It prompted me to think about business manners today, or the lack of them I should say. What sort of messages do we send young people today when they see our business leaders, government officials and politicians conducting themselves in very unmannerly ways? They yell;  they curse; they mock each other;  they call each other names; they look you in the eye and say “I didn’t do it and I promise not to do it again”; and most of them are the fifty plus crowd.

How can we serve as models to our young business and political leaders when most of what they see are instances like those above. Granted our society has and is changing. We are tech oriented; we have more people doing more things; we go at a faster pace; we have less control over events that impact us; we are global and deal in a variety of cultures; communication is instant.  All of this at a time when rudeness and a lack of manners seem to be growing.

Like Ms. Post said, “…honesty, respect and consideration … never change regardless of the political, social, or cultural landscape. These ethics are the foundation for the manners that lubricate our society’”. Maybe the fifty something crowd should take a little more proactive stance. We need to raise the bar on how we treat each other, not lower it. Next time we see offensive behaviour let’s remind ourselves and others, not all of us were raised that way.

One of those problems, and certainly not a small one, is the owner lost control of her company. As a result of losing control the owner was becoming overly stressed and is losing business.  Fortunately, the owner realized what was happening and is beginning to make the necessary changes to regain control and get the business back on track.

The specifics of how control was lost or why is not as important as how this happened.  Basically, it occurred because the owner lost focus of the plan to grow the business.  Management of the company was put into the hands of others, who had less passion for, and experience in the industry.  While the owner was off doing what they thought was best, the management team had other ideas of how the company should operate and grow.

As a business owner, you need to constantly stay focused on the plan you put in place to achieve your dream, and not delegate it to others to work that plan.  You need to work it, and if others are hired to help you, manage them closely and keep them accountable to you.  Otherwise the results you achieve will be that of others.

The article also reported that 15 percent of workers ages 50-64 are self-employed and that 25 percent are 65 or older.  Are you in this age category and out of work?   Do you still feel you have the knowledge, skills and vitality to be a contributing member of the workforce?  I’m sure you do.  Why not consider starting your own business. It doesn’t have to be large.  Maybe just you.

Where do you start?  Well how about a hobby you’ve enjoyed.  Can you turn it into a paying enterprise?  Or can you take your business skills from your previous employer or employers and turn that into a business enterprise?  Not sure how to do it?  There are many organizations out their that can help gain the knowledge you need to get started.

  There are Small Business Development Centers around the country with excellent counselors that can help you. The organization SCORE can also help.  The latter two organizations are sponsered by the US Government and are free.  There is this web site which offersfree information and  you can also go to our LINKS button and you’ll find a “link” to many more sites.

You may be laid off and  Over 50 but you can start a successful business venture and find great staisfaction in doing so. The opportunity is not without risk certainly, but you have a lot of help out there. Take advantage of it and good luck.

Main thouroughfares or interstates are your basic idea.

Intersections or exit ramps are options you must decide to take -sometimes it is even necessary to reverse course a bit when you make a wrong turn or take a wrong exit just don’t back up the “off” ramp.

Corners or curves can be handled unless you’re going to fast or not paying attention; then you can lose it.

Above all, a map shows you were you started and where you are going. This is the same focus for a business plan.

A business plan won’t keep you from making mistakes but, like a map, it helps you to stay more or less on the right road until you get where you want to go; even with a few corrections along the way, Like our old maps, or the new GPS in your dash, it’s always good to have a plan ready and to actually use it.

We see someone who is proud of their accomplishment and they show it by raising a fist, flashing a “We’re number one” or otherwise letting you know “they done good”, at least according to them. We see others who face a situation, take a deep breath and “just do it” look at their result and move on. 

Are these the same things? I don’t think so. It’s a short journey from proud to arrogant. All too often it seems today we see more of the later than the former. Also, we see a lot of our business leaders today who don’t seem to take pride in what they do as much as they put forth a defiant stance.

Confidence is also sometimes confused with arrogance. People act out of a sense of arrogance and entitlement. Confidence is not putting others down and “slamming” your opposition. It’s acting on your beliefs in a manner that demonstrates to others that you are following your beliefs with a fairness and openmindedness.

We seem to have put these two concepts on the back burner these days. Isn’t it about time we dusted them off and returned them to our business conversation.

