Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the concept that that a corporation’s responsibilities include other stakeholders and includes other responsibilities above and beyond a return for shareholders. These responsibilities include legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities in addition to economic responsibilities (Trevino and Nelson, 2005, p. 31). Other stakeholders could include employees, suppliers, the customers, the community and others. Types of responsibilities the corporation may hold beyond a return for shareholders could include, protecting and or improving the environment where the company operates, improving conditions for the community where the company resides, etc…

Corporate Governance refers the way in which the corporation governs itself. Governance includes the way the company reports earnings, pays Directors, etc… Recognizing that improper governance can have huge consequences for employees and shareholders, the government requires corporations to follow Corporate Governance laws and guidelines that are designed to reduce the risk of fraud, and financial ruins such as those that caused the demise of corporations like Enron, WorldCom and Global Crossing.

Solid Corporate Governance that protects investors and employees from accounting fraud, conflict of interest, etc., can be seen as a part of any company that is acting socially responsible. Because a CSR company is acting in a way above and beyond what is required of it by law to protect stakeholders in the company, solid Corporate Governance of a CSR oriented company could be viewed as a way in which the company can ensure that the interests of many directly related and dependent on the company can be protected, including; employees, customers, the communities that depend on tax revenues and employment, etc… Solid Corporate Governance can be seen as an essential first step of any CSR oriented company. Without it, it risks conflict of interest of its board members, CEO, uncertain financial and accounting practices and other risks which could have devastating negative impacts on all stakeholders. For example, Enron’s collapse due to failure of Corporate Governance to prevent fraud and deceit hurt thousands of employees, the community of Houston, where most employees lived, the tax revenues that supported public works, the effect on families and couples who lost retirement savings, health insurance coverage, etc… In fact, before Enron’s accounting fraud became known, many would have considered Enron a solid socially responsible citizen because of its much recognized funding of museums, hospitals and many other organizations in the community where they operated (p. 163). However, all the communities would have been better off in the long run, if Enron had never contributed a dime to these social responsible activities, but had rather provided solid Corporate Governance over its internal operations. If Enron had done this, thousands would not have lost jobs, communities would have maintained higher tax revenues, retirements would have been more secured for thousands, health insurance would have been secured by many more, returns would have been higher for investors and shareholders, etc…

Corporate Governance should be seen as a top priority of any company seeking to be a good corporate citizen. More good can be done by a company ensuring solid corporate governance, than other activates usually seen as important for Socially Conscious organizations. Furthermore, more pressure should be exerted on organizations to establish good social governance than should be exerted on companies to sponsor other socially responsible activities and stakeholders in communities, the press, the government, etc., should also recognize and applaud companies who may put more effort on Corporate Governance although they may lack other social activities. Governance should be seen ad rewarded as the top priority.

References:

Trevino, L., and Nelson, K., (2005). Corporate social responsibility and managerial ethics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Since founding Magnify Leadership and Development, James has developed, facilitated and coached programs including; Change Leadership, Coaching, Communication Skills, Sustaining Learning, Interviewing Skills, Leadership, Territory Management for dozens of leading global organizations; including, Advantis Research and Consulting, IMS, CMOE, Pfizer, Sinclair, Disetronic Medical Systems, StratX, ASTD, Coventry Health Care, Wilson Learning, and many others. James is bilingual and can facilitate and coach in both English and Spanish.

Prior to founding Magnify Leadership and Development, James headed Pfizer’s Learning and Development for all of Europe, Canada, Africa and the Middle East where he was instrumental in the development of a global management curriculum and other training initiatives to enhance organizational effectiveness for over 30,00 employees.

Visit James website to learn how we can you with your leadership and communication development needs.

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Tags: business, work, economic, ethics, public

In almost every working environment we are faced with office politics. It seems to find a way of involving us and usually not by choice. The key to coping with these circumstances without crossing any ethical boundaries is to first and foremost decide what is of importance to you- the short term chance of promotion or the long term value of your professional development, which can take a life time to build but can serve as inspiration for life times to come.

Some people think that they should avoid office politics all together, but statistics have shown that those who understand and use these politics are more likely to succeed than those who dismiss it all together.

As Andrew DuBrin once said “to ignore office politics is to ignore those underlining forces that account for the differences in success between equally talented people”.

There are two different types of office politics, good and bad. Which ever one you choose to participate in is solely up to you. First you must distinguish between the two.

Bad politics can consist of:

* Withholding or delaying information that may be needed
* Deliberately holding meetings or making decisions without all parties necessary
* Arranging scenarios that make others look bad or set them up for failure
* Discrediting the efforts of others or taking credit when it is not deserved
* Not delivering on promises made or denying the legitimate requests of others for your benefit
* Giving false support or advice in order to serve your own agenda
* Complaining, criticizing, wasting time on gossiping or harassing others

Good politics can consist of:

* Going out of your way to insure the success of others even when it serves no purpose or benefit to you
* Building trust, the key to building trust is through consistency and understanding
* Your peers feeling comfortable to come to you with their questions and or issues
* Creating a lighter environment in times of stress
* Seeing things through to the end, not abandoning people mid way

To show leadership you must first of all understand office politics as well as the times to participate in it. In the CMC

1. Pinpoint what you want and why
2. Identify who controls what you need
3. Find out who can get you what you need
4. Figure out what you need to do what you want
5. Go for it with determination and resolve
6. Watch out for the harmful politics of others as you go (ethical)
7. Protect yourself along the way

Circumstances we face in life can take away everything we have worked hard to acquire; everything except our name, for it is the essence of who we are. The only way we can lose this is if we make the conscious decision and are willing to give it up.

So in the end you must ask yourself, is a promotion worth your name?

In addition to his numerous speaking, management consulting, and international engagements, Fred remains highly active in providing individuals with ongoing one-on-one Coaching for professional development in areas from goal setting to execution. Visit this site to read more about this topic.

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Tags: political, ethics, public, business, training

Richard Maybury says it best — “Can you name one person in all the thousands of years of human history who rose to the top in politics by being honest?” As one political scandal dies down, don’t be surprised when another pops up.

Maybury also quotes one of the most brilliant and infamous books in history: The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli. Maybury points out that it is oftentimes misquoted, but never seen for what it really is – the truth “about the inherent nature and behavior of government that few are willing to face.”

This is the way it has been throughout the 10,000 years of human history. So why are we shocked every time a leader, a politician or a man of the cloth, lets us down? Fifty years ago, good guys wore white cowboy hats and bad guys wore black cowboy hats. It seemed to be a simpler time with simpler choices. But today, life has gotten more complex and that complexity is reflected in our current leadership. Integrity, honesty and ethics have become a fuzzy line between what you see and what you actually get.

Maybury goes on – “One of my favorite chapters in The Prince is number 15, in which Machiavelli lists the characteristics generally thought to be desirable in a political leader: generosity, compassion, faithfulness, courage, purity, flexibility, religiousness, and others. He explains that the leader must fake these virtues but cannot actually have them, because they would ruin him.”

So the next time you think a particular politician is there to save you, remember, it’s just show business.

Yet, not everyone is so easily corrupted. Just give some people the choice between leadership with perks, and leadership with both perks and power and watch what happens. Some put in these roles thrive, while others become corrupted. But, make no mistake about it, certain professions are made up of the hubristic and corrupt, and there is nothing we can do about it. When people let their lower animalistic nature run wild, there is no more control. As I said before, when one scandal dies down, be prepared for the next. It’s the nature of politics.

But how does this affect leadership in general? At the political level it is one thing, at the corporate level, another. How would you handle a scandalous problem as an executive? Here are three suggestions to help get you back on track and save face.

1) Admit Your Mistakes (as Honestly and as Truthfully as You Can).

Being on the board of directors for K2 Design years ago was thrilling, but it was also a tough lesson in revealing to the public the right information at the right time. Yet at times, being unable to share it right away can leave one with a sense of frustration, especially when the news is groundbreaking and positive. But what happens when the news is negative and shareholders equity is at stake?

Speaking too soon can destroy a company and ruin shareholders trust. So pick your battles, and in most cases, take the blame and resign. Unfortunately, someone has to clean up your mess, and getting out of the way will expedite the process.

On the other hand, telling the whole truth up front and attempting to make things right may be what the doctor ordered to reestablishing your credibility as well as your company’s. Who knows, you might even be forgiven. Turnaround specialists are masters at telling the truth, taking action and getting corporate profitability back on track. Take a page from their handbook and follow it.

Don’t bury the truth. That serves no one but you. Schedule that press conference and come clean…today. Jack Welch, when he was at GE, mastered the delivery of bad news while balancing future potential. Study the masters.

