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| Industry
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- How businesses trim energy costs
Food
and beverage companies, including Heineken and Arla Foods, often
invest more in cutting their energy usage when facing high taxes
based on energy consumption. Businesses are doing everything from
using less power to investing in more sophisticated,
fuel-efficient technology. The Wall Street Journal (subscription
required) (8/27) 
- All small businesses need disaster
plans
Many
small businesses in the Gulf Coast area that once had brief
disaster plans covering only the basics now have developed
extensive, detailed plans, following Hurricane Katrina. But all
small businesses should be prepared for crises ranging from fire
to power outages, even if they're not in high-risk areas. The
Internet offers various sources for information on the plans,
including the federal government's Ready Business, at
www.ready.gov/business. Los Angeles Times (free registration) (8/16)
- Average U.S. income down 1% between 2000 and
2005
Average
American incomes fell for the fifth straight year in 2005,
according to new data released Monday. Incomes have been on the
rise since 2002, but the average income was $55,238 in 2005, down
1% from 2000 after adjusting for inflation. The White House noted
that a dip in average income five years after the Internet bubble
burst should be expected. The New York Times (8/21)
| Business
Strategy |
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- By-the-book networking ignores human
factor
Business
networking means going beyond handing out your business card and
instead requires developing real-world human relations, according
to an expert. Some tips for making meaningful connections include
finding ways to increase clients' business, focusing on what
clients really need and following up even beyond the standard
follow-up. American City Business Journals (8/13)
| Sales
& Marketing Tips |
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- Football coaching tips offer winning game plan for
sales
Salespeople
can take a page from the lessons that legendary football coach
Bill Walsh offers in his book "Finding the Winning Edge." Among
the tips: Put things in historical perspective and learn from past
mistakes; be yourself; prepare to win; design a winning game plan;
and overcome mental barriers by learning to minimize stress and
maintain concentration. Manage Smarter (8/23)
- In a slump? Shift thoughts, actions to
optimism
A
challenge many sales reps face is managing the emotional highs and
lows that are inherent and unique to the job. Some suggestions for
picking yourself up when you're down include changing your
thinking to be more optimistic and acting optimistic -- even if
you don't feel that way -- because the action can lead to the
positive feeling. DaveKahle.com (8/7)
| Management
Style |
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- Conversation skills improve job quality,
safety
Productivity,
quality, job satisfaction and safety are all compromised when
workers who confront questionable workplace practices are hesitant
to speak up, writes corporate trainer Walter Ross. Conversational
skills not only help address problems, they can save lives, Ross
says. Manage Smarter (8/20)
- Executive teams take shape of versatile,
leader-centric models
Executive
teams often set the tone for an entire organization and usually
follow one of two leadership models: a versatile leadership model,
with a leader who aspires to build a collaborative team; or a
leader-centric model, with a CEO who runs the show. Both models
have merits, but the versatile team leadership model can produce
more efficient and thoughtful outcomes, this article says. SmartBIZ (8/6)
| Small
Business Operations |
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- Commentary: Whistle-blowers are a hidden cost in
Sarb-Ox
Besides
the high cost of compliance, the five-year-old Sarbanes-Oxley Act
is burdening companies in another way, Michael Delikat, a lawyer
with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and an author, writes in a
Wall Street Journal commentary. Congress is considering offering
even more protections to whistle-blowers under the act, a move
that would further burden companies by forcing them to respond to
complaints from employees who, in many cases, simply have an axe
to grind. "Critics also overlook the simple fact that the
statute's whistle-blower provisions just may have accomplished its
intended purpose. Since Sarb-Ox, most public companies have
created procedures for the receipt and review of even anonymous
complaints of accounting or securities fraud," he said. The Wall Street Journal (subscription
required) (8/23)
| Association
News |
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- CVSN joins
in the leadership of Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week
CVSN
is pleased to announce that the association's annual spring
meetings will now be held in conjunction with Heavy Duty
Aftermarket Week. The next HDAW will be held Jan. 21 through 24,
2008, at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Read the complete release.
- CVSN
offers top-notch business program in Baltimore
The
time has come to sign up for the CVSN Annual Business Forum. This
year's forum will be held in Baltimore, Sept. 16 to 20. Be sure to
check out the CVSN Web site for the latest on meeting
highlights, speakers, registration forms and general forum
information.
| SmartQuote |
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Rule No. 1: Use your own good judgment in all
situations. There will be no additional rules."
--Bruce, Jim and John
Nordstrom,
co-presidents of Nordstrom department store, in
the employee handbook  |
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| This
SmartBrief was created for jeve@netsourceinc.com
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| Contact
CVSN |
| Executive Vice President:
Angelo Volpe
904-737-2900 | |
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Recent CVSN SmartBrief
Issues:
- Tuesday, August 14, 2007
- Tuesday, July 31, 2007
- Tuesday, July 17, 2007
- Tuesday, July 03, 2007
- Tuesday, June 19, 2007
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