EDUCATION BLOG

Economics professor Don Boudreaux published a reply to an op-ed article in the NYT that lead to an interesting discussion in the comments — some of the contributions are mine. Go have a look.

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are characterized by poor attention and distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. This definitely sounds like what business people suffer from when we attempt to accomplish our daily missions. It seems anything and everything occurs and comes to mind when we settle down and begin our day. At that very moment the world is filled with crisis and we must consider what should be done. Our attention is drawn away form our goals and agendas and we run to the farthest extent  of our minds.

Business people don’t necessarily have this condition but many times we feel as if we do. There are times when we become distracted so easily we feel there must be something wrong with us. We assume “normal” entrepreneurs always get things accomplished because of the results and success they have. This makes us feel like failures and we must be inferior or we would also be prosperous. We want to change but no answer we find gives the relief we desire often leaving us hopeless and helpless.

This disorder is treatable and can be greatly reduced by an exercise called FOCUS. Everyone experiences these times and it is can be a constant enemy until we learn how to combat it. There have been many statements and suggestions made about overcoming this problem and many are helpful. The only way to know what works for you is attempting them to see if they are advantageous. Some I have tried and achieved success with may seem simple but if it works, it works.

One example is working in one (1) hour intervals with a break between each. Purchase a timer that counts down to zero instead of up from zero. Place fifty (50) minutes on it and start it when you begin a task. Don’t stop your task until the timer goes off, no matter how important things are that come to mind DON’T STOP. At the end of the time take a ten (10) minute break; get some fresh air, a drink of water and a walk or some exercise. When you return, whether to finish the first task or start another, your mind will be clear and refreshed, reset you timer and begin again. It gives a new start to things and permits the creativity to flow freely.

Another thing that is helpful is to clear your desk or work area. If you don’t readily see things to distract you they are less likely to cross your mind, anything can cause your “TO DO LIST” to divert your attention.  Everything in our lives need accomplished but some are more important and can’t wait. Prioritizing is an important part of planning the usage of your time.

Ignoring the problem of distractions may cause you to lose everything. By not dealing with the things that cause us failure to achieve, we won’t achieve. There is no magic formula or means to stop attention disorders except to deal with them directly and swiftly. When anything distracts you from doing what needs done, note it and remove it. Then the next time be sure it isn’t a factor before you begin. Everyone’s items of distraction are different and must be acted upon for you.

Business ADD/ADHD is not a disease but a part of living, which we must deal with in a concentrated manner. It won’t just go away, it has to be monitored and corrected with diligence to prevent its destructiveness from destroying us. Take the suggestions you receive and apply them to your situation. Focus will grow but it must be cultivated.

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Why do front-line managers fail and what can be done to avoid failure? We polled our experts to identify our top five most common management derailers. Attend our seminar on 31 March 2010, 1pm at University of Louisville Shelbyhurst Campus Delphi Center for Teaching & Learning to learn more. 

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2qfugmp3b903345 

The greatest thing about it all is that you walk away with a $200 complimentary assessment and the 1st 100 people to register for one of the seminars will receive a complimentary ticket to see the worlds best coach, Brad Sugars, present a 3 hour seminar. You get all of this plus the seminar for a mere $75. If you register for both seminars on the 31st, then you get a complimentary luch, too.

80% is produced by 20% – your top performers. Non-performers stand out because they produce so remarkably little – the exact opposite reasons our stars stand out! Have you ever wondered if you don’t get more than your fair share of these folks?

Attend our seminar CORNERSTONES OF SALES PERFORMANCE on 1 April 2010 at 10am on University of Louisville Shelbyhurst Campus Delphi Center for Teaching & Learning to learn more.

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Think of a young woman blithely filing her nails or on a cell phone to a friend, her back to frustrated customers.

Employees who ignore customer needs put the organization at risk. Needy customers vanish. By the time leaders realize what has happened, it’s too late to repair the damage.   Do you know the two-thirds/one-third rule of business?

Commonly, organizations enjoy two-thirds of their business from existing clients and one-third from new customers. So you’d better make sure the young woman with perfect nails can hustle up lots of new business to make up for the clients she is filing away.