2) Make Real Effort to Change Your Behavior

On the road to regaining trust, try actually changing your behavior. Just look at how many celebrities sign up for rehab. It is so effective that courtroom judges grant leniency when someone admits they have a problem with substance abuse and voluntarily checks themselves in. Changing your dysfunctional activities goes a very long way to regaining trust. Time may reveal duplicity on your part, but consider your immediate actions. They are the ones that show up in the history books.

Want to have an impact? Take a good look as to why you got into hot water in the first place. Are you greedy? Do you feel you’re above everyone around you? Are you duplicitous by nature, assuming that everyone is the same? Is your behavior something that requires you to sneak around? If so, try not to wait until the public discovers your faux pas during the evening news. Get help now. If the press has reason to put you under a microscope, your reaction early on will be the one you are judged by.

And do us all a favor, don’t fake it. Show up and do the work. You’re not fooling anyone but yourself.

One thing that seems to be missing from our society these days is a sense of shame. You may not know this, but there is right and wrong behavior.

And last but not least…

3) Time May Be Your Only Ally

In a relationship, time will make things fester, but in the corporate world where trust has been destroyed and investors’ actions are hinging on the next press conference, time is the only sure-fire strategy that will help put the events behind you.

Former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were able to put their pasts behind them because their legacy far outweighed their transgressions. Give it time. Eventually you’ll look like the comeback kid. Who knows, maybe even a certain New York Governor will be able to return to some sort of public office someday.

Unfortunately, time may be all you have. Here are just a few samplings of companies that have successfully and unsuccessfully put the past behind them:

Volkswagen took over 25 years for global consumers to forget that their biggest spokesperson was Adolph Hitler. They made a huge comeback in the 60’s by introducing the VW Beetle to the Hippy Generation.

In Bhopal, India, during the early morning of December 3, 1984, a Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide plant explosion released 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas into the air. The resulting deaths numbered over 3,000, but testimonies later on from doctors who provided medical assistance during the tragedy claim that over 15,000 was the real number.

Today, Union Carbide (now owned by Dow), is attempting to put the past behind them with a feel-good ad campaign. They introduce us to an element missing from the organic chemistry chart: Hu. It stands for the Human element and we are bombarded with eco-friendly scenes of people — the driving force behind everything.

The Union Carbide website explains away their past by placing the blame on every possibility except Union Carbide. Lawyer-speak is inauthentic and stands out like a sore thumb on their site. Some things should never be forgotten. It’s all a little creepy when you remember the past and the events of Bhopal.

Ironically Union Carbide is owned by Dow, the makers of Agent Orange.

Bear Sterns was showing signs of over extension a year ago. Who were they protecting? Not shareholders, who entrusted them with their money that’s for sure.

In these turbulent times learn to be honorable and incorruptible. Then stand by your management style. Make changes to yourself and to your organization not because it affects the bottom line, but because it is the right thing to do.

Your staff will follow you anywhere so long as you have integrity, fairness and a vision. Without your people, you wouldn’t be a leader. One can’t exist without the other. But, avoid Machiavelli’s suggestion that you should fake these qualities – who wants to follow an executive who’s faking it? And believe me, people know.

Thanks again for reading,

Brad Szollose

May I recommend?:

Richard Maybury’s newsletter – The Early Warning Report, check the site

This is a one of a kind newsletter that focuses on geopolitics, history and investment advice. I also recommend his books, especially these 5 in his Uncle Eric series: Whatever Happened To Penny Candy?, The Money Mystery, Whatever Happened To Justice, Ancient Rome: How It Affects You Today, and The Thousand Year War in The Mideast: How It Affects You Today.

For Richard Maybury’s books go to this link

Maybury has the unique distinction of being the ONLY newsletter with a 98% renewal rate. My wife and I enjoy reading it. His books and newsletter will help you understand how the United States got to where it is today financially, politically and morally.

Sign up for Maybury’s work now before you vote in the next election and before your nest egg is gone.

Former Dot Com IPO Boomer Brad Szollose, is an award winning leadership strategist, author and professional speaker who shows executives and entrepreneurs how to operate in the Information Age.

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Tags: ethical, issues, legal, politics, public

We all welcomed the campaign to address poverty in Africa and Tony Blair’s commitment to it. When it was launched, the emphasis was on reducing debt and increasing aid from the rich Western nations. The priorities stated were to tackle disease, especially aids, and to generate economic activity.

At the time Blair retired, after 10 years as prime minister, progress in terms of contributions from the West had been extremely disappointing. The debt issue has been addressed in only 25% of the countries where relief is needed, and the aid contribution (separate from debt relief) from the rich Western nations to African countries has actually fallen.

Today, much more is being done by China, while India is becoming increasingly involved. A key factor is that, unlike Western finance, the aid from China comes without strings. Because the Chinese are happy enough with the trade which flows from their involvement, they make little effort to impose their culture on the recipient countries.

Self-Defeating Conditions

Apart from its inadequate volume, aid from the Europe and the USA has limited impact because of the conditions imposed with grants; notable by the USA and the UK. An obvious absurdity is the ‘no abortion’ condition imposed by the Bush administration on grants to tackle aids. (Fortunately, this condition is not applied to some of the grants from the USA non government sector – for example, the Gates Foundation.)

A second restriction, more generally applied – especially by the UK – is the insistence on privatisation. The failure, in terms of value for money for the public, of Thatcher, Major and Blair governments’ private finance initiatives (PFIs) does not appear to have dampened the enthusiasm for applying them to other countries.

In some African countries this has resulted in people becoming worse off than before the aid was granted. An obvious example is an increase in the cost of water as a result of privatisation. As with most privatisation, what appeared to be a short-term benefit has been more than wiped out by longer-term disadvantage.

What Must Change?

So the first change must be to remove the privatisation requirement. It is recognised, of course, that private firms which have succeeded in developing countries have valuable expertise. However, this should be used in the context of public control; control on behalf of indigenous people by leaders democratically elected to represent them. Although it has to be accepted that private firms exist to act in their own interests, as their obligations to shareholders require, they must recognise that their interests are not the priority with grant-aided projects. The most they should expect is a reasonable, commercially calculated, return.

Second, steps must be taken to ensure that a much smaller proportion of aid is devoured by consultants in the donor countries. These consultants are often involved in negotiating the grants: some are paid more for a week’s work than an African’s annual income. And, too often, the focus is on the trade benefits to the donor nations, rather than on the needs of the recipients.

Unless radical, and urgent, changes are made, the West will continue to lose influence in Africa. Europe and the USA will not be able to compete with China and India, or other emerging powers such as Venezuela, if they persists with trading agreements and arrangements which favour the rich nations.

A New Strategy

In terms of strategy, the most urgent change is to shift the emphasis to job creation; integrated with education and training. For the longer-term, literacy and social and political education is as necessary as training in the skills required by the jobs directly related to the projects. Too often the requirement (in the conditions imposed with the grants) to complete projects in a specified period ignores the issue of permanent benefit.

The key to bringing about real improvement for the poor is to ensure that investment is used to release the resources that the countries already have. The most important resource is the expertise that people have acquired from their life experiences. Millions of Africans have to be entrepreneurs to make enough money merely to survive: many who fail in this respect are no longer of this world.

Those who are still with us have gained valuable knowledge about the obstacles to success in their environments – and have devised strategies to overcome them. It is the habit of the West to seek to impose its own structures, rather than support the recipient countries’ own organisations. A typical example was when Blair set up his African Commission, instead of supporting an African initiative: the recently formed New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

Another valuable resource is, of course, the fund of knowledge accumulated by businesses which have figured out how to succeed in difficult trading circumstances. In being able to turn a profit, such enterprises have acquired valuable insights into the varying operation of markets in different countries.

Although private companies are entitled to a reasonable return for their contributions to projects, they must recognise that the projects are not run for their benefit. Thee needs of the recipients are paramount but, as the Chinese have recognised, benefits flow without the imposition of strict conditions.

In other words the focus must be on the longer-term benefits which can occur only with the involvement, on an equal basis, of the people themselves. Providing the approach is to integrate education and training with economic development, this can lead to the evolution of processes for democratic participation.

Ending Waste and Corruption

These changes would make a major contribution to ending waste and corruption. Although these are usually highlighted as problems in developing countries, they apply at least as much to agents operating on behalf of the donors. In how many cases have individuals and businesses from the donor countries become more prosperous as a result of their involvement, but have left the recipient countries poorer?

Paul Wolfowitz, the leader of the World Bank who is no longer with us, identified tackling corruption as his priority. His demise resulted from focusing on corruption in the developing world, while ignoring it closer, much closer, to home. From his words and actions, it could be concluded that he believed that the same standards should not be applied to the rich in the West as to the poor in developing countries.

