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Archive for October, 2011

Executive Summary

John Hope Bryant is from Southern California and well known as the founder of the Operation HOPE.  He is also known as a financial adviser and poverty eradication activist.  He was born on February 6, 1966 in Los Angeles.  His parents split up at an early age, in which he shared time with both parents separately. At a young age, Bryant witnessed his father lose their home to a financial predator by refinancing and charging higher unaffordable interest rates after a certain period of time. This inspired Bryant later in life to create an organization to help fight individuals against these predators.

Bryant wrote the book titled Love Leadership to express the idea of leading with love in a fear-based business world.  He tells about his many experiences he has gained from his early childhood all the way up to his life as the CEO of HOPE.  He expresses how love leadership can improve your style of leading others as well improve yourself altogether.

Bryant provides five total chapters in his book along with a foreword, introduction, and conclusion.  The foreword was written very well by Bill George, whom is also the author of the book True North.  Bill George expresses how this book is very marvelous and has affected his life. He also shares his experiences using love leadership. He explains how Bryant has so much more of a deeper and more insightful understand of what it means to lead with love.  After the foreword, there is a quick introduction.  In the introduction, Bryant tells about his childhood with his mother and father.  Bryant talks about his father losing his home as well as some of the random businesses his mother and father ran.  He explains that his father has bad budgeting and spending habits, but a good working ethic, and his mother taught him budgeting as she learned early in her childhood.

After the introduction, Bryant starts the chapters in the book.  Each chapter represents each law of love leadership.  Throughout each chapter, Bryant breaks down the meanings of each law as well as how he has experienced them in his life.  The reason these laws are so impacting is because Bryant actually learned all of these laws by mistakes he made along to way to success.

Before the book is closed out, Bryant gives a conclusion that rallies all of his laws together to make his last point about why people should have a love-based leadership.  He expresses on why it is so important to have this style of leadership due to the global economic crisis we face today.  He expresses how this is all a huge wake-up call to our country, because so many companies and organizations are being run incorrectly.   Just as HOPE was an organization to rebuild southern California and the rest of the country, Bryant expresses that love leadership is the tool to build our country and help it improve our economic crisis.

The Ten Things Managers Need to Know fromLove Leadership

1.            Loss creates leaders.  Experience of loss creates passionate leaders that look to succeed.

2.            Most people find strengths in external forces such as money, power, and titles.  Things that make a leader are on the inside such as integrity, wisdom, confidence, vulnerability, and passion.

3.            Fear fails. Going through life living in fear only holds you back from innovation. You want take risks, and you will not provide new talents.

4.            Ego and greed are two major motivators of fear.  Fear will get you nowhere in the business world today.

5.            Charity begins at home.  You have feel good about yourself before you can feel good about someone else.  You have to have confidence in yourself to have confidence in someone else.

6.            Fear-based leadership is short-term.  It may provide immediate success but is destine to fail.  Love-based leadership is based on long-term.

7.            Build long-term relationship with your followers.  Go the extra mile and treat them very well.  Get personal with them.  This will keep them loyal forever.

8.            Money is a by-product of love leadership; it is not a direct product.  Love leadership will provide true wealth.

9.            Vulnerability is power.  Admit you made a mistake when you made it.  Don’t lie or dance around the facts.  Your follows are more likely to forgive you and work towards a solution.

10.            Giving is getting.  Developing a relationship with others, helping them out when they are in need, and giving them 110% effort will benefit you just as much as it will them.

Full Summary of Love Leadership

LOSS CREATES LEADERS

Loss is the very first law of love leadership.  Loss is the very reason John Hope Bryant is who he is today.  It has motivated him to help groups and individuals all over the country through an organization known as HOPE.

FALL FROM GRACE

John Hope Bryant grew up in southern California between Compton and South Los Angeles.  During his childhood, he witnessed many conflictions between his mother and his father.  They eventually split up due to Bryant’s father taking the college funding of John’s brother.  John went to live with his father.  His father was targeted by a financial predator, and they eventually lost their home.  This made John realize how poorly financially managed his father was.  John then started at a private school for acting.  This led to many job opportunities in his young acting career.  For the first time, John was making a substantial amount of money.  John was taken in by bad spending habits and failing business attempts.  They were the same poorly managed financial issues his father experienced early in John’s life.  John eventually lost his home as well, ending up living in his Jeep just behind an airport in Los Angeles.  Even today, when John passes this very same airport, he is reminded that poor financial decision making can put him right back in the same place.

LEADING FROM LOSS

Everyday John meets with top CEO’s of very large corporations dealing with the current involvements in his HOPE Organization.  He does not fear any of these CEO’s because the loss of everything he once experienced has given him so much confidence in living life.  When people experience loss, they deal with it in one of three ways.  They can give up, cope or avoid the conflict, or they can accept and learn from the experience.  Learning from the experience creates the best leadership out there. It helps you learn more about yourself. Without loss, how would we stand strong? We wouldn’t know how. Loss teaches leadership. These are things learned from personal experience which can make you very passionate about leading others in these same areas.

