Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

After They're Hired ... Don't File Away Those Assessments!

It was a long, challenging search but you’ve finally identified the ideal candidate. You used a thorough process to define the requirements of the position. After a second round of interviews, you administered a well-validated selection instrument and ran several reports. After reviewing all of the information, the answer was clear…the candidate is perfect for the role!Now what happens to the. . .

Tips To A More Effective Project Management

Gillian is at the end of her wits! They only have less than three months to finish the project and yet all things seem to be going wrong. And to top it all, there's little financial resources left to finish all things that needed completion before d-day! To an expert's eye, Gillian's problem all boils down to improper project management. She may have started the project without evaluating all h. . .

What To Do If You Didn’t Get a Form 1099

If you earned revenues as an independent contractor in 2005, you should have received a 1099 Form for the work. So, what if you haven’t received one? What To Do If You Didn’t Get a Form 1099If you earned over $600 from one person or company as an independent contractor in 2005, that company or person is supposed to issue you a 1099-MISC form. The form is applicable to revenues, rents, royalties. . .

Quitting Your Full Time Job To Start Your Own Business

If your current career isn’t everything that you had hoped it would be, it may be time to consider quitting your full time job to start your own business. It’s difficult to work around the boss’s schedule, have to ask for a pay raise and wait for a promotion that may never come. A growing number of people are turning toward their own businesses for complete career satisfaction.Before quitting y. . .

How to Obtain Declined Equity Loan Support

If you were recently declined for equity loans, you may want to perform another thoroughassessment of the market, since lenders are now opening the doors to bad credit borrowers, nocredit borrowers, and current home borrowers. If you were recently declined after applying forhome equity loan, it probably is because you had defaults on your credit report, were blacklisted,had court judgments, or . . .

How to Get Equity Loans Fast

Getting an equity loan is fairly easy nowadays. Many lenders are offering equity loans online thatare presented to homeowners with credit problems and so forth. Still, few lenders expect a creditrating around 720; however, few lenders will accept applications from borrowers with lower creditrates. The downside is that the borrower will not receive discounts offered in some loans foroutstanding . . .

Grassroots Leadership Principles – a Review of It’s Your ...

At the age of 36, Michael Abrashoff was selected to become Commander of the USS Benfold – at the time, the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet. The immediate challenges that faced him were staggering: Exceptionally low morale with unacceptably high turnover. Few thought that this ship could improve. In many ways, the Benfold was actually an extreme example of the same problem. . .

How To Dissect Mutual Fund Returns

While total and compound annual returns are useful, savvy investors will look deeper, using a variety of metrics, to get a more complete picture on mutual fund performance.On January 1, 2006, a leading financial daily reported the trailing 1-year and 5-year returns of Fidelity Contrafund (Nasdaq: FCNTX), a no-load mutual fund, as 16.23% and 6.21% respectively. While the financial daily’s return. . .

Network Marketing Success Secrets Made Simple

To achieve success in network marketing, it is helpful to know the characteristics of successful people. By attempting to emulate these characteristics and by being in touch with your own dreams and goals, you will realize an increased level of success and personal fulfillment.Success in network marketing is something for which every network marketer strives but which most never reach. But what. . .

How to Consider Loans for Equity

If you are searching for an equity loan, you might want to read up on the latest news to stay ahead ofthe lender. When a borrower takes out loans for equity and the borrower has a feel of mortgages,then lenders are less likely to try to take advantage of him because they will not be able to controlthe conversation and push the borrower into positions he otherwise wouldn’t choose to put himselfi. . .

How to Find Your Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed Money and unclaimed property searches are conducted by most Americans on an annual, if not biannual, basis. With over $25 billion in unclaimed money in the United States most people find money for themselves or one of their immediate family members. Unfortunately if the search is not done thoroughly you may miss money owed to you. Here are 5 tips to help you search for your unclaimed . . .

5 Flip Tips

1. Know the developer. Has the developer had a successful project before? What is the completion date? Do your research? Make sure you have a very comprehensive idea of project completion. I see it more and more where people are holding out contracts and deposits, and the developer isn’t moving as quickly as the investor had been told. Carrying costs need to be analyzed know the cost of delay. . .

