tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6615121741594737282011-12-14T16:17:35.060-05:00A Forum for Leadership and Professional Development IssuesJeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.comBlogger881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-60780593463509388642011-12-14T16:17:00.000-05:002011-12-14T16:17:35.065-05:00

Dominion Enterprises Expands Social Media OfferingsI am very excited about the addition of VoxBloc to the Dominion Enterprises - Business Solutions team. Details are included on the press release accessible via the above link.

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-5731523718610972242011-11-02T15:22:00.007-04:002011-11-02T16:23:47.339-04:00

I woke up this morning this morning to the realization that the world has once again permanently changed. Not that I have had my head buried in the sand, but it now appears that the fundamental shift that needed to happen in user behavior to cement the transition from desktop to mobile and touch has arrived. What does this mean to Internet businesses? It means that the winds of change are upon

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-78487825851042617252011-10-24T16:30:00.005-04:002011-10-27T10:59:11.798-04:00

In my opinion being passionate about what you do for a living is critical to achieving professional happiness. Esotericism? Not hardly. The old saying "Work to live..." not the reverse rings true and is becoming an even more prominent mantra for emerging generations. But let's face it, sometimes work is work and you do what you have to do to continue to put food on the table. There is

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-15414751156242138762011-02-11T15:30:00.010-05:002011-02-21T11:45:38.480-05:00

The emergence of the online daily deal space has been rapid and fun to watch. I remember looking up Groupon on Compete.com last year and was amazed month after month at how quickly their traffic, as well as Living Social's traffic, seems to have no ceiling. Personally I enjoy the art of saving a dollar here and there, so I jumped at the chance to register with both services in my home market and

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-35885958265348242552010-08-18T10:52:00.021-04:002010-08-19T08:22:31.266-04:00

I was personally reminded yesterday of just how important providing award-winning levels of customer service can be in keeping existing customers. I am sharing this experience because I feel that the way I was dealt with is a shining example of a company getting it right. All too often I read or hear about how a customer is lost due to poor levels of service. I am happy to say that this is not

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-8796588756360642702009-07-21T15:11:00.011-04:002009-07-21T16:18:08.830-04:00

Whatever happened to the days when team members could be counted on by other team members no matter what? I know they do not grow warriors like Cal Ripken, Jr. or Brett Favre on trees, but has the expectation to "play hurt" for the overall benefit of the team dwindled in recent years.Okay, let's step out of the realm of pro athletes for a second. What is the expectation among your team? Do your

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-38496964329319749502009-07-15T22:44:00.007-04:002009-07-16T11:51:59.830-04:00

How would you define yourself in terms of your most special set of skills? Better yet, how would others describe your professional expertise in one word or phrase? Want to better differentiate yourself from others? Find your one special skill and begin to build a professional brand around your expertise. Are you the "Sales Guru," the "Tech Expert" or the "Get Things Done Person" in your office?

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-37159168801121725522009-04-27T16:36:00.006-04:002009-05-01T15:09:10.309-04:00

While in attendance at the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) conference in DC last week, I attended a keynote in which Jack Welch (former CEO of GE and best-selling author) shared his insights as to what business leaders need to be focused on given the current business climate. The following is a bullet point list of Jack Welch’s thoughts that made it into my notebook while

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-15672530285538240732009-04-16T09:37:00.012-04:002009-04-16T12:02:08.464-04:00

When you are in a leadership position you are subject to getting things done through others. It can be easier, less aggravating and ultimately quicker to follow the old saying, "If you want something done right you do it yourself." While a do-it-yourself mentality certainly works well for some, in my opinion it is not a practice to which effective leaders can subscribe. Leaders have to have

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-28730324938094563132009-03-20T16:34:00.008-04:002009-03-23T17:35:20.584-04:00

In our professional careers, we come across many different types of individuals with a wide ranging number of personalities. Most of us will find that we gravitate towards some and away from others. It is only natural and human that you will ultimately want to spend more time with certain individuals. Unfortunately this is not always the best mix for success in business. Even the individuals with

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-24830778373914906002009-03-05T16:41:00.006-05:002009-03-05T18:16:33.314-05:00

