Sunday, August 30, 2009

What is Teamwork?


The ______ of the Leader

According to John Maxwell, "The speed of the leader is the speed of the team." While that's true, it is important to remember that the leader sets many agendas in addition to speed. Consider this phrase: The ______ of the leader is the ______ of the team. Now pick almost any word to fill in the blanks...

Attitude.

Enthusiasm.

Focus.

Service.

Rarely will team members rise higher than the standard set by the team leader. As I often share with my audiences, team members pay more attention to what the leader does than what the leader says. Ideally, there is congruence between the words and the action of the leaders. Wherever there is discongruence, followers choose to believe actions.

Are you giving team members something to live up to? Or are you a limiting factor in the team's success?

Teamwork: Where?

While working with a telecom company recently, I was reminded of a couple of points about teamwork that are seldom addressed but critically important. The first is this:

Teamwork isn't always the best means to an end.

There is much organizational work that is better done by an individual. Trying to bring teamwork to bear on every process and activity is likely to create something that has a scary resemblance to the dreaded "management by committee."

To make teamwork work, it is necessary to answer the question "Where?" Where should we team and/or partner? What areas will be improved by applying a teamwork approach?

Secondly, it isn't enough to sell the benefits of teamwork if you can't identify the opportunities. This is related to my previous point. Start by asking where in your organization teamwork is most needed. Rather than apply a general and vague team approach, target specific areas. Once momentum is gained in those important areas, you can increase the scope of teamwork.

I wonder how many team efforts crashed and burned because nobody ever asked if teamwork was desirable for the type of work being done, or identified where the opportunities for teamwork were greatest.

Middle-Down Teamwork

One of the most common mistakes I observe is what I call "middle-down teamwork." That occurs when upper management thinks that teamwork is a great concept for every in the organization except them.

Here's what happens: someone in leadership gets turned-on by an article in Fortune or Business Week about the organizational benefits of teamwork. That usually results in a mandate to create teamwork that is directed to middle management. Middle management is expected to put their people through prerequisite training and take the steps necessary to ""make it happen." Often during the initial training, it becomes painfully obvious to those involved that upper management neither practices nor supports the concept of teamwork, and that if teamwork is to happen, it will happen from the middle down. Evaluations of the training include comments like, "Why wasn't upper management involved in the training?" and "I hope our leadership takes these lessons to heart."

For teamwork to work, it must be embraced--in principle and in practice--by everyone in the organization. But, in my opinion, the best place for a teamwork initiative to start is at the top. Once employees see leadership practicing what they preach, it becomes significantly easier to get acceptance throughout the organization.

1. In successful teams, team members are interdependent. They are willing to ask for help when they need it and offer help when they can provide it.
2. Work groups compete inward. Teams compete outward. There are three things you can use to create healthy competition: a competitor in the marketplace, a team goal to be achieved or a common problem to be solved.
3. Team members are self-starters. Since they understand the big picture, they don't need to be told what to do.
4. Successful team members share both rewards and sacrifices. Don't expect people to make sacrifices if they won't get to share in the rewards later.
5. The best thing you can strive for is not a team with a great leader. The highest goal is a team of leaders.



Thursday, August 27, 2009

Plugging



Plugging... What an effective way to get your business or service out there.. And guess what? It's FREE.


So many websites and blogs have plug boards on them that will allow you to place your plug and url on their board in exchange for allowing them to plug on yours...And you can still find websites and blogs that will let you plug without even having a plug board of your own.

Of course you can google "plug boards" but you won't get as many listings as you would by actually visiting one. Because once you visit one, you will have access to many more.

You will need a plug image that represents you. For this blog, I am using the "My Kids My Why" and I can go to other blogs or websites and plug it...Meaning, when someone clicks on the image, it will take them to my business or service.

Example: at the bottom of this blog is a section called "Plug It" When plugging you will need an image url and a website url.... In the first box is where you will input the image url.... That link is what allows your image to show.... The second box is your website url..... once you enter both, you click on "plug" and that will display your image and link so someone can click on it and see what you are all about.

So go ahead and plug everywhere you can... It's a great way to get your business/service out there and the best part is, it's FREE!



Cindy Ashworth is a single, work at home mom. Providing a REAL work at home business with one on one coaching and mentoring. The way it should be! Also the owner of www.asinglewahm.blogspot.com and www.mykidsmywhy.com.

Articles written in this blog by Cindy Ashworth are the sole property of Cindy Ashworth and permission is needed for duplication.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

And yes, I voted for Obama!!!

