming a key issue in organizational communications. Exaggerated claims and concealed facts may be a part of advertising communications. These abuses range from the unethical to the illegal.

The Sarbanes–Oxley Act

The 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the United States sentencing commission guidelines provide strong directives to encourage ethical leadership. If ethical leadership fails, especially in corporate governance, there are significant penal ties.

Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, boards of directors need to provide oversight for all types of auditing. They are responsible for developing ethical behaviors. Moreover, court decisions of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations make the board members responsible for the ethical and legal compliance programs of the firms they control.

Misidentification

It has been found by research that consumers may identify with organizations and may see the overlap between firms’ attributes and their own individual attributes. The concept is important because consumers may seek organizational images that are in harmony with their self-identity.

Organizational misidentification may take place if individuals perceive a conflict between their own attributes and the attributes of the organization. For example, Enron, WorldCom, Parmalat, and HealthSouth were involved in unethical practices and assumed misidentification from customers.

Ethical Considerations

Wal-Mart has experienced ethical and legal allegations concerning employment issues. Wal-Mart workers usually get a lower pay and fewer benefits than other retail stores workers. Wal-Mart work force is over 1.4 million; hence its policies are blamed for low retail wages across America. However, the company’s philosophy helps save customers possibly more than $100 billion per year.

What a company can do for success and what the company should do for success are two different aspects. In Wal-Mart’s case, the customers seem to have more power, or they are the preferred stakeholders. Wal-Mart's suppliers are not 'preferred,' many communities boycott Wal-Mart, and employee treatment is scrutinized.

Establishing a Balanced Stakeholder Orientation

There are potential conflicts between customer stakeholders and other stakeholders, including the communities for natural environment or economic development. Some customers engage in self-centered approach while some other customer groups prefer organized communication and actions.

For example, Nike has been boycotted by consumer groups concerning child labor practices. In general, however, these groups are not organized or have a uniform voice. Therefore, a danger that some more powerful stakeholders may influence ethical decisions in a manner not in the overall best interests of consumers is imminent.

The Business Stakeholder Relationships

Organizational ethics programs have become popular for ethical relationships with all stakeholders. Organizations often create an ethical or an unethical corporate culture depending on their leadership and the commitment to the values of stakeholder relationships.

Strategic approach to improve organizational ethics depends on establishing, communicating, and monitoring ethical values and legal requirements of organizational history, culture, and environment.

Key customer issues today include privacy, identity theft, disclosure of product information, etc. Forming an ethical climate that looks for the needs of customers must be based on a foundation of ethical values that make concrete connections between the standards and the actions of organizations.

   "It's sad to know I'm done. But looking back, I've got a lot of great memories".

                                                     ----- Bonnie Blair

Dealing with Anger

People, by their own experience, know the unwelcoming effects of anger on their physical and emotional stability, and the unexpected consequences of them being angry in some situations. Still, some people find it hard to control their anger.

Dealing with Anger

PLAN BEFORE PREACHING

Before discussing anything sensitive topic or giving feedback, always be sure of the words that you use are appropriate and well-suited.

TALK TO ONE AT A TIME

Most people find receiving feedback in front of a group of people humiliating. They face too much embarrassment to focus on your message. Try to talk to one person at a time.

CHOOSE YOUR TIMING

Wait for a suitable time to provide feedback. Remember that feedbacks are given to help a person improve. He needs to be receptive at the time of conversation. Avoid giving feedback when he is stressed, worried, or tired.

TALK TO-THE-POINT

The person receiving the feedback must know which exact areas he needs to work on, so be precise in giving the feedback.

MENTION THE POSITIVES TOO

Techniques like the “Sandwich Feedback” where the feedback about negatives is sandwiched between two positive feedbacks ensure a person takes the feedback constructively.

STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP

Assure the person- in case he feels threatened while listening to the feedback- that irrespective of what the feedback is, you both will continue to share a cordial relationship. Learn to say ‘no’ where the other person gets persuasive.

  “Projections are just bullshit. They’re just guesses.”  