The assumption in the West that the main, or in some circles entire, problem is with the developing countries is not sustainable. This is not to argue that they do not have problems of corruption, but to quote John Christenson (The Guardian 30/5/07):

‘For each dollar of aid that goes into Africa, at least

Five dollars flows out under the table.’

Keith Wymer

July 2007

At one time or another, we have been warned to stay out of office politics-it can be the ruin of a promising career! It is an old warning with a lot of tradition to support it.

Company politics has seen its evil days, but the day when close-knit groups resented each other in general and all ambitious newcomers in particular is drawing to a close. Most people are recognizing that such intramural skirmishing for prestige and influence did the groups no good while greatly impairing the productivity of the company.

“Company” in this context is a generic term that applies to any working situation. It does not matter whether it is private industry, government agency, educational institution or some other kind of organized work situation.

When people get along together, production rises; when they do not, it falls. Politics-good or bad-is inescapable. If people are not talking about their work at the drinking fountain, during a coffee break, or at lunch, they just do not care, and that is bad.

Company politics is here to stay. To close your ears to it is not to remove yourself from politics but from the company. How else are you going to know what is going on? And if you do not know what is going on in the company, how are you to know where you are going?

If you follow three simple rules, playing good company politics will be easy, informative and rewarding.

(1). Say something interesting or constructive about your work.

(2). Say something good about your boss, supervisor, or company policy-with sincerity.

(3). Keep on doing a good job.

If you cannot do those three things after a month or two on the job, if your work is so dull and the company so uninteresting, you are in the wrong job. Start looking for a different one now!

Private life and work are both parts of you as a whole human being. They cannot be completely separate incarnations. You are probably spending your most productive hours in each day at work-five days a week! Friendships do count in the business world.

Bad politics is based on greed, selfishness, power-seeking, and often prejudice. More often than not, the leaders are insisting that some outside influence is the cause of all their problems. They are unwilling to admit that their own actions might be at fault.

I once worked in an office where the goal seemed to be finding something nasty to say about the boss. It was almost a “can you top this” kind of daily conversational game.

The two most vocal individuals had worked for the longest time in the department. They must have been getting some kind of emotional payback from their actions in order to justify working for such an individual. Possibly: “You have the title but I am better than you in every way!”

Actually company politics is not the name for it, for the company will suffer irreparable damage in the long run. It is personal or factional, or clique politics, played for the advancement of the few, and let the company go hang, as it frequently does. Yet it cannot be ignored.

If bad office politics is to be counteracted intelligently, it must be recognized for what it is, from the lowest man subjected to its pressures to the president of the firm. If one is in no position to combat it, then one must know what it is all about for his own protection.

Personal success is not to be found where partisanship and bias have more influence than merit. Always remember that recognizing the talents and achievements of your staff and co-workers is a valuable asset. If you fail to give credit where and when it is deserved, there should be no complaints when the same thing is done to you.

Hard work and attention to detail does not automatically bring a promotion. Your skill working with others is an essential ingredient. It is almost tragic to overlook the constructive side of office politics. If you do not know what is going on around you, no one is going to know you are around.

Sign up for a free Becoming-Your-Best Newsletter here – The newsletter features lifestyle changes for optimum health, living life in abundance, feeling and looking great, changing your mind to change your world and other resources for self improvement.

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Tags: corporate, ethics, politics, public, training

Feb. 5 – known as the “Super Tuesday” for presidential primaries – is arriving with all the hoopla the political scene can muster.

Candidates from both sides have been squaring off to persuade voters to mark the ballot in their favor. Each candidate believes his or hers is the only way to run our country.

In some ways, the process is characteristic of what happens in our workplaces and within our families, with feuding among people who believe they have the corner on what should be truth.

Office politics can be particularly harsh, derisive and painful. Small groups gather in the breakroom or behind closed office doors to gossip about colleagues. Often the talk is based on assumptions about how their office world should operate.

They assume that CEOs don’t care for their employees, that managers don’t consider as important what employees believe need attention. And employees themselves often view each other with suspicion. As gossip grows, the workplace can become an unhealthy environment.

A friend recently related how difficult it is to work in her office. Among her colleagues is an individual who finds fault with and is suspicious of other co-workers. She takes new employees under her wing to perpetuate the gossip chain. And every time she thinks someone is not doing what she thinks they should be doing, she calls the corporate office.

“The tension when she’s in the office can be cut with a knife,” my friend told me. “She looks for any infraction she believes has been committed and is like the office tattle-tale.”

Judgments begin to fester, dispersed among everyone due to a lack of trust and belief someone is getting something they do not deserve. Soon the infection spreads.

Recently I read some wisdom written by Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, in the 18th century. He said, “We should worry about our own spiritual lacks and our neighbor’s material lacks. But usually we do it the other way around. We worry about our neighbor’s spiritual lacks and our own material lacks.”

In essence, he is saying we should look within ourselves first to see where we lack in our work ethic, morality and spirituality. Instead of trying to tear them down or put up roadblocks to their success, we need to consider what our co-workers need from us to support them in carrying out their responsibilities,

More often than not, gossip is merely a half truth because the whole story is not known by the gossip mongers.

This kind of workplace behavior is a carry-over of the herd behavior commonly seen among adolescents. Someone gossips about another, and rumor spreads to the others in the clique without regard to the parameters of the truth. Assumptions and misconceptions form the base of the gossip.

How do we respond to the unkindness of gossip? Now, that’s where true strength of character emerges. It comes in the form of our ability to respond without retaliation when someone does something wrong.

There is a Talmudic saying, “He who takes vengeance or bears a grudge acts like someone who, having cut one hand while handling a knife, avenges himself by stabbing the other hand.”

Consider these steps suggested by seminar speaker Sara Rigler:

1) Judge the person favorably;

2) Do not speak negative, true speech about the person;

3) Do not hate the person in your heart;

4) Do not carry a grudge and do not take revenge;

5) Only confront the person privately, but only (when) you can do it (by) making the person feel like s/he was helped rather than criticized;

6) View what happened as a message to examine your own deeds.

I suspect this is easier said than done. What it does require, however, is the ability to go within ourselves and recognize that seeing deficiencies in others often is the same deficiency we need to work on ourselves. It also requires that we consider the correct response to what we envision others are doing that we believe is inappropriate.

For example, say someone leaves work early. His or her colleagues don’t know why. The result can be a false judgement.

What is the correct response? Be careful. Your response could trigger the assumption of wrongdoing when, in fact, the person may have left to attend a meeting, or attend to a work-related crisis they are not at liberty to discuss. It could be a pre-approved absence.

I remember sitting in the waiting room of my obstetrician for almost 45 minutes. Several others had been there longer than I had been and began complaining about the wait.

I refrained from complaining, since I knew that when both of my children were born during the noon hour, the obstetrician was in the delivery room attending to their births. I never complained about how long I had to wait, knowing someone else was getting the attention they needed.

Competition, both political and in the workplace, often brings out the worst in people. Harsh words are uttered, judgments made, and half-truths are manipulated to become gossip that tears down another, serving only to make the teller feel superior.

However, as the Talmudic admonition implies, our response to such behavior must rise about vengeance, carrying a grudge, or repayment with added judgments.

Lao-tzu said, “One who understands others has knowledge; one who understands himself has wisdom. Mastering others requires force; mastering the self needs strength.”

(c) All rights reserved Maralene Strom Jan-08

Maralene Strom is a speaker and author who teaches on topics dealing with grief and recovery;Issues of living life 50 & Beyond; Caregiving in extended care facilities, home care, and special needs; Communicating with Empathy & Compassion and Business Management Issues. Her website features some of the topics she speaks on with information to connect with her for tele-classes, workshops or speaking to groups, conferences, etc.—- let her help you discover your life’s meaning as you journey now and into your future.
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Tags: corporate, ethics, politics, public, training

Many people say; It is All About Money when it comes to big corporations. Well yes, that is their job to make money and yet if you look around today you will might take a look and see that every thing you see everywhere you go was brought or built by a corporation. You cannot have it both ways. These people say that the corporations only care about shareholders equity and quarterly profits and cannot therefore focus on customer needs?

Well I would say to them, then do not buy their products then if you do not like it. Vote with your dollar, go somewhere else. Buy online, buy from a co-op, buy from a small businessperson or grow it, build it and make it yourself? Free-markets also mean that you the customer are free to buy from whomever you choose. You do not have to stand in line for potatoes. Sheesh?