What is it that distinguishes a great leader from an ordinary one or a visionary leader from one that struggles to gain followship? While sound business skills, proper planning and execution will take a leader far, it is the level of passion a leader possesses that is the ultimate identifier.One of my earliest professional mentors liked to talk about "the fire in the belly." How would you define

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-25863006897609735252008-12-05T16:47:00.007-05:002009-01-15T17:54:41.396-05:00

Could there possibly be any bright spots to the current economic downturn? In my opinion companies that have been fiscally responsible and have positioned their businesses to be in a solid cash position and to continue to post good results will emerge as next generation power houses within their industry. Of course, this will greatly depend on their ability to successfully navigate the the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-72929360713357231392008-10-03T15:52:00.013-04:002008-10-06T10:27:34.146-04:00

Weekly initial jobless claims continue their rise, overall unemployment stays flat to last month, Congress just passed the "bailout" which the President has signed, so now what?I have heard the statement "From Wall Street to Main Street" many times recently on the local and national news when reporters or "experts" are referring to the current economic crises. Just because we have an economic

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-49874239795915814032008-09-25T09:45:00.006-04:002008-09-25T14:28:43.670-04:00

Let's all keep our fingers crossed that our congressional leaders can come together and get a bill passed that will provide the support our economy needs to be able to work its way out of the current pattern of poor performance. In fact, the deal that the President has put on the table presents a great opportunity for our government to potentially make money on the initial $700 billion dollars of

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-19569039682016853712008-09-08T15:05:00.006-04:002008-09-08T16:27:43.981-04:00

I am sure you have heard the old saying, "One step forward and two steps back." That is, in my opinion, what the United States economy has been doing over the last several months. It seems as though we start to witness improvements that create enthusiasm that our economy is showing signs of beginning to pull out of the downturn, and then... Wham!, more poor economic news such as last week’s

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-4036164039908297182008-08-27T09:43:00.007-04:002008-08-27T15:40:41.043-04:00

Has the U.S. economy started to enter a phase of stabilization? The following are indicators that point to this being the case.According to the Commerce Department/U.S. Census Bureau orders for durable goods or big-ticket manufactured goods rose for a second month increasing in July by 1.3% over June, which posted an equal level of increase. The July increase included jumps in orders for

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-78705607710901335312008-07-29T10:14:00.018-04:002008-07-29T15:07:56.394-04:00

Innovation is the fuel that propels organizational success. The exploration and execution of new ideas and ways of approaching business is what sets an organization apart from its peers and allows for expansion into new business ventures. This can be done through such means as vertical integration, acquisition or development. I would describe innovation as being successful when it puts an

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-66283529376827727942008-07-08T09:57:00.009-04:002008-07-08T14:56:27.464-04:00

As a person who enjoys playing and watching tennis, I cannot pass up the opportunity to comment on the men's Wimbledon championship match that took place this past Sunday between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Many have stated that this was not only the greatest Wimbledon championship match ever played, but quite possibly the greatest tennis match in the history of the game.As a tennis fan, I

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-24695909557003130322008-06-17T15:51:00.010-04:002008-06-17T17:25:58.208-04:00

In sales it is important that you listen to your prospect or customers needs. All too often sales representatives will talk over their customers or prospective customers. 70% of all communication is listening. A good listener will always walk away from a conversation learning more from the exchange than the talker. The talker might walk away with a feeling of accomplishment because they dominated

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-40861908210511032122008-05-23T11:28:00.010-04:002008-05-27T08:22:11.845-04:00

I was recently contacted by Nick McCormick, author of the book Lead Well and Prosper, and was asked to review his book on my blog. I love to read business related books, especially ones that are focused on the topic of leadership, so I was pleased to accept the request.Lead Well and Prosper is a quick read. It is the kind of business book that you keep on your bookshelf and reference to remind

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-29453760814185633702008-04-30T13:26:00.008-04:002008-04-30T15:44:30.493-04:00

There has been a lot written over the last year about the emerging need among employers to tap into older workers as a resource to fill positions that require skilled labor. You do not have to look beyond the Boomer generation to understand this phenomenon. The Boomers, who represent the largest generation, are beginning to exit the workforce. Boomers are folks that were born between 1946 and

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-51875848531734770202008-04-16T11:21:00.006-04:002008-04-16T14:48:29.729-04:00