Leave it to Maxine to come up with a solution for the mess that we are in economically now


I bought a bird feeder. I hung
It on my back porch and filled
It with seed. What a beauty of
A bird feeder it was, as I filled it

Lovingly with seed. Within a
Week we had hundreds of birds
Taking advantage of the
Continuous flow of free and
Easily accessible food.

But then the birds started
Building nests in the boards
Of the patio, above the table,
And next to the barbecue.


Then came the poop. It was
Everywhere: on the patio tile,
The chairs, the table ..
Everywhere!

Then some of the birds
Turned mean. They would
Dive bomb me and try to
Peck me even though I had
Fed them out of my own
Pocket.

And others birds were
Boisterous and loud. They
Sat on the feeder and
Squawked and screamed at
All hours of the day and night
And demanded that I fill it
When it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even
Sit on my own back porch
Anymore. So I took down the
Bird feeder and in three days
The birds were gone. I cleaned
Up their mess and took down
The many nests they had built
All over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like
It used to be .... Quiet, serene....
And no one demanding their
Rights to a free meal.

Now let's see.
Our government gives out
Free food, subsidized housing,
Free medical care and free
Education, and allows anyone
Born here to be an automatic
Citizen.

Then the illegals came by the
Tens of thousands. Suddenly
Our taxes went up to pay for
Free services; small apartments
Are housing 5 families; you
Have to wait 6 hours to be seen
By an emergency room doctor;
Your child's second grade class is
Behind other schools because
Over half the class doesn't speak
English.

Corn Flakes now come in a
Bilingual box; I have to
'press one ' to hear my bank
Talk to me in English, and
People waving flags other
Than our flag are
Squawking and screaming
In the streets, demanding
More rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe
it's time for the government
To take down the bird feeder.


If you agree, pass it on; if not,
Continue cleaning up the poop.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Friday, August 21, 2009

Awww..I don't know what to do....


Ok
...so, I have a situation that I don't know how to handle. If only this was about business... I know that inside and out.

This involves family... Family that I choose to have no contact with. All I can say is that for all the people out there that have close ties to their family, their parents, siblings and cousins.... I so envy that.

But some of us end up in situations where we have to choose between sanity and family connections. And that's what I had to do. After the birth of my son, I knew I had to choose sanity.....I only wanted the best for my boy....And honestly, in my situation it was not a hard choice to make considering the upbringing that I had.

So I cut off all ties to family accept to those that were of no harm to me or my family... That being my brother and my Grandmother....Which I love so deeply.

So now I have recently come across my sister....She of course has a blog out there and I stumbled on it... My brother tells me that she is a lost soul....Into a lot of trouble and stuff....But the BIG sister in me kicks in and I want to know how she is....(she lost a baby, my niece, awhile back).......Yet I am scared to let her in because I don't want her to take advantage of me or my kids.... I don't want to get close again and end up with no sister... Which is what happened before.

Yes, I could sit here and tell the (poor is me stories) of how I not only took care of my brother and sister while we were growing up... But I also had to gain custody of them. And then I found myself in a position where I had to choose between my brother or my husband.... And I chose my brother....Which helped to end my marriage....

I tried so hard with my sister to keep her on the right track yet she ventured off down the wrong road....I lost contact with her after that....I had a son and had to put him first, along with my sanity.

Here I am, giving the opportunity to reach out to my sister....My blood... Who seems to still be a lost soul, yet the sisterliness in me wants to reach out to her.... I just don't know what to do.

If she is mixed up in drugs or things of that nature... I don't want anything to do with her...Yet a part of me understands the grief she must feel with the loss of her little girl (my niece).... And I am her sister, after all....

As my children get older, I can only be grateful for the family that they do have and hope they understand why I have to keep my distance from my family....

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Looking In The Mirror

























What do you see when you look in

the mirror? My 41st birthday was
yesterday and as I look in my mirror,
I can see all the fine lines and the
wrinkles that are becoming me.

Each line has it's own story. Some are
happy times and some are not so happy.
But they are mine and I earned each one.

Well, I survived my 41st Birthday. (woohoo)!
Honestly, I think my kids

were more excited than I was.

My little girl kept calling me "The
Birthday Girl"...lol and my son just
kept hugging me all day....One of his
friends even came over to play and
my son told him it was my birthday
and he wanted to hang out with me..

"What"? I thought to myself. Is he
sick? Did he bump his head? lol

So we went out to eat which was
a real treat since I am the one
that's always cooking. I even stopped off and got a hair cut. Mistake! I won't go there anymore. I now have bangs. The problem is, I have not had bangs in years... Now I do and they are about 1/2 inch long... Blah!!!