GREAT LEADERS FORGED BY FIRE

Most great leaders have all experienced some type of great loss in their lives before they were able to lead the way they did.  Franklin D. Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio at age 39.  He led The United States of America out of the depression and served four terms as president.  Candice Lightner lost her thirteen year old daughter to a drunk driver.  She then created the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers organization which has saved many lives.  Martin Luther King Jr. experienced loss throughout his entire life.  He was abandoned, beaten, stabbed, and eventually killed for his beliefs, but he never gave up.  He has changed this country forever. “Loss strips away your physical crutches, and even your emotional crutches, and leaves you with nothing but the spirit. And in the spirit lies your true power.”

LOSS GIVES YOU AN ADVANTAGE

Through an acquaintance of Dave O’Meara the owner of Malibu Cinemas, John was then hired by a private merchant banking company.  He was asked to sell equity loans.  John realized this is the same time of predatory lending his father fell victim to and proposed to his boss a new division in lending.  In the first year, John failed his California real estate test three times, and made zero revenue.  The next year he finally passed that real estate test and turned small revenue of million. A few years later he was bringing in million and ended up buying the division out to start Bryant Group Companies.

OUT OF LOSS AND DISPAIR, HOPE

During the early 90’s, South California experienced some harsh times.  The Rodney King trials were going on, and fires spread throughout destroying neighborhoods.  One thing Bryant noticed was the buildings being burned down were not owned homes, they were leases and businesses. Bryant noticed the people of the area were very frustrated but did not destroy their own.  With the help of Bryant’s pastor, Bryant had the courage to lead a bus filled with bankers into the heart of these neighborhoods to help rebuild.  During these visits they were able to meet business owners, and provide them with loans to rebuild their business and life.  This was the creation of the operation called HOPE. HOPE is an organization to helped “poor communities who lacked banking services; who lacked financial literacy; who lacked a path to home ownership; who lacked a path to economic self-sufficiency; who lacked dignity, power, or even the simple courtesy of a returned telephone call.”  So, because of loss, Bryant has learned a lot and progressed forward.  Unlike most individuals, the success didn’t get to Bryant, and in return he started an organization to help poor communities across the country.   Loss is the first rule of love leadership.

FEAR FAILS

Every leader faces what we call fear.  Fear is only a simple feeling that leads directly to failure.  Love, however, is not just a feeling.  It also requires thinking.  Love is an emotion that stays with you as fear fades away. The second law in love leadership is that fear fails.

A FEAR BASED WORLD

In the business world, there are to major motivators of fear; ego and greed. In business life, people go to work fearing they will lose their job.  In the end, this only hurts them.  Going to work in fear, holds their unique personalities back.  It prevents them from trying, as they are afraid they will fail.  It prevents them from taking risks, so they won’t be innovative.  Fear only holds people back. You have to start believing in yourself to believe in others. Love yourself so that you are able to love others as well. Know what your purpose in life is instead of fearing it.

FEAR-BASED LEADERSHIP

There are businesses from large to small all over the globe that is based off fear leadership.  Henry Ford II is a good example of fear leadership. He is known for firing staff for no apparent reason.  It is reported that 37% of American worked are being bullied at work, mostly by their bosses. Fear-based leaders share some of the characteristics as most great leaders.  They both are very charismatic and intelligent.  Although they are similar, fear-based leaders tend to criticize unfairly, blame others for their mistakes, steal credit, make unreasonable demands, deny accomplishments, and issue threats.  This is like comparing Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler, Dr. Martin Luther King to Joseph Stalin, or Gandhi to Osama Bin Laden.

FEAR LEADS TO “SHORT-TERMISM”

One problem with today’s business world is that it tries to make as many shortcuts to success as possible. It is fearing and lazy. Leading with fear may cause your business to take off for the moment, but it will eventually collapse. Our economy is a prime example of this.  The market has taken on severe loss to foreclosed homes.  This has caused a terrible crisis to the country’s economy.

STUMBLING AND FALLING, OUT OF FEAR

In this section of the book, Bryant discusses about a time he led out of fear.  They had to put together a cybercafé in L.A. for Al Gore, the vice president at the time.  This needed to be done in two weeks. Bryant took in a lot of stress trying to put together this cybercafé.  He unloaded a lot of stress and drama on other individuals around him.  Towards the end of the project, he snapped and yelled and cursed.  He was then sat down by a volunteer named Rod McGrew, who had helped HOPE for 8 years.  Rod told him that he forgave him because he knew Bryant was so stressed, but he needed to fix things.  This is a lesson Bryant has learned from experience.  Leading out of fear is a short term fix that will eventually crumble in the end.

LOVE MAKES MONEY

Bryant outsmarted Fila and Ellesse by traveling to Mexico to pick up merchandize, then returning home to sell this at a cheaper price to earn profits.  Fila and Ellesse picked up on this and attempted to sue Bryant putting him out of business in legal fees.  Bryant walked away. Bryant learned from the experience and realized he needed to do more for his community and less for himself.  He learned the next law of love leadership; love makes money.