Can you trust the internet for accurate information? Is the news, blog posts, site statistics, etc., that you access via the internet really accurate? As more and more people turn to the internet as a source of information, I think it is wise as a business to make sure that the information reported in directories or sites reporting analytics are accurate. Decision makers, current customers and

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-27945906804247716112008-04-08T14:35:00.007-04:002008-04-08T16:42:14.532-04:00

A colleague of mine sent me a link this morning that took me to a video on a site called Just212 that was very inspirational. The point of the site/video is to use the fact that it only takes an increase of one degree in temperature to create boiling water which creates steam that can power a locomotive. That analogy spills over into how you approach your profession, your home life, your

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-66057382601171976642008-04-03T16:23:00.006-04:002008-04-04T11:24:44.796-04:00

There have been a lot of headlines in the news of late about the condition of our economy, the fact that we are in a recession, or are on the verge of one, companies laying off workers, hiring freezes, etc. How you lead a business through these kinds of conditions is going to determine the ability for your business to ultimately be successful in the future, or not. One of the immediate moves of a

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-83641379126077613432008-03-19T14:06:00.009-04:002008-03-24T16:39:43.229-04:00

In order to be an effective leader you have to be willing to take risks and set goals that others might perceive as too extraordinary, too difficult to achieve or too visionary. Today's business and economic climate has created an environment in which an out of the box approach to traditional business as we know it could represent a refreshing approach that would act as a magnet for attracting

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-30264222851237602502008-03-11T14:41:00.006-04:002008-03-11T22:10:12.502-04:00

Last week I attended the SI Executive Forum in Las Vegas. The event was packed with quality breakout sessions and notable keynote speakers. I was particularly impressed with Robert Reich's (former Secretary of Labor) presentation on the state of the US economy and Dr. Kevin Freiberg's keynote on change and being brave enough (or having the "Guts") to be a game changer in today's business world.

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-41808485711256398612008-02-13T17:00:00.005-05:002008-02-13T11:32:34.798-05:00

Mark your calendars.On February 23rd we will proudly present...· Increased Usability· Streamlined Application Process· Video, Video, Video· Local, Local, LocalGot the point?Want to know more?Be sure to tune in!EmploymentGuide.com

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-20989204583122091902008-02-05T17:00:00.000-05:002008-02-05T15:21:34.811-05:00

So what else is going on at The EG that is new and exciting in addition to the recent introduction of video? Over the course of the later half of 2007, our talented product development team and programmers went to work on constructing a new solution for recruiters in the health care industry. Breaking from the platform of traditional job boards, our team, after researching the industry, decided

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-14089205860511614362008-01-26T22:48:00.000-05:002008-01-28T15:57:17.603-05:00

I spend a lot of time comprising posts on my blog about my thoughts on leadership and how my thoughts coincide with what is going on within our business and industry. The next few posts are going to be dedicated to new, exciting products that I am personally excited about and that we are now offering at The Employment Guide.Video Job Postings and Employer Profile Videos - Video has been an

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-33292219730131226822008-01-22T11:33:00.000-05:002008-01-23T11:47:37.208-05:00

A few years ago "Get There First" was our mantra. Given our impact and the impact of other alternative recruitment solutions on daily newspapers (which at the time was our number one prospecting tool), it became clear that we could no longer rely solely on any one source of leads to direct our calling efforts in acquiring new customers. We realized that we were going to have to take the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-44618195599958175242008-01-11T17:00:00.000-05:002008-01-11T15:29:20.580-05:00

2008 is going to be a year in which many professional leaders at all levels of organizations separate themselves from their peers by way of producing excellent results within industries that are cyclical in nature. It is increasingly important that those in leadership positions have made a concerted efforts to plan their strategies for the year well in advance of whatever current market

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-52827228511113587852007-12-28T17:00:00.000-05:002007-12-28T16:43:34.935-05:00

The process of establishing a New Year's resolution is very similar to the goal setting process. Two key aspects of developing a resolution are writing it down and the fact that it is time sensitive. New Year's resolutions are typically personal in nature, but I have found that using this process in business can be an effective means by which to lead individuals to establish personal

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-68025769069582156322007-12-14T17:00:00.000-05:002007-12-14T16:00:09.833-05:00