                           –Jason Fried, Founder, 37 Signals

Assertiveness Questionnaire

Given below is a list of scenarios. Try imagining yourself in them to see how comfortable you feel in each of the following situations.

Assertiveness Questionnaire

Do you wish to check your own assertiveness? Use this questionnaire by following these guidelines −

Read the scenario carefully.

Tick in one of the columns 1, 2, 3, or 4 according to your level of comfort given as follows −

1 − You are very uncomfortable

2 − You are slightly uncomfortable

3 − You are reasonably comfortable

4 − You are very comfortable

Tally the total ticks in the individual boxes.

If you get more than 5 ticks on 4, you are an assertive person!

DIFFICULT SCENARIOS 1234 You can speak up when you didn’t get the service you expected in a restaurant.When you are angry, you tend to express it.You can keep cool when a person criticizes you.You can speak in front of a group of people.You can tell a person to stop doing something that annoys or bothers you.You can request your friend unapologetically to return an item he borrowed.You can start a conversation with a stranger.You can return a defective item to the shop you bought it from.You can ask someone a favor of him.You can admit to ignorance on a particular topic.You can deal with opposing ideas and constructive criticism.You can say ‘no’ unapologetically to a request someone made to you.You express your feelings in front of a friend.You can argue with another person for your rights.You can refuse a friend a favor when you are not interested.

Download Practice-Sheet, to check How assertive you are?

  “I knew that if I failed I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.”  

                                   –Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO

SYMPTOMS OF ANGER..

SYMPTOMS OF ANGER..

External factors such as personal issues with others, debts, frustration, unfavorable situations or lack of time for self and family leads to negative thoughts. The Mental Symptoms of Anger are −

Discomfort

Irritation

Restlessness

At the same time, our body also starts responding uncontrollably to these situations by exhibiting the Physical Symptoms of Anger such as −

Heart beating rapidly

Muscles getting tense

Sweat buds forming on forehead

These mental and physical discomforts combine and lead us to exhibit aggressive behavior such as −

Shouting and arguing

Throwing objects

Kicking walls, punching pillows, or slamming doors

Crying

But the worst way to deal with anger is to do nothing, i.e., bottle it up. This suppressing of anger leads to getting drunk frequently, excessive smoking, and even taking drugs. In extreme cases, people also hurt themselves.

In situations like these, the most important thing to tell yourself is that people, situations, or the surroundings do not make you angry. It is the way we react to them that makes us angry.

In short, anybody or anything that angers you − controls you.

THE A-B-C-D MODEL.

THE A-B-C-D MODEL.

The A-B-C-D model, developed by Albert Ellis, is regarded worldwide as powerful therapy to overcome anger management problems.

A (Activation Agent) − The situation that triggers your anger.

B (Believing) − How you interpret the activating event.

C (Consequences) − This is your feelings and actions in response to your belief.

D (Dispute) − "Disputing" is checking with beliefs if they are realistic or just a figment of your distorted imagination. This is significant in Anger Management.

Example of the A-B-C-D Model

A (Activation Agent)

You’re walking down the stairs and somebody collides with you and takes off without apologizing.

B (Believing)

You think, “Everybody is so reckless nowadays; they treat others like pests.”

C (Conclusions)

You notice that your muscles are tense, your heart rate is high, and you feel like you want to hit the steering wheel. You roll down your window and yell an expletive out at the other driver.

D (Dispute)

You could say to yourself − “Maybe he had some emergency… probably not, but you never know; this is life.”

Disputing your irrational belief with this kind of rational self-talk diffuses anger and calms you down.

COMMUNICATION AND ANGER...

COMMUNICATION AND ANGER...

Angry people tend to interpret things personally and jump to irrational conclusions. Improving communication skills reduces misunderstandings that lead to anger.

Tips to Improve Communication Skills

Here are a few tips that you can apply to improve your communication skills.

Listening to Others − Listen to what others are saying rather than speaking first.

Not Jumping to Conclusions − Avoid mind-reading. Give a chance to the other person to put his point-of-view clearly and comprehensively.

