Dismantling tension in the work place with good communication is an effective tactic for managing strain in a positive manner.  Follow these tips to learn how to maneuver your next sticky situation:

1.  Stay cool.  A calm demeanor is much more useful when trying to talk to someone after your temper flares.  If you feel your blood starting to boil, count to 10 before speaking or remove for the situation until emotions have subsided to resume the conversation if possible. 

2.  Get to the bottom of it.  Ask many questions and LISTEN to understand the other party’s perspective.  Even if you still disagree, chances are the other person will feel better about the circumstances if you have heard their argument. 

3.  Try to reach a mutually favorable conclusion.  Even if there is no perfect outcome, attempt to reach a situation the benefits both party.  One-sided negotiating may get you ahead now, but it may hurt you in the future.

What is clearly important? Beverly Macy of The Huffington Post says “social enterprise will get better at sifting through the digital river to recognize what’s really important.” Businesses are now wise to the fact that social media isn’t going away and it’s not something to be feared.  Companies will start to figure out how to use it to their advantage.

New Media Becomes Routine. Niall Harbison of SimplyZesty.com, a social media and online PR blog, reports predicts that social media will depart from its experimental status and become an integral function of most company marketing and business plans.  Harbison suggests looking for “it to move to move across businesses to departments like sales and recruitment.”

The Game of Life-Ever notice how you earn points, badges, rewards and more just by patronizing your favorite establishments?  David Armano’s Harvard Business Review blog post suggests looking for the trend to emerge in areas of HR, government, healthcare and business management.

Mobile Sites and Apps Are a Must.If you have them, you are on top of your social media game. Mac Ocampo from SocialMediaToday.com says mobile sites and apps are vital to getting noticed.  In a world of instant access to everything, brands are often missed if they don’t have these presences.

Where Physical Ends, Virtual Begins….and Vice Versa. Companies are learning how to integrate it more easily into the lives of their customers. Harvard Business Review and Social Media Today reported on how brands such as Coca Cola, Dominos and Acme Jeans were converging the digital and physical worlds together to gain learn how what customers thought about certain products.

Watchout Big Box Stores. Here Comes the Micro-economy. Harvard Business Review and Social Media Today agree that social sharing sites like Pinterest and Kickstarter have the potential to allow smaller brands enough exposure to give big companies stiff competition this year.

Good luck in 2012 and all of your social media endeavors.  For more information on ways to expand your business’s reach online, please feel free to contact Baker Creative today!

As 2011 comes to a close, many small businesses are looking at trends and planning for the year ahead. Some fortunate companies will have to deal with growing pains. Business boomed last year and now your baby no longer fits into the structure that worked like a charm for you previously. Take note. Here are some of our favorite tips to help you know when it’s time to grow:

You and your employees are constantly playing catch-up despite efforts to work more efficiently. It’s a blessing, but you have projects backing up and you cannot accommodate any more and still get the work out on time. You have two options: require more hours at work or bring in more help. Unfortunately, cloning yourself and your staff is not an option at this time.

Do you have the funds for it? In an article for Inc. magazine, Marla Tabaka recommends using this formula to determine when and how you can afford more help:

1. List all resources that help increase revenue including new clients, new markets, upselling, etc.
2. How much revenue could you bring in and time would it take if you focused 10-20 hours a week solely on sales and marketing?
3. What are you most time consuming tasks and how many hours do they require to complete? Separate them in to categories such as “administrative, book keeping and technicians work”.
4. How much can you afford to pay to outsource your most time consuming tasks?

Learn to think big HUGE! In an Entrepreneur.com article, Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad series, recommends increasing your leadership skills and seek advice from only those who have grown a business successfully. Learning to spot strengths and weaknesses in every situation will pay out big in the long run.

A. You are working on a project that’s getting dangerously close to deadline.  Only one of the messages you left requesting quotes with five potential vendors returned your call.  You’ve followed up with each one multiple times, yet you hear nothing.