Is it true that sometimes companies falter in the compromises they make to keep their shareholders happy and customers too? Sure it is, nothing good in life is easy. As a founder of a Franchising Company, I can tell you that it is not the World’s easiest job. Yes, imagine if you ran a public company, which was a franchise system. Now you have another layer of people to keep happy.

You have to do what is best for shareholder, franchisee, law, customer and your own on-going vitality as a Franchisor. That is 5-mouths to feed and everyone must eat at the table or the lawyers and regulators come running to destroy it all.

1.) Shareholders

2.) Customers of Franchisees

3.) Franchisees

4.) Franchising Company

5.) Potential Investors of Franchise Outlets

If you cannot handle playing at that level then of course you end up going from a John Nash Utopia Concern to an “everyone loses except the lawyers” scenario. Of course the Government Regulators have never been in business, they don’t get it and the consumers know that they can get more by lying to regulators, just like the minority shareholder can launch a class action lawsuit.

It is becoming a lot like making a law you cannot spank your kid if they misbehave, soon the kids know this and gain control. This is one big problem with taking the power away in the classrooms and now they are giant babysitting facilities, where the kids are running the asylum? We must be careful in America not to over regulate our corporations or we will cause them great harm and in the end we all lose. I hope this article will propel thought in 2007.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: balancing, corporation, public, ethics, conduct

As the tight economy has reduced business activity and limited resources, I’m also seeing an accompanying new trend in behaviors.

* Variations of that ever popular lie: “The check’s in the mail” is being used with greater regularity. With that, there is an accompanying trickle down effect as one unfulfilled payment promise leads to another at the victim vendor and another at the next.
* More pressure is being placed on sales people to misrepresent the facts (the legal definition of fraud) to get the business.
* Corners are being cut and some are over promising and under delivering with both our external and internal customers.

It seems that more people are willing to compromise their integrity for the sake of the quick fix while using tough times as an excuse. Is it valid? Or are they digging themselves an even deeper hole? In this environment we will all be regularly tempted or urged to compromise our integrity. As you are tested, remember… Never has an effective leader ever said… “When the going gets tough, the tough waiver on their commitments.” Damage Control

The solution is so simple, yet too often lost on otherwise intelligent people. For those who have already fallen into the trap, here is my simple four step plan…

1. If you can’t “do what you say”, STOP saying it!

2. Buck up and tell the truth.

3. Admit that you were wrong and make a promise that you can keep.

4. Then keep it like your reputation depends on it.

Your Tough Time Opportunity At things get tougher and as fewer people and fewer companies keep their promises, there is an opportunity for you to gain the rewards offered by taking the high road. As the high road increasingly becomes the road less traveled, consider the rewards available for taking this route. Our integrity is NOT measured by what we do when life is good. Its about how we behave when no one is looking and when keeping your promises becomes more challenging.

A reputation takes a lifetime to build and can be destroyed in an instant.

The next time you’re tempted by short term gains to act contrary to your words, ask yourself…

* Is that short term gain really worth the risk? Is it ever?
* Am I really digging myself a deeper hole?
* Might I take this opportunity to differentiate and distinguish myself by taking the high road?

Tom Lemanski is the President and founder of Vista Development, a boutique strategic development firm serving metro Chicago, IL. Tom has served as business catalyst and executive coach in over thirty different product and service industries. Visit the website

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Tags: ethical, challenge, business, workplace, public

“In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.”

Ken Blanchard

Who is accountable in Washington? As the Foley scandal spiraled out of control, government leaders took cover. Former Representative Mark Foley escaped congressional punishment by resigning in the middle of the scandal. House Speaker Dennis Hastert proclaims that he did not do anything wrong; however, Hastert publicly stated he accepts full responsibility. Many in Congress worried about the political fallout. Internal polling had shown that House Republicans could suffer massive loses if Hastert doesn’t resign. The results were much worse.

On election day, voters led a massive revolt against the incumbents. This created one of the largest congressional shift since 1994. Exit polls showed that voters were more concerned about ethics than any other subject. Four Republicans resigned from the House this year due to ethical issues. Currently, American politicians suffer credibility problems. An USA Today/Gallup Poll of 1,009 adults found that only 15 percent of the people gave U.S. senators high or very high marks for honesty and ethical standards. The U.S. representatives didn’t do any better at 14 percent.

As each party tries to either take advantage of a “hot button” issue or perform damage control, followers grow increasingly cynical about government leadership. Both party expects each congressperson to follow the party line. Sometimes this blind obedience leads to going against one’s principles. Obviously, this is done with transactional relationships with peers. On the other hand, ethics guru Cuilla maintains that coercion is not true leadership. She argues that ethics is at the heart of good leadership.

If one evaluates these statements, the question becomes, how can any good leader blindly follow any group or party? What is the price of surrendering one’s core values? A true leader stands up for his principles even though it may be forced to go against his social network. Therefore, politicians need to foster more value-based leadership.

References:

Ciulla, J.B. (1998). Ethics: The Heart of Leadership. Westport, CT: Praeger.

FoxNews.com (2006). Hastert sys he did nothing wrong in foley page scandal. Received on October 13, 2006, from this site.

Koch, W. (December 12, 2006). Poll: Washington scandals eating away public trust. USA Today.

Margasak, L. (October 8, 2006). One thing’s for sure in Foley investigation. Associated Press.

© 2006 by Daryl D. Green

Daryl D. Green, who is an international strategist, has over 17 years of managing government contracts. He is considered one of the savviest strategists of his generation. With more than 100 articles published globally, Mr. Green has been noted and quoted by USA Today and Associated Press.

Want more insight on the public sector? Get a copy of More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service here. For more information, please visit this site

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Tags: ethics, political, policy, public, politics

All too often we watch the Senators of the United States of America make statements on our television sets while we are in our own living rooms. If you have been watching politics on TV for the last few decades you have obviously seen a repeat of the past and it is relatively obvious to you when they are completely lying and blowing smoke up the rear end of Americans.

We need the abatement of Senatorial insincerity and we need to make sure that our elected representatives do not treat us as fools. Remember they are our elected representatives and actually they work for us. If you see your local senator in your district changing his mind or has been wishy-washy on issues or if you catch them in an outright lie then it is your duty as an American to support a more noble candidate.

If there is no more noble candidate running and it is a division between a choice of the lesser evils then you might consider running for office because that is the right thing to do and sometimes it takes sacrifice to keep our great Republic supercharged.

The United States of America is the greatest nation ever created history of mankind and it is that way because people cared enough to do something about the problems that they see. It is definitely a problem when we have senators who are insincere and tell us what we want to hear rather than the truth. If we cannot trust are all government we cannot trust ourselves because we own it. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags:ethics, politics, public, cunfucian, islamic

“Some of the most talented people in our society are in trouble with the law. Some are serving time in federal and state prisons. Some are waiting to be sentenced for crimes of which they have been convicted in courts of law.

From my experience, those who succeed temporally in life started from a spiritual base. They were raised in good homes and benefited from neighborhood, church, and school leaders. Many were Little Leaguers and good Boy Scouts. Now they are in trouble and their families are humiliated.

What went wrong?

Sarbanes-Oxley Act

I extracted and shortened the following from a website

In the wake of the Enron/Arthur Anderson scandal, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, mandated the separation of auditing and consulting businesses in an attempt to restore public confidence in the investment market.

“The Act created a number of new Federal crimes (i.e., document destruction and tampering, securities fraud, certification of false financial statements, and attempt and conspiracy), many of which apply to both public and private companies, their directors, officers, and employees.

“The Sarbanes-Oxley Act also significantly enhances penalties applicable to a host of existing white collar crimes.

“A number of Federal agencies including the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, participate in the enforcement of Federal white collar crime legislation.

“In addition, most states employ their own agencies to enforce white collar crime laws at the State level.”

All Corporate Crimes are Not Prosecuted

At website is posted the report: Crime Without Conviction: The Rise of Deferred and Non Prosecution Agreements and I quote:

“This report finds that prosecutors have entered into twice as many non-prosecution and deferred prosecution agreements with major American corporations in the last four years (23 agreements between 2002 to 2005) than they have in the previous ten years (11 agreements between 1992 to 2001)…And it raises the question – are these companies too big to indict, to big to convict?”

See also this website

Top Corporate Criminals

At website are listed the top 100 corporate criminals of the 1990s. I quote:

“The 100 corporate criminals fell into 14 categories of crime: Environmental (38), antitrust (20), fraud (13), campaign finance (7), food and drug (6), financial crimes (4), false statements (3), illegal exports (3), illegal boycott (1), worker death (1), bribery (1), obstruction of justice (1) public corruption (1), and tax evasion (1).”

Without going into details, the above report states that corporate crime damages far exceed that of street crimes both in cost to the public and in deaths.

