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Continuing Education (Ce) At A Redneck Festival!
CONTINUING EDUCATION (CE) AT A REDNECK FESTIVAL!   by Mike Manes Mike Manes' biggest challenge in this article is deciding what to explain first — CE (Continuing Education) or “Redneck Festival.” The core issue is what's more important: Learning about the things of life (CE) or living it (Redneck Festival).     WARNING:   If you're contemptuous of rednecks, don't read this article because it will be a waste of your time. Just skip to the end and read the lesson the article offers.   For years, professional associations, licensing boards, and other groups have recommended or required that professionals (doctors, lawyers, engineers, mechanics, insurance agents, etc.) obtain a certain number of CE credits annually in order to retain their license or certification.   In the 1990s, Peter Senge's book The 5th Discipline defined the learning organization. Today, many speakers/consultants discuss the need for continuous learning. In our fast-paced world, continuing education is all-important.   The good news about CE is that it forces people to attend classes that are alleged to improve them as professionals. The bad news about CE is that all too often the classes merely reinforce what these professionals already know, are boring, limited to the profession, and don't provide insight into clients' needs or life.   John Locke had it right, “No man's knowledge can exceed his experience.” Unfortunately our education systems, including CE programs, all too often focus on the information/knowledge. They attempt to force-fit what the instructor knows into the skull of the attendee/student. All too often, the attendees aren't learning, but just “passing time.” This system doesn't work unless the “brains” and experiences are identical.   In my opinion, education should be about creating experiences in which knowledge is the product. Education should be about life — not books. It should be as much about scar tissue as it is about brain tissue. I can assure you that we learn more by falling on our butts than by sitting on them in a classroom. This is why I believe that a Redneck Festival is a great place to learn!   If you need proof of this assumption, consider these two facts:   •  Robert Fulghum's book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten was a best seller and college textbooks never are.   •  Go to the best business schools in the country (Harvard, Wharton, LSU, ULL, etc.) and meet the professors. Most of them couldn't survive very long in the real world of business!   Enough about academics. Let's talk about life: Redneck Festivals. A festival — at least in this part of the country — is a party positioned somewhere between a celebration of life and celebrating life.   Festivals can be about a crop (Sugar Cane, Rice, Yams, etc.), animals (Oysters, Frogs, etc.) a mixed event (Shrimp and Petroleum), a date (Willie Nelson's Birthday) or the arts (New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Blue Grass Music, etc.). Festivals are held at parks, fair grounds, racetracks, boulevards, barns, or city streets — anywhere.   They can be one day to longer than a week. They can include arts and crafts, music, parades, dancing, eating, drinking, etc. They attract the young, old, and the in-between. Festivals are about life and the real people that live life!   According to Webster (who wasn't a redneck), a redneck is a “white member of the Southern rural laboring class — sometimes used disparagingly.” It should be noted that this term is often used with pride by rednecks themselves or by “wannabes.” Jeff Foxworthy is probably a better authority than Mr. Webster on defining redneck.   As a practical matter, I believe that redneck is more of an attitude than an issue of geography or race. Remove the words “white” and “Southern” from this definition and you'll discover that most of the nation is or comes from redneck lineage.   I'm a Cajun. Among ourselves we're called “Coon Asses.” We're rednecks without all the pretentiousness and sophistication — and we're proud of it! Twenty-two years ago I went to a Polish wedding in Toronto and discovered by attitude and actions that they're rednecks too. Having spent much time in New Orleans, the most diverse city in the country, I now realize that we're lucky because most of the world is redneck!   Recently, I was in Huntington, Texas on business. After the meeting Sundra (pronounced Sondra), Lynn (her husband), and I went to supper at a local restaurant. We had a great time. As I reflect back on the night, this was sort of a “mini” Redneck Festival.   Evidence of this was everywhere. The parking lot had plenty of pickup trucks and very few BMWs. Everyone there understood “spit cup,” but few had ever used a “tea cup.” Considering how rednecks are perceived, I never heard a discouraging or inappropriate word; yet the polite conversation was full of “ma'ams” and “sirs.” The “surf and turf” special was ribs and catfish rather than lobster and filet. Willie, Waylon, and the boys would've been recognized and embraced; Eminem would not! We had plenty of rolls and “sweet” tea, but no croissants and hot tea. You get the picture.   