In a changing business landscape companies are routinely challenged to develop new products to better meet the needs of their current customer base while continuing to expand their ability to acquire and retain new customers. Many businesses will tackle this process by adding new products or brands to the current offering. Typically these brands are overseen by a brand manager or business

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-2803430576816129172007-11-27T17:00:00.000-05:002007-11-28T12:05:25.053-05:00

Listening is a skill. Listening is 70% of all communication. In today's business climate of rushing and working at a fast pace while multi-tasking, listening can become an afterthought. People tend to speak over one another and even will finish each other's sentences. I even find myself doing the same thing at times and have to pull back, slow down and make sure I am giving someone my full

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-31702129397131258772007-11-23T17:00:00.000-05:002007-11-23T11:12:25.316-05:00

As a child of the late 60's, I would be classified as a Gen X'er. I grew up in a household with two brothers and a sister. My father worked full-time and went to school full-time for just about my entire childhood. He would also get up at 4 am every Sunday morning to prepare to teach the adult Sunday school class at our church. My father was a great provider for our family. He was also and still

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-72142223466399528122007-11-21T09:46:00.000-05:002007-11-21T14:38:00.369-05:00

The second part of defining your organization's core ideology is in identifying your "purpose." The "core purpose" as defined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, the authors of Built to Last, follows:Core Purpose - "The organization's fundamental reasons for existence beyond just making money - a perpetual guiding star on the horizon: not to be confused with specific goals or business strategies."

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-75458861408712092352007-11-16T17:57:00.000-05:002007-11-16T22:43:50.814-05:00

I recently had the book Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras recommended to me by a business colleague as a must-read. One of the guiding principals throughout the book, which uses what the authors label as "visionary companies" as examples throughout the book, is that in order to set your organization apart from the competition, you must clearly identify your organization's "core

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-78060834429703690152007-11-16T15:02:00.000-05:002007-11-21T14:43:04.660-05:00

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-76501980380772863212007-11-09T11:10:00.000-05:002007-11-09T15:42:59.230-05:00

As the publishing industry continues to evolve and become predominantly one that is electronic media oriented, so will distribution. The move towards changing the way in which publishing companies look and measure their distribution is being driven by the consumer. As more consumers switch to predominantly online sources for the news and information, publishers will have to follow. Newspapers are

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-85815677817524691572007-10-26T11:25:00.000-04:002007-10-26T13:41:51.172-04:00

If you asked me to rank the things that I love about what I get to do for a living, working on and providing resources for professional and leadership development to those within our organization would be at the top of my list. Building our organization from within is our goal. Effective developmental programs and succession planning will afford us the opportunity to make this a reality, while

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-48709592133401303642007-10-24T15:47:00.000-04:002007-10-26T13:35:09.168-04:00

It is extremely helpful and potentially humbling when you get to hear feedback from your customers and those who are in positions or roles to support your customers. One recent such experience created an opportunity for our business to better educate our sales representatives on how to ask questions about our customers results given the nature of our product verses that of the competition.In the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-40416403242049654192007-10-15T11:51:00.000-04:002007-10-26T13:29:25.322-04:00

What are the core values that define your organization? As a leader your actions and decisions should support your organizational core values. Our core values, which are all in support of our ability to meet our customers' needs and to provide award winning customer service, are to always be devoted to the professional development of our people, to maintain a high level of fiscal responsibility

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-69271043930719297762007-08-30T13:51:00.000-04:002007-09-14T11:47:39.942-04:00

There are certain things leaders need to remain mindful of on an ongoing basis that impact the mental well being and culture within their operation. Subtle and common sense things that at times can prove to be very elusive including...Always saying "thank you."Always using the word "please" when asking someone else to do something.Not playing the "boss card" unless it is absolutely

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-47893043706697281622007-08-28T15:11:00.000-04:002007-08-29T15:14:47.981-04:00

I was recently forwarded a couple of links to comments on a competitor's blog that referred to our organization in a negative fashion. When you are the leader in your industry, you are going to be criticized, especially by your competition. If you were not the leader, you probably would not have anyone making any comments about your business because no one would really care that much. Being out

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-27058290955829975942007-08-20T15:47:00.000-04:002007-08-21T11:29:31.314-04:00