LOVE-BASED PROSPERITY

Money is a by-product of leading with love.  Leading with love is doing something simply because you care, not out of greed or lust. Bill gates didn’t start Microsoft simply because he wanted to make billions of dollars.  This came because he obsessed about an idea of software was designed to simply be user friendly for everyone.  Leading with love is thinking about others more than you.  Gates designed software to make using a computer easier for others. The money he made from this idea was a by-product.

LEADING WITH LOVE FOR THE LONG TERM

Leading with fear is short-term, but leading with love is long-term.  As a leader, leading with love insures your place in the future.  If you lead with love, people will follow you forever.  Leading with fear hurts your reputation, brand, and your future.  Leading with love is the only way to lead if you want to last.

CARING FOR OTHERS

Long-term relationships drive love leadership. Bryant learned through trial and error that if he was nice, he would make 1 sale.  That client wouldn’t return the next year.  He learned by developing a long-term relationship with the client, he would make 20 or so sales and establish the type of relationship that would keep the client coming back each year. Don’t treat each client as a transaction, treat them as a friend. Ask about their families, hobbies, etc. It is the same with your employees.  If you create a good relationship with your employees, they will always follow you as their leader.

DOING GOOD

Creating a genuine relationship with someone is not the only thing that needs to be done to make money.  Bryant goes over your purpose in life.  The biggest asset a person has is not their money, job, or even family.  It is you.  If you use this asset to do good, the rest will follow.   In return you will receive true wealth.  True wealth isn’t just money; it is spiritual, intellectual, and emotional as well. Following this law will make you wealthy and wise.

VULNERABILITY IS POWER

In this chapter, Bryant talks about HOPE as it went through harsh times as the economy fell.  He also adopts a rule he learned from Oprah.  Do business with companies that are credible and have as much to lose as you do. Vulnerability is power is the fourth law of love leadership.

VULNERABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

When things go bad, fear-based leadership tend to make leaders lie about situations, make critical poor decisions, and close off their relationship with their followers.  A love based leadership is quite the opposite.  When you are honest and accept your mistakes openly, people are more likely to forgive you.  Bryant talks about how HOPE climbed out of a financial revenue crisis and is now hitting their revenue mark for 2009.

 WHY VULNERABILITY IS A SOURCE OF POWER

Bryant expresses that by following love leadership, being vulnerable is a must.  When you make a mistake be sure to be open about it.  People will stand beside you when you make mistakes.  There are ladder climbers and ladder makers.  If a ladder maker makes a mistake, their steps are strong, and so they will not fall.  A ladder climber however will see their steps collapse for all the people they stepped on making their way up.

HOW TO SHOW VULNERABILITY

Deliver bad news and admit mistakes as soon as they progress. The sooner you get this information out the better. Do not hold it in and wait for the problem to find you.  To admit your mistake is an act of love.  To hold it in is an act of fear.

GIVING IS GIVING

Giving is giving is the fifth and final law of love leadership.  This chapter discusses how giving is the true gift of a leader.  When you give passionately, the gift you will receive is unbeatable.

THE MORE YOUR GIVE, THE MORE YOU GET

In this section of the chapter, Bryant expresses that as a love leader, your employers or customers are not your servants, in fact, you are their servant.  Have a deep passion for helping the people you are leading.  Make sure your decisions benefit your followers, not just you.  In return they will follow you for life.

GIVING TO YOUR PEOPLE

Make sure you are involved throughout your entire campaign.  Be at all of the meetings even if you aren’t speaking.  Get involved in the classes or teachings of your followers.  Go and personally meet your clients.  Get involved as much as possible, and do it as much or more than your followers.  If you are greatly involved and carry your relationship to the next level, you will receive as well.

GIVING TO GET THE BEST OUT OF PEOPLE

Give more than one hundred percent to your employees, because you will receive just that much in return. You cannot grow as a company or as an individual by giving bare minimum. Create a positive reinforcing environment and your organization will do better.   This is the last stepping stone to love leadership.

The Video Lounge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHvN1Bf1aGY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc1Op-3caxw

Personal Insights

With the business conditions today, what the author wrote is definitely true.  Leadership that is based on fear will only get you so far with your followers.  Fear based leadership sets up for failure, while leadership based on love is set to achieve only the highest goals.  Today’s business world needs very strong leaders, because there is so much more than just telling employees what to do.  Fear-based organizations fail after a short-term success, while love leadership-based organizations strive as long as they are doing good.  With the Global economy hurting as much as it is, leaders must do everything in their will to improve and move their organization forward.

Then, all of the following bullet-items are mandatory to write about:

If I were the author of the book, I would have done these three things differently:

1.            Gone more into depth.  Bryant talks a lot about his personal experiences.  I just think that readers would get more out of the book if Bryant wrote more about how to accomplish being a love-based leader.