I could go on, but I'd rather spend the rest of this article discussing the continuing education program for the evening. Lynn was our instructor — yet all in attendance contributed something of value to this learning experience. Lynn works in the timber industry. His hands are hard, and his face and skin are rough, but talking to him you know that he has a soft heart and a good soul (rednecks are proud of their souls).   Lynn shared his experiences, telling us a number of stories. I believe that two of these should qualify for CE credits for all professions. Unfortunately I'm reasonably certain that neither story would be approved. They're separate, yet linked. These experiences are about innovations that have saved millions (if not billions) of dollars in productivity costs, but have probably never been studied at the Harvard Business School. These were lessons learned in fields with weeds, not in buildings with ivy-covered walls.   Lynn explained that when he first started in the timber industry, the companies would cut the timber, clear the land, and then replant new seedlings. The supervisor at each plant would stress the importance of lining the seedlings up in “perfect” rows so that the machine could cut them at harvest time. Lynn became curious because he knew that trees weren't cut with machines, but by men with band saws. One day he asked the supervisor about these new tree-harvesting machines.   The “boss” explained that, although these machines currently didn't exist, if we planted the trees right — in perfect rows — the machines would be invented some day because straight rows and a large supply of trees would facilitate their invention. This supervisor understood the future. I'd bet all I own that this guy had very little “schoolin'” (brain tissue), but I'm equally certain that he had great experience (scar tissue).   Lynn then took us back to the future. He told another story — and he's a master storyteller — about a timber contractor riding through south Louisiana during the sugar cane harvest. He watched as giant tractors equipped with diagonal cutting blades plowed through the field harvesting the cane (at harvest the rows of sugar cane stand more than six to eight feet tall and must be cut at ground level).   The guy was mesmerized. He pulled off the road, crossed the fence, and asked how the machine worked and what it could do. He even had the driver show him how the blade could be rotated to cut higher above the ground. To demonstrate the possibilities, the driver snapped off the top of a fence post.   The contractor went home and began the process that would result in the tree-harvesting machine visualized by the supervisor in the first story long before the technology existed.   In my opinion, these simple stories provide textbook examples about what CE should include and who should teach it! CE should involve less time looking down at a textbook and more time looking up at the horizon: The future, the people that will live there, and the needs that they'll have. The instructors should not just be the ones who know what has already happened, but should include people with experience in the past and a curiosity about the future.   Incest and inbreeding are some of the cruel jokes that academics use to disparage rednecks. But nowhere is inbreeding more of a problem than in the world of academics and bureaucracies! They rarely develop significant innovations in their fields (remember, the tree-cutting machine originated in the cane field where no trees exist!).   The reason is simple: The academics who study a discipline and the bureaucrats who live and work in that field are too invested in the status quo to consider something new. They're in a comfort zone and progress ain't gonna happen. Never forget that necessity (discomfort) is the mother of invention!   NOW FOR THE CLOSING LESSON: A CHANCE FOR REDNECKS TO LAUGH AT THE REST OF THE WORLD!   Bubba was on his first flight and, as a novice passenger, he was very anxious. He was pacing and fidgeting as he waited for the plane to back out from the terminal. Sitting next to him was a Harvard professor, dressed in a $1,000 suit and looking calm, cool, and collected.   The professor said to Bubba, “You look anxious. This must be your first flight.” When Bubba agreed, the professor suggested a little game to “pass the time.” He said, “Bubba, I'll ask you a question, and if I stump you you'll pay me $5.00. Then you ask me a question and if you stump me — because I'm so much more intelligent, educated, sophisticated, and worldly than you — if you fool me, I'll pay you $10.00. Also because of these advantages, I'll let you go first!”   Bubba thought for a second and then agreed. His first question followed, “What's red, green, blue, has three wings and two legs and can't fly?” The bewildered professor responded, “Bubba you've got me on the very first question. Here's your $10.00.”   Bubba, ever polite (rednecks are), took the money and said, “Thank you, sir.”   The professor asked, “Well what is it?”   Bubba answered, “I don't know. Here's your $5.00.”   The professor has the brain tissue and lost $5.00. Bubba has the scar tissue and won $5.00!   Michael G. Manes can be reached at Square One Consulting,  625 Weeks Street, New Iberia, LA 70560,  cell 337-577-3885, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.squareoneconsulting.com.

