Long Term Investments in employees pays-off!

A owner of a corporation in the Colorado area provided an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business son planning his thesis. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the most effective market strategies. The discussion and questions also including corporate risks and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO confessed that managing a firm's long-term reserves had always been at the core of his energy and determining stakeholders was pivotal. Weighing possibilities in every aspect was his solution to the question about best decision-making practice. The 60 minute interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the greatest liability and what was the biggest asset in the company. After bumbling through a list of financial jargon, the CEO stopped unexpectedly and thought carefully before saying that all of that was secondary because the employees could be the greatest asset or they could be the greatest liability. The individuals working for you can make or break the company. Simple as that. The CEO then took our friend's son out to lunch and they continued to talk. The conversation included examples from the CEO's experience when he worked at a restaurant through college and when he managed various establishments. He had many examples of how good workers actually made the company money and the managers and owners did not always know it or recognize it. At the same time, a rude or incompetent or an employee with a bad attitude could ruin not only the sale at the time, but later. They talked about the television show Undercover Bosses where CEOs pretend to be new employees on the ground level for a week to actually get some in field experience and insight. The CEO admitted that he had thought of doing that. The two of them throughout lunch talked about different episodes and came to the summation that employees do make or break a company. And usually what they want most even more than money or raises is to be treated respectfully and to have their efforts acknowledged. They want a thank you of some kind whether it be just a sincere thanks, a gift card, money, a promotion of a gift. The graduate shared that his mom who had been an administrative assistant had just resign her job the week before saying she had just had enough. Her boss not only did not see what she had accomplished but did not seem to care about rewarding anyone. When she suggested he give gift cards he said that was fine but she would have to give them and write the note and he put her on a small budget. After a year she suggested they give time off to employees but he refused saying. She realized morale was really low and he did agree and she was to come up with something. She told him to come into the next morning meeting, which employees hated, with food. He told her to get some cheap donuts from the supermarket. She started just standing up to him and said no, he needed to spend some bucks and get quality pastries or food and quality coffee boxes from the Panera Bread down the street. He delegated her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It did the trick and employees liked it. She needed a different idea for the mid afternoon meetings. So when she saw the huge basket delivered next door with all kinds of treats for employees she was impressed and contacted the basket company, Baskets by Rita. For the same money they put together a big basket with goodies to put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. It was huge and they delivered it to her that day. The boss walked in with a corporate snack basket and there were cheers from the once tired employees. The student made an appointment the next day with his adviser to change his thesis topic to center on the importance of gratitude and acknowledgment for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.

First Impressions are so very important!

Making a good first impression is at the heart of management and profession skill musts. Whether you are applying for a job or managing a project it is a strategy tool that ranks among the most important. You want to get off to a good start. One article suggests that within 3 seconds someone judges you by your appearance, your body language, you mannerisms, and the way you present yourself. We make impressions by our decisions, what we say and by what others say about us. To make a great impression you must know what was said about you or how you are viewed. If it is positive you come with a good reputation. If it was not you have a chance to change that impression. How you present yourself IS the impression. That first impression must be effective enough to show confidence to establish trust. However over-confidence can destroy trust. It is a fine line. Polite, attentive, on-time, positive, appropriateness and sincerity go a long ways. Fortunately you do not have to sign up for a seminar or school, but simply google making a nice impression to find numerous sites with free and valuable information. The difficulty lies in finding out what others have said about you and what information they already know. That means researching. So that takes care of the first impression. The key is keeping a excellent impression. Once that you have landed that deal or sold that house or secured that client your impression skills are not locked in. You must expand that impression that they made the right choice and that you truly understand them. You do that in your words and phrases with a letter or note or a phone call. You do it in your conduct with making face to face timely visits when possible. And you are sure to spend a few bucks to maintain that impression. It might be with food or gifts, and not just holiday expected gifts. When you first land the sale follow up with something. My neighbor is a real estate agent and used to send a restaurant gift card to her clients after the closing. He now walks into the closing with an impressive and festive gift basket from Baskets by Rita. He already knows the client, so whether it's a Colorado Gift Basket, wine gift basket, gourmet gift basket he pays the money for it to be a wow factor and make the tremendous impression as he walks through the door. He said the day he came into the room with a baby gift basket for the couple about to become parents they were so excited. Lasting impressions have perks and he says that the wow factor and the oohs and aahhhs he gets from them carry through. As they thank him as they are leaving, he mentions he would appreciate any referrals they would send his way. When they refer, he has another gift basket sent to their house. He claims this impression has definitely increased his client list. So good impressions are crucial.