The list comes in two versions. The Brief List simply states the corporation and the crime. The Annotated List gives more details. You will find some of our finest corporations on these lists.

Dumping: The Corporate Crime of the Century

We read this at http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1979/11/dowie.html

“News: It’s called dumping:

“When the U.S. government forces a dangerous drug, pesticide or other product off the domestic market, the manufacturer then sells that same product–frequently with the direct support of the State Department–throughout the rest of the world.”

In an associated article at a website Where Are They Now? we read:

“”News: What ever happened to those dumped products–and their dumpers? Eighteen years later, the MoJo Wire investigates.”"

The bottom line is that the restrictions placed by our government to protect our people do not apply to other peoples of the world.

It’s okay if a person dies from faulty drugs or medical machinery in Podunktoo.

Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness: Exodus 20:16

As Martha Steward will testify, bearing false witness to our government is a major crime. She spent five months in the slammer because of that law.

Bearing false witness to the public is a crime that our government is exempt from. That is a law we need to fix. Public officials should be held accountable for what they say.

I think that Martha should have been fined $1000.00 and required to spend two weeks in public service sweeping the streets of Manhattan and passing out cookies to vagrants in front of the New York Stock Exchange.

Her silly lies were just a miner crime in my opinion.

News Flash: Corporate Crimes are People Crimes

Corporate crimes are performed by people, the employees of the corporation. Often they are not intentional.

Joe Blow opens Valve Number 609 and closes Valve 906 instead of the opposite.

Ten zillion tons of gung then flows into Little Bear Creek killing the fish, the frogs, and twelve butterflies.

The Corporation is fined and the corporation must clean up the mess to boot.

Other crimes, especially those involving money, are intentional. Corporate Fat Cats full of greed want to pad their retirement funds.

These same Fat Cats were once good citizens who grew up in good homes, went to good Universities (where some say they learned how to cheat), and were Pillars of the Community. Now they are jailbirds or disgraced.

Help for Those Corporate Biggies Not Now in Trouble but May Soon Be

There is a rule once used by some in our country. It is Honesty is the Best Policy.

Have that framed and put on your wall.

Another one is Integrity is Doing the Right Thing when No One is Looking.

Frame that too.

For light reading go to this site and read the Scout Oath and Law.

If you were not a Boy Scout, go there and read it anyway. It can’t hurt.

copyright©John T. Jones, Ph.D.

John T. Jones, Ph.D., a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

Click here for more info

Or visit his business website

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Tags: ethics, laws, public, medical, media

Do you ever notice the unfortunate lack of hard work ethic? Do you see this problem at your own job? You are a hard worker and you know it, but those around you are not. It is good to see your hard work ethic, now can you honestly say that you are the norm?

You see throughout my career as a human worker I have worked around the mining industry, oil industry, auto industry, trucking industry, rail industry and manufacturing industry and I have not seen what I believe to be the hard work ethic to the level I find appropriate for being in it to win it for the team or company. Oh I see people showing up on time, doing their work and making the motions. Yet I also see them often doing it at slow pace and even coaxing new workers and low-men on the totem pole to “slow down you are making us look bad” or “why are you in such a hurry, if we finish early, they’ll just give us more work to do!”

And by my name I guess you can see where I am coming from if you do a search on the father of modern management and figured out that “Friedrich ‘Winslow’ Taylor” is in our family tree. I have always been under the belief that showing up and punching in is not the only requirement. Work hard and put in your fair share to keep your company healthy and productive. Think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; WorldThinkTank. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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Tags: office, ethics, training, public, professionals

Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations. The sin is limitations. As soon as you once come up to a man’s limitations, it is all over with him.

Emerson

Today most average Americans are reluctant to discuss politics. Some are disgusted with politics in general. Unfortunately, this disgust is not without merit. American politics are rooted in American political culture that promotes that government ought to work in accordance with a higher standard of right and wrong. It believes that the political system ought to operate in accordance with popular sovereignty.

It concept is a value that relates to the belief that the only legitimate basis of political authority is the consent of the govern. However, the American political system stands different. Nelson, author of Why Americans hate Politics and Politicians, acknowledged that politics and politicians are imperfect; Americans are growing weary and taking actions. Antiopolitics constitutional amendments are surfacing in a hope of providing term limits of members of Congress and a proposal to require a balanced budget.

Unfortunately, Americans are now cynical of political figures as it relates to personal values. Postmodern influences have create an atmosphere of untrust of traditional institutions. Kouzer and Posner, authors of Credibility, admit that three-fourths of employees view top executives do pretty much what they want no matter what people think. They argue that the increase in cynicism in the workplace is due the decline of credibility among executives. This cynicism is quickly found in the political arena. As each party tries to either take advantage of this “hot button” issue or do damage control, followers grow increasingly cynical about government leadership.

Nelson, a political guru, argued that American cynicism have evolved for many reasons. The government has been caught in various lies and half-truths, including Vietnam War, Watergate, and Iran-Contra Deal. Some argue that the political office is so time consuming that only people who are willing to become a full-time politician can do it. However, Americans have never really been pro-politics or pro-politicians. With the incoming of new politicians to Congress this year, many individuals wonder if US politicians can regain public trust. Only time will tell.

References:

CNN (2005). Reid: White House owes an explanation. Received on October 31, 2005 from website.

Ciulla, J.B. (1998). Ethics: The Heart of Leadership. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Draft, R. (1995). Organization Theory & Design. Congress gets low ratings on ethics, honesty.

Harris, J. (April 12, 2005). In recent scandals, a rethinking of capital’s conventional wisdom. Washington Post.

Heuser, B. (2005). The Ethics of Social Cohesion. Peabody Journal of Education. 80(4), pp.8-15.
Kern, C. (2003). Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Workplace Culture, Pepperdine University.
King, S. (2006). The Moral Manager. Public Integrity. 8(2), pp.113-133.
Lester, W. (2005). Associated Press. Congress gets low ratings on ethics, honesty.

Nelson, M. (1994). Why Americans hate Politics and Politicians. Virginia Quarterly Review. 70(4), p.636, 18p.

Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in Organizations. Delhi, India: Pearson Education, Inc.
© 2006 by Daryl D. Green

Daryl D. Green has published over 100 articles in the field of decision-making (personal and organizational), leadership, and organizational behavior. Mr. Green is also the author of four books, including More than a Conqueror: Achieving Personal Fulfillment in Government Service. Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to make better decisions? If you answer “”yes,”" then go to the ‘master decision-making’ website

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Tags: ethical, theory, public, political, politics

Your reputation is an important part of your business success. Companies and individuals want the public to notice and remember them for the positive aspects of their operations.

In an offline businesses setting you have a little bit of control over the opinion that is being expressed about you. A simple strategy such as leaving comment cards for your customers will help you to gauge what their impression of your products and services are. It is also easier to monitor customer satisfaction in a face to face meeting, where you can simply ask them if they were pleased with your product or service.

When you conduct business online, it becomes a little harder to monitor what customers are saying about your business. Given the shear vastness of the internet it becomes an overwhelming task to monitor customer response.

The internet also offers a veil of protection to many people, some people would never say in public the types of comments they express on their blog or web page. The internet can also be a place where individual members of your company may be scrutinized. It is hard to know if an individual with whom a customer has come into contact with will be subject to backlash on the web.

This too can paint your company in an unflattering light. With the increase in social media sites and the large number of people who can now easily create a website in mere minutes, comments or poor reviews could be located in any number of formats.

How then do you protect your business from these types of online activities? With reputation management and by working with a company who has a firm grip on how to protect you from the people on the net who want to paint your business in a negative light.

Careful monitoring through specialized systems will help to alert you of when these instances occur. It is also important to create positive information about your company through the same mediums that your customers frequent.

This is best achieved through a strategic, optimized plan to use social media, blogs, forums and community sites to publish company information that enhances your reputation. Being proactive is a very important part of this complex puzzle; by doing this alone your chances of being negatively impacted are far less.

Can your business benefit from social networking and social media marketing? To find out, visit us here.

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Tags: public, relation, internet, business

Getting publicity for yourself and your online business is not as difficult as you may have previously thought. Since web 2.0 took a firm hold a couple of years ago, we are now able to control much of what information we give out and receive. This is the perfect time to promote what you are doing to others in the world you are interested in your topic and ideas.

There are many ways to be your own publicist. One way is to send a press release whenever you do something newsworthy. The important thing to remember is to make news, not make news or press releases. You must have a hook of some kind if you want others to have an interest. Once you find that hook, your information can go viral online.