What are exotic animal pets? Any animal that you would normally associate with the wild could be considered an exotic pet. Most people want to secure adequate insurance coverage for their exotic animals and pets. Our planet is home to diverse species of animals that many people haven't even heard of! Some of these exotic animals are becoming increasingly popular as pets in people's homes. The list may include and is definitely not limited to: Guinea pigs Rabbits Ferrets Foxes Wallabies Chimpanzees Hedgehogs Chinchillas Frogs, toads Sugar gliders Hybrid cats such as the caracal & the serval and even some species of spider! Two Points you may want to consider before adopting an exotic pet. Is it legal? Pet ownership laws differ from state to state. For instance ferrets are popular pets, but it is illegal to own a ferret in California or a hamster in Hawaii! Are you able to secure good veterinary care? You are directly or indirectly the reason why the exotic animal is not in the wild but in your home. Your pet is totally dependent on you for its survival. Suitable accommodation, proper nutrition and diet and most of all regular and timely visits to the veterinarian will ensure that your pet stays happy and healthy. These visits to the vet can be expensive. Specialized veterinary care is difficult to find and getting suitable insurance coverage can be even harder. What does exotic animal insurance cover? Most insurance plans cover unexpected visits to the vet as well as routine or wellness check-ups. It all depends on the type of plan you choose. Your pet animal can be insured against theft, injury, illness and even death. Your pet deserves the best, but you can avoid the financial burden of pet healthcare by taking out an insurance plan for as little as $9 a month. Think smart, be responsible & buy peace of mind, knowing that we have your pet's best interest at heart. Other types of related insurance - Insurance for reptiles, Insurance for Exotic Birds Understanding exotic animal coverage Exotic pet owners frequently look for policies that combine medical benefits with protection against liability exposures and theft. Coverage options and underwriting factors vary by insurer and by species; for an overview of dedicated marketplaces you can review Exotic Animal Pets Insurance to compare what different carriers offer. Common considerations include exclusions for certain pre-existing conditions, limits on species or procedures, and whether routine care is included. Risk management considerations — such as proper housing, transport protocols and secure enclosures — often affect premiums. If your pet is a reptile, detailed information is available in the Reptile Pet Insurance Overview. Transportation risks and specialist veterinary care are typical factors for exotic species; likewise, some plans impose surgical or hospitalization limits. If you own birds, see Does Pet Insurance Cover Exotic Birds? for specifics on avian coverage. Risk scenario: an escaped exotic animal injures a visitor could trigger a liability claim, illustrating why many owners seek policies that combine medical reimbursements with liability protection. Frequently Asked Questions Is exotic pet insurance available for all species?Availability depends on the insurer and the species. Some carriers will cover small mammals and birds, while others may exclude large or high-risk animals. Check policy details for species-specific limits and exclusions. What typical exclusions should I watch for?Common exclusions include pre-existing conditions, certain surgical procedures, pregnancy-related care, and claims arising from illegal ownership. Always review policy exclusions and ask for clarification from the insurer. How do premiums get determined?Underwriting factors such as the species, age, medical history, geographic location, and intended use (pet vs. breeding) influence premiums. Risk management measures like secure housing and routine veterinary care may improve insurability. Still have questions? Talk to a local insurance expert.

Voodoo Valuations
People pay dearly for simple answers. And many insurance agencies pay dearly for 'voodoo valuations' because they offer a quick and inexpensive way to pacify an agency owner’s desire for a simple, quick answer. In this document, Chris Burand warns that you’ll pay dearly in the long run. According to a Louisiana legend, a voodoo queen, Marie La Veaux provided simple but costly answers for people in search of hope. She’d concoct a potion that caused a man’s heart to change with just one short kiss from a girl’s lips. Forever after, he’d be devoted only to her. For 1,000 Spanish bits or possession of the woman’s first born, Marie would undo the spell. Marie became a rich woman. Voodoo valuations aren’t easy to recognize; they often appear legitimate. Here are a few keys to recognizing voodoo valuations: THE FINAL PRICE DOESN’T CONSIDER TERMS I’ve seen many agents agree to such terms as '1.5 times commissions based on retention,' while earning less than 1.0 times. They never would’ve sold for 1.0 times even if the deal was cash. But they heard a favorable multiple and that was all they needed to hear. The answers they sought were simple. Unfortunately, the real answers were complex and required a complete valuation, thorough due diligence, and an analysis of cash flow and ROI based on a number of terms and scenarios. It’s funny how in the long run the complex answers would’ve actually earned these sellers a higher multiple. I researched a group of sellers recently. They received excellent prices, but significantly less than they expected. They didn’t consider the terms of the deal and the result was great financial pain. None of them had hired anyone beyond their local accountant. THE VALUATION ISN’T ACCURATE We expect answers to be a mouse-click or phone call away. Many valuation practitioners pretend that valuations are simple affairs. They give agents a simple formula to follow, or suggest that agents complete a do-it-yourself valuation. The answers are quick, but seldom accurate. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t get at least one e-mail from an agency owner asking, 'Is 1.5 (or whatever multiple) still the appropriate multiple?' I could get rich quick if I was willing to dispense sugar pills or Cajun spells! Agents should recognize practitioners who don’t understand the complexity of valuations. For example, before you even start a valuation you must agree on the correct definition of 'value.' Consider it a warning sign if the practitioner never discusses the appropriate definitions. Seek assistance elsewhere. I’ve helped several agencies dig themselves out of deep financial holes that resulted from a series of acquisitions. The consultants that these agencies hired used the wrong definition of value for the acquisition targets, failed to consider working capital (which caused the buyer to severely deplete their own capital), and did not complete adequate due diligence. Of course, the consultant did supply seemingly simple answers! I once saw a sign in a retail business that read, '50¢ for an answer. $2.00 for the correct answer.' Why pay even 50¢ for an answer if it’s wrong? THE BUYER’S FINANCIAL STRENGTH ISN’T CONSIDERED Many agency sales involve a seller-carry loan and/or are based on retention. This means that sellers are incurring significant risk when they sell; yet they don’t adjust their price for this risk adequately. Again, this results from searching for simple answers. If the buyer’s risk of default is high and they’re not paying cash up front, they should pay more to compensate for this risk. For example, a fair price for an agency with $750,000 in revenue might be $900,000 for a buyer with strong financials and a minimal risk of default. However, if the buyer has poor financials and is requiring a seller-carry note and/or a retention factor, then the price should be at least $1 million or more, depending on the buyer’s financials. Two financial aspects worth careful consideration are cash flow and companies that stress EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization). I’ve recently met several buyers possessing what I consider extremely weak financials. They each touted their positive EBITDA while downplaying their negative cash flows. A January 24, 2002 Wall Street Journal described the risk well. The author wrote, 'A telltale sign of trouble is negative cash flow from operations while the company’s so-called EBITDA is positive.' The SEC released a warning to investors regarding companies that report or stress pro forma earnings or EBITDA earnings. If a seller is carrying risk, then the buyer should have a positive operating cash flow. Otherwise, they probably have financial problems. When buying an agency, the buyer must achieve positive cash flow, not just positive income, within a very specific period to make the acquisition profitable. THEY FOCUS ON GROWTH FOR GROWTH’S SAKE Quite a few agency owners dream of going public. Others just want to get big. Still others are tired of running their agencies and/or selling insurance. Instead, they decide to go after bigger fish, so they begin acquiring other agencies. Acquisitions can be exciting. They drive the ego. One study of acquisitions involving publicly traded companies 'noted that the undeserved premium paid is linked to the number of magazine covers the acquiring boss has graced before the deal' (The Economist, January 9, 1999). It doesn’t require much skill to buy an agency if a person is willing to overpay (which a lot of buyers seem willing to do). Disney CEO Michael Eisner recently commented, 'I spend my life being Odysseus. I tie myself to the mast, and I don’t listen to the Sirens. The Sirens in my business are agents, investment bankers, the media, people saying that your testosterone level is gone because you haven’t made an acquisition in the last ten minutes' (Fortune, January 7, 2002). Many agencies feel the same pressure to grow by acquisition regardless of profitability. This might explain why every study I’ve seen, read, or heard in the past 27 years has shown that 50% to 80% of all acquisitions fail. If being profitable concerns you, be strong in your convictions to grow profitably. Marie La Veaux made a lot of money giving simple answers to desperate people. Her magic potions were hard to resist. Agency owners are often just as eager for voodoo valuations, but the cost for quick, easy answers is often steep. You have the experience, wisdom, and alternatives. Don’t purchase or practice voodoo valuations.

A Back Porch Mba!
