Recently in Delegation Category

An initiative we are running this summer at Braathe Enterprises is to help 100 Business Launch in 100 Business Days.

What will make this initiative successful is the human capital involved. With a recruiting effort internationally to find college interns passionate about business and startups, we've been able to leverage over 50 college interns to join us to gain real world experience. In concert with our mentors and professionals who are interested in being part of this effort, we look to make a huge impact on the world through some innovative planning and execution.

Projects aren't daunting if you get the right people on board. Get the people, then create the projects!

How you are with deciding is one of the true tests of how successful you are and how successful you can be. If you can't give someone a yes or no decision, you are wasting opportunities to be open to new opportunities.

The next time someone asks you to do something, be part of something or be somewhere, respond with a decision or an alternative.

Two of my new favorite people live the same busy lives that I do, but they always respond with a decision and or an alternative. One I've been trying to meet up with for a few weeks, but we always get back to each other with alternative days to meet up to keep the communication open.

Be decisive!

Here is a list of things I've had happen to me as a manager and also things other people have told me that make me cringe:

1. Failing to return emails/phone calls in a timely manner
2. Giving people assignments and clear instructions, yet the employee fails to complete
3. Employees or associates who refuse to say I am sorry when they have made a mistake
4. Call outs from people because they are sick, yet you see them walking around town completely fine
5. Talking on their cell phone or texting on company time
6. Using the internet for non-work related issues without asking
7. Showing up late for work, then asking to leave early or leaving a few minutes before they are supposed to
8. People who go on break and fail to return on time because no one is watching

What pisses you off as a boss? Share your thoughts anonymously at robert@saratogacollege.com

Since January 2011, Braathe Enterprises has mentored over 80 students through the Braathe Enterprises Virtual Internship Program. Working remotely with students for 5-7 hours per week, we have managed to produce some great improvements to resumes, engaged in incredible skills building and personality building activities, and helped students to gain experience with companies while they are still in college.

This fall, we are going on tour with our Virtual Internship concept. Tuesday October 2nd, we will be speaking at the University of Southern California to my current interns and future candidates. Sunday October 7th, we will be doing a free webinar covering how the program works as well for prospective interns and prospective for-profit and not-for-profit companies.

For more information, visit http://saratogacollege.eventbrite.com

by Saratoga College Virtual Internship Program participant Annie Rosencrans

A little competitive spirit in the workplace is usually a good thing. Competition can be highly motivating, and often promotes self-improvement and group camaraderie. That is unless of course competition begins to overwhelm your bigger picture. When your employees' desire to beat one another overshadows their motivation to succeed at their job, businesses become dysfunctional. This is where you come in: The change agent.

If you are a team manager struggling to build solidarity in the work place, here are a few things that you can do: First and foremost, lead by example. If you want your employees' attitudes to change, you must first change the way you think and behave. When addressing your team, use inclusive words like "We" instead of "I" and "You". Make sure that everyone takes ownership in your company's successes, and shares responsibility in its failures. Along those same lines, treat all of your employees as equals. If you're trying to tone down the competitiveness in the office, the worst thing that you can do is play favorites. This will only deepen the resentment in the office.

You might also consider taking more creative action for unifying your company. This doesn't require anything fancy - something as simple as organizing happy hours once every couple of months can release inter-worker tensions and build camaraderie. If you're not satisfied with your company atmosphere, you have to be the one to make the change. So don't settle on the status quo, and be the change agent that your company so desperately needs.

Delegate or die sounds quite foreboding, but for most businesses and businesspeople, it is a choice that needs to be made.

Many people are unwilling or unable to let go of work that could easily be done by others.

In order to avoid this do or die proposition, you need to look at how you manage your time and how you can delegate better.

We hope you can join us in May for one of our Time Management and Delegation workshops in Saratoga Springs

For more information, visit http://saratogacollege.eventbrite.com