They even made me a cake which was the best cake ever! And now they want me to take
them to the water park....Saying it's for me.. So we are continuing my birthday on Monday by taking the kids to the water park...

Yes. I am a little older, showing it a little more...But when I look in the mirror, I still see the 'little girl in me, just with a few lines and wrinkles....

Monday, August 17, 2009

Oil Change Instructions

Oil Change instructions for Women :

1) Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.

2) Drink a cup of coffee.

3) 15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:

Oil Change: $20.00
Coffee: $1.00
Total: $21.00


Oil Change instructions for Men:

1) Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.

2) Stop by 7/11 and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20, drive home.

3) Open a beer and drink it.

4) Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.

5) Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.

6) In frustration, open another beer and drink it.

7) Place drain pan under engine.

8) Look for 9/16 box end wrench.

9) Give up and use crescent wrench.

10) Unscrew drain plug.

11) Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss.

12) Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil.

13) Have another beer while watching oil drain.

14) Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.

15) Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.

16) Crawl out from under car with dripping oil filter splashing oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.

17) Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.

18) Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.

19) Remember drain plug from step 11.

20) Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.

21) Drink beer.

22) Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.

23) Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.

24) Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.

25) Begin cussing fit.

26) Throw stupid crescent wrench.

27) Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit bowling trophy.

28) Beer.

29) Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.

30) Beer.

31) Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.

32) Beer.

33) Lower car from jack stands.

34) Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.

35) Beer.

36) Test drive car.

37) Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.

38) Car gets impounded.

39) Call loving wife, make bail.

40) 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.

Money spent:
Parts:
$ 50.00
DUI: $2500.00
Impound fee: $ 75.00
Bail:
$1500.00
Beer:
$20.00
Total: $4,145.00



Friday, August 14, 2009

Do You Need A Virtual Assistant?


If you are in business for yourself then I am sure you have heard the term - Outsourcing.
When you can take specific tasks and delegate them to a trusted individual to get the job done, that is outsourcing. Leaving you time to focus on the essential duties that you need to do yourself.

So what is a Virtual Assistant? Consider your Virtual Assistant your Personal Assistant. This is an individual that has your business needs #1 on their priority list.
What does a Virtual Assistant do? A Virtual Assistant is your right hand. Accomplishing so many of the tasks that you just don't have enough time to do yourself.

What are some of the tasks a Virtual Assistant can do? Each Virtual Assistant expertise will vary. But following is a list of the basics that a Virtual Assistant can and will do:

1) Administrative Tasks
2) Set appointments
3) Draw up contracts, proposals and quotes
4) Relieve you of the tedious tasks that time just does not allow you to do yourself
5) Data Entry
6) Order Taking/Processing
7) Email
8) Creating Spreadsheets
9) Power Point Presentations
10) Marketing

Sundi Hayes brings her front office C-Level can do attitude and skills to provide back office support and administration to speakers, coaches and trainers across the nation. After fifteen years in Corporate America, her organizational, project management, communication and process development skills have been sharpened and honed to perfection.

As a Christian, wife and soccer mom to three pre-teen boys, working a full time job and working toward the dream of being a full-time soloist. She knows first hand that balance can be achieved through the use of advanced technology and a lot of it.

Cutting edge technology comes with a price, however, My Office Zilla has been a bootstrap organization from the beginning. Starting in early 2008 with only a laptop and internet connection, Sundi's company has experienced much of its growth as a result of her fantastic attitude and willingness to learn new things - whether it's a new skill to benefit her clients or to further her personal love of learning.

Technology has consistently provided the means to finding unique solutions to many of her clients' challenges. In the end, what her clients experience is Sundi's passion to take their visions from dream to reality.


http://www.myofficezilla.com
http://www.myofficezilla.com/nibbles
You can find Sundi on twitter: @Sundi_MOZ

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I will be starting something new... Something I have not done yet but look forward to doing. I will be featuring other business's right here. I will try to keep it mixed up and cover many different people and business's. Please come back often because I will be speaking with my first "Featured Guest" tomorrow.

Make it a great night!


Cindy Ashworth is a single, work at home mom. Providing a REAL work at home business with one on one coaching and mentoring. The way it should be! Also the owner of www.asinglewahm.blogspot.com and www.mykidsmywhy.com.

Articles written in this blog by Cindy Ashworth are the sole property of Cindy Ashworth and permission is needed for duplication.

Effectively Growing Your Business


What is the most effective way for a business, any business to grow? If you said "word of mouth", you are correct.


You and your family go and see a movie... You like it....You tell your girlfriend about it...And now she goes to see it because of what you said about it.