Many magazine and newspapers have either folded or at least cut way down on the number of people who are reporting the news. My local paper uses stories from the Associated Press wire and other services to fill up their pages. People like you and I are in a fantastic position to be able to get our information out to others.

You can post your stories to your blog, and then use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to get the word out as well. I do this for myself, my business, and the non-profit groups I am associated with.

Make sure that anything you send out on the internet is exactly the way you would want to be quoted and represented. Once you press send, it is out there forever.

Download a free teleseminar on building your online business by visiting this Site to learn how to write articles, blog, become involved in social networking and learn the technology needed to build a profitable online business.
Connie Ragen Green has been online since 2005 and teaches people how to build their own online business in record time, offering free teleseminars weekly, as well as online courses in a workshop environment with webinars.

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Tags: public, relation, worldwide, publicity

Knowing how to write a press release gives you a boost ahead of other entrepreneurs. A successful press release generates enough interest in the media, whether offline or online, to write about your company. That means increased visibility with potential customers. While publicity may not lead directly to increased sales it does lead to the increased probability of sales. Here are 3 tips on how to write a press release.

1. Keep your approach newsworthy. How many times have you seen a headline that says “Big Company Announces the Release of New Product”? Probably many times, however that headline doesn’t snag the attention of anyone. It’s boring. The purpose of the headline is to entice the news media to actually read the release. If you can tie your release to current events so much the better, the odds will increase it will get read.

Stress the benefits of your product or company, rather than the attributes. If your new system runs 50% faster than competing systems a reader may not be interested, but if you tell them they can accomplish twice as much in half the time that may perk up their ears.

Look at the release from the point of view of the media and their readers, not from your point of view as to how publicity can benefit your company.

2. Pack all the important information in the first paragraph of the release. That may sound counter intuitive, but sometimes only the first paragraph is read before the decision is made whether there is media interest. Answer the questions of who, what, why, where and when. Expand on the answers more fully later on in the release.

3. Keep the release to one page which is about 350 words. The release isn’t supposed to tell the entire story for your company but to get the media to be interested enough to call and write a story. And don’t send the release as an attachment. These days most attachments are deleted unread, even if labeled “press release.” Don’t link to the release as a pdf file. Reporters have short attention spans. If they have to take the extra step of following a link, they may just go on to the next release in the pile.

Follow these three tips when learning how to write a press release and your releases will be more effective in generating media coverage for you, your company, and products.

Get Your FREE report How to Unleash the Write Press Releases Tips, tricks, and techniques to get your company the publicity it needs for success. Dee Power is the co-author of several nonfiction books including “The Publishing Primer: A Blueprint for an Author’s Success,” “58 Ways to Find Money for Your Business, “Inside Secrets to Venture Capital” and “Attracting Capital From Angels.” More Internet marketing tips.

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Tags: public, relation, press, release, strategy

Hiring a PR firm can bring attention to your company, its services, products and people. But public relations is not a hit-and-run venture; long-term strategies combine with short-term tactics to create a strong brand and positive reputation. Therefore, it is to everyone’s benefit that the relationship between the client company and the PR firm is a lasting one.

Occasionally, however, the relationship doesn’t work out, and while there are often various reasons cited, the problem usually boils down to a flawed vetting process when the firm was first hired.

Avoiding the following pitfalls can lead to a truly successful collaboration between client and firm.

1. Great Expectations

Public relations is not a magical enterprise. It involves creativity, hard work and dedication to the client’s interests. And it often takes some time before you see results. What can happen in the first meeting between the PR firm and a prospective client is an unconscious collaboration: the client wants to think the public relations person can make his company successful overnight, and the public relations person lets him think this because he wants him as a client. This can only lead to disappointment on both sides.
Most experienced public relations professionals will tell you what is – and is not – possible to achieve for your type of business and your budget. A long-term productive relationship is more satisfying for both the client and the PR firm than a short-term honeymoon.

2. Choosing the Wrong Size Firm

One frequent complaint that clients voice about their PR firm is that the top executives presented a wonderful proposal to them, but they rarely heard from those people again. Instead, their account was assigned to someone new to the firm, and they didn’t feel they got the attention – or the results – they deserved.
PR firms survive for the most part on the billable hours that make up the client’s fee. If your company is paying a fee at the low end of a firm’s fee schedule, you will probably get assigned to one of its less seasoned staff. Larger firms usually charge higher fees to cover their higher overhead costs. PR firm fees can range from $5,000 to $30,000 per month or more, so if a fee of $10,000 per month seems like a huge expenditure to you, it’s best to choose a smaller firm.

3. Not Knowing What You Want

From the point of view of the public relations professional, the most difficult clients to satisfy are the ones who really don’t know what they want. Meetings abound, ideas are put forward and shot down – as the public relations person tries fruitlessly to read the client’s mind. In the end, everyone is frustrated.
This outcome can be avoided with some advance planning. Before your first meeting with a firm, do some internal brainstorming and be ready to state your goals and the principal audiences you want to reach with your messages. If you are doing a small project, such as a brochure or website, show examples of the kinds of things you like, your current stationery or logos, and some of your competitors’ materials. You will save time and money by being prepared.

4. Being Cagey about your Budget

Some business owners think that if they talk about their budget upfront, the PR firm will “spend it all – and then some.” But the cost of public relations programs can vary greatly, depending on your goals and your budget. Be clear about both. If you outline goals that require extensive work with expensive outside services and act like money is no object, expect the PR firm to present a proposal for a big program that costs a lot – maybe more than you can afford. If you are honest about how much you have to spend, you have freed the firm to discuss what can be accomplished within your budget. Give the firm a chance to show you what they can do with a smaller budget. Then you will have a more accurate picture of the firm’s resources, creativity and capabilities.

5. Hiding Negative Information

When you are interviewing a PR firm, be open about the possibility of any negative publicity that may be on the horizon involving your company. Public relations people need to know these things – not just at the beginning, but throughout the relationship – in order to plan accordingly. Managing negative news is much more effective when done early on, before it festers and grows into a costly crisis.

Finding the right PR firm doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. Check with your local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Ask other business people for their recommendations, and visit the firms’ websites. Interview several firms to see if they might be the right size and have the right background and experience level to do the job. Ask for a written proposal. Once you feel comfortable that a firm understands your business, your budget and what will be needed to achieve your goals, take the plunge. You will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Margot Dimond is an accredited public relations professional with more than 30 years of experience in the field. Currently a principal with DoubleDimond Public Relations in Houston, Texas, she has been on both sides of the public relations firm hiring process.

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Tags: public, relation, mistake, firm

Should you handle your own public relations campaign? No, not if you don’t know the process or truly understand the intricacies launching a PR campaign. Can you? Yes, at least to a point.

Effective media placement is a full-time job. It takes skill, know-how, persistence, and contacts. The art of effective PR entails more than writing releases and putting together press kits. If you do it haphazardly or incorrectly, you’re better off not doing it at all. The last thing you want to do is alienate the press, which is usually what happens when well-meaning but inexperienced individuals try their hands at running their own media campaigns.

Media placement is a skill that needs to be learned and understood. None of us would suddenly decide to give open-heart surgery a try, or to overhaul a car transmission – well, at least most of us wouldn’t, but every day people decide that they can handle their own PR without any prior knowledge or training whatsoever. An effective media placement campaign is well strategized and thought out. It is a cumulative process that builds day by day and month by month.

If you are thinking of launching a media campaign for your business or career, you basically have four options: hire a media relations firm, hire someone in-house to do your media relations for you, hire a media relations consultant, or launch your own media relations campaign. If you decide to handle your own media relations, you have a big learning curve ahead of you; you want to learn the hows and whys of putting together a successful campaign. If you are looking to hire a company or consultant to do it for you, you still have homework. You need to learn the right questions to ask in order to hire the right firm. PR is not a one-size-fits all service. But the greatest mistake businesses owners make is thinking PR is a luxury, not a necessity. Those are the businesses owners who generally wonder why their competitors keep being featured in the media.

Anthony Mora began his media career as a journalist and magazine editor. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc., a Los Angeles-based public relations company that has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, USA Today, Oprah, The New York Times, Vogue, and other media. Anthony, who is the author of “Spin to Win,” has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, , The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets.

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Tags: public, relation, campaign, pr

There is no question that media coverage will boost business for you. It’s a proven way to put your business in the spotlight in a major way. A perfect example of marketing 1 to many, which if you know my teachings, you know is the ideal marketing model. Media coverage will also:

• Raise your public profile.
• Improve your credibility.
• Establish your authority.
• Generate new customers.
• Make it easier to convert prospects to customers.

Getting your product or service in the media has it’s process and that’s where many small business owners get stuck. They don’t know how and they don’t have the budget to hire a public relations firm which can get pretty expensive.