For some of us, the computer is still not the “answer to everything”. We see people doing all sorts of things with their cell phones, mini-laptops, and other electronic devices when all we want is to be able to read our emails. Can’t remember how to use word, forgot how to create a simple formula in excel, powerpoint - forget it. We’re Luddites!

Yes, you are not alone.There are enough of the C & S philosophy (see above)  believers out there that we should have our own organization and website. If anyone has started one of these out of sheer frustration, now is the time to share it.

When you are ready to throw the *&^%^&% thing in the trashcan, what do you do?

Unfortunately, the storm seems to have settled in around us but If you listen to the prognosticators, we are in for a long run, a short run, or it’s over. Sounds a lot like our weather forecasters. 

So what does one do in this glass house. Some might say, set back and enjoy the show. Others say turn the music up and you won’t hear it so much, and still others say get under the bed and hope. All kinds of good advice available isn’t there.

In my house, we have decided to do a little of watching, a little bit of music and some hiding. We are not buying big items, regardless of the “two for one”, “three for one”  or “get it free” promotions everyone is doing - we’re watching our budget more closely. We are listening to the music more, we turn up the sound a bit to drown out some of the negative things we don’t believe will happen, although we are not taking the “bluebird of happiness” approach to the storm. We are not hiding; we are out there letting people know we are still around and working.

Many of us have weathered these storms before and our house (business) has been a bit battered, maybe even a few broken panes, but it’s still there and still taking care of us.

 I was encouraged in schools and on various athletic teams which I played on to identify, correct or strengthen my weaknesses.  The emphasis always seemed to be on my weaknesse and not on building upon my strengths. 

The authors show you how to become an expert at finding and refining your strengths.  They say great organizations capitalize on each employee’s differences, work to identify each employee’s natural talents, and transform them into strengths.

At the heart of the book is an internet based “StrengthsFinder Profile” that allows you to identify your strengths and shows you how to leverage them for powerful results at three levels: for your own development, for your success as a manager or business owner, and for the success of your organization. 

To me, who spent over thirty years in management, it is a very useful tool.

They used their garage for storage and assembled the product in their living room (often late at night) and hauled them to the post office, UPS Store, or FedEx. This was a time consuming, frustrating, and tiring experience. Not to mention, it turned their home into a “warehouse” eliminating the idea of their home being their “castle” or place of “escape”.

One solution that worked well for them was to utilize the services of a local vocational school/training facility. Such facilities, scattered throughout most counties in the US, provide work related training for physically challenged individuals.  The purpose of the facility is to help these individuals earn a living and eventually learn to live on their own. 

Most of these facilities will warehouse your product, have individuals who can assemble it, and also ship it for a very reasonable fee.  Their work has proven to be high quality and completed in a timely manner. The facilities are safe and secure.

If you are having problems with warehousing, assembling, and shipping your product, you may want to investigate utilizing a local vocational center.

Back then I thought I wanted to work in the non-profit world where I had extensive personal experience and it was going to be a career change. I began networking and applying to any non-profit organization that I thought could pay me a decent salary.

Nearly a year of interviews with various organizations led to a six month interim General Director’s position at a four branch YMCA.  For the most part the work was enjoyable; however, I quickly realized that it was not what I wanted to be doing, nor did I want to work in the non-profit sector. In fact, I often found myself sitting in an interview wondering why I was there and trying to figure out how I could politely end it.

What I really wanted to do was to be more in control of my own destiny, by having my own business.  I had spent a nearly a whole year looking for work and another six months working in an area where I didn’t want to be in before I started my first business venture.

I’ve had a number of business ventures in the past seventeen years, all of which have prepared me for what I really love doing; coaching, and advising individuals on reaching success in their life and business.  I haven’t completed my journey yet, but I assure you I know exaclty where it is I want to go and accomplish. 

How about you?  Do you know where you want to go? If so, great! Spend time preparing yourself to get there.  If not, take time to analyze yourself to see where it is you really want to go. Zero in on it, and begin to think and prepare yourself to get there.  Keep a positive mental attitude, no matter how difficult that may be at times, and visualize your being where it is you want to be.  You may surprise yourself and get there sooner than you expected.  And, like me, you may not finish up where you thought you would when you started out.