2.            Even though I enjoyed it thoroughly, I felt like I was reading a biography about Bryant instead of the teachings from his life experiences.  He praised himself too much towards the end of the book, which counteracts the entire point of the book.

3.            Bryant could have possibly written a little more about examples of fear-based leadership companies failing.  He mentioned one or two, but I just think more would support his theory a little more.

Reading this book made me think differently about the topic in these ways:

1.            It really helped me see the poor mishaps of a lot of current companies.  Fear-based leadership is involved in a lot of companies here in the United States.

2.            It has really made me aware of the financial predators out in the world today.  I already knew they existed, but I didn’t realize to what extent.

3.            I didn’t really understand how far leading with love can really go in the work environment.  I somewhat thought it would be appropriate to lead with a little more force.

I’ll apply what I’ve learned in this book in my career by:

1.            Developing a better relationship with each and every follower or employee.

2.            Being more open about mistakes I make, and coming out with them as soon as I know I was wrong.

3.            Opting out fear.  Fear is short-term success followed by failure.  I will develop more a love-based leadership for long-term effects.

Here is a sampling of what others have said about the book and its author:

“This morning, I finished reading “Love Leadership: The New Way To Lead in a Fear-Based World”, by John Hope Bryant. This book advocates that the best long-term success is driven by people who lead others with love, caring, and respect. For 17 years, John Hope Bryant has lead his company, Operation HOPE, using these guiding principals; and, as a result, during the worst economic crisis in decades, he manages to continue on without having to let go of a single employee. This is impressive unto itself; but, when you realize that Operation HOPE is a non-profit and that much of its funding came from, and continues to come from companies currently under tremendous financial stress, the power of building “personal relationships” with your partners and vendors becomes exceedingly evident.”

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Write Down your Smart Phone Related Needs: When you are buying a smart phone you must have a few objectives like, whether the phone is used to make incoming or outgoing calls or for listening to music or clicking photographs. But, if you want it for the net surfing purpose or working on spread sheets then it is wise to invest in a smart phone. Knowing your needs will surely permit you to single out the most right one; otherwise you get hampered by the collection of several different options available in smart phone.

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If you browse through different websites online, you will get to see many product reviews including smart phone reviews. By reading review about smart phone and using a few tips, you can choose the right and perfect smart phone.

Executive Summary

The book has lots to do with a manager’s ability to find and control negative troublemakers in the work force. In completing this task, managers must evaluate all employees to insure whom the good apples and bad apples are. Throughout the book different types of behaviors of bad employees are given with different solutions on how to address each behavior. The goal of any manager is to not fire anyone; potentially a manager would like to find the cause of the certain negative behavior. In doing so the manager would then like to proceed in finding a way to change this behavior or channel it into something positive for the company. There are many steps in dealing with troubled employees on how to correct a problem, yet only three typical reasons as to why behavior is occurring. Generally the bad apple employee acts out in this demeanor to get something, attention usually being key. This potential employee is probably looking for a certain outcome, if the manager can evaluate this employee and find out what type of outcome the employee wants the manager can make arrangements so that all parties involved move in a positive direction. There also two other reason employees act out in such ways, one being for emotional reasons and the other being traits not recognized that are being executed.  Another part of the book deals with focusing on good employees, too many times too much attention is given to something negative. The book wants managers to remember that in any sturdy foundation of a company it must start with good apples. The problem is that often the good apples aren’t left with feelings of neglect due to bad apples, soon enough the bad apples too start portraying with negative behavior. Of course this is the worst case possible, providing that the whole company could potentially decrease productivity, the key role of a manager is is to increase this. So in order to keep a strong foundation to build on a manager must address the concern of motivating good apples. A manager can do this by simply focusing on team building, communication and encouraging positive attitude.The book ends with the last step any manager would want to do, indeed it be firing. It explains the proper way how to execute this procedure along with how to address the team in the aftermath. Overall the book merits greats thoughts and ideas on how to promote positive attitude when such bad apples are exist.

The Ten Things Managers Need to Know from

BAD APPLES

1.            Definition of a Bad Apple: Generally speaking a bad apple is a person who lacks traits in the work place; such as being a team player, cooperativeness, and positive attitude.

2.            Types of Bad Apple: As many know already it’s difficult to fit every individual into a certain type, therefore each individual should be looked at and identified according to specific personality traits. Noted in the book there are about 15 different types that can be easily identified, which will be detailed throughout the summery.

3.            Inherited Bad Apples: The biggest down side about acquiring a new management position is that there will always be a rotten apple from the start. Sometimes managers will have no control over these rotten apples, they must use evaluation skills to identify strengths and weaknesses of the rotten apple to enhance the performance.

4.            Encouraging Bad Apples to become a Good Apple: In just about any business practice it’s always easier to keep a bad employee and groom them to be better than go through the hiring process. Managers should make bad apple aware of the benefits and consequences of changed behavior.

5.            Maintaining Good Apples: Never assume a good apple can never be spoiled. A manager’s job should not always be focused on the negativity of the already bad apples; appreciation to current good apples will keep the core of the business thriving.

