First Impressions, so Important

Making a great first impression is at the heart of management and job skill musts. Whether you are applying for employment or managing a project it is a strategy tool that ranks among the most important. You want to get off to a great start. One article contends that within 3 seconds someone appraises you by your appearance, your body language, you mannerisms, and the way you present yourself. We make impressions by our behavior, what we say and by what others say about us. To make a excellent impression you must know what was said about you or how you are viewed. If it is beneficial you come with a good reputation. If it was not you have a ability to change that impression. How you present yourself IS the impression. That first impression must be effective enough to show confidence to establish trust. However over-confidence can destroy trust. It is a fine line. Polite, attentive, on-time, positive, appropriateness and sincerity go a long ways. Fortunately you do not have to sign up for a workshop or class, but simply google making a nice impression to find numerous sites with free and valuable information. The difficulty lies in finding out what others have said about you and what information they already know. That means researching. So that takes care of the first impression. The key is keeping a good impression. Once that you have landed that deal or sold that house or secured that client your impression skills are not locked in. You must expand that impression that they made the right choice and that you truly value them. You do that in your words with a letter or note or a phone call. You do it in your actions with making face to face timely visits when possible. And you are sure to spend a few bucks to maintain that impression. It might be with food or gifts, and not just holiday anticipated gifts. When you first land the sale follow up with something. My neighbor is a real estate broker and used to send a restaurant gift card to her clients after the closing. He now walks into the closing with an impressive and festive gift basket from Baskets by Rita. He already knows the client, so whether it's a beer tub, wine gift basket, gourmet gift basket he pays the money for it to be a wow factor and make the significant impression as he walks through the door. He said the day he came into the room with a baby gift basket for the couple about to become parents they were so excited. Lasting impressions have perks and he says that the wow factor and the oohs and aahhhs he gets from them carry through. As they thank him as they are leaving, he mentions he would appreciate any referrals they would send his way. When they refer, he has another gift basket sent to their house. He claims this impression has definitely increased his client list. So good impressions are beneficial.

Getting the Best from Your Company's Employees

A owner of a business in the Colorado area provided an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business son planning his thesis. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the very best market methods. The dialogue and questions also including business pitfalls and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO confessed that managing a firm's long-term investments had always been at the center of his energy and determining stakeholders was necessary. Weighing options in every aspect was his answer to the question about best decision-making practice. The 60 minute interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the biggest liability and what was the greatest asset in the company. After bumbling through a list of financial jargon, the CEO stopped unexpectedly and thought carefully before saying that all of that was secondary because the employees could be the greatest asset or they could be the greatest liability. The folks working for you can make or break the company. Simple as that. The CEO then took our friend's son out to lunch and they continued to discussion. The conversation included examples from the CEO's working experience when he worked at a restaurant through college and when he managed various establishments. He had many examples of how good workers actually made the company money and the managers and owners did not always know it or recognize it. At the same time, a rude or incompetent or an employee with a bad attitude could ruin not only the sale at the time, but later. They discussed about the television show Undercover Bosses where CEOs pretend to be new employees on the ground level for a week to actually get some in field experience and insight. The CEO admitted that he had thought of doing that. The two of them throughout lunch talked about different episodes and came to the realization that employees do make or break a company. And usually what they want most even more than money or raises is to be dealt with respectfully and to have their efforts acknowledged. They want a thank you of some kind whether it be just a sincere thanks, a gift card, money, a promotion of a gift. The graduate shared that his mom who had been an administrative assistant had just quit her job the week before saying she had just had enough. Her boss not only did not see what she had done but did not seem to care about rewarding anyone. When she suggested he give gift cards he said that was fine but she would have to give them and write the note and he put her on a small budget. After a year she suggested they give time off to employees but he refused saying. She realized morale was extremely low and he did agree and she was to come up with something. She told him to come into the next morning meeting, which employees hated, with food. He told her to get some cheap donuts from the supermarket. She started just standing up to him and said no, he needed to spend some bucks and get quality pastries or food and quality coffee boxes from the Panera Bread down the street. He appointed her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It worked and employees liked it. She needed a different idea for the mid afternoon meetings. So when she saw the huge basket delivered next door with all kinds of treats for employees she was impressed and contacted the basket company, Baskets by Rita. For the same money they put together a large basket with goodies to put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. It was big and they delivered it to her that day. The boss walked in with the Thank You Gift Basket and there were cheers from the once tired employees. The student made an appointment the next day with his adviser to change his thesis topic to center on the importance of gratitude and acknowledgment for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.

