Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.
Marilyn vos Savant
Posted: 9/30/2010 9:23:33 AM by Administrator | with 0 comments


79% of Ontario small business owners said the overall state of business was satisfactory or good, according to the last CFIB (Canadian Federation of Independent Business) Barometer.
 
Ontario's outlook is much more positive than other provinces.
 
One of the main constraints wasseen as Management skills, time constraints (33%). This seems like a good time to review some good advice on time management.
 
You may have already heard the buzz of Tim Ferris and his book, The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.
 
In his book, Tim Ferris describes how he drastically reduced the amount of time that he works each week, followed his dreams of dance, martial arts, and surfing, and at the same time continues to grow his business.
 
How did he do this? The details are in his book, but at its simplest level I believe it comes down to organize, delegate, and eliminate time wasters.
 
He delegates his email, his phone calls except emergencies, mundane business decisions, has a "low-information diet" (opposite of news junky), and is very clear and organized about how he wants to spend his time.
 
In our work with busy business leaders, we see so many who have a tough time with these three themes. As a result, they are working hard, and actually reducing their personal and corporate wealth!
 
With business results picking up, the challenge will become even bigger. If we are serious about success, we all need to take a good hard look at how we are spending our time.
Posted: 9/28/2010 9:27:13 AM by Administrator | with 0 comments


Continuous Improvement Process (CIP, or CI) is an ongoing effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once.[1] Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility.
Posted: 9/24/2010 9:35:47 AM by Administrator | with 0 comments


They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
     Andy Warhol, 1928 – 1987
Posted: 9/23/2010 9:38:48 AM by Administrator | with 0 comments


Sorry the Blog is late this week:

How can the organizations recruit new employees after a large majority retires over the next few years, and how can they keep the younger workers they have now?
This is a topic that regularly comes up in all our conversations with LTKC clients.We all know that while Baby Boomers show company loyalty, the Millennials have no expectation of lifetime employment and do not have the same loyalty. They'll leave if they aren't being challenged and having fun.
Kathryn Ullrich wrote a very interesting article on this topic recently: Hiring and Retaining Talent: Three Es for Creating an Attractive Work Environment
KEY POINTS
Career development should include three E's: Experience, Exposure, and Education.
  • Experience -- offer challenging assignments that allow employees to develop new skills
  • Exposure -- provide opportunities for employees to expand their network inside and outside your organization to learn from others
  • Education -- encourage employees to take classes to improve and gain new skills
Experience
  • Challenging, visible assignments
  • Job rotational programs
  • Cross-departmental or special projects
  • Overseas assignments
  • Stretch assignments
  • Off-sites that allow for away-from-the-job reflection
Exposure
  • Cross-functional projects
  • Opportunities to showcase accomplishments to senior leaders
  • Relationships with role models, mentors, and coaches
  • Formal mentoring programs
  • Coaching and feedback networks
  • Affinity groups
  • Company events, meetings, or teams
Education
Sources of educational programs include: company training and development programs; graduate schools, trade schools, and continuing education classes; outside training institutions specializing in skill development; or a myriad of online programs and webinars available for quick learning or refreshing of skills.
Companies can also provide individual career coaches for star employees. Coaches can aid with training, from assessments, understanding skill gaps, and devising elements of a personalized development plan.
Posted: 9/22/2010 10:46:22 AM by Administrator | with 0 comments


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Name

Madeleine Norman
Administrative Coordinator, Corporate Services
Loyalist Training and Knowledge Centre

Description

Welcome to the LTKC blog!
This page is where I will be making weekly posts for your reading pleasure! Every week, I will be posting a quote, a word, a video and, of course, a short blog. Enjoy and be sure to leave comments!