6.            Disciplining Bad Apples: There should be rules, standard procedures, and expectations put in place that every team member is responsible for. After realizing some expectations, etc. aren’t getting completed a manager; constructed criticism is the first step in disciplining, bad apple must know first hand manager is not happy with performance.

7.            Throwing Away Bad Apples: There is a point when any manager can have a breaking point with a certain bad apple, generally that’s when the bad apple should be fired. Generally a manager should allow for a grace period to hire someone new so the business isn’t left in a bind, however sometimes things can’t wait.

8.            Promoting Positive Attitude for Good Apples: Number one job for a manger is to keep up positive attitudes, starting with self attitude, a manager’s feelings about job carries through a team. A manger should actively participate in team building, setting a good example, along with making adjustments where best needed; new equipment, better location, and evaluating current policies.

9.            Avoid Hiring New Bad Apples: Never be to quick to hire in hurry, a manager can sometimes be blinded and just settle. The hiring process should be replicated to every applicant to insure equal chances; the applicant that best fits in with the team is usually the best to hire.

10.            Balancing the Apple Cart: Unfortunately life is never perfect, expect to have a bad apple lurking in the background at all times. Though it’s important to remember to not let them take over, a manger’s key role in business is to increase productivity, allowing a bad apple to stop that role can affect the manager’s role to the company.

Full Summary of Bad Apples

Introduction: What is a Bad Apple?

Every organization is faced with at least one, every member has a chance to be influenced by one, and every person can become one, a bad apple that is. A bad apple usually has at least one of these three common characteristics, among more, creating constant trouble, not working effectively with others and being overly difficult. As a manager, one is given the task of figuring out who essentially meets this role inside the company. In order to effectively do complete this task a manager must create evaluations for all team members, remembering that every individual is unique. Meaning that no bad apple will just run up and notify one of itself and it’s potential harm. Generally the manager must take certain steps in identify other behavior that goes along with this particular individual.

Types of Bad Apples

Certain behavior that a manager can expect to find to from a bad apple is following instructions wrong, argumentative, tardiness, leaving early, rudeness and inability to take directions consistently. Many times a bad apple has a hidden agenda, presuming to be someone in a particular setting, especially around the manager. Therefore another sign that will directly point to a bad apple is how interaction is around other co-workers or co-worker complaints. Still though sometimes a bad apple can effectively hide behavior traits that aren’t easily recognizable. Presumably if there is any doubt, ask the question of is this person ultimately affecting the bottom line? A manager’s job is to increase productivity for the company, if a bad apple is affecting the bottom line, its also affecting the manager’s productivity levels.

After thinking a bad apple has been identified, there is one last evaluation task a manager should complete.  A manger should beware to not confuse negative personal feelings about a person as a trait of a bad apple. Suggesting that managers must find professional judgment insight over making irrational decisions through personal opinions. The best possible way in doing this is to see if indeed the employee is bringing value to the company, even if the manager doesn’t particularly enjoy the person’s color of shoes.

Once identifying a bad apple, a manager’s job then is to recognize which type of issue causes a person to act as a bad apple. Throughout the book there are a total of seventeen different issues named that can lead to a bad apple, but more could and do exist. In detail the issues will be discussed starting with the following:

Gossiper: The gossiper can potentially be either a blabbermouth or a rumor starter.

Backstabber: Usually try to under mind others by throwing others under the bus to only advance self.

Passive-Aggressive: Act in a stubborn and forgetful way without realizing the behavior.

Waster: Two types, a time waster and resource waster.

Narcissist: Only thinking of self and how much easier job can be if putting things off on other team members, generally passing all tasks onto others yet wanting to receive full credit.

Liar: Simple enough explanation someone who lies, note that the workplace liar never admits to lying.

Lazy Bones: Uses every short cut in the book to make eights steps into three.

Combatants: Challenges every procedure or statement within a team, making team eventually worn out.

Poisoner: Also known as a pessimistic, this person finds a problem with everything and can create negativity throughout entire staff.

Bully: Always has to have things a certain way and will criticize others to get accomplish this.

Slob: A person who is either messy in the office or appearance wise, either can cause mis-reputation of company.

Thief: Consists of stealing personal belongings or stealing other’s ideas and using as own.

Whiner: Type of person who always ask why things have to be done a certain way, manipulating authority.

Unreliable: Always coming up short or coming up late with assigned duties.

Career Climber: While this person is a very self motivated individual unfortunately its only for one self to further career and not company.

Everyday Crisis: Tries to fool everyone into thinking personal drama is why job isn’t getting done or tries to blow every small mishap into major problem.

Job Hater: Very much negative Nancy has no interest in growing company, just there to get paid essentially.

After identifying a direct issue or issues with a bad apple, a manager’s job then is to try and correct the issue. Each issue to each individual may be handled differently, depending on the severity of issue. A good manager should try and point out the weakness and strength-ness in the issue and try to motivate that part before going to straight firing technique.