Not Fighting Back Immediately − Keep calm and find out what the other person’s real feelings are behind his saying what he has said.

Expressing Your Real Feelings − You need to be clear about what is the driving emotion behind your anger. The most common emotions behind anger are fear, shame, guilt, or frustration.

Long-term Beliefs

Sometimes people hold extremely negative views about themselves that they arrive at on their own or have been drilled into them, for example − "I’m not very smart.", or "I’m dull at studies."

You need to remind yourself that everyone has lived through unhappy times in their past. It’s best to let go of any negative self-critical analyses.

HOW TO BE A TRUE ENTREPRENEUR....

HOW TO BE A TRUE ENTREPRENEUR....

A careful decision must be made to move on to a position involving leadership. This means that, entrepreneurs should begin to inherit attributes of great leaders from now onwards. This can boost entrepreneurs to be capable of thriving in their varied roles in the organization.

Set a Role Model

Choose leaders whom entrepreneurs idolize most. They may be leaders of modern world or may be legendary leaders from history or maybe both. Start working by combining styles that entrepreneurs think are most suitable for them. They might include personally known mentors as well.

Maintain Discipline and Decorum

To become an entrepreneur, you need to change some habits that you inherited when you were a follower. A good control over the working process and a consistent rate of implementing ideas are necessary qualities of an entrepreneur. As entrepreneurs, who we have seen before, basic building blocks of a great leader is based on being sincere; have some patience and wait to strike the right note.

Be Determined

Embrace responsibilities of entrepreneurs to understand the role of one. Be persistent in the role of an entrepreneur as it is one of the toughest things to do.

Learn to Study

Be a student of the qualities in a good leader. Conduct various researches with respect to subject, listen to records, lectures and debates about entrepreneurship and take classes based on it. There are many learning options available in the market. Study the greatest ideas out of each of them and start to implement them in everyday activities and thinking.

Practice

Know the basics of entrepreneurship and then try to master them, while integrating some newer attributes or consciousness level all time. With course of time, not only will entrepreneurs become the masters at the art of harnessing their skills, but also will become capable enough to mentor others towards becoming better leaders as well.

This brings us to the statement that entrepreneurs are made, not born. The path of an entrepreneur will not necessarily always seem to be easy nor it may look fun, but they need to keep in mind that their goals are always within reach. Some people like to say that journey itself contains all the rewards. With this positive attitude, entrepreneurs are already nurturing their winning habits.

Risk Takers

If an entrepreneur intends to grow, it is important to sportively accept failures as different possibilities. A great entrepreneur has to do this and tell others they need not worry about failures. In fact, the best of entrepreneurs follow their idea at the cost of repeated failures, as every misstep gets them closer to success.

Entrepreneurs must be willing to take certain risks, so that they learn from their mistakes and become capable enough to answer questions correctly to make investors feel comfortable with their idea. That is why if someone approaches an entrepreneur with an idea, they don’t immediately reject it as ineffective.

They permit him/her to think around the idea and determine if it really makes sense. If something goes wrong, they do not discourage that person, instead they are grateful for learning something new. Entrepreneurs gain experience and learn from such meetings, which encourages them to take more risks by analyzing every aspect of that risk.

Ethical Behavior

Entrepreneurs set the bar very high when it comes to maintaining their integrity and accountability towards the organization, irrespective of any circumstances that may, at times, look detrimental to the company’s cause. Still, in the longer run, the organization will come out much stronger and better because of this.

Entrepreneurs will be held liable for some of their toughest decisions. They need to keep in mind that it is never possible to satisfy everyone to their heart’s content all the time. But the least entrepreneurs can do is to be fair to all their team members. When the nature of business is a bit too competitive, entrepreneurs will have to take tough decisions, which may initially be unsavory, but will benefit the company later.

Positive Attitude

The significance of a positive attitude is great in the professional lives of entrepreneurs. Great entrepreneurs tend to harness a strong, positive attitude that leaves a mark on others and tends to spread throughout the team. They inject their team members’ minds with confidence, which makes them capable enough to bounce back in in case of any adverse circumstances.

