Which one is more important? The customer/client or employees?

Here's an "important" thought. It really depends on how you define "important"! "Important" can be defined as something of great consequence. Quite frankly, if you don't have clients/customers, you'll be out of business a lot faster than if you don't have employees and you do it all yourself. That's pretty consequential. However, "important" can also be defined as prominent or of considerable influence. You really can't run a great business without influential employees. You might be able to get by if you have a great product that everyone wants and your clients/customers aren't very influential. So it all depends on how you define "important"!

How do you get organized?

I have helped small businesses organize their paper filing systems so that they can get things done. Admittedly, paper is not as easy to organize as on-line documents with on-line tools, but a “tickler file” is part of a system that allows paper to be:

o Thrown away
o Referred to someone else
o Acted on
o Filed for later use

A tickler file is simply an accordion file labeled 1 through 31 and January through December so that you can act on something at a later time (and not think about it until then).

How do you build a better team despite personality conflicts?

Essentials of effective teamwork

Your team can overcome personality conflicts – and boost productivity – by keeping the following points in mind:

1. You don’t have to be best buddies to work together. Even if you don’t socialize after work, you can still have perfectly productive working relationships with team members.

2. No one’s perfect. Sure, some of your teammates will get on your nerves. But you too may rub people the wrong way. Remind everyone that all members deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect – despite any personality differences.

3. You may have more in common than you think. Even with your differences, you share something significant with co-workers – a stake in the success of your team and company. View colleagues as allies in your quest to achieve goals.

4. Accept, even encourage, differing opinions. The results can generate fresh thinking and give you a new perspective on your job.

5. Effective teamwork takes planning. Don’t let teammates go with the flow and hope for the best. Work with members to set clear-cut goals. Discuss them together, write them down, and distribute copies to the group.

6. Measure progress. Being aware of the team’s accomplishments will inspire everyone to continue working together.

Source: Leadership From the Front Lines. Published by Bureau of Business Practice, 800-243-0876.

Are Leaders also Managers?

Leaders look from the "outside in" while managers "draw out" from what's on the inside. Leaders cover the vision (where the organization is going) while managers cover the mission (how the organization will get there). A person can do both.

Finish this statement: “If I were in charge of the world’s economy, I would...

If I were in charge of the world's economy, I would follow a strict vetting process of hiring business individuals with strong financial minds that could categorize government expenses and pass austerity measures to draw back from spending so much while eliminating pet projects that cost too much. The process of borrowing our own money from a central bank that charges us bank interest would be re-examined so a cycle would be created and we could get a large deficit reduced while increasing the top line.