Let's face it, most publishing companies that operate in the classifieds business or within one of the classified verticals are undergoing a transformation from being traditionally print to electronic media oriented (at least the ones that hope to still be around in the future). We at The Employment Guide are no exception to this transition. As we become more knowledgeable about what the future

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-67909369686190789152007-08-10T08:24:00.000-04:002007-08-10T12:51:27.216-04:00

As our business begins the budgeting process for 2008, we are starting to focus some of our attention on what is in the cards for all aspects of the employment industry that directly impacts our performance. The Employment Guide is focused on the non-exempt, hourly workforce or the service industry side of the labor economy, which now represents close to 80% of the entire workforce in the United

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-71765216073833317782007-07-27T09:47:00.000-04:002007-08-03T12:25:47.492-04:00

One of my first professional mentors made an analogy of how running a business should be like playing around with a chemistry set, and just as fun. As he described how it was fun to tinker with mixing a little bit of a product, person, practice, etc., with a different person, product, practice, etc., the analogy started to makes sense, sink in and stick. I still think about this approach to

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-29360408050661673702007-07-19T16:46:00.000-04:002007-07-20T11:20:37.429-04:00

Why are good people so hard to find? Is it due to leaders setting their expectations too high? Is it a matter of modern day economics? Could it be more related to the emergence of a sense of entitlement among the professional workforce? More than likely all of these things are contributors to not being able to keep businesses staffed at a desired level of employee complement.So what are some

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-73075841602820485972007-07-13T15:22:00.000-04:002007-07-20T11:31:02.849-04:00

What makes the difference between organizations that are successful during tough times or times of change? Is it work ethic, the people, the product or the culture? You can point to many different reasons as to why someone is successful in the face of adversity, but the common denominator will always be the people. Products change due to people. The work ethic in an organization is determined by

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-8663637831449461512007-07-11T22:09:00.000-04:002007-07-20T11:34:46.836-04:00

Leadership is going to take on an increasingly important role in one of the most critical components of being successful as we move into the future. This critical component is recruiting and hiring. As the national unemployment rate continues to dip towards sub 4% and has already been as low as 2% in some places, the recruiting and hiring process will become a "make it or break it" proposition

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-54275025750806467092007-07-02T14:28:00.000-04:002007-07-02T14:28:48.329-04:00

I have been the beneficiary of being able to work for some excellent leaders and mentors over the course of my professional career. A common thread that has been passed to me is that a leader will define his or her legacy through the folks that they develop and you will define yourself as a leader by dealing with the tough times. These two issues can be inter-related in that if you are investing

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-47578401029478713472007-06-22T14:46:00.000-04:002007-06-22T14:46:07.956-04:00

Have you ever wondered what makes the difference between individuals with equal levels of skill in determining who is going to be more successful. In some cases it can be a team or an individual with a lesser amount of talent winning or outperforming a group or an individual with great talent. What is it? What makes the difference? John Maxwell published a book that I recently read in preparation

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-78630380356825275012007-05-29T14:49:00.000-04:002007-05-29T17:31:00.557-04:00

There is a school of thought that tends to relate consensus with leadership. While you could define this as a completely democratic way of utilizing leadership, it typically increases bureaucratic issues and the time it takes to make decisions. This is especially true given that any one individual doesn't assume the responsibility for making a decision.In my opinion a more effective approach is

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-11116472910628200232007-05-25T22:13:00.000-04:002007-05-25T22:13:19.259-04:00

A common trait among effective leaders is in their ability to attract, retain, and surround themselves with talented people. What happens when one of these most-trusted folks leaves? Well, another trait, although not as common is in the ability to successfully execute succession planning. While some companies live and die with this practice and make it a bureaucratic process, others leave this

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-65692163771857866992007-05-13T16:48:00.000-04:002007-05-13T17:22:34.454-04:00

When times are tough leadership is more closely scrutinized. Once a staff or team feels the impact of a change in a local or office market, for whatever reason, it is up to the leader to lay out a course of action or alternative solutions to get their team back on track in obtaining success. Lack of such action by a leader results in a continuation of negative performance trends and ultimately

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-65386391887980501352007-05-07T08:43:00.000-04:002007-05-08T15:52:15.715-04:00