Even if entrepreneurs have a greater number of odds against them, greater also are the chances for a true entrepreneur to rise from a tough situation. As a matter of fact, a large number of entrepreneurs have earned fame for themselves by standing strongly against the toughest of times.

People at times perceive them as being unshakable and calm during crisis situations. This does not mean that they are just acting likewise and are being untrue to themselves. A great leader, most of the times, needs help when something does not go right. However, the most important quality is not to panic and lose focus

Eat that Gerbil

Imagine one morning you wake up and you eat a Gerbil for breakfast. This may sound disgusting but the best part is nothing worse than this could happen to you all day. So, the entire day, you will have a satisfaction that nothing worse than this could happen.

Here, Gerbil is the work that has the greatest impact on achieving your goals and the work that you are most likely to procrastinate starting. There is a different story which says, "If you have to eat two gerbils, eat the ugliest one first!". Let us put it this way, say you have two important tasks to complete, then start with the biggest, toughest and the most important task first.

Always discipline yourself to start immediately and then to stop when you complete that task. Do not let your mind wander in any other task. Always try to stop yourself from starting with the easier task. Remember, a small decision you take today affects your present and your future as well.

Now, if you plan to eat a living Gerbil, it will not sit quiet waiting for you to come and eat it. You must work hard to catch it first; so, the key to complete your task is by learning how to handle different situations and planning what is the most important thing you have to complete, and then start working on it.

CREATING A PRODUCTIVITY JOURNAL...

CREATING A PRODUCTIVITY JOURNAL...

It is always a good idea to keep a track of how much money you have spent and the time spent towards your goal, as this will help you analyze how productive you are. This will also help you examine and adjust your priorities and have a clear mindset towards your goals.

Having a productivity journal is just like having a time log, you can also use a spreadsheet to create one. Your journal should include three things, which are −

Activities,

Time spent on each activity, and

The progress or the outcome of the activity.

You must maintain all the three sections honestly.

The Urgent Vs Important Matrix

Sometimes we are busy handling things which tend to be important, but are not actually that important. The best example of this situation is the distracted zone. These tasks may seem important for people around, but they don’t help you to meet your goals.

Urgent and Important − As the name suggests the tasks in this section demand urgent attention, it includes handling critical issues as soon as they arise in the first place.

Important, but Not Urgent − This section includes success-oriented tasks which are important for achieving your goal, but they do not demand immediate attention.

Urgent, but Not Important − This section includes tasks which needs to be done urgently, but are not that important. These tasks don’t help you to take your goals forward. You can try delaying them or postponing them for some time or even finish them in your leisure time.

Not Urgent and Not Important − The tasks which are neither urgent nor important and are not even related to your goals are composed in this section. These can be considered as just some distractions you get in your way. None of your family and friends are labeled in this category. The things which are not important like playing games for hours are labeled in this section.

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule states that 80 percent of our success comes from only 20 percent of our actions. In simple words, it is important to focus more on the 20 percent which demands the actions to de-bone for the 80% success. Plan, prioritize and start working on the 20%.

The Glass Jar: Rocks, Pebbles, Sand and Water

This method of “rocks in a glass jar demonstration” is like the time management techniques which are used to demonstrate the importance of having all your priorities set. In this method, a glass jar is first filled with large rocks and then with pebbles.

After pebbles, the jar is filled with sand and water. The main objective of this exercise is to teach the participants that they have to put large rocks first, else it won’t fit later. The large rocks represent different goals which we need to prioritize in our lives to achieve.

How to be confident....

How to Be Confident Around Girls if You're Shy

Feeling confident around girls is something many guys struggle with, but it doesn’t mean you are destined to a lifetime of loneliness. Being shy creates a reluctance to engage socially for fear of becoming embarrassed. Overcoming shyness is about putting your focus and energy outward during a conversation with a girl. If you work to control your feelings of shyness, and then take steps to build your confidence, you can be the life of the party.