B. Dashing from one appointment to the next, your phone at the office is ringing off the hook.  Messages are piling up.  Between meetings and the project you’ve been sitting on for days, you don’t have the time to get back to them. Overwhelmed is an understatement. Screening your calls seems to be the only option. You’ll get back to them….hopefully.

As a busy business professional, you are faced with a dilemma. Time is valuable. You understand the importance of getting back with people, but spending all day on the phone is simply not an option.   From experience, you know the frustration of working with people who don’t get back with you either.  What do you do?

Returning phone calls is a sign of respect.  If someone takes the time to call you, they deserve to hear back.  If you let too many slip, you may earn a reputation of being hard to work with. Here are some tips to help keep your sanity while retaining your reputation:

1. Aim to return phone calls within 24-48 hours at the most.  The 24-hour rule is a gold standard adopted by most professionals, but sometimes schedules are that hectic.  If this is the case, leave your intent on the answering machine greeting.

2.  If your phone call traffic becomes too heavy, you may need to hire an assistant. Let the person know what types of calls to allow through.  Give them the authority to return some calls on your behalf.  The assistant can weed through the less pertinent requests while keeping everyone happy.

3. Sales and robo-calls are an exception.  Most sales professionals are courteous enough to back off if you decline their request for a meeting, but you must tell them that first.  If they continue to be a nuisance, you may have to consider more drastic   measures.

Charitable giving is big business. Charity Navigator reports that total giving to charitable organizations was more than $290 billion in 2010 increasing 3.8 percent from 2009.

Total giving has grown every year since 1954 except for 1987, 2008 and 2009 according to Giving USA.

One benefit of being more like Tiny Tim than Ebenezer Scrooge is the recognition company receives from the community. Your stakeholders care what you do for them, so you should too.

A 2010 Penn Schoen Berlan study reported that 70 percent of consumers are willing to pay as much or more for socially responsible products. Cone Inc. says 8 in 10 Millenials prefer to work for a company that cares about how affects and gives back to the community.

Corporations aren’t the only beneficiaries paying it forward. Small businesses give back in a big way causing them to be leaders in their communities, receiving brand recognition and earning major props.

Here are some quick ways to contribute to your community and gain serious impact:

Attend local festivals and other events. See and be seen. You and your employees are the faces of your organization. Have a presence at community events to show you care and are involved on a grassroots level.

Shop local. Many communities have started campaigns inviting residents to ditch the big box stores and mega malls in favor of supporting neighborhood merchants. Purchase employee and customer gifts this season from local businesses. Not only will the money you spend stay in the community, some of the sales tax you pay will as well.

Sponsor community events. If you have some extra cash give, pick an event and dedicate your philanthropy dollars to making it best you can be. Listen others to pinpoint the needs of your neighborhood and plan an event to highlight your cause. The community will thank you for taking action and being a leader.

Social giving. One of benefit of having various social media platforms and connections is the ability to communicate with many people. Give your online presences a makeover with goodwill and glad tidings. Share links, media spots and other information about your favorite charities. If you decide to do a large corporate charity campaign, allow stakeholders to make contributions through your social media and alert them of your progress.

What other charitable giving ideas does your company use?

Consider the subsequent points if you are looking to gain more influence in your community:

1. Assess your reputation. How do your stakeholders, or people that are affected directly or indirectly in your brand, view your company? Stakeholders can be customers, employees, co-owners, community members, etc. If all is well, feel free to proceed onto the next step. A bit tarnished? Strategize and implement a reputation management plan to repair the destruction. Depending on the damage, it may take less time that you think.

2. Gain trust within your community. People take the advice and rely on those whom they trust. Say what you mean. Do what you say. Be there for others when they need you. Treat others as you would like to be treated. The simple rules of ethics that you learned in kindergarten are the best way to develop a faithful following. Above all, do it consistently. It takes work.