As you have been reading through Jeff's daily blogs, I thought it would be interesting for you to hear from one of his team members. Working with Jeff and then directly for him for the past eight years in an administrative capacity, I feel I have a keen insight into what it really is like working for a true leader. First of all, there is the absolute joy of working in an environment that

Judy Matthewsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-85736235580307341722007-05-03T17:30:00.000-04:002007-05-03T17:30:17.871-04:00

Leadership responsibility is typically associated with leading followers. Two less discussed aspects of leadership is in the leading of peers and leading up (leading your boss). John Maxwell goes into depth on each of these subjects in his book tilted, The 360 Degree Leader. This blog post is based on my interpretation of his ideology.In my opinion, the most difficult of the aforementioned three

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-53006991571830522982007-05-01T16:10:00.001-04:002007-05-03T09:53:02.352-04:00

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."Mark Twain 1835-1910, American Humorist and WriterAn important aspect of leadership is in the building of confidence among the individuals that you lead. This could be relative to their product knowledge, ability to successfully perform the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-33634854584847037182007-04-30T17:24:00.001-04:002007-05-01T16:15:21.824-04:00

Can you over-lead or be so engaged in your business that it is to a point where your leadership becomes a hindrance? I personally believe that there is a time when a leader must get out of the way and let their people perform. You cannot be permanently perched over the shoulder of an employee and expect him or her to perform at optimal levels. This has been likened to a track coach running behind

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-52268894887833553222007-04-26T16:39:00.001-04:002007-04-27T08:28:12.454-04:00

Have you ever noticed how a business will take on the personality of its leader? Another example is when a leader truly takes ownership over an initiative and his or her staff members follow suit. I see examples of this everyday in our business. What is important to the leader of any given piece of our business is also important to those that report to the leader. Is it due to the anticipation of

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-37482592229124384652007-04-25T14:13:00.000-04:002007-04-26T08:06:29.694-04:00

Leaders have to know and understand when it is acceptable to allow people to fail. Failure is a part of the professional development process. As long as all related risks to the business are low, leaders can afford to occasionally allow their folks to experience personal and professional growth via "failing forward."Proper management of the failure experience on the part of the leader will help

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-43804963896597391322007-04-23T16:16:00.001-04:002007-04-25T07:32:03.448-04:00

The title of this post is a well known phrase with regards to the sales process and customer-service side of business. If you over-commit yourself or your services to an initial customer, you are at great risk of losing their business in the short-term. More importantly, you will most likely never regain their trust or their business.This concept is also important when it comes to leadership. A

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-51653078823128752432007-04-20T16:41:00.001-04:002007-04-23T15:53:24.092-04:00

Have you ever noticed how true leaders will run towards a problem, not from one? The most effective leaders are the ones who have their senses so in tune with the business that they can smell smoke before there is a fire. Problems will exist in every business. There are even people in leadership positions who will ignore problems in hopes that they will dissipate or go away on their own.

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-47835403409033351272007-04-18T16:06:00.000-04:002007-04-18T16:06:56.548-04:00

Clarity is always important in terms of the communication you have with others, but is magnified when in a leadership position. All too often leaders walk away from conversations with a strong belief that there is a clear understanding of their goal, strategy or initiative without gaining confirmation form those that are ultimately tasked with execution.This can be quickly rectified with a

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-88439465493383740782007-04-17T17:53:00.001-04:002007-04-17T17:53:19.047-04:00

How much ownership do you have over your business even if you are not the outright owner? Now ask the same question with regards to your staff. Ownership derives high levels of self-accountability and responsibility, which are both qualities that exceptional leaders possess and strive to instill in teams. Our company, The Employment Guide and www.EmploymentGuide.com is very autonomous and

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-82480597489665304492007-04-13T17:21:00.001-04:002007-04-13T17:21:15.022-04:00

Most individuals in that are in leadership roles have an understanding of the 80/20 rule. Just for the purpose of this post I will quickly summarize it. The 80/20 rule is the rule that 20% of your actions, efforts or work will result in 80% of your success, results, etc. From a sales perspective this could mean that 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your customer base. At a higher level

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-87532754984334776302007-04-11T10:01:00.000-04:002007-04-11T12:51:04.640-04:00