Understand what it means to be shy. Characteristics of being shy can be manifested in different ways under different circumstances for each individual. Knowing what situations cause your feelings of shyness can help you address the symptoms of shyness when they occur:

·        Being hesitant to speak up in social situations
·        Mumbling or talking softly
·        Avoiding social gatherings
·        Being overly talkative due to nervousness.

Recognize what situations make you feel shy. Understanding that almost everyone feels shy at some point can help you overcome your own feelings of shyness. It is natural to be nervous under uncertain circumstances. When you can mentally prepare for a situation it is less likely to make you nervous and shy because you know what to expect. Plan ahead and you’ll be ready to take on challenges as they are no longer unknowns.

Change your internal monologue. If you are constantly saying negative things about yourself in your head, then you will have an extremely hard time ever feeling confident. Even though it isn’t true, telling yourself phrases like “I’m just socially awkward” or “Nobody will ever like me, I’m too weird” will make you believe you are not worthy of attention from a girl. Instead create a mantra that builds you up:


·        “I’m awesome!”
·        “I like talking to everyone!”
·        “I am going to meet new people today.”

Avoid over analyzing what people are saying. Many times shyness is a result of perceived perceptions. People think that others see them a certain way and make that their reality, when in fact, no one is having the thoughts you believe they are. Take people for their word and don’t worry about what someone might be thinking.

Focus your attention on the people you’re talking to. Instead of centering the conversation around you, talk to and about other people. Avoid starting sentences with “I” and talk about the other person’s interests instead. If you’re not thinking about yourself, it is less likely you will find yourself feeling shy!

Have a good time! When you are happy and enjoying yourself it is much less likely that you will feel shy. Let yourself have fun and don’t be afraid to relax.

How to dress...??
Dress to impress. It is important that you feel good about your clothing and style to present yourself in the best light. It doesn’t matter what you wear as long as it feels good to you. There is no one style that says “I’m confident,” but if you believe that you wear it well, you will!

Educate yourself on topics you’re interested in. Being able to discuss a topic in detail will give you the confidence to begin a conversation with many different people. Learn more than just the headlines of a news story and you can discuss the details with several groups of individuals.
Make eye contact when speaking to someone. Communication is about so much more than words. Sometimes what we say is less important that how we say it. Make sure that you are letting the people you talk to know you care about them by connecting with them visually throughout your conversation.

Set easy goals for yourself. Start off by making a point to say “Hi” to a girl you want to talk to. Open the door for future conversations by taking small steps. Don’t expect to be the head cheerleader’s best friend if you’ve never talked to her before. You need to build up confidence by introducing yourself to lots of people to get comfortable talking to lots of girls.

Practice talking in the mirror. Watch your facial expressions and think about what responses you would have in a particular conversation. Knowing what you might say can help you prepare for a great conversation. Just a simple smile at yourself each day can do wonders for your self esteem!
Be honest about your shyness. When you introduce yourself to a girl, let her know that you are trying to overcome being shy. Many girls find guys who are shy extremely attractive. Let your shyness be a way in and not something that keeps you out. Try one of these opening lines:
·        "There's so many people here, it's hard to find someone to talk to because I'm kinda shy."
·        "Can I sit with you, I'm shy and just need a quiet place to relax."
·        "I'm terrible at meeting new people, can we pretend we know each other so it isn't so awkward?"
Make a joke about being shy. When you are having a conversation use the fact that you are shy as a way to poke fun at yourself.
·        "Being shy always makes me feel small, do I look little to you?
·        "I would tell you a joke, but I'm too shy and always mess up the punch lines"
·        "If I weren't shy it would be a lot easier to find out what you like"
Bring a friend to be your wingman. Sometimes having a friend by your side can make it much easier to approach a girl. Ask a friend you trust to help introduce you to new people and start conversations.
Live in the moment. Don't worry about what might happen in the future of your conversation; focus on the here and now. It is easier for the conversation to flow if you are concentrating on the current topic and not planning the future.