A more productive action would be to hire the right person in the first place—who may or may not be the woman filing her nails. And if she is the best person for the job, your organization can coach her to better—dare we say superb—customer service? For more about how to make sure you put the right person in the right job, call Clear Choice LLC at (502) 561-3451 or visit us on the web at http://www.clear-choice.com

Most people don’t have problems making friends. The challenge we all have is finding friends that aren’t detrimental to our dreams and desires. We offer friendship to many people but may soon find the association isn’t healthy for our future or us.

Everyone we associate with has an influence upon us. No matter how much time we spend with them, they will affect our attitude and perspective on situations. We open our minds to others to communicate and interact with them and in doing so we take a little of their vision within us. We attempt to be good listeners but we must not let their ill feelings and discouragements take root inside our minds. We battle these daily for ourselves and need to always be resistant to allowing it a foothold.

Now the question is, who “R” your friends?  I use the letter “R” in this question because the types of “FRIENDS” about us can be described in words beginning with “R”.

Many of them are “Rejecters”, they don’t like or agree with anything that is different. They are set in their ways and thoughts and won’t even listen to another point of view. These people will only destroy your hopes and dreams and are best left alone as much as possible.

The next type is the “Reducers”, every thing they have to offer is used to belittle and degrade you and your inspiration. Most give the impression that they are superior to everyone and their answers are the only right ones available. If they don’t do it, it won’t done correctly so don’t bother trying.

After these are the “Reflectors”, they act as any reflector of light would. The responses they give are vague and without conscience consideration, they are mentally numb to the conversation.  Much of their expression and interaction is merely a nod of the head or thoughtless agreement. They offer very little personal input and are almost animated in reply.

Next are the “Refiners”, these have an interest in the communication and willing discuss the situation with its positive and negative aspects. They give suggestions and perceptions of the entire subject while offering you an opportunity clarify your thought process. Friends with this expertise should be held closely and their opinions dearly valued.

Lastly are the “Refreshers”, the fresh and cleansing air of relationships. This group is supportive and open to your deepest thoughts and feelings. They will not always agree with your views but do listen and give attentive consideration to the conversation. They will inject their views and opinions while leaving you an opportunity to reply and evaluate the discussion. You are on equal terms and supportive of each other’s individualism. This is the type of friendship each if us desire.

We should always try to surround ourselves with people who are supportive of us without being patronizing. Interaction with those who are like-minded and offer a new outlook on things is desirable to most. We are displeased by the complacent attitudes of most people and search for a compassionate ear. I wonder how many others are looking for the same type of people as we are and shouldn’t w be that person?

Who survives a treacherous economy? We want to find out more about the organizations that not only live through turmoil but also thrive in spite of it. Thus our report on the attributes of American’s Most Productive Companies. 
 
The best practices we discovered offer ideas for any organization seeking to perform at ever-higher levels. As usual, the best practices involve workers, and how those workers are selected, trained and treated both in the short term and in the long run.  
 
Here is what we learned about the people attributes that drive productivity at America’s Most Productive Companies:   
 
1. The most productive companies strive for a performance-driven culture.  What does that mean, exactly? If you are the CEO of your organization, form a picture in your mind of what the culture looks like within your walls. Do you see workers handling customers with energy and a smile? Do you see clean and orderly offices and employees who are actually engaging with each other and with their work? Are phones answered on the first or second ring? Are people still at work after 5:00?     The office culture of the top leader in your organization will be the same for the rest of the organization as well. Conjure up in your mind, or on paper, what you want to see. Tell your managers what it looks like. Walk the walk. As we learned from our research, the attitudes, beliefs and values of an organization define its culture, and the head of the “beast” will drive the whole body.   
 
Visit tomorrow for the next submission in our series on attributes that drive productivity at America’s Most Productive Companies. For more about how to make sure you put the right person in the right job, call Clear Choice LLC at (502) 561-3451 or visit us on the web at http://www.clear-choice.com.

Rumors are unavoidable when new employees arrive, even in the healthiest of work cultures. Keep in mind that experienced employees may feel threatened by the new person. Business leaders should make the new person’s arrival a normal event, keep details of the compensation package private and tell the “star” that he is working among many other stars. For more about how to make sure you put the right person in the right job, call Clear Choice LLC at (502) 561-3451 or visit us on the web at http://www.clear-choice.com.