The good news is that doing your own publicity is very doable. In fact, it’s quite easy. You just have to know the steps, plug into it, and work it until you get the coverage you are looking for.

Here are the basic steps to getting free media coverage for your business:

1. Identify the media venues (print or broadcast) that your target audience is most likely to consume. For instance, if your product is for women you want to target programs and publications watched and read by women.

2. Contact the Producers and Editors of these identified venues. This is easier than ever. Every publication and program has a website with contact information. So look that up and ask for the key person you are looking for by department or segment and get that persons contact information so that you can start calling them and sending them information.

3. Send consistent press releases that are very catchy and even SEXY! I call press releases the necessary evil. Producers and editors get so many of these a day, that many get tossed. However, it’s also what needs to be sent out consistently to create a buzz about your product or service. The key is making it so catchy and sexy that it’s irresistible and provides valuable content to the producer. I use “sexy” because the media loves “sexy”. So find creative ways to hook them by pitching your story with a “sexy” tip.

4. Position Your Business Virally- The best way to hook the media is by being everywhere. Today, that is extremely easy with all the tools available with the internet. So position your business on the social networks, write articles and publish them online, put up videos on Youtube, and blog away. When you contact producers with your press releases, if they go on to research you and find you all over the net, you are more likely to be considered.

5. Have a Media Kit (online version works!) Websites have become the new media kits. If you have a page with a picture of you and your product, great content, articles and credentials, then you are set to go. Having a conventional media kit (a package you send out) is still great to have but if you don’t have a budget to get it done yet, your website can do the trick.

6. Be consistent. Like everything, getting on the media takes time. Working on your publicity everyday will get you the coverage eventually. And the best part is that once you get on, you have already established a relationship with key people who will continuously help you get more media coverage throughout your business.

If you want media coverage for your business do not fall into the trap of believing it can’t be done without a publicist or agency. Believe it or not the media needs you. So come up with the value in your product, spin it into a story and start working the system.

See you on TV!

© 2009 Synergy Communications, Inc.

Entrepreneur Julissa Fernandez a.k.a “The Sassy Media Guru” is a Business Communications Coach visit this Site. and Consultant, To learn more visit this Site.

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Tags: public, relation, firm, media, coverage

Companies commit huge amounts of time, manpower and money to conduct effective public relations programs and maintain their positive reputations. However, many fail to engage, potentially, their most powerful public relations engines available — their own employees.

Too many companies fail to recognize their employees’ ability to provide support as their organization’s best ambassadors. Every public relations initiative — and especially every crisis communications plan — should include a sup-plan to inform employees and other internal audiences prior to going public with news and important information.

In-person briefings show your concern for employees more pointedly than a memo or newsletter. However, written communications are often the only option. Prepare your employees with key facts so they can step up as knowledgeable public relations advocates. Engage their collective voice in support of your organization’s strengths, objectives and mission.

It is beyond your control, but every employee becomes a company spokesperson — good or bad — when they talk to their families, friends and associates. What they say and the impressions they make regarding your organization are determined largely by the amount and quality of information you give them.

For example, if your company is planning to introduce a new product, your employees should know everything about the product’s features and benefits at the time of the introduction. Or if your company is advocating certain legislation, employees should know how it would benefit them and your organization.
Including your workforce in the information loop is important because it:

* Enables employees to describe knowledgeably your company’s products and services and its point of view on major issues.

* Spares employees the belittling experience of first hearing company news from outside sources. You don’t want your employees’ initial exposure to true or alleged facts to occur via the news media, an Internet blog or a relative.

* Enables you to explain to employees how your public relations department works with reporters to develop relationships, pitch ideas, contribute background information and facilitate the inclusion of your executives’ quotes in news stories. Employees and others may have no idea of the strategy, effort and professionalism required to deliver high visibility public relations.

The importance of keeping employees abreast of company developments applies to virtually every circumstance. But it is particularly important when you anticipate a major news story — positive or negative. Preparing employees for such a story gives them time to discuss it, ask questions and absorb the facts then knowledgeably present your company’s point of view when the piece goes public.

By keeping your employees in the information loop and arming them with accurate and current information, you enable them to reinforce your company’s mission, advocate its strengths and objectives and help to burnish the company’s positive reputation.

Brian R. Salisbury, a writer and a public relations and communications consultant, combines a wealth of communications know-how with an engaging writing style to help his clients shape the most effective messages and deliver them with the greatest impact where they count most. Visit Brian’s website and subscribe to his free public relations newsletter and receive his free report “Ten Key Components of a Successful Public Relations Program.”

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Tags: public, relation, employment, build

Simply moving messages from one point to another using tactics like press releases, special events, brochures and broadcast plugs?

Good gosh, I hope not!

Not when many business, non-profit, government agency and association managers badly need to do something both positive and meaningful about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of theirs whose behaviors MOST affect the departmental, divisional or subsidiary unit they manage.

These are the same managers who need the kind of public relations effort that leads them directly to achieving their managerial objectives; in particular by persuading those key outside folks to the manager’s way of thinking by helping move audience members to take actions that help the manager’s department, group, division or subsidiary to succeed.

As long-ago news commentator Gabriel Heater used to say, “Ah, there’s good news tonight!” Here, that good news is the fact that the right public relations planning really CAN alter individual perception and result in changed behaviors among key outside audiences. Achievable, incidentally, only when you as a manager require more than news releases, special events and broadcast plugs. When that happens, you should receive the quality public relations results you deserve.

Here’s the way public relations’ underlying premise puts it: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

Sample some of the playback that can come about from this kind of public relations: community leaders begin to seek you out; capital givers or specifying sources start to look your way; welcome bounces in show room visits occur; new prospects actually start to do business with you; politicians and legislators begin looking at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or association communities; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures start showing up; customers begin to make repeat purchases; and membership applications start to rise.

Look first to your public relations professionals, who are already in the perception and behavior business, to handle your data gathering activity, an essential component of your new opinion monitoring project. But be certain that the PR staff really accepts why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Essentially, be sure they truly believe that perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can help or hurt your operation.

Together with your PR specialists, analyze your plans for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Suggest that the staff consider questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Retaining a professional survey firm to do the opinion gathering work, can strain your budget and end up more expensive than using your own staff people. But whether it’s your people or a survey firm asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

This is where we establish a clearcut and realistic PR goal calling for action on the most serious problem areas you uncovered during your key audience perception monitoring. You may decide to straighten out that dangerous misconception, bring to an end that potentially painful rumor, or correct that gross inaccuracy.

Since goal and strategy go together like Oreo cookies and milk, you must connect your goal to an action-oriented strategy that shows how to get to where you’re going. Actually, you have just three strategic options available to you when it comes to doing something about perception and opinion. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Needless to say, the wrong strategy pick will taste like whipped cream on your pot roast. So be sure your new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of reinforcement.

Now you must task your team’s best writer to prepare a persuasive message that will help move your key audience to your way of thinking. It has to be a carefully -written message targeted directly at your key external audience. S/he must produce some really corrective language that is not merely compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if they are to shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Luckily for you, the right communications tactics will carry your message to the attention of your target audience? There are many tactics available from speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be certain that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Since the means by which you communicate your message is always a concern because its credibility is fragile and always suspect, you may wish initially to unveil your corrective message before smaller meetings through presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases.

Measuring how far you’ve come since the program’s inception, you’ll want to compare where you are now against the starting point to show the progress you’ve made. First, you’ll be demonstrating, in the form of periodic progress reports, how the monies spent on public relations can pay off. However, it’s also an alert to start a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Here, you’ll use many of the same questions used in the benchmark interviews. But now, you will be on strict alert for signs that the bad news perception
is being altered in your direction.

Without doubt, you will face periodic slowdowns in the program. Generally, adding more communications tactics, and/or increasing their frequencies, usually solves that problem.

As asked up front: Is PR all about moving messages from one point to another using familiar tactics? I said Good Gosh, I hope not! And I still say, Good Gosh, I hope not!

Much preferred are managers who decide they no longer wish to be denied the best public relations has to offer, preferring instead to pursue the quality public relations results they believe they deserve.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.

Robert A. Kelly © 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communi- cations, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

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Tags: function, public, relation, definition

Public relations, commonly known as PR, is something every company needs to take into consideration. Whether you are the CEO of a large firm or own a small business you need public relations. In fact, more than likely you probably already use some form of public relations without even knowing what it is you’re doing. What exactly does public relations consist of and why is it so important to your company’s bottom line?