In most cases any promotion comes with previous employees, and chances are there some bad apples waiting. When in this predicament not to bomb-bared changes amongst everyone right away. This will not be an effective procedure especially if bad apples with negativity exist. A good choice in completing this task is evaluating once again, find out what makes the team, bad apple, good apples motivated. Once learning this, try to incorporate that motivation with a changing procedure. Keep in mind this will not happen over night; people will not automatically respect the new manager. The manager must earn that respect through setting examples, new realistic goals and creating relationships with new employees.

Motivating Bad Apples to Become Good

Changing a person’s habits and traits will always be a task hard to complete for anyone, so encouragement is important. The manager should be able to have conversation with the bad apple employee and really conquer an understanding as to why this person acts out. Every behavior exhibited is motivated by something, this be any where from releasing emotions, certain actions leading to certain outcomes, or even traits that are not controllable. Its very important that the manager be able to identify the cause of the bad apples actions because this will lead the manager in the best procedure of how to take control this action. An example if this would be if an employee has a poisoner type behavior, constantly sabotaging in any new idea or procedure. This employee could be acting this way due to the desire of wanting to have control of something. An effective way to use this negative behavior and turn it to a positive one would be allowing the employee to head up a new task.

Other ways that a manager may be able to encourage bad apples to becoming good apples could be through rewards. Rewards could include anything from extra responsibility, compliments, promotions and paid raises. Of course a manager shouldn’t award any negative behavior; the manager should only award if employee is actively trying to change behavior. Along with creating awards for good behavior the manager should also create consequences for the bad behavior. No one should be allowed to have a free ride, and think that just because no participation in changing occurs, no action will be taken place to punish will happen. For some employees consequences can be more effective in changing behavior than actual rewards. Consequences can include write-ups, public embarrassment, loss of responsibilities, demotions and the worst termination.

Ultimately a manger would like to always correct bad behavior over having to fire someone and hiring someone new. Therefore the manager needs to bring up the negative behavior to the bad apple, allowing for the bad apple to recognize that this behavior is no longer acceptable. The manager then needs to have a plan of action, a plan of improvement, and plan for the worst. Worst of course would be if the employee doesn’t show in any effort in improving or is just not improving enough to where the manager then would have to fire that employee. One of the most important actions though is that the manager in whatever plan is set is followed through. If a manager can’t follow through in firing, this could potentially set a repeated in failure in manager’s job performance.

Maintaining Good Apples

Unfortunately in life negative actions are given much more attention than positive ones. This is also very much true in the work force today, and while this will more than likely be true forever a manager needs to create some focus to one recognizing good behavior as well. Some employees crave attention, if a person isn’t actively getting the attention needed doing the right thing, doing the wrong thing will be the next way about getting it. The other risk a manager faces is losing good apples to bad apples; peer pressure will be present even after the days of high school.  In this predicament a manager should also focus on maintaining good apples. A manager can do this by taking these actions, make connections, make advancements options, training, rewarding good behavior, praising, keeping up good morale, and communication.

Disciplining Bad Apples

The down side of being a manger is discipline, disciplining bad apples can be worst too. Once repeated offering to help a troubled employee is getting no where, and before coming to terms with having to fire a employee, a manager should try using discipline to getting employee back on track. Threats are usually one dealt with this procedure, however its not always the most appropriate. Make sure empty threats aren’t being thrown out to just fear an employee. The employee will eventually figure out that the threat isn’t real, living the manager looking like a liar and hollow. Make actions attended on keeping, avoid using hostile language or tones, correct in private, and keep a paper trail on issues brought up.

Ditching Bad Apples

After disciplining and getting no immediate decent response, the next step will be firing. There are few steps in helping a manager come to terms with what must happen to this spoiled apple. Prepare in having all legal paperwork completed with human resources department before termination meeting. Evaluate how the firing of this employee will affect the company, the staff, and the manager personally. Create a plan in dealing with the aftermath of the firing, hiring someone new, promoting some one or handing our extra job responsibilities. All things completed the manager will then need to proceed with the termination meeting. In the meeting the manager should use correct tone, demeanor, avoid beating around the bush, be straightforward and don’t allow employee to intimidate. A manager should make termination reason very clear and direct for employee while making it immediately, and should collect in company property before last paycheck is given. Once termination is completed, manager should not discuss reasons of termination with other employees but should verify that termination has been executed.

Create a Positive Work Environment

Just as bad attitude can pass on to other employees, positive attitude can too, so make sure the manager always has one. Best way to create manager respect is leading by example, in doing this the manager should take every opportunity to act in the most positive way even at the worst times. A manager should not act but create team building, set up communication and interaction. No company should always just work hard; encourage humor in the right time and place. Also a manager should try preventing arguments before starting or escalation, this will keep team’s focus on meeting expectations and working not the office drama. A manager should create certain activities that are easy for everyone to participate in, favorite shirt day. The manager’s other responsibility in creating positive team attitudes would be being the team’s biggest ally. Making sure the physical environment for the team is safe, spacious, having enough resources and good maintenance is extremely important. Any of the previous stated environments that are up to date can cause sluggish team effort in productivity.