A BACK PORCH MBA! by Mike Manes The process of management and the implementation of work must be monitored constantly and adjusted to the changing environment. In the managingement of their work, all employees must agree on their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. In this document, Mike Manes discusses why an organization must be sure to train, motivate, and reward that employees are trained, motivated, and rewarded properly. I was visiting with a friend. We were discussing Leadership and Management issues and the future of his organization. I was discussing leadership and management issues recently with a friend who’s the President and CEO of a company he started only ten 10 years ago. He’s built a good company that in the short term has exceeded everyone’s expectations. Next week he’ll announce an achievement that will impress even his most severe critics. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the customers he serves, the industry in which he competes, and the suppliers that have been critical to his success are in crisis themselves:. His is a market that is a harder market than anyone in his industry has ever faced before. In addition to these challenges, the rules have changed. What his company has done in the past (although significant) cannot carry it into the future. He must reinvent a ten year old company. My friend is a devotee of the ideas professed presented in the books Built to Last and Good to Great, by (James G. Collins and/ Jerry L. Porras) and now its sequel Good to Great. I’m a believer in Peter Drucker and Max DePree. Collectively we’ve probably read all of the top selling business books. In theory concept, we know every answer. The problem is that his challenge is not a conceptual one. His decisions must be made with concrete terms and actions. He’s in combat and the bullets are getting close. While we theorize about conditions that are five years out, he has major decisions to make, opportunities to capture, and crises to address - tomorrow. To convert his challenge to the vernacular - 'when you are up to your ass in alligators, it’s tough to remember your original challenge is to drain the swamp.' We were sitting on his back porch. My friend had to meet with a contractor to discuss a major addition to his home. I had time to do what I do best - not think but observe. His is a modest house sitting on a beautiful, tree filled lot. My only companion during his absence was his dog, Mollie Deux. She’s a yellow Lab or maybe a Lab Lite — Lab genes in a Heinz 57 mix of blood. She certainly is well fit for his big yard. A Chihuahua would probably be snake food. Birds were singing and mosquito hawks were performing aerial acrobatics not 20 feet in front of me. It was a peaceful and a simple life. This is why we live here and enjoy, no love, the life we have. After a morning together, we captured our best ideas over lunch and then further refined them for the next two days via e-mail. Great stuff — but would it work?. Could these best ideas from Wall Street, Wharton School of Business, and the ivory towers of academia be converted to a practical, and actionable plan to meet the challenges faced by my friend and his small little company here in the backwaters of Louisiana? If these ideas could be utilized (and I’m sure they could) would this be the best way to lead and manage into the future? The truth of his and every other organization is that a culture has been established. To lead and manage inside the culture is certainly the ideal. To change the culture is very, very challenging and often in some cases impossible. As we drove back to town, I saw a bumper sticker rarely seen but always appreciated in this neck of the woods. It stated in clear and unequivocal terms: "WE DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT HOW YOU DID IT UP NORTH!" That bumper sticker provided the impetus to make us realize that although Good to Great and/or Built to Last were powerful tools that could be used to meet my friend’s challenge. On a practical level, however, they were overkill. The addition to his my friend’s home is beautiful. He had found local craftsmen and artisans to build a den and master bedroom suite that would rival any such additions by the biggest, and best international contractor. My wheels were starting to turn. He could have found and could have afforded such a mega-contractor, but he didn’t. He will end up with a better addition, more control over the process and results, and more personal satisfaction by completing this project with local talent — people who understand and appreciate a screen porch, coffee, a rocking chair, and a Lab. My mind was racing. The answer to his business dilemma was not in the pages of any or all the books we discussed, nor in the classrooms of Harvard, or the mahogany Board Rooms of Wall Street. The answers were in the basic simple ideas we discussed over coffee on the back porch. The same leadership and management that had resulted in his acquiring, building, and remodeling a house and finally converting it to a home could be used to renovate and if needed or create an addition to his company. HERE GOES — MY BEST ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES I OBSERVED ON THE BACK PORCH. Thanks, Mollie Deux-olly! Leadership is about a capturing a dream. It’s about Vision, Values, a Mission, and Standards. To get to my friend’s house you cross a railroad track. There are probably 50 to 60 houses on the single road that is this subdivision. The land was once a sugar cane field so there are no trees except for those that formed the fence row. The one exception is my friend’s lot. It has literally dozens of trees. The original builder had the vision to plant these trees and my friend and his spouse had the vision and discipline to maintain them when they really were out of place in the subdivision. His yard is different in a subdivision built on sameness. As you drive down this road you see houses that vary in price from $100,000 to to -$500,000. Before the addition my friend’s home would probably would’ve been appraised in at the bottom third of those in the area. When the addition is complete, his will be the benchmark. What he bought originally was an average house with great potential (a dream). What he now has is a