Put simply, public relations is how you communicate with consumers and even any employees. It’s how you want them to view your company. Have you heard the saying even bad publicity is good publicity? Most of us have and that’s true to a certain extent. The smaller your company is the more you can suffer from bad publicity. This is where a good public relations plan comes in handy. Controlling what is said and printed about your business can be critical to your company’s success. Knowing that bad publicity may not be such a great thing, how do you use your public relations skills to control what you want people to know about your company.

One of the most cost effective ways to handle public relations is to start a free blog related to your company. Linking your blog to your company’s website gives the consumer unlimited access to what’s happening within your company. A well written blog can actually serve several purposes. It can be a great form of free advertising, as well as a tool used to issue statements to the public. It’s an excellent place to share any awards your company has received as well.

Another popular form of handling public relations issues is by sending a monthly newsletter to your customers and even employees. This can be done in print, but also via email if you’d like a more cost effective approach. However, you decide to handle the public relations for your business, it should go hand in hand with your advertising to be as cost effective as possible. Becoming a PR expert will take some time, but once you master it your company will reap the benefits!

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Tags: public, relation, company, online

Getting published offline or featured online isn’t as tough as you think; what can be the challenge is knowing what to do with that PR once you get it! PR by itself isn’t inherently useful, it is critical to have a plan for distributing your feature or article in a meaningful way both online and offline. Very rarely will your phone start ringing off the hook with a single feature, instead it is a valuable opportunity for you to let your prospects and clients know that you’ve been showcased. Here are 3 proven ways to turn PR into prospects, projects and profits!

PR Tip #1 To Reinforce Your Value and Talent with Clients and Prospects

ONLINE: Send a link of your featured work or article to your contact list with a short note sharing your excitement. Your list should include current clients, past clients, and prospects you haven’t yet gotten on board. (For more ideas on prospecting, see Melissa’s Favorite Resources.)

OFFLINE: Request a hi-res PDF of the feature that you can email to your contact list, at the same time get a printed piece (either your local printer or often there are specific services available through the publisher to provide a truly professional mailer) and mail it by postal service to reinforce your value. REMEMBER these days everyone’s email box is overflowing but our postal boxes are getting emptier so you have a better chance of standing out though it will cost you in printing and postage.

PR Tip #2 As a Prospecting Tool

ONLINE: Send a link of your feature or article to the groups you belong to as either a wall post, or better as part of a discussion you create. You’ll also want to share this in updates on your online profiles more than once.

OFFLINE: Armed with a list of new prospects, either from a list service, or that you have compiled from networking events, home shows, show houses, or other offline avenues, mail your feature with a note and a limited time special offer on your services.

PR Tip #3 Vendor Collaboration

ONLINE: Ask selected vendors you do business with who both retail and work with the trade if they would provide a link to your feature on their site. They act as a referral for your talents and you, of course, reinforce the value of the vendor as a recommended designer resource.

OFFLINE: Provide your favorite vendors with copies of your feature or article to be available to their customers and clients. This reinforces your value as a talent they do business with and recommend and reciprocally references that vendor as a quality designer resource.

Getting PR is only half of the marketing equation. Unless you create a plan using the tips here, it will just be pretty decoration on your wall or a warm fuzzy feeling. Make PR work for you by knowing how to spread the word of your talent and value to new and old clients, prospects, and vendors.

For more shortcuts and strategies on building your business and igniting your success, be sure to download your f.r.e.e copy of changeyourrewards.com. And if you are ready to take your business to the next level, then check out sixfigureprofessionals.com to get your f.r.e.e. strategy session. Marketing mastery will make you the maverick success you deserve to be!

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Tags: public, relation, firm, prospect

Company newsletters are a great way to convey timely information about your firm, its products and offerings. And because they offer both entertainment and information, newsletters tend to have a longer shelf life than other types of promotions.

Newsletters may either be “house organs” (internal newsletters distributed to the employees of your company) or external newsletters, sent to a specific mailing list of your clients, partners, or potential clients. Even internal newsletters can be used to improve public relations: send copies of them with notes to your vendors, suppliers, and strategic partners. They’ll appreciate this way of keeping in touch.

Newsletters are easily produced using desktop publishing software and can then be printed internally or offsite depending on your needs and budget.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to write your own newsletter, there are many “canned” (generic) newsletters available that you can send out under your company name. Some of them aren’t too bad. Another idea is to co-create a newsletter with a strategic partner and send it to both company’s mailing lists. Not only do you increase your mailing list, you add credibility to both companies by linking your names in print.

For all of their advantages, newsletters are seldom sent to the press. While they should contain newsworthy items, their format and publication lag time make them generally unsuitable as press materials.

Following are 11 tips for making your newsletters pull their PR weight. Although these tips apply primarily to printed newsletters, many also apply to electronic newsletters.

Newsletter Tips:

1) Write for your readers, not yourself. Always think about ways to benefit your readers with your newsletter.

2) Make your lead article interesting or they won’t read any further.

3) Make the design interesting (use a multi-column format and graphical elements). Use graphics and photos generously. Use the “dollar bill” test: you should not be able to lay a dollar bill down on your page without it touching a graphical element.

4) Avoid clip art on external newsletters unless it’s really excellent, in which case try hard to avoid it anyway. It cheapens your publication, though it’s fine for a homey internal newsletter. If you do choose to use clip art, make certain it’s all from the same “family” of style (don’t put cartoon characters in the same publication with high quality line art, for instance).

6) Use two colors (black plus one accent color is fine); this provides a much more professional look than a one-color publication.

7) Use no more than two or three typefaces. Generally text is in a serif typeface and headlines in sans-serif.

8) Be eco-friendly. Use recycled paper where possible and let your readership know you’re doing so.

9) Include an editorial box with contact information for the publisher, editor and staff so your readers know where to send their comments and suggestions.

10) Publish your newsletter on a regular basis (quarterly works out well for many businesses). Time publication dates to coincide with significant events when possible.

11) Ask for feedback regularly. You can do this by simply adding a “feedback please” line in your editorial box or by including a mail-back survey in the newsletter itself.

Newsletters provide an easy way to stay in touch with your target audience, and because they are generally well received, they are a communications tool that should be part of your public relations program.

Yvonne Meacham Buchanan is a public relations instructor for PR Essentials, an online public relations course available through Careers in Public Relations ( visit the website ).

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Tags: public, relation, toolkit, newsletter

This article will help you create publicity on a continual basis for any sports team. There are action item you can do today to get started. Let’s talk about why you would even want to bother with PR.

Every team needs PR or publicity. Children’s teams need PR so they can attract sponsors and visitors to the games. Even if the visitors do not have to pay, it’s more fun for everyone when there is a large involved crowd at the games. The PR can also be used to attract support before it’s needed. A team that is fully supported is less likely to be shut down when funds are tight in the schools, cities and counties.

Adult teams need publicity because it will bring in sponsors and paying customers who come to games. Paying customers tend to buy t-shirts and other things that support the team financially. Few teams can afford to survive with no money coming in.

Where do you start?

Start with your local media. When you send the local radio stations and newspapers the stats and updates on the teams wins, along with some interesting fact about the team or a particular player, you give them something to talk about. This needs to be done each week or at least every other week. Publicity is not something you do one time and that’s it. You have to keep sending information. When a media outlet sees they can depend on you to send timely updates, they are more likely to include you. A timely update is one that is well before the time they need to publish or be on the air. If the local sports radio show comes on at 8 am, then this information should be sent the day before, not at 7 am when they are prepping for the show. This means you will have to find out the publish dates of the newspapers and magazines you send this information to. And send the information well before that dates. When you approach sponsors, you can show them the visibility your team already has. Everyone wants to be with winners.

Getting your press releases or media releases as I like to call them, written up and sent out is not an easy thing. Some people can write professionally but not well. The bottom line is to stimulate the media to do a story on your team or at least mention your team. You must keep sending them out; you can’t send out one and say it did not work. Rarely do people get written up on the first media release unless they are professional PR people and have connections to make it happen.

These strategies work for Semi-professional teams as well as children’s community teams. They are strategies the professional teams use.

Action Items:

1. Look at the team schedule and create a schedule to send out media releases
2. Get some interesting facts about the player or team to send to the media
3. Make a list of local radio, TV, magazines, newspapers and blogs that cover your local area and find out about their deadlines
4. Use the contact information to just send media release and updates
5. Send pictures as often as you can about the topic in the media release
6. Delegate one person to handle this so that when the media contacts you, they don’t get the run around as to who to talk to.
7. Always leave your contact information with media every time you connect with them.

Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C. is the host of the Wright Place TV Show, now in it’s 10th year on the cable television. The show has strategies and tips for business owners and others on how to get sponsors here.

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Tags: publicity, relation, public, sport, team, secret