MANAGEMENTDare To Suck
Here’s a perfect theme for a weekly video meeting with your staff: Dare To Suck. The idea, courtesy of Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler, is that every member of that band would have to come to the meeting and present an idea they thought was probably terrible. “And nine times out of 10, the idea is actually terrible,” Tyler told a MasterClass. “But one time out of 10, you get Dude Looks Like A Lady or Love In An Elevator.” The brilliance of the idea is that it takes the fear out of the creative process.
EMPLOYEE MORALEGive It To ’Em Straight
If back to school is a particularly hectic time for your practice, don’t make the common management mistake of trying to bolster staff morale by downplaying the unpleasantness ahead — long hours, demanding little customers with sticky fingers, tough sales targets, etc. If anything, tell them the road ahead will be tougher than you actually think it will be. According to Marcus Buckingham, author of The One Thing You Need To Know, being told a task will be difficult helps us brace for it and get in the right mood to tackle it.
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EMPLOYMENTNo Good Deed…
What’s the single biggest thing that prompts an IRS employer audit? According to Eva Rosenberg, author of Small Business Taxes Made Easy, it’s when a non-employee you were paying in cash is let go or gets sick and files for unemployment or disability insurance — something millions of workers are doing this year. Maybe it was even a friend you were helping out. But when they realize they need to have been formally employed to pick up government assistance they will often file — and turn you in. To protect yourself, you need to be able to prove the person was an “independent contractor.” That means a Form W9 (a request for taxpayer ID), a business card, and maybe even a contract.
TALENT ACQUISITIONFind Staff At Home
If you’re trying to keep your payroll expenses down but are still in need of high-quality staff, here’s a strategy from allbusiness.com to consider: Keep an eye out for “Mommy Trackers” — smart women who’ve left corporate positions to start a family or be closer to their children. They can make excellent part-time managers, especially when it comes to areas such as technology and marketing.
GOOGLEGet On The Map
Google Maps regularly updates its “satellite views” of urban areas in North America although it rarely publicizes the schedule for its flyovers (the images don’t actually come from satellites — they’re a patchwork of mainly aerial photographs). In this age of mass access to intelligence data your rooftop is a billboard. What’s your roof say about your business? How about: “Great Glasses Here!” in 6-foot plastic lettering.
TALENT ACQUISITIONInclude Your Website
When you advertise a vacancy at your office, be sure to include your website so that potential candidates can get a quick idea of whether they really want to work there. It saves everyone time when you let prospects “pre-qualify” as well.