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Ed Riefenstahl, Facilitator, TAB Fort Worth
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| | TAB Fort Worth Anniversaries | |
Jan./Feb. Anniv.
Will Atkinson
Jamie Brown
Tony Ford
Marc Meadows
Jeremy Sweek
Dale Westerfeld | |
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| | Hear How We Help Our Members |  | |
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| | Quick Tips |
Managing the Masters As a business owner, it is not necessary for you to know everything. The people who work for you should be the masters, or subject matter experts. It is your job to manage them, which includes encouraging their growth and trusting their knowledge and abilities.
Patti Zimmerman
Koffel Associates Inc.
Elkridge, MD
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| | Event Details |
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Upcoming Events
2/2/11 - TAB Fort Worth Business Bites - "Diary of a Business Sale - What I Learned in Selling my Company" presented by Dale Westerfeld SOLD OUT
3/2/11 - TAB Fort Worth Business Bites - "Triple Your Memory / Triple Your Income" presented by Ron White, USA National Memory Champion, 2009 & 2010
Click here3/3/11 - TAB DFW Business Improvement Workshop  "Don't Let Your Business Become a Casualty" Click here
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Schedule a TAB Speaker for your Organization
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| | TAB in The News | |
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| Register Now for Special Events | |
Mar. 2 - "Triple Your Memory / Triple Your Business" Click here
Mar. 3 - "Don't Let your Business Become a Casualty" Click here
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New Member Highlight
Growing with other Successful Entrepreneurs
Kevin Campbell, Owner, College Planning Authority
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 Kevin Campbell joined TAB for the opportunities to interact and grow with other successful entrepreneurs.
College Planning Authority helps families send their kids to college without going broke. The company helps clients formulate a plan that maximizes eligibility for aid and helps determine the most beneficial way for that family or student to pay the balance.
Families are walked through the pitfalls of applying for aid as well as given suggestions to offset the cost of college. Financial paperwork is handled for the parents.
For the students, the company has an extensive counseling program to help students with a "BEST FIT" college search and career guidance. A Senior Boot Camp is held to get students ready for the applications seasons.
"During a free consultation Kevin showed me on paper how I could save on the advice he had given during the workshop. My wife and I decided that Kevin would be able to help us even more, so we became a client of Kevin's. My wife and I went to the free workshop with some skepticism, but in the meetings and phone conversations we have had with Kevin, and the meetings my daughter has had with Chris, we have found that he and Chris truly care about helping their clients and the students. Kevin is very knowledgeable and very passionate about helping others." - Mark Harris
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Q/A The Workplace Doctor™
Giving Performance Appraisals
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Dear Workplace Doctor,
I'm dreading giving performance appraisals this month. Can you provide some tips? Last time one employee quit. - Julie G.
Answer: One approach is to give the employees the blank appraisal and ask them to rate themselves and to write improvement ideas in the comments section. Simultaneously, the supervisor completes the appraisal and at a mutually agreed upon time, provide each other with copies of the prepared appraisals. Allow two days for reflection; then meet to discuss each item on the appraisal.
Two days allows employees to feel less pressured, more organized and able to reflect on the comments, their behavior and performance without ill feelings escalating further if he/she disagrees with you.
Consider the following:
- What skills are needed to get a top rating?
- What should the person getting a top rating be able to do?
- What does this employee need to do to improve? Learn?
- How much effort -- significant, some or little?
- As a supervisor, does your rating accurately reflect the amount of effort this employee must put forth to improve and what has he/she done right?
- How can you make your language more positive so that it reflects the results the employee has achieved?
The more successful at communicating expectations, giving feedback and monitoring progress, the more enjoyable and more successful the process will be.
Copyright 2010, Dr. Connie Sitterly, "The Workplace Doctor™" President, Sittcom, Inc., Management Training Specialists. Connie is an international speaker, trainer, executive coach, author, management consultant. You may reach her by phone 817.737.2893, Connie's email / Visit Connie's website
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Member Highlight
Getting to the Heart of a Matter
Eric Flavin, Co-Owner, Speed Direct | |
 Eric has been a TAB member since 2006 and has benefited greatly from the association. Eric states "I am associated with experienced business owners who insightfully cut through the clutter of an issue and ask questions that get to the heart of a matter. TAB gives me a chance to strategically focus on my company once a month."
If Eric has a problem, there's a good chance that several people in the room know somebody who can help solve it. Learning from others success as well as mistakes gives a broad understanding of business that would be difficult to duplicate in another setting.
Speed Direct manufactures performance steering and suspension components for classic Corvettes and muscle cars such as Camaros and Mustangs. The Company integrates modern technology into classic cars to make them more enjoyable to drive with better safety and performance while maintaining their value. Products include rack and pinion steering conversion kits (Steeroids™), coil over suspension and brake upgrades. Products are distributed on a wholesale level and via a retail website, to a worldwide car enthusiast market.
"I just want to tell you folks how extremely happy I am with your customer service. Minor issues were remedied very quickly and courteously. I've spent over $30K between my two camaros and can honestly say that the rack and pinion kits were the best money spent, had the easiest directions to follow and included the best customer support. Thank you so much for being an outstanding company for us enthusiasts! No matter how many Camaros I own in my lifetime, every one will get a Steeroids kit." - Jamie F |
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Scheduling Return Calls | |
To maximize my productivity during the work day, I return calls only at appointed times: 8:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. My voice mail message indicates that these are the times during which I return calls, and customers have told me they like knowing when to expect my call. Of course, if there is an emergency my message also specifies how they can reach me immediately.
Michael Finkler, Team Restoration, Gowen, MI |
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Using Resumes as Reminders | |
We have found it helpful during some employee performance reviews to include the employee's resume in the discussion. The resume can be used as a reminder of the credentials that the employee presented to the employer, and of the expectations that the employer derived from it at the hiring interview. Whenever we have used this method to remind an employee of the high level of skills and experience on their resume, the employee subsequently improved their performance markedly. Overall they have been dependable, highly productive and key staff members ever since.
Andrew Toth, Metex Corp. Ltd., Toronto, ON |
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Ask "Why" Five Times
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When I am working with an employee to solve a problem, the first question I ask is, "Why is this happening?" After hearing the answer, I ask "Why is that happening?" By digging deeper into the underlying reasons behind a problem, you get to the real source of the issue - and this is where you should focus your problem-solving efforts. (Six Sigma practitioners actually use the "5 Whys" technique to get to the root of a defect but it works in the non-Six Sigma world, too.)
This technique can be used with suppliers to accurately identify the benefits the supplier's products and services will bring. It can also be used with customers to clarify their real needs and expectations. Developing a questioning attitude and using the "5 Whys" produces both a clearer understanding and better results.
Andy Vande Hey, Vande Hey Company, Appleton, WI
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| Adding Value to Commodities | |
Paper suppliers sell a commodity. Our supplier, however, has added value by personally delivering paper to us and picking up our used paper for recycling. This service saves us time, and helps us maintain our "green" company image. It's such a valuable offering that we are willing to pay a little more for the paper.
Jim Gans, Image Marketing Enterprises, Chesterfield, MO |
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ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE BOARD®
The Alternative Board® is comprised of members who are business owners, CEOs or presidents who run businesses in non-competing fields. During a TAB Board meeting, you receive the benefit of the collective experience of the board members, who offer practical solutions to your problems-not theories.
You can learn more about TAB, which has been helping business owners succeed since 1990, by visiting TheAlternativeBoard.com
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