In order to increase the ability of a team to accomplish a goal, the leader must first gain the all-important "buy-in" factor. The one consistent barrier to achieving the goal of having a team working as a cohesive unit is that perceptions and attitudes of team members might have to be altered prior to execution. In my opinion, possession of, or the development of this skill and the ability of a

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-72767654861759632022007-04-07T13:54:00.000-04:002007-04-07T13:45:03.060-04:00

One of the fun parts of being in a leadership capacity is the ability to recognize good performance. Most businesses have a reward system in place that offers a bonus, plaque, etc., to reinforce positive behavior or actions. While these are effective and serve a purpose, there is another quality way to reward your employees for good performance. A simple "good job" or "thank you" can go a long

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-12745771252083349242007-04-07T13:44:00.000-04:002007-04-07T13:44:03.258-04:00

Being passionate about what you do for a living is fundamental in how effective you are as a leader. People gravitate towards people who love what they do for a living. You can instill your passion into your current leadership role no matter what you do professionally. This will not only energize your efforts, but will also make you a better leader. So how can you do this?First make a list of the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-21784056887707175802007-04-05T13:44:00.000-04:002007-04-05T13:44:10.845-04:00

If a leader expects their organization to be centered on the development of its people, he or she needs to be personally engaged in the process of improving his or her own skills and knowledge level. Effective leaders utilize all of their resources to accomplish this, including followers who can elevate their ability to be informed and make better business decisions. By having a clear

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-58557235241021242182007-04-03T16:27:00.000-04:002007-04-04T13:21:59.309-04:00

I like to look at our business in terms of cycles. I categorize our business cycles into initiatives, sales, product and industry cycles. New initiatives influence new product cycles, which are completed prior to the beginning of a new sales cycle. The introduction of a new product to a customer base through the sales process can lead to industry shifts or in this context, "cycles." It is the

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-61053512659441850742007-04-02T17:07:00.000-04:002007-04-03T11:06:24.689-04:00

1> If anything can go wrong, it will (e.g. if you drop a piece of toast, it will inevitably fall jam-side down.)2> Nothing is as easy as it looks.3> Everything takes longer than you think it will.4> Whatever you've planned to do costs more than the original estimate.5> There is nothing sadder than a great idea whose time has not come.6> Whatever project you set out to do,some other project must

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-44089790714423155242007-03-30T15:36:00.001-04:002007-04-02T12:34:43.528-04:00

In order to effectively lead you must first be passionate about the mission. The leader's passion and desire to succeed must also be bought into by the individuals that are going to play a role in achieving success. So how does a leader go about gaining "buy-in" from their team? What about when going into a series of discussions the leader already has a good idea that the individuals on his or

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-52591225005957742402007-03-30T12:10:00.000-04:002007-03-30T12:10:44.674-04:00

Strong leaders have a way of creating an environment that allows for honest and open exchanges with employees no matter how extreme the circumstances. A lot of this responsibility also falls on the shoulders of the employee, but the development of the environment that allows for opening up about extreme circumstances falls directly on the shoulders of the leader.The creation of an open-exchange

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-75695148204787702102007-03-28T16:34:00.001-04:002007-03-29T15:28:56.868-04:00

Due to the fact that everyone relates to the world differently (see yesterday's post titled "Un-Multitask"), every employee also has a unique interpretation of what goes on in his or her own world or office environment. Each individual will create their own perception, which in-turn creates their own reality. You might be wondering what this has to do with leadership or the development of others.

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-45910118956206924192007-03-27T16:24:00.001-04:002007-03-27T16:31:34.945-04:00

All too often leaders get caught up in everything they are doing to a degree that they do not make appropriate time for pertinent projects or more importantly people in need of direction. There are a multitude of distractions that can pull at a leader's attention and steer their attention away from the individual or the issue that needs their focus. I know because I am speaking from personal

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-78016953044040971722007-03-26T17:10:00.001-04:002007-03-26T17:10:40.956-04:00

One essential of effective leadership is in the fair treatment of the individuals that are on the teams that you lead. Leaders must be fair in the application of policies, procedures, and in how you treat your people. This does not apply, however, to how you develop or lead people. People respond and relate differently to the world and their environments. Typically, experts have categorized

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-22908545690306857712007-03-23T22:53:00.001-04:002007-03-26T10:32:40.390-04:00