dream realized - priceless! It’s a two-part dream — one part is the house, the other part is the home. The house is about things — a structure, an asset, a residence, a thing that he and his spouse will leave to their children. The home is about people, a lifestyle, a love — how to live and how to die. It’s about what they shows and teaches theirs children — yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In terms of the house, my friend and his spouse focused on the dream that they had for more than a decade ago, and that dream has been focused clearly into a Vision that is now outlined and detailed on the architect’s drawing spread out on the work bench plans. Soon they’ll realize the Vision of the house. Building the home is an ongoing process. In terms of the home, the dream that my friend and his spouse shared as starry eyed newlyweds over more than 25 years ago has been realized in a Vision that is their marriage, their children, and the love they shared yesterday and enjoy today and will share tomorrow. It is realized, but not yet complete. It grows as they grow. And the best things about Dreams and Visions are that when we die, they don’t. Visions and Dreams are bigger than one person; they can be left to those we choose or those who adopt them. The conversion of their house and home dream to the current reality that exists today and the partially realized Vision that remains did not just happen. My friend and his spouse established a Mission either on paper or in their minds and souls to describe who they’d be (their family - themselves, and their children). To make this Vision concrete and attainable, they established Values and standards that they would live by and standards of behavior and performance that would hold themselves accountable to. This combination of a Mission — the organization needed to achieve the dream, with the Values — the absolutes that would drive the people (their Commandments and Constitution), and the Standards — clearly articulated expectations for performance — are the issues of leadership. This is all part of the Vision thing and the plan to achieve it. It’s the most important thing and the dream will never be realized without it. But of equal importance is the implementation and application of the plan — management. Management deals with implementation of a plan, monitoring the results, and adjusting performance to assure success in a future of constant change. In a family everyone will manage and will be managed at some point in time. To keep this article short and simple, I’ll only report on my observation of these management techniques used by my friend, his spouse, and children in relationship with just one family member — Mollie Deux. As stated earlier, Mollie Deux is perfectly suited for this family, house, and yard. The first absolute established in the relationship between Mollie Deux and the family is the 'turf'. This is Mollie Deux’s area of operation. It’s framed by the perimeter of the yard and is limited to the outside of the house - Mollie Deux is a yard dog. To assure Mollie Deux respects this limit and to protect Mollie Deux from herself (if she leaves her turf she maybe hit by a car and killed) there is an electronic fence. There is a consequence if she exceeds her authority (turf) - a shock! This is not cruel - it’s necessary. To leave Mollie Deux without boundaries would be cruel and dangerous. In addition to the turf restrictions the family uses two other basic techniques to manage Mollie Deux. These are the carrots and sticks of her life. Mollie Deux, like the good people in your organization, must meet certain expectations to remain a member of the family. To be successful Mollie Deux must understand these expectations and be willing and able to meet or exceed them. To create willingness in Mollie Deux (or an employee) we must motivate them. To establish ability we must train. To assure consistency we must constantly monitor the performance of Mollie Deux and provide the appropriate consequences for behavior. When Mollie Deux was in training the process was significantly more intense than it is now or needs to be today. Now that her training is complete, her motivators are varied. A 'carrot' might be as simple as a kind word or a pat on the head. Special recognition might include a dog biscuit, playing fetch (providing attention), or a bone. For great performance, Mollie Deux may get a piece of steak or have someone scratch her so that her leg twitches. The ''sticks'' of her world are equally simple. The range includes everything from a stern 'NO' to a rolled- up newspaper across her butt. Management of the work of an employee’s work can be framed similarly. If they are right for the job, what’s their 'turf' — what are the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of each employee? Once these are clearly defined and the employee is trained and motivated, let them run free. Don’t keep them on a leash or confine them in a dog pen (don’t micro-manage). What training is needed? What are the motivators? Are the managers monitoring performance within the 'turf' originally established and providing the appropriate 'carrots' and 'sticks'? Don’t micro-manage! Remember, we lead people and manage things (work). Leadership is about effectiveness — doing the right things. Management is about efficiency — doing things right. Everyone in the organization needs to fully understand the difference. Your employees need to know and embrace the Vision, Values, Mission, and Standards of the organization. If these are not acceptable to an employee, then they must leave. These protect you as leader, the organization, and the employee. In the management of their work, all employees must agree on their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. The organization must be sure theat employee is are properly trained, motivated, and rewarded properly. The process of management and the implementation of work must be constantly monitored constantly and adjusted to the changing environment. This is simple. Sit, Mollie Deux! Good dog! Michael G. Manes can be reached at Square One Consulting, 543 Pebblebrook Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70815, (225) 273-2243, (225) 939-5944 (Cell), e-mail [email protected], or visit www.squareoneconsulting.com.