Gift for Medical Student

Individuals who are aware of scholars who are either applying to medical school or preparing to take medical licensing exams realize of how stressful they are. Just because everyone is cheering on a student does not take off the very intense pressure they sense. Whether it is the medical students entrance exam or one of licensing exams they have a lot at risk and feel their whole future is resting on that specific test. Financially each assessment not passed brings on more financial burdens to them and they probably have already accumulated high loans. So whether a person is taking the MCAT the Medical College Admission Test as a med school entrance exam or the the USMLE the United States Medical Licensing Exam or FSMB Federation of State Medical Boards they all mean higher stress. No one can take the exam or go through it for them so all others can do is urge them to continue the degree programs, whether it be for a Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or even a masters of physician assistant program. Since so much is riding on the licensing in getting the medical degree phone calls of support are helpful but phone texts are even better since they can read them at their convenience. A med students program is heavy and free time and sleep are short. It is always good to let them know you are thinking of them and you know how tough these times are and that they have your backing. You can send a card. You can order a stress and anxiety relief gift to be delivered to help them through those long study hours. University of Colorado med students have enjoyed the Med Student Care Package and Board Exam Gift from Baskets by Rita of Aurora. Located just down the street Baskets by Rita does ship across the United States so care packages are not limited to the Denver area or just Colorado. They are pretty cute and come in a doctor RX box. They have also been used for doctors to send to particular patients or students they have mentored or as a thank you from a med student to thank a professor/doctor. Set up as the med student care package and board exam gift for support might have been the intent but they will customize it for a patient to send to thank a doctor or even for someone to send as a get well gift with a card saying just what the doctor ordered for you to get well. Minimizing pressure and showing emotional support are a definite positive impact on good mental health. Treats and good wishes are always welcome and relieve stress and show thanks, concern, care, best wishes.

Football Beer Gift Tub for a frustrated fan!

So how is your favorite team doing this season? It is football season again and for those of us who enjoy football we live for this time of year. Not only is it gorgeous weather to go to games but we begrudge the fact it has been a long dry season in the sporting world since Superbowl time last year. Hopefully each of us is looking at the teams, playing fantasy football and making predictions. For guys it supplies a piece of dialogue for any place we find ourselves. There is also the unknown and best hopes for our favored football team to do well this season. Everybody seems to be talking about the replacement refs and how soon will normal football refs be back on the fields. It is way too convenient to get so upset about it that you find yourself ranting and raving. That is what has been happening at my house. I whine and moan and groan and am short tempered with my wife and she does not deserve that. She is such a smart football wife that to get mad is not the manner she handles things. She amazingly uses good will and humor. I am so fortunate. After this weekend and my awful mood I did not rightfully deserve to get anything for my birthday yesterday. I was in Denver and she had a Budweiser beer gift from Baskets by Rita delivered to my hotel. Since one of my favorite teams was the Denver Broncos the tub she ordered was a Bronco one and she wrote a terrific message using her awesome humor to help get me level-headed. It was wonderful. I called her and decided to have flowers sent the next day. I always do that. So since I'm gone for a week, I called the lady at baskets by Rita and she's sending a gourmet wine basket to my wife. Good move on my part because my wife will not expect it. Us guys are not very creative or good about gifts but I am fairly darn proud and pleased with myself. My pop is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan so I sent him a sympathy basket. He will appreciate it and really get a kick out of it. My mom was raised and is loyal to the Giants, have been raised in NYC, so I'm having a Congratulations basket sent to her arriving the same day. Can hardly wait to chat to my parents. They are always coming up with gifts and ways to help my wife and me so this would be great. This ref strike has certainly got everyone talking. The good news is that it gives co-workers something else to talk about besides politics. Our secretary really gets on all of us though and she says we should be feeling sorry for those poor replacement refs. Without them we couldn't watch any football at all. I guess that is true because) they don't have the training and we should probably be offering them some thanks. So since I have done my part I think people who know any replacement refs should give them some sympathy and probably send a good luck gift.

A cool birthday gift

All my pals know that they will get either beer, a bottle of wine or flowers I grabbed on the way to see them. It was successful for a while, but now it seems to be just too predictable. Looking for a completely different birthday gifts can take a lot of time. Today I went looking for my best close friend which should be easy. I know exactly what he will like so it should have been very easy. I ended up just going to a big box store and buying a gift card. They used to have small cool wooden crate type things to put the gift card in but not anymore. So that was alright but really dull. Last weekend my dear wife was out of town and asked me to run out and get products to put in a basket for her cousin who was bringing her daughter to Colorado to start college. My wife emailed me a list of all the wares to buy for the basket so I went to find it. She puts in mostly Colorado products like chocolates, chips, salsa, tortilla chips, peanuts, Colorado water, tea drink, coffee, beef jerky, cheese, crackers, and honey sticks. First I could not find a basket in the supermarket and only a few of the items. I finally threw in the towel because it was taking forever to look and be sure I had Colorado made foods. My neighbor was also shopping and I revealed my irritation when she suggested just going to our business district and going into the big kitchen specialty shop and having them help me. I did that and it was helpful but I was shocked at how much it expense, including the basket. They offered to help me put it all together in the basket and put on a nice big bow. It looked great and my wife was not shocked at the cost of buying the goods there. She goes to 7 or 8 different places to buy all the items and saves about twenty dollars. Now that is just way too much work. An simpler way is just to go online and find a gift basket shop that will do it and deliver it. My wife and I argued over the cost, so to show my point I found a number of baskets at Baskets by Rita which is a Colorado based company. They have a Colorado wooden crate that is cooler than typical baskets. Even after the delivery cost, it turned out it was less expensive than us doing it ourselves. So getting back to the birthday gift idea I saw the crate and decided to order one and have it delivered to my house so I could see how it looked. It came and was great. My wife and I agreed that they do a much more professional job of putting it together and it looks amazing. Plus it turned out to be less expensive than doing it ourselves. They have a great selection so that is my plan from now on when buying Birthday Snack Gift Basket. http://www.basketsbyrita.com