Avoid Hiring Bad Apples

Just getting one bad apple out the door only for another one to replace it is not the perfect idea. When hiring someone new a manager needs to be cautious, bad apples need jobs too and usually in the most abundant supply. Here are a few tools in which a manager should use in replacing the bad apple, first is job description. Before notifying of hiring, first thing a manager needs to do is sit down and do research on what exact requirements must this person have, what the company needs and traits that a good apple will have. The second tool to use is good sense to where to find new applicants. This could include using a friend of someone personally known or using friends of team members, and maybe promoting within the company.

Once elimination of some applicants, and deciding on a number of interviewees have a procedure on the interview process. Making initial contact and the response to that initial contact in the business world is just about as important as first impressions. A manager should evaluate how timely the response was and friendly, this alone can determine how serious of candidate this person is about wanting this job. The next step would be the actual interview and the questions presented. In the interview the manger first needs to begin interview with questions about education, previous employments and responsibilities other than stated on application. A manager should avoid yes or no questions and look for questions that interviewee can elaborate using examples. An example is a personal insight of what a person has experienced, a manager can get a much more clearer look at who this person is and how work skill is. The last step in an interview is doing homework, make sure to check references, this could be difference between Bob and Jill.

After interview is completed it is then up to the manager to make a decision, try and go with gut feeling. Also a manager should give these statements some though process to such as: experience in a similar job or industry, pleasant personality, ability to benefit company through contacts, and go-getter attitude. When the decision is made the manager needs help get the new employee off to a good start, which can include training, introduction to other employees, setting expectations. Its very important manager isn’t overly nice to new employee, not wanting to water down expectation of job nor wanting to waste money into training if not able to perform.

Conclusion

Lastly, a manager needs to balance and accept things won’t always be perfect. There will always be constant potential for an employee to become a bad apple. The important thing to remember is how to handle the situation without risking the manager’s job. Increased productivity is key, if productivity is failing due in adequate performance of a bad apple that a manager has continued to not deal with, the manager will be at fault. The best advice is to not let anyone get to comfortable with expectations including manager itself.

The Video Lounge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5izbgOj_WvI

In this particular clip it identifies one of the chapters inside of the book of dealing with difficult employees, the clip will provide a real life example of a bad apple type employee.

Personal Insights

Why I think:

With business conditions today, what the author wrote is – or is no longer true – because:

In today’s business world the author’s book would be very true. I think this especially because of current economic standing in the U.S. Our country is suffering from high unemployment rates, that only seem to be increasing monthly. With that being said, any good job is in high demand, making a manager’s job easier to fire someone and find a replacement the very next day. Basically every manager should actively be completing evaluations of their current teams members, if someone is showing more than enough traits to identify them, as a bad apple then there is someone else willing to be a good apple. Another good example of why the book is relevant today is because many companies are downsizing and eliminating employees they don’t need or who aren’t increasing productivity. Any employee should be an active model of a good apple to save their job.

Then, all of the following bullet-items are mandatory to write about:

If I were the author of the book, I would have done these three things differently:

1.            I would have chosen to either eliminate the different heading sizes or complete the entire book with an outline form.

2.            There are many case study examples throughout the book, for more effective reading, it would have been nice to see those at the end of the chapters.

3.            The last chapter, conclusion of whole book while is direct is very short, merely two pages. I think it would have been nice to see the author elaborate more on the continued process of balancing the apples.

Reading this book made me think differently about the topic in these ways:

1.            Allowing continued inadequate performance from one person can affect a whole company.

2.            There will always be negativity in a company, important to channel the negativity into strength; criticism isn’t always a bad thing.

3.            Sometimes becoming overwhelmed with trying to fix bad apples, more are created due to lack of appreciation or attention. Once negative actions get more attention, assumptions will be made to act that way subconsciously.

I’ll apply what I’ve learned in this book in my career by:

1.            I think its important to evaluate individuals more, while evaluations do take up lots of time, it seems the more information collected the better managing skill to identify with a certain person.

2.            As a manager make sure to set a proper example, above any negative employee, a manager has the most influence.

3.            Increased productivity is a key role, when someone is trying to make that unattainable and succeeds its best to let that person go.

Here is a sampling of what others have said about the book and its author:

“Being able to climb the career ladder means all managers must

learn how to handle employees who are ‘bad apples.’ Finally, here

is a book that takes the mystery out of dealing with difficult

employees. The book provides easy-to-follow steps for identifying

and dealing with bad apples and is a must read for anyone wanting

to get into management, anyone who is a new manager, or anyone

currently in management who is trying to deal with difficult

employees.”

Lisa Quast, award-winning author, “Your Career, Your Way!”

All too often managers are left to fend for themselves when it comes to managing their staff. Managing Bad Apples makes coexisting with the ‘problem child’ employee easier by delivering simple practical guidance to the novice and the expert manager.