Psychological Recruiting And Hiring: How To Identify ‘Top Gun’ Producers
PSYCHOLOGICAL RECRUITING AND HIRING: HOW TO IDENTIFY ‘TOP GUN’ PRODUCERS by Michael Lovas If you’re an agency principal, you probably spend a considerable amount of time recruiting salespeople. In this document, Michael Lovas tells you how to use 'mental filters' to identify promising prospects and to determine if they’ll make good producers. Although many tools promise results, the consensus is that none of them deliver. So, how can you recognize someone who will follow effective sales procedures? Just as important, how can you find producers who will take the initiative to make calls? Using 'mental filters' can do the job. Although each person’s brain contains about 60 of these filters, two of them correlate closely with sales success. WHAT MAKES TOP GUNS TICK During a presentation I asked the audience which type of personality tends to make the more successful producer: people who follow procedures or those who take the initiative. The answer: research proves that 'top gun' salespeople do both. The Procedural Personality People who follow sales procedures make significantly more money than those who veer from the program and improvise. Give a procedures-oriented salesperson a good sales program and they’ll start to produce more sales in less time. They’ll also be less stressed at the end of the day. On the other hand, give the same program to an alternatives-oriented person, and they’ll start changing it from the get-go. You’ll hear them say, 'I can make it better,' or 'it feels more comfortable with these changes.' Then, as more and more prospects say, 'No thanks,' this freewheeling producer will become increasingly stressed. Before long, you’ll have a non-producing employee who’s on stress-related disability. How do you recognize someone who follows procedures? The type of psychology I practice determines the configuration of a person’s mind by analyzing and measuring up to 60 mental filters. To focus on individual filters, we use questions designed to elicit answers containing specific language patterns. Once you can recognize these patterns in conversation, you no longer need to ask the questions. The specific question that shows you if someone will faithfully follow your sales program is, 'Why did you choose the sales program you use?' There are two basic answers to this question. One will be a story, the other a list. The applicant who follows procedures will say something like, 'Actually, I didn’t choose it — it chose me. When I was in college, I took a course in the psychology of sales. First, we learned about creating rapport. You know, find something you have in common with your listener, and then smile and nod your head a lot. Next, we learned to mention various values or product benefits. Finally, we learned to watch for the words that cause people to smile and nod their heads in agreement …' This language pattern tells a story that follows a procedure to tell you how something happened. The person who likes procedures hears you ask 'Why' and changes it to 'How.' Stories tell you the order in which things happened. When you hear a story, smile and nod — you’ve found something good. The person who doesn’t follow procedures will answer the question like this: 'It’s easy. I like to relax and start talking to people.' The items in this list lure this person like sugar tempts a horse. Our hypothetical applicant is attracted by ease, relaxation, and interacting with people. The language pattern focuses on what happened. 2. Initiators Successful producers take the initiative to make calls. How do you find them? After all, you can’t just ask, 'Say, one more thing. Will you take the initiative or not?' Ask your applicant open-ended questions and note two things. First, listen for the verbs they use. Initiators talk as though they’re masters of the world. Their conversation is filled with doing, acting, going, accomplishing, and getting things done. Second, listen for complete sentences with a subject who takes action, an action verb, and a tangible object of this action. For example, 'I can sell product.' The opposite of initiation is passivity, which you can recognize by the verbs and sentence structure. They use soft, flabby verbs – often in the passive voice. Listen for the word 'have,' as in 'I have been wanting to do sales.' Their sentences also tend to ramble, rather than getting to the point. Isn’t that a verbal representation of their lives? SEEKING SUPERSTARS To find Top Gun salespeople who follow procedures and initiate calls, create a psychological profile of your best producers. Match your new producers as closely as possible to this model, and you’ll find that they: integrate more rapidly develop and maintain higher morale become productive faster and reach higher productivity take fewer sick days, and have a lower turnover rate. Not a bad payoff for targeting the right psychological characteristics. WORDS TO THE WISE Sales success also involves two assumptions: (1) Your sales procedures are effective. It’s conceivable that you could hire a real Top Gun and give them a loser of a sales program. (2) Your agency culture supports the type of person who will be a top producer. You could hire sales superstars, but if the culture doesn’t nurture them, they’ll have a hard time fitting in. Both assumptions — the sales program and the agency culture — are up to you. Go for it!   Michael Lovas is the president of AboutPeople — a firm that uses Psychological Language Patterns to develop marketing programs. He also teaches advisors how to use common-sense psychology to build trust with target markets. A Master Practitioner of Neuro-linguistic Programming, Lovas has written two books on using psychology in marketing and sales: Beyond Wave Marketing and Face Values: How to Read People and Motivate Them in Three Minutes. For more information, call (509) 465-5599, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.aboutpeople.com.

