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Dear <$salutation$> A Christmas gift from P-tekSeason’s Greetings from P-tek Development Solutions Ltd - and this month we're taking the role of Santa Claus with a bag of goodies to ensure you have a happier New Year in business than the pundits want you to expect. And as an extra gift, act now for your chance to win our prize draw! Chris Barnard, Managing Director, P-tek Development Solutions Ltd P-tek focus - on Elene Marsden Elene is also a qualified practitioner of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and a founder member of the Ipswich NLP Practice Group. Her enthusiasm for helping people succeed in business has led her to develop a series of business-networking training courses. The art of networking is not just about trying to secure new business now, it is also about sowing the seeds that will generate the business you want in the future; so how you present yourself to others and get your message across to new contacts is vital. Elene helps organisations cultivate a network of endless referrals. Keeping track of business contacts can be achieved with software packages like ACT! Contact Manager, and courses are available for users and administrators to ensure they get the best from their software and stay ahead of the competition. P-tek is proud to have the opportunity to utilise Elene’s skills, especially as she provides the following training courses:
Elene is a seller of ACT customer relationship management (CRM) solutions to help organisations optimise their contact management and get the most from their customer relationships. She says, ‘Most organisations know that tailored training delivers the best return on investment, and this is our area of speciality’. Whether you want to learn new skills or become a Microsoft power user, whether you want to increase your impact or improve your productivity. . . P-tek is proud to be able to supply Elene Marsden to meet that need! For more information, contact P-tek Development Solutions Ltd on 08448 011 733 by fax on 07092 029439 or by e-mail Top tips for DecemberAri Galper: Observations about seeing opportunities. . .
After many years of being in the singles scene, she finally found her soulmate, Mark. My toast at the dinner reception was called ‘The Perfect Handoff’, which was my way of saying that I can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she will now have a loving husband who will be there for her through life’s ups and downs. I feel a sense of peace knowing she is now in good hands for the rest of her life. Yesterday, after the festivities ended, I walked across the street from my hotel in downtown San Diego to get a bite to eat. As I headed towards Horton Plaza, a large shopping mall in the centre of downtown, I couldn’t help but notice the large number of people who were homeless on the streets and asking for money. I grew up here in San Diego, so there were always homeless people in the downtown area, but yesterday I was shocked at how many I saw. The interesting thing was that, as I observed some of them, I could see and hear they were quite articulate and confident in the way they approached people who walked past them. Then I was thinking to myself, ‘Gosh, as articulate as some of them were, with a little resourcefulness, they probably could quickly create a better life for themselves.’ I started to look up and down the street thinking about what resources there were within a five-block radius of where I was standing that could be used to create a consistent stream of income. To my left was a T-Mobile store. For less than US$50, you can get a pre-paid mobile phone to make and take phone calls. Down the road and two streets over was a public library that has Internet access for free. And, in the Horton Plaza mall, there were some stores selling new shirts and trousers for US$10–US$30. With these combined resources, a person could be well dressed, get an e-mail address, access leads to call from the Internet and a complete communication system through a pre-paid mobile phone. On a larger scale, with all that’s happening in the economy, I started to think about what is going to separate those who reach new heights of success and to those who end up in a place they never intended to be. Two words: Resilience and Resourcefulness. I’ve put together five strategies for how you can recalibrate your mindset to succeed in this new economy: 1 Be open to reinventing yourself So many people feel ‘stuck’ only because they aren’t able to see themselves in a different place. I have a relative who has been in the same industry his whole working life, was recently laid off and refuses to reinvent himself to become marketable for a different industry that is growing super fast. Even with my continued suggestions to help reinvent himself, his comfort zone continues to remain in the same space that he’s always been. You’ll need to be completely open to observing new opportunities around you. Stepping out of your comfort zone is EXACTLY what is required to take you to a place were you can succeed with confidence. 2 Hang around with people who think differently You’ve probably heard of the term ‘group think’, where people make similar decisions based on the people they spend time with. First thing to ask yourself: ‘Are the people I spend time with innovators and challengers to the status quo?’ If not, and all they do is react to the economic news broadcast by the media, then it’s time for you to align yourself with a group of people who take full responsibility for their own success. 3 Sales ability is one of the most important ‘must-have’ skills in any economy If you can sell effectively, no matter what industry or profession you’re in, you’ll always have what you need. Selling is a fundamental skill that will always be required in ANY economic conditions. Someone is always looking to solve a problem and, if they can’t solve it themselves, they’ll pay someone who has the solution. Your ability to find that person and create enough trust to prove that you care about helping them, is what will set you apart from everyone else. 4 Stay present It’s so easy to be spending our day thinking about what might happen. You know what I mean, the ‘what-if’ thoughts that enter your mind that haven’t happened. It’s fruitless to be thinking about anything else but the present moment you are in. Ironically, if you’re thinking about ‘what-if’ thoughts throughout the day, your subconscious will bring you those things you are thinking about. Every couple of hours, set an alarm on your calendar that says: ‘Where am I now?’. Then look around you, notice things that you see in front of you. That interruption will help you stay present. Interrupting your negative thought patterns is one of the most powerful secrets used by highly successful people. 5 You are your most valuable asset Don’t stop expanding your knowledge base and skills. The last thing you want to be doing at times like these is nothing. Ask yourself: ‘What skills can I sharpen?’, ‘Who around me is doing interesting and profitable things that I can learn from’, ‘What’s one or two new things I can learn in the next 30 days that will make me sharper than I am now?’ If you look at the most successful people who continue to thrive, the one common trait they all have is the belief that they have FULL responsibility for their success. We live in a time with access to amazing technology and a plethora of successful role models. Start by tapping into your natural abilities and take action towards resilience and resourcefulness. Ari Galper, founder of Unlock The Game™, makes cold calling painless and simple. Learn his free cold-calling secrets even the sales gurus don’t know. To receive your ten free audio mini-lessons, visit www.UnlockTheGame.com. For more information, contact Ari Galper on 020 8150 6147 or by e-mail. His website is another good source. Bernadette Doyle: Books that made the difference
Every couple of months, I create space on my bookshelf by having a good clear out and donating the books to my local Oxfam shop. Yet, no matter how many times I’ve done this over the years, there are some books that ALWAYS make the cut. I was reflecting on this, when I realised that there is a reason these books have a special place in my heart. Each one of them helped me make an important distinction or gave me an idea that helped me to transform my business – and life. So, in no particular order, here they are and the reason why they’ve earned a lifetime membership on my bookshelf: How to Make Millions With Your Ideas by Dan Kennedy The book that opened my eyes to the power of information marketing and showed me how it was possible to profit from my expertise instead of my time. Not only did it open my eyes to the power of information marketing, it was also my first experience with Dan Kennedy. I’ve done very well out of my association with both in the ensuing years. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki Helped me to make the distinction between earned income and leveraged income. Honestly, I didn’t get it on my first encounter, although it definitely planted a seed about passive income. This book was the reason I stopped offering one-to-one coaching. The Great Formula by Mark Joyner Gave me a major ‘ah-ha’ moment, when the author pointed out that infomercial giant Guthy-Renker has one main criterion when evaluating new products: is there potential for continuity income? That ‘ah ha’ led me to reconsider my entire product range and replace one-off purchase opportunities with programmes that provided support and advice on an ongoing basis. That one simple change has transformed my entire business – until you know the feeling of starting each month with a significant chunk of guaranteed income, you have no idea what you’re missing. Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury I was always intimidated by the idea of negotiating until I came across this book. Everything changed when the authors provided me with one simple question, ‘How did you arrive at that figure?’. I’ve never looked back! The Portable Coach by Thomas Leonard Where do I start? There were so many light-bulb moments when I read this book, I could have been a Christmas tree! Misnamed in my opinion (its subtitle, 28 Principles of Attraction, might be a better description), this is one I return to over and over. Even today, it is ahead of its time. If these books haven’t made it onto your reading list yet, I recommend that you check them out soon! © Bernadette Doyle, 2008 Bernadette Doyle publishes her weekly Client Magnets newsletter for trainers, coaches, consultants, complementary therapists and solo professionals. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, then get your free tips now at the Client Magnets website. If you liked this article, then you’ll love Bernadette Doyle’s Marketing Mastermind group for regular intense spoonfeeds of her personal marketing and success strategies. For more information, contact P-tek Development Solutions Ltd on 08701 125101, by fax on 07092 029439 or by e-mail. Performance management: how appraisals can add business value Performance management should be a central part of any organisation’s HR process, particularly in a downturn when talent needs to be maximised. The appraisal process plays a key role in this, says Richard Doherty. Creating and maintaining a comprehensive and uniform performance management programme enables HR departments to align line managers and employees with the goals of the business. As a starting point, every employee should have an appraisal. Yet for many organisations, appraisals have become an administrative chore rather than actually providing true value to both employees and the business as a whole. Because of the process, many managers simply ‘check the box’ instead of spending valuable face time with employees to actually help improve and drive performance. It is therefore hardly surprising that recent research from Investors in People found that 29% of people thought that their annual appraisal was a waste of time rather than being a key part of their career development. A badly managed performance management process can cause talented people to become disengaged with the company or even leave – lack of opportunity for internal development or promotion invariably results in an unhappy workforce, higher absentee rates, lower morale and decreased productivity. In most cases, people leave their jobs due to not seeing a career path rather than for purely financial reasons. From the perspective of the HR department, the appraisal process can involve a blizzard of e-mails and paper and the chasing of line managers across multiple departments, all of which can be quite unstructured. Many hours are spent on creating, distributing and processing appraisals and reviews in a paper-based environment, only for them then to be lost in administration, paperwork and co-ordination. So, rather than monitoring the quality of appraisals and identifying training gaps across the business, the majority of HR managers’ time is being spent chasing feedback, compiling paperwork and ensuring that deadlines are met. All of this can create a vicious circle for HR departments. Another criticism of appraisals is that they sometimes feel like a management chore with managers simply going through the motions each year. One of the primary reasons for this is a lack of preparation and training, as companies often delegate appraisals to line managers with little or no HR experience, who are often ill prepared for the task. Technology and performance management Thanks to technology, organisations now have access to the tools that enable them to facilitate a more proactive approach to the appraisal process. Performance management software can significantly reduce the amount of time spent paper chasing, as automated reminders, status reports and process escalation can all help ensure task efficiency and completion in line with company objectives. This software can also provide organisations with visibility into employee performance and goals alignment throughout the year, which should be a key element of any organisation’s overall talent management strategy. Maintaining an individual’s appraisal and performance review in a single repository, which is accessible to managers across the business, can be a critical tool in ensuring management continuity, especially in periods of large organisational change. By removing the administrative tasks associated with its appraisal programme and having an enhanced visibility of the process, HR teams can now spend much more time assisting managers, ensuring reviews are carried out and analysing its results. For participants, less time is taken to complete the process, which can increase productivity, while producing a more positive impression of the appraisal and development strategies in the company. Enhancing employee engagement Whilst appraisals are usually a six-monthly or annual event, feedback should not be confined to formal review sessions. Instead, employee feedback should be ongoing. Regular and consistent performance management can be a powerful employee engagement tool. It creates an opportunity for managers and employees to review performance, share positive and negative feedback, and to identify objectives and development plans. Appraisal follow up is vital. Too often, follow up is neglected, which only adds to employee frustration and undermines the importance of the entire appraisal system. If goals are laid out, they must be constantly reassessed. Those organisations that neglect their employees’ development run the risk of losing their talent pool and damaging their business success. Ultimately, a bad appraisal process can result in lost money to business. The tools are now available to make the appraisal system much more beneficial to everyone involved. It is up to organisations to take a good look at the processes they have in place and assess whether they truly benefit the business’s overall performance and talent management objectives. Richard Doherty is VP Operations (UK) at