Riding on the coattails of fame may give your business a temporary burst authority, but without consistency the effects will be short lived. Once the tide recedes, your company will be left with the remnants of a once profitable time that seems long ago.

Start now. Building the foundation of reliability today for an influential tomorrow. Your customers will remember and thank you profitably.

Here are a few resources to consider when navigating your next career change:

Community Networking Groups- Many communities have networking groups that are centered on helping people switch careers or find jobs. The groups are great to help find local, likeminded people to find support and help the transition go more smoothly. Some groups have individuals that can serve as mentors that offer advice from personal experience.  Meetup.com is a great website to find people with like interests meeting in your area.

Forty Plus - With chapters all over the country, this nonprofit organization provides classes for job seekers and career changers of all ages.

Scioto Ridge Job Networking Group – This Central Ohio resource aims to help its members and alumni connect and support each other through the transition.

Online Support Groups – Forums, social networks and chat groups allow people to commiserate in members’ triumphs and struggles when the option for in person fellowship or camaraderie isn’t available. Online options may be a great resource for people who have trouble reaching out or asking for advice in person. For the easily embarrassed, a relative veil of anonymity may be just what it takes for keeping them on track.

DailyStrenth.org – This site offers support groups for all types of causes in addition to one specifically for career changers.

For additional sources, please be sure to contact local employment agencies, churches and other community centers for recommendations in your area.

Change doesn’t happen on it’s own. Before you expect to transform the habit for real, you need to have a safety net in place to help you to stay motivated when will power fades.

Develop a strong, accountable change team. Depending on severity of the lifestyle change you are trying to accomplish, you may only need one person or you may need more.

Grab your most supportive friends and family members. Find a coach and/or a therapist you are comfortable with. Coaches and therapists help you stay accountable and give you tips on how to accomplish the behavior and make it stick. Before you commit to working with professionals, ask for recommendations. Ensure these individuals are accountable and dependable.

Support Groups are great to find support in others who are going through similar situations. Strength in numbers goes a long way toward lifting each other up during difficult times.

Use media, social and traditional, to turn you in to a transformation machine.

Think of what you watch, listen to and read. Do they make you feel good about yourself or do you constantly feel as if you will never measure up?

The content of the media you consume is like food for your brain. Good nutrition nourishes your body. Encouraging and uplifting messages will help keep you motivated. There are countless books, videos, podcasts, blogs, music, etc. filled with great ideas dedicated to helping others accomplish their goals. Check them out.

Turn your smartphone into a personal accountability tracker. Habit Changer for the iPhone is an app that sets up a framework for user that encourages them to change the unwanted behavior of a 42-day time period.

The MotivAider for Android allows the user to keep their good intentions on the forefront of their battle with behavior change. This app prompts the user to stay on task by physically alerting people what they should be doing and when.

Use social media to find or build a network of online or real friends to help you stay accountable, motivated and encouraged when real life assistance isn’t available.

Consider posting your accomplishments on Twitter or logging in a blog. The physical record shows the progress you have made when you are feeling down. Penelope Trunk of BrazenCareerist.com says she blogs even the most controversial events in her life because it keeps her honest with herself. If you are broadcasting your life events to the world, you may think before you act.

Most importantly, always remember to reach out to others when you feel letting go. Chances are you will find someone who is going through exactly what you are. Good luck!

Staying in your comfort zone for too long puts you at risk of never accomplishing your dreams.

Have you made attempt to change or face your fear? When was the last time you took a risk that made you a little uneasy? The thought probably makes a bit nervous.

Tackling the queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach results in personal growth.
Seek out that nauseous feeling and participate in activities that push your limits. You will learn to be afraid of less as you encounter life’s obstacles.

There are many great resources that help you conquer your fears. Talk to supportive friend or family member. Read a self-help book. Go at it alone if you are really brave. Deep-seeded anxieties may require speaking to a therapist to work through.

If you fail, so what? Resilience takes practice. To be come an expert at something you need to acquire 10,000 hours of practice, so get started!