             David Lewis, President of OperationsInc – Human Resources Consulting

This book helps managers decide what the right course of action is-whether it means chastising negative behavior, encouraging positive outlooks, separating certain folks, creating teams for success, giving employees warnings, and/or firing the ones who are pretty much rotten through and through. This book is essential reading for any manager looking to ensure a pleasant, productive-and fruitful-work environment

Adams Business Publisher-imprint of Adams Media

All three reviews of the book put emphasis on how much this book addresses the bad employee. The bad employee is too little addresses in the books of business and not much said on which steps to take on identifying the bad apple. Also the three summaries suggest reading the book for any new manager.

Smart phone is an essential communication media in our everyday life. In the past, these Mobile phone were used to receive and making call only. Nowadays, these phones are used to do many works including live video calling, watching TV, picture and data sharing, live Video program watching, Tracking and navigating, office working and various others.Smart phoneis a superb innovation of modern cellular technology. However there are many cell phone manufacturers in the world but only a small number of phone manufacturers are manufacturing smart phone. The smart phone is simply a cellular phone that offers advanced competency above the ordinary mobile phone. Smart phones offer a complete keyboard with internet and email functionalities and with a full operating system and applications.

Various Messaging Options

Smart phones have a number of message alternative features like the voice mail, SMS messaging service, chat functions of MSN and yahoo and all email functions. These phones have the ability to connect you to your email address, allow you to send faxes and access any internet site. This innovative device is operated by special software and it allows you to read all business documents in such formats as spread sheets, text documents and many more. With these smart and innovative phones it is possible to edit the documents also.

High Quality Cameras

A superior quality camera is a must in any decent smart phone, ranging from 2 mega pixel to high resolution 8 mega pixel with video recording abilities. The pictures and clips captured on this camera will be free of alterations and of superior quality. With the new Photoflash technology that has been included in the new innovative smart phones, you can have great pictures no matter where you are.

Wire-less Connectivity

The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth headset which is in-built in smart phones is among the most attractive features of these innovative gadgets. Bluetooth technology has become vital for wireless communication and with this Bluetooth-enabled smart phone you can send and receive data to and from similarly-enabled gadgets like PCs, laptops, Macs or other cell phones. On the other hand, the innovation of Wi-Fi has made the use of internet much easier than ever before. With this innovative facility you can connect to the internet without any wire connection. This certainly simplifies matters of communication.

 Up-To-Date Operating System

Smart phones have a superb feature of operating system like a PC or a laptop. Microsoft and Symbian operating systems are extensively used in the smartphones and they take over the market likewise. They permit the users to transfer files among computers and phones. Smartphones are great selection for traveling and corporate professionals as they need regular access to e-mails, calendar, Internet and other applications during movement.

Smart phones, as a whole, carry as much functions and applications as a cell phone as a PDA. These latest and advanced smart phones are obtainable from the market at promotional rates with the facility of free coupons available on CouponPark.com, an online coupons site for the entire shopping community.

My years working as a Master plumber I have seen many companies hire individuals who have little experience with plumbing. Many companies will use other workers in the maintenance department to perform plumbing work and when it comes to basic plumbing tasks like plunging sinks and toilets this is a large savings to the company.

My problem is when you have large companies who don’t hire skilled plumbers to do plumbing maintenance. It takes years to learn the plumbing trade to develop skills to master the art of plumbing, to trouble shooting, perform problem solving, and understand code compliance.

If you are new to plumbing and want to become a maintenance plumber my advice;  ask your company to send you too as many classes on plumbing that are available in your area.

Most individuals who apply for a maintenance plumbers positions have handy man skills and can unplug a sink, toilet, lavatory, make simple repairs to faucets, and other minor skills that would be required by a handy man.

Companies would profit in the long run by hiring skilled licensed plumbers. Today companies like to call maintenance plumbers by all kinds of names like maintenance engineers, building engineers, maintenance technicians, general engineers and other handy-man job tittles.

If you happen to be one of these individuals and your hired by a company I’m sure you don’t care what they call you as long as they pay you well.

The information in this article is to help you stay employed and prosper as a employee in the plumbing field.

It has taken me years to learn the trade and master the art of plumbing. There is a big difference in working as a maintenance plumber or a service plumber as apposed to working as a construction plumber.

I believe that being a construction plumber and a service plumber takes years of experience and by having skills in both areas, is key to your job growth and longevity.

My new book called “Flush Your Plumbing Troubles Down The Toilet” is available on Amazon.com and is a valuable book on what you need to know on how to save your company money by knowing and learning the information in the book.

If you follow my instructions and properly set up a preventive plumbing maintenance program, learn how to freeze water and steam lines, understand back flow, & cross-connections, estimate the time to get work done, actually perform maintenance on your hot water circulating system, use green plumbing techniques, and other crucial tasks, you will become a valuable asset to your organization and be able to stay working for a very long time.

I can assure you that companies are not doing the things I recommend in my book, and if you learn and do the things I recommend in the book you will become  indispensable.