Characteristics of High Performance Teams

Abstract: Based on significant research, Entelechy has defined characteristics of effective teams.Entelechy reviewed over 50 studies on high performance teams and compiled a list of high performance team characteristics.See if your team shares characteristics of High Performance Teams. Circle the characteristics that describe your team; cross off those that don't describe your team.Participati. . .

Time is a Unique Resource

Abstract: Time management is not about squeezing more into a day or eliminating distractions. It’s about managing activities to achieve goals. This article shows you how.How many times have you thought or said, “Sure, I’d like to (take a course, take a vacation, work on an additional skill or project, etc) but there just isn’t enough time.” When we say, “There just isn’t enough time,” we’re . . .

Entelechy Speaks to Dr. Jay Conger about Leadership Devel...

“At senior levels of an organization, the ability to adapt, to make decisions quickly in situations of high uncertainty, and to steer through wrenching change is critical. But at a time when the need for superior talent is increasing, big U.S. companies are finding it difficult to attract and retain good people. Executives and experts point to a severe and worsening shortage of the people nee. . .

Joey Political Essentials: The Grass Is Not Always Greener

If you are like a lot of people working for Corporate America, continuously working in the same job becomes too repetitive and a change is needed. We call it he “two year itch”. But looking at wear to land after taking your next leap forward is not as easy as it sounds. Job profiles are very misleading, and for the most part, do not reflect the reality of the daily routine. Aside from certain m. . .

Directions For Success In Real Estate Investing

The one thing I want you to think about as we are starting the New Year is the single most important factor in all of business. Take and throw everything you know out the window because without this one possession, you'll end up more lost than driving down an old country, dirt road in Alabama.It's called direction...Direction for you and your business... Since it's the beginning of a new year. . .

Network Marketing Tip About Your Belief System

Are your thoughts stopping you from having success in Network Marketing?Thoughts are made up of our belief system. We choose and form judgments based on beliefs we have collected over the years. We have attitudes, ideas and opinions of others and ourselves. We have been conditioned to think and act a certain way.All our life experiences have led us to believe certain things. Whether these thing. . .

How to Lower Home Equity Interest

With home equity loans, the interest varies from lender to lender. For the most part, each lenderstays within the interest guidelines setup by the loan officers. Home equity loans are sort of a cash inadvance loan, since many lenders will provide the loan with no closing costs, fees, or other upfrontcosts. Most loans require that the borrower pay origination fees, title costs, arrangement fees,. . .

How to Avoid Bad Equity Loans

The Federal Trade Commission has issued alerts to homeowners–and specifically homeowners whoare elderly and poor–in recent months. The market is swarming with mortgage lenders providingequity loans and some of these lenders are taking advantage of the misfortune. Some lenders are giving loans to homeowners who do not generate enough income each month torepay the debt. The lenders’ goal is to ta. . .

Refinance With Bad Credit

If you have bad credit and believe you are out of luck when it comes to refinancing or purchasing a new home, you may want to reconsider your options.Just because you have bad credit, it does not mean you will be unable to get a loan, nor does it mean that you are at the mercy of the mortgage companies. You are not.The mortgage industry is a very diverse one with literally thousands of lenders . . .

How to Find Conveyance Equity Loans

When a person takes out an equity loan, he may be expected to pay upfront fees and costs. One ofthe fees he may pay is the conveyance fees, which is the legal process of transferring ownership fromthe seller to the buyer. This means you area paying to take possession of the home’s title. Generally, lenders hire contractors who are licensed solicitors and conveyance workers to inspect thehome b. . .

Applying For A Faxless Payday Advance

A no faxing cash advanceHard on cash and your payday is still far away? Need money instantly? Have to clear urgent bills? Or maybe an unforeseen medical liability needs to be taken care of? Well, with the option of pay day advances and faxless cash advance, getting the extra money is no problem at all. All you need to do is pay off the no faxing payday advance as soon as you get your next salar. . .

The Myth About Price

In today’s competitive business environment, it often seems that the most important aspect of someone’s buying decision is price. People constantly ask for lower prices, compare our prices with the competition, and badger us to give them a better deal. Regardless of what you sell, you probably face price objections on a regular basis.I will never dispute that price is a factor in every sale. Ho. . .

New Dynamic Perpetual Cyclers Increase Financial Leverage...

