TIPS NewsletterTIPS Newsletter
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 01:02:27 -0800
To: CommonSenseManaging@growthassociates.org
From: Common Sense Managing <bill@growthassociates.org>
Subject: Common Sense Managing TIPS
Welcome to you new subscribers. Be sure to check our archives for past tips, articles, and presentations.
Common Sense Managing TIPS Newsletter
March 19, 2000
Bill Werst, Editor
Table of contents:
Who's On Top Of Your Organizational Chart? -- Common Sense Managing Tip of the Week
Major Announcement
Additional Future Services
Common Sense Managing Vision
Why Common Sense Managing TIPS? What's in it for Growth Associates?
Reader Survey on Rewards Reminder
Contest Reminder
Add me's
Speaking of Books
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Who's On Top Of Your Organizational Chart?
In a top down organization, people focus on pleasing their bosses rather than the customers. Pleasing bosses means following the rules - staying within the written and assumed bureaucratic policies. Rules beget rules. Policies beget more policies. The more controls, the more violations. Therefore, the need for more rules and policies.
Frank Bragg, VP Operations - Blue Diamond Almond Growers notes that in top down organizations: "Most people do their jobs well DESPITE management and its policies." Peter Drucker supports this with his view: "Most of what we call management today consists of getting in the way of the people doing the work."
Turning the organizational chart customer side up refocuses everything on the purpose of the organization - to make a profit by gaining and retaining satisfied loyal customers.
Are people in your organization focused on pleasing management or the customers?
Who's at the top of your organization chart, your CEO or your customers?
What do you do to empower your people to meet customers' immediate needs?
What can you do this week to demonstrate your support for your staff's customer driven decisions?
This Common Sense Managing Tip is from the Customer Satisfaction section of Common Sense Managing: Simple Ideas That Produce Results. The book is immediately available at http://www.growthassociates.org or amazon.com.
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Major Announcement
For months we have been searching and testing [and failing] to establish an interactive service for you. I think we've finally found one!
One that is:
Æ User friendly. This means you can easily participate in asking and posting answers to organizational issues that are important to you. You can choose to be notified by email when there are new postings. Plus the email includes the new posting subject to save you an Internet trip if you're not interested.
Æ Monitored [by me] so that all the typical Internet garbage is screened out. There will be no posted ads, personal promotions, or unchallenged credentials. All postings will be pre-screened for content that is practical, proven, and relevant.
Æ Primarily focused on basic elements of organizational success: Vision, Planning, Controlling, Accountability, Motivation, Customer Service, Customer Satisfaction, Problem Solving, Meetings, & Training. Then you will customize it based on the desires and needs of the subscribed participants.
Æ Both reinforcing and challenging of some of your existing management practices. You'll have the opportunity to benchmark your management practices with hundreds of your peers.
The interaction site may be found at http://www.egroups.com/list/commonsensemanaging. HOWEVER, there is no need to go there yet. I am testing the service first to ensure that it will meet the above features and benefits when we officially start it next week.
You can monitor our progress [if you have nothing better to do]. Meanwhile, begin thinking of issues you'll like to share and discuss. How to establish a living vision, motivate and retain your best people, measure and improve your customer satisfaction, conduct effective meetings, improve . . . . . well, you get the idea.
Your primary benefit will be networking with other professional on issues you are facing right now.
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Additional Future Services
Congruent with our vision, we are also checking other Internet sites that provide practical business and organizational information. We are seeking are sites that provide information and services to build you existing "brick and mortar" business. We favor sites that include articles and other useful information.
These sites will be listed on the Resources page of our web site. Each will have a brief description of their services along with a direct link. Those with newsletters will be asked to submit a brief article to be included in Common Sense Managing TIPS newsletter.
Please send me the address of other resources you have found to be of value to you. I will check them out.
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Common Sense Managing Vision
To establish Growth Associates as your primary source of practical proven information on how to build and maintain a solid organization capable of supporting outstanding customer service, customer satisfaction, and continuous quality improvement.
Why Common Sense Managing TIPS? What's in it for Growth Associates?
Part of our vision implementation is to use our book, newsletter, and web site information to build rapport and trust with you so that you consider GA first when you need training and consulting services.
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Reader Survey on Rewards Reminder
Please email your answers to the following two questions to bill@growthassociates.org. I will compile your responses and share the results in a future newsletter. Because it will become a list, I may no include the author's name. However, just in case, let me know whether or not I have permission to use your name.
What rewards have you used that were well received by your people?
Have you used any rewards that seemed to backfire? Why did they seem to fail?
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Contest Reminder
Only two weeks left to submit your original humorous customer communications stories for March. Please email me your favorite experience. I will include the best stories in future newsletters. If your story is used you will receive a complementary copy of Common Sense Managing.
The winning story will be published in the April 2nd TIPS newsletter. The winner receives a complementary copy of Common Sense Managing.
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Add me's
Know someone who could benefit from a little additional commonsense? You can simply email their names and addresses to bill@growthassociates. You may want additional people in leadership positions throughout your organization to receive Common Sense Managing TIPS newsletter. There is no limit to the number of names you may add. It's free.
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Speaking of Books
All of the Tips you've been receiving are excerpted from Common Sense Managing, Simple Actions That Produce Results. You can go right to the source and order your copy for $29.95 plus $3.50 S&H by clicking on the following link: http://www.growthassociates.org/CSM/order.htm
Know a peer or boss who might benefit from a little more common sense? We will ship a copy of Common Sense Managing anonymously. Order by sending me an email at bill@growthassociates.org.
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Have a great week - you've already started it with a little common sense.
Bill Werst
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