Jobpartners Copyright © 2008 HR Zone Ltd. All rights reserved. The HR Zone website can be accessed here. For more information, contact P-tek Development Solutions Ltd on 08701 125101, by fax on 07092 029439 or by e-mail. News roundupJust the click of a mouse away Millions of pounds worth of funding is available to help businesses in the East of England to expand and develop using the expertise on offer at the region’s universities and colleges. The Government is keen to encourage businesses to make use of the cutting-edge resources and highly skilled teams on offer within the higher education system. As a result, full or part funding is available from bodies including the Department of Trade and Industry and the East of England Development Agency to facilitate business and academic collaborations. i10, the business to university support service for the East of England, has simplified the process of finding this funding by providing a free and easy-to-use online service called GRANTnet. GRANTnet is available to help businesses easily find finance to work with a local university. The database filters the hundreds of funding streams, initiatives and programmes available to identify the scheme which best meets the businesses’ needs. Businesses can access GRANTnet through the i10 website. The database is simple to use and does all the legwork required by searching through the 4,000 different funding options available. The search engine then provides the business with a simple overview of all the relevant funding available to them. Organisations of all sizes and across all sectors could benefit by using GRANTnet to find finance to work with universities on a range of projects, including: • research and development projects • new product and process development • identifying new markets and generating new ideas • product design, testing, analysis and development • trouble-shooting and problem solving • performance optimisation and process improvement • management and marketing. i10 Project Manager Ralph Ecclestone said: ‘We are extremely keen to ensure that businesses in the East of England realise the vast amount of expertise that is available for them to utilise at our region’s universities. But we are aware that financial concerns could hold some businesses back from investigating the benefits of working with their local universities. Therefore, we have developed our GRANTnet service to enable businesses quickly and simply to find funding in order to help them set up a collaboration project with a university. He added: ‘We have had many success stories of companies in the East of England using the knowledge available locally to enhance their business performance and we would encourage as many other businesses as possible to follow in these footsteps.’ For more information about i10 and GRANTnet, visit www.i10.org.uk/funding, call 0845 234 2314 or e-mail funding@i10.org.uk Copyright © i10 2008. All rights reserved. The i10 website can be accessed here. For more information, contact P-tek Development Solutions Ltd on 08701 125101, by fax on 07092 029439 or by e-mail. Bad management linked to heart disease Employees who experience poor management and leadership are more likely to suffer from heart disease, according to research by Swedish scientists. The study of 3,000 men found a strong link between employees who feel undervalued and unsupported at work and their risk of experiencing heart problems. Scientists tracked the health of the employees aged between 19 and 70 working in the Stockholm area between 1992 and 1995. Anna Nyberg, lead researcher, said the study is the first to provide evidence of the relationship between managerial behaviours and heart disease in employees. ‘Enhancing managers’ skills could have important stress-reducing effects on employees and enhance the health at workplaces,’ she added. Those involved had to rate the leadership style of their senior managers, and during the monitoring period 74 cases of fatal and non-fatal heart attacks occurred. Employers who see stress as a sign of hard work and do not react to initial warning signs will see their staff suffer further, according to System Concepts. Copyright © HRreview 2008. All rights reserved. HRreview can be accessed here. For more information, contact P-tek Development Solutions Ltd on 08701 125101, by fax on 07092 029439 or by e-mail.
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P-tek Development Solutions Ltd
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Elene
Marsden started her own company after several years’ experience
teaching in secondary, tertiary and adult education. For eight
years, she has been training companies and their staff in IT office
skills as well as working as a virtual coach and assessor for an
online learning centre. Elene is passionate about coaching others
to maximise the benefits they can gain from effective use of today’s
information and communication technologies. 
I’ve
just finished off a fantastic wedding weekend here in San Diego.
It wasn’t mine, but my sister Eydie’s
wedding. 
Since
I was a small child, I’ve always loved reading.
Even though I don’t buy as many books as I used to (I’ve
learned that the real ‘meat’ is contained in the higher
priced home-study courses and trainings offered by these authors),
my love of books has contributed to quite a bulging book collection
over the years. 