Osha's Field Sanitation Standard
INFORMATION DATE 19920216 DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights, OSHA's Field Sanitation Standard STANDARD NUMBER 1928.110 TOPIC Field Sanitation SUBJECT OSHA's Field Sanitation Standard ABSTRACT OSHA's Field Sanitation Standard requires employers of 11 or more field workers to provide toilets, potable drinking water, and handwashing facilities to hand laborers in the field; to provide each employee reasonable use of the above; and to inform each employee of the importance of good hygiene practices. U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights Fact Sheet No. OSHA 92-25 OSHA'S FIELD SANITATION STANDARD   SUMMARY Requires employers of 11 or more field workers to provide toilets, potable drinking water, and handwashing facilities to hand laborers in the field; to provide each employee reasonable use of the above; and to inform each employee of the importance of good hygiene practices. EFFECTIVE DATES May 30, 1987 for potable drinking water July 30, 1987 for toilets and handwashing facilities SCOPE OF COVERAGE Any agricultural establishment hiring 11 or more workers for hand labor. Includes work done by hand or with hand tools during cultivation, weeding, planting, and harvesting of vegetables, nuts, fruits, seedlings, or other crops including mushrooms, and the packing of produce in the field into containers, whether performed on the ground, on moving machinery, or in a shed. Does not cover logging operations, the care and feeding of livestock, or hand-labor operations in permanent structures (e.g. canning facilities or packing houses). POPULATION COVERED An estimated 471,600 farm employees, about one-fourth of whom are migrant workers, on roughly 54,000 farms with 11 or more employees. From 25 to 30 percent of these workers are women; the number also includes young adults and children under 18. The greatest number of field employees covered tend or harvest fruits and nut trees (175,000). Others tend vegetables and melons (137,000), and tobacco (98,000), other field crops including sugar cane and beets (33,000), cotton (9,000), and 'others' (10,000). About 11,000 mushroom workers also are included, though they work under shelter. The distribution by states of these workers include: California 137,000 (29.2 percent), Florida 63,800 (13.5 percent), North Carolina 39,600 (8.4 percent), Kentucky 28,700 (6.1 percent), Washington 26,300 (5.6 percent), Hawaii 14,400 (3.1 percent), Michigan 11,600 (2.5 percent), Pennsylvania 10,700 (2.3 percent), Idaho 10,400 (2.2 percent), Texas 10,000 (2.1 percent), Georgia 9,900 (2.1 percent), Oregon 9,800 (2.1 percent), and Tennessee 9,400 (2.0 percent). The other states all have less than 2 percent. KEY REQUIREMENTS 'Potable drinking water,' suitably cool and in sufficient amounts, dispensed in single-use drinking cups or by fountains, located so as to be readily accessible to all employees. One toilet and a handwashing facility for each 20 employees, located within a quarter mile walk, or if not feasible, at the closest point of vehicular access. Such facilities are not required for employees who do field work for three hours or less each day. Pre-moistened towelettes, previously allowed by some state regulations, cannot be substituted for handwashing facilities. Maintenance in accordance with public health sanitation practices including upkeep of water quality through daily change or as often as needed; toilets being kept clean, sanitary, and operational; handwashing facilities being refilled with potable water as necessary and kept clean and sanitary; and the prevention of any unsanitary conditions through waste disposal. Opportunity for reasonable use through notification of each employee by the employer of the location of the water and the facilities and the allowance of reasonable opportunities during the workday to use them. The employer also must inform the employee of the relevant health hazards in the field and the practices necessary to minimize exposure to them. BENEFITS An expected reduction because of the new standard in the number of workers who become ill from intestinal, urinary, heat, skin, and agrichemical-related illnesses by about 179,000 cases. The new federal standard and state standards already in place are expected to reduce the total number or workers who could have been expected to become ill from 270,134 to 91,482 cases, a reduction of two-thirds. A total of 214,319 expected parasitic cases reduced by 139,307; 20,280 gastrointestinal cases reduced by 12,776; 4,148 viral hepatitis cases reduced by 1,037 because of the new federal standard and state standards. A sharp reduction of heat-related deaths and injuries. Department figures show three of every 1,000 farm workers will suffer from heatstroke during their working lives. Farm workers suffer a risk of heat-related injuries that is the highest rate for any occupation. The new standard plus state standards are expected to reduce heat-related injuries among those covered by more than 90 percent. Fewer urinary tract infections, most common among female workers, arising from urine retention and the use of unsanitary materials for personal hygiene in the field. The new standard plus state standards are expected to reduce these from 18,436 to 2,765 cases. Agrichemical and agrichemical residue exposure, often unreported due to the non-specific nature of the symptoms, are expected to be reduced from 10,140 to 1,014 cases. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.