Dynamic perpetual cyclers are the perfect international onlinebusiness for any marketer regardless of experience level, weatheryou are 18 or 80, business professional or not, downsized workers,stay at home mom or dad, lost your retirement pension or just tiredof living from paycheck to paycheck, here’s a revolutionary andeffective remedy. This sophisticated advertising/marketing system will wor. . .

0% APR Introductory With Balance Transfer Option

The Christmas Holiday Season brings retailers 25% and more of their yearly sales. It's safe to assume the month of January most likely shows the highest consumer credit card balances. As impulse buying often times is the culprit in charging more than we planned, it's easy to see how one could get carried away during the 'season of giving.'Now it's January and those bills have started coming in.. . .

Top Talent Drives the Global Economy

“Finding and attaining top talent is critical to business success. Human resource is probably the most important tool an organization can employ to gain competitive advantage”The ability to make good "people" decisions is today's most important source of competitive advantage. All factors of production are easily available and accessible to all organizations but what separates the best from th. . .

Spicing Up Your Resume With Extra Information

I am sure that all of us have some unknown skill that we have always wanted to add to a resume just because it looks good. In today’s tight job market, employers are looking for people who can do more than just the job they are hired for. In essence, they want to hire a jack of all trades for a position.Decide what looks goodIf you played water polo in college, that is probably not going to sec. . .

Ten PC Tips for Communicating with a Diverse Audience

By learning to speak to a diverse audience, you can broaden your client base transfer the learning to more people. We need to be more "PC". Were not talking "political correctness", were talking "Positively Conscious", of who is in our audience and understanding how to make people feel included. The more people feel included, the more they will listen to you, use your information and come back . . .

Communicating Value

Abstract: People buy for their reasons, not yours. This article covers the key elements that prospects want to hear you talk about. Always, but especially during lean times, effective sales professionals know the importance of communicating value. Budgets – if they ever were discretionary – are tighter. Business customers are being asked to do more with less. Decisions are increasingly less. . .

10 Principles for the Common Sense Investor

1. Put Your Money To WorkInvesting is about putting money to work in effective ways to make more money. The most effective way to put your money to work over the long term is in well-run, profitable companies. Companies that are good stewards of your money, will help you create a level of wealth that you couldn’t generate by merely saving your money.2. Investing is not a GameMany people mistake. . .

Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business?

It's time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I'm sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to the sermon I've preached before: bad customer service is the bane of business. If the Almighty smote down every . . .

Entelechy Speaks to Bill George about Authentic Leadership

I’ve had the pleasure and honor to meet some of the world’s greatest leaders and leadership gurus. From Sir Richard Branson, General Tommy Franks, and Captain Mike Abrashoff to Dr. Warren Bennis, Dr. Henry Mintzberg, and Tom Peters. And I get paid to do it! Through our work with Linkage Inc., we help support their broadcasts of these famous people by designing and developing participant and . . .

Managing Upward

In challenging times, sometimes your boss’s behavior becomes erratic. She may overmanage or undermanage you and your work. She may lose sight of all the things you are working on. You may not be sure what your boss’s priorities are; they change daily.The costs associated with this business malady are many including: missed deadlines and opportunities, working on unimportant tasks, avoidance,. . .

6 Ways to Improve Customer Service

How well do you look after your customers? Most companies probably think they do a good job, but the addition of technology into large, national call centers has caused many organizations to focus on technology solutions as opposed to people solutions.1. If your call center uses a feature where a customer can leave a number where they can be reached by the next available customer service repre. . .

The Quiet Revolution In Matrix Marketing

The key elements of matrix marketing have always SEEMED like a great way to create a successful perpetual income. But whenever that blueprint has been transferred to real life, some unforeseen element causes it to fail. Why?That's the question Thom Thompson of Our Power Forced Matrix (OPFM), asked himself. Before he began OPFM, he was an instructor in internet marketing and knew more about t. . .

How to Improve Your Chances to Qualify for a Conventional...

Before you give up on the idea that you will never be able to get a home equity loan because of your bad credit, first be sure you can’t get one. It may save you a lot of work, and it opens up more possibilities for home purchases and help from real estate agents.You might be surprised to find that there are ways you can get conventional financing, even though you never thought you would be abl. . .