Do you have a professional mentor? What about in your personal life? If you ask the most effective leaders who their mentors are and have been in the past, they can usually rattle off a short list of names. Being the beneficiary of a mentor can transcend into a leader embracing the development of others and becoming a mentor to those whom they lead; it certainly did for me. I personally find

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-53120933458131096092007-03-22T20:19:00.001-04:002007-03-23T11:23:38.865-04:00

Due to recent events in my personal life, it has recently crossed my mind that it is the responsibility of a leader to be a heavy lifter or to carry a heavy load when necessary. This doesn't mean that you should be carrying all the stress for your organization. An effective leader also knows when and where it is effective to hand stress off to their followers. Being a heavy lifter does mean that

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-77947586789779047552007-03-15T14:53:00.001-04:002007-03-15T15:02:37.200-04:00

Future Focused is our (The Employment Guide's) mantra for 2007. I thought this would be a good opportunity to write about what this statement means to us as a business and why this is also an important leadership trait.Our business is in a constant state of change. Just like other media and publishing companies, we are experiencing a cultural change in how electronic media plays a role in what we

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-32606095528867997312007-03-14T15:43:00.001-04:002007-03-14T17:09:07.989-04:00

A critical component of being an effective leader and gaining the trust of the people who you lead is directly related to a leader's character. People have to trust their leaders. They have to know that their leader is completely committed to the business, goal or task at hand and is going to do everything that he or she is required to do to guide the team to excellence. They also need to know

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-65256482509867709202007-03-13T16:22:00.000-04:002007-03-13T17:02:31.437-04:00

How leaders deal with performance issues can set the cultural tone for an organization. Being empathetic, listening to our people and taking all feedback into consideration when making a decision can be a messy but necessary process to keep all parties motivated and focused. What do you do when you have an employee who has typically been a good producer and who has all of a sudden become

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-12949899307350431542007-03-12T16:37:00.000-04:002007-03-12T18:16:59.231-04:00

A lot of authors and leadership experts refer to leadership ability in terms of levels. The higher the skill level, the more implicit the skill is in terms of the effectiveness of the individual leader. In my opinion one such high level leadership skill is in the ability to develop direction. Typically formal coaching sessions are when this type of developmental work should be completed; however,

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-61547745329546793682007-03-09T14:02:00.000-05:002007-03-09T16:01:33.755-05:00

Traditionally leaders are drawn to work on the improvement of under performers. Typically an inordinate amount of a leader's time is spent working on improving the performance of individuals with the lowest sales figures, productivity levels, throughput, etc. While I do not disagree that there should be an investment of time with this group (especially if they are new employees), I do not believe

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-42459268066636785232007-03-08T14:59:00.000-05:002007-03-08T18:12:55.070-05:00

The name of this post is the most eloquent way I have ever heard someone describe the will to win. It is important to take a look in the mirror and at the individuals on whom you most rely for success to make sure this trait is alive and well. Once the will to win is gone it can be almost impossible to rekindle the flame. You can readily identify this "fire" in those that are competitive by

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-48681449106246224752007-03-07T15:37:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:07:42.202-05:00

Does seeing to the details really matter? In my opinion this is what separates those that are exceptionally good at something and those who are great. It has been my experience that "detail management" usually comes down to doing the small things with precision and making sure that everything right up to the slightest detail is in line with your highest expectation. A former mentor of mine used

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-55095781748596722152007-03-06T12:01:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:04:53.458-05:00

I greatly enjoy discussing, reading about and being a student of leadership. I recently had an interesting discussion with a colleague about natural born leaders. That discussion lead to me remembering a question that was raised in my mind by a book I recently completed on whether leadership is a trait that we are born with, or if it is one that can be developed? What do you think? The answer as

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-661512174159473728.post-18345648851225917902007-03-05T19:55:00.000-05:002007-03-07T23:16:08.934-05:00

As my first 5 O'clock entry I thought it would be fitting to write about what I am going to write about most often. I think the name of this blog "5 O'clock Blog" denotes a couple of things. First, that I am going to post new entries towards the end of each work day based on issues I have dealt with from a professional leadership standpoint. Second, That it will be a forum for professionals and

Jeff Littlejohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08018364351779941965noreply@blogger.com0