Your boyfriend takes you out to eat at a new restaurant that just opened up....You both had great service...The waiters were coming by constantly topping off your beverage...Asking if there was something else you needed... The food was amazing... The lighting was perfect....There was romance and still room to converse in getting to know each other a little more......The ambiance was perfect and the bill for your romance and connection was even better.... Of course you go ahead and tell everyone you know about the great dining experience you had....

Referrals.....All business's are built on referrals. And it is your recommendation that drives more traffic to that certain business. We do it every day, maybe not even knowing that we are doing it. We recommend the shoes we bought....The place we ate at...The movie we saw....Everything is all about referring.

So what if you came across a business that you totally believed in.... 100%... No if's, ands or buts....Would you refer? Of course you would! It's just natural to us... We do it every day and we are not even paid on it.

There is a home-based business that is built just on that... Referrals...And if you are looking to work at home, to own your own home based business and you have no problem referring something that you believe in, then you need to visit here and see if you have any problem referring this to your friends....Honest to goodness, this is life changing... And I am letting everyone know about it....


Cindy Ashworth is a single, work at home mom. Providing a REAL work at home business with one on one coaching and mentoring. The way it should be! Also the owner of www.asinglewahm.blogspot.com and www.mykidsmywhy.com.

Articles written in this blog by Cindy Ashworth are the sole property of Cindy Ashworth and permission is needed for duplication.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Introducing Your Business


When introducing your business to a potential partner, there are a few things you NEED to do in order to succeed.


First: Be honest with yourself. Is your business something you really believe in? Or are you just crossing your fingers hoping that people will just jump on board with you? If you don't honestly believe in what you are doing, people will see through it.

*** Does your business impact people positively?
*** Will individuals benefit from the business? Not just financially.
*** Will your business become saturated? Will it still be something that the public needs and wants over a period of time?


Second: If your business involves teaming up and working together, make sure that you are there for your new partner.

*** Don't display your opportunity to potential partners by placing a pretty bow on a shiny package when inviting new partners to join you and then find yourself not there for your new partners.
*** This takes commitment on your part. You need to make sure you are there and available to your new partners. They are depending on you.

You are dealing with Real people, with Real dreams and Real Hopes. Make sure you believe in what you are doing. It also helps when your opportunity is something that is not just a fad... Something that will last forever....Something that is honest and ethical and helps everyone and everyone can benefit not just financially, but in more ways you can imagine.




Cindy Ashworth is a single, work at home mom. Providing a REAL work at home business with one on one coaching and mentoring. The way it should be! Also the owner of www.asinglewahm.blogspot.com and www.mykidsmywhy.com.

Articles written in this blog by Cindy Ashworth are the sole property of Cindy Ashworth and permission is needed for duplication.

Friday, August 7, 2009

There Still Is Hope!

It is so hard for people to try and stay positive with the economy in such a bad state. So many people are losing their jobs... Getting their hours cut back...Every day there is another story of a "Mom and Pop' business closing down...And then there are so many "Big" business's closing down as well.

NOW is actually the time to start looking into running your own home-based business. More and more people are jumping on board and looking to work at home because of their own financial situation.

I hear every day how people think it takes hundreds, even thousands of dollars to start their own business. That just baffles me...And yet, it angers me as well. So many people are in "Desperate Mode" when looking for a home-based business and it's because of that, we have scams out there.

Understand this: There is a difference between working at home and owning your own home-business. One will most likely require a nominal fee and the other won't. I should also point out that when working from home for someone else, you again are placed in a position where you really don't have job security. You can't even imagine all the people that are looking right now for the same thing you are.... Positions are going fast, everywhere.

There is, however, hope for the individual that is looking to own their own home-based business. Your business! With all the incentives included...Imagine everything you can write off. Not just paper and ink, I'm talking about part of your electric, possibly mortgage, gas and even your household necessities. Yes, your laundry soap, shampoo, floor cleaner...Shoot! Your vitamins as well, if you take vitamins.

If you find yourself looking into owning your own business, contact me....I will gladly share what I do with you and see if it's a match for what you are looking for. It very well may be. But if you don't take the step in contacting me, where will you be 6 weeks from now? Will anything have changed for you? Take the step now..... You really have nothing to lose. Just email me.

Cindy@Im-a-wahm.com


Cindy Ashworth is a single, work at home mom. Providing a REAL work at home business with one on one coaching and mentoring. The way it should be! Also the owner of www.asinglewahm.blogspot.com and www.mykidsmywhy.com.

Articles written in this blog by Cindy Ashworth are the sole property of Cindy Ashworth and permission is needed for duplication.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009