Hiring the Best

Abstract: Hiring continues to be key to a company’s success. Hiring the right staff – with the skills AND characteristics required for success – requires behavioral event interviewing. This article provides insights into effective interviewing and hiring.In today’s competitive environment, hiring has increasingly become a key link in establishing and maintaining your company’s edge. By attra. . .

A Testimonial is Worth 100 Cold Calls

If you hate cold calling, and even if you don't, you should start capitalizing on the work you’ve already done.So often we don’t utilize one of the most persuasive selling components in our marketing materials – the words of our own clients. Many creative people have wonderful testimonials from clients, but never use them for fear that they are “bragging” or that it is “too self promotional.”W. . .

Attract More Customers With the Magic of Marketing

To start seeing remarkable success, you must make time for marketing. Many people tend to make their marketing a low priority. Instead of including it as a part of your weekly routine, you may find yourself scrambling to try and find customers only when you are already slow.Or, you may focus on marketing only after all of your e-mails answered, professional newsletters read, clients called back. . .

Training in Tough Times

Support functions like training often are the first to feel the impact of difficult times. Ironically, the crunch comes at a time when many businesses may benefit from their services.Let me be clear at the outset, during lean times especially, employees should be focused on business activities that directly impact sales, service, generating revenue activities. Many training-related efforts th. . .

Reasons Why We Judge

Judgment is the process of forming an opinion of something by making a comparison. While judgment can play an important role in decisions we must make to live productively, sometimes the thoughts we hold are what prevent us from having what we most desire. Judgments are based on thoughts we hold about people and things. These thoughts are the filters through which we view our world. The lim. . .

Successful Business Relationships

Successful business relationships are based on Value, Competence, Trust, and Propriety.ValueValue: The customer’s perception of your worth, excellence, usefulness, or importance. Value addresses the customer’s question, “What can this person or company do for me?”Value can be articulated by explicitly answering these questions throughout the sales cycle:• How much? (what the customer can exp. . .

Proactive Selling

Abstract: This article distinguishes proactive selling from reactive selling and illustrates the technique and benefits associated with proactive selling.Are you getting “no’s” bleed from customers saying no too often? Try asking questions that can’t be answered with a no. Try proactive selling.Reactive SellingMuch of the time, we adopt a reactive posture with our customers. We “lob” a statem. . .

Budgeting For The Future

Have you sat down and really thought about your financial future? I know people are busy these days and you think "well I'm young now and I'll have time to do it later." You're dead wrong. You are NEVER too young to start saving for retirement!They say if a 25 year old puts in $2.00 a day into a savings account ($60.00 a month), buy the time he reaches 65 he'll have a million dollars. However, . . .

Want To Start A Home Based Business! First Get Your Fundi...

Proper Funding is a pre-requisite for the successful operation of a Home Based Business. The fact is that without sufficient funds even the best planned Home Based Business whether it is big or small is bound to fail. Cash is an important ingredient absolutely necessary to sustain your Home Based Business and run it. The capital you require will ofcource depend on how big your operation is goin. . .

Real Estate Success

Real estate success? It happens by way of the many things you repeatedly do right, and it is your habits that ensure they get done. Here are some habits to develop for your real estate investing success.Ask for people's names, and tell them yours. People are your most valuable resource in real estate investing. The more you know, the more likely you are to find good properties, or buyers for yo. . .

Delegating Effectively

Abstract: Delegation is art and science. Effective leaders know when and how to delegate in order to 1) get more done and 2) develop people. This article provides tips for effective delegation.As a project leader, manager, or business owner, you may suffer from a fatal disease – one that can suck the very life force from not only you but from everyone and everything around you. The disease i. . .

How to Recruit and Retain Diverse Candidates

If there is not enough diversity in your employee base or there is high turnover with certain groups of employees, your organization will not be able to leverage the power of diversity. Building diversity in a company through recruiting and retention is an important step to creating an inclusive workplace. Are your recruiting efforts doing the following? Here are some tips to help build diversi. . .

Achieving Business Wellness in 2006

The beginning of a new year is a time when many of us make resolutions, some resolutions are intended to improve aspects of our personal life and some are professional life-based resolutions to achieve certain goals. Among the personal and professional resolutions you may be making, consider a resolution to improve the health of your business. Business wellness is just like personal wellness,. . .