Football and Beer!

So how is your favorite team doing this season? It is football season again and for those of us who really like football we live for this time of year. Not only is it wonderful weather to go to games but we balk at the fact it has been a long dry season in the sporting world since Superbowl time last year. Hopefully each of us is looking at the teams, playing fantasy football and making predictions. For guys it provides a piece of interaction for any place we find ourselves. There is also the unfamiliar and best hopes for our popular football team to do well this season. Everybody seems to be talking about the replacement refs and how soon will regular football refs be back on the fields. It is way too convenient to get so irritated about it that you find yourself ranting and raving. That is what has been happening at my residence. I whine and moan and groan and am short tempered with my wife and she does not warrant that. She is such a smart football wife that to get mad is not the way she handles things. She incredibly uses good will and humor. I am so fortunate. After this weekend and my terrible mood I did not rightfully deserve to get anything for my birthday yesterday. I was in Denver and she had a beer and nut gift basket from Baskets by Rita delivered to my hotel. Since one of my favorite teams was the Denver Broncos the tub she ordered was a Bronco one and she wrote a terrific message using her awesome humor to help get me grounded. It was awesome. I called her and decided to have flowers sent the next day. I normally do that. So since I'm gone for a week, I called the lady at baskets by Rita and she's sending a gourmet wine basket to my wife. Good move on my part cuz my wife will not expect it. Us guys are not very creative or good about gifts but I am really darn happy and pleased with myself. My pop is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan so I sent him a sympathy basket. He will love it and really get a kick out of it. My mom was raised and is loyal to the Giants, have been raised in NYC, so I'm having a Congratulations basket sent to her arriving the same day. Can hardly wait to speak to my parents. They are always coming up with gifts and ways to help my wife and me so this would be great. This ref strike has certainly got everyone talking. The good news is that it gives friends something else to talk about besides politics. Our secretary really gets on all of us though and she says we should be feeling sorry for those poor replacement refs. Without them we couldn't watch any football at all. I guess that is true because) they don't have the training and we should probably be offering them some thanks. So since I have done my part I think people who know any replacement refs should give them some sympathy and probably send a good luck gift.

Medical School Exams Stress Relievers

Individuals who already know college students who are either applying to medical school or preparing to take medical licensing exams know of how stressful they are. Just because everyone is cheering on a candidate does not take off the extremely intense pressure they sense. Whether it is the medical students entrance exam or one of licensing exams they have a lot at stake and feel their whole future is resting on that particular test. Financially each exam not passed brings on more financial burdens to them and they probably have already piled up high loans. So whether a person is taking the MCAT the Medical College Admission Test as a med school entrance exam or the the USMLE the United States Medical Licensing Exam or FSMB Federation of State Medical Boards they all mean high stress. No one can take the exam or go through it for them so all others can do is support them to continue the degree programs, whether it be for a Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine or Doctor of Podiatric Medicine or even a masters of physician assistant program. Since so much is riding on the licensing in getting the medical degree phone calls of support are supportive but phone texts are even better since they can read them at their ease of use. A med students schedule is heavy and free time and relaxation are limited. It is always beneficial to let them know you are thinking of them and you know how challenging these times are and that they have your support. You can send a card. You can order a stress and anxiety relief gift to be delivered to help them through those long study hours. University of Colorado med students have enjoyed the Med Student Care Package and Board Exam Gift from Baskets by Rita of Aurora. Located just down the street Baskets by Rita does ship across the United States so care packages are not limited to the Denver area or just Colorado. They are pretty adorable and come in a doctor RX box. They have also been used for doctors to send to amazing patients or students they have mentored or as a thank you from a med student to thank a professor/doctor. Set up as the med student care package and board exam gift for support might have been the intent but they will customize it for a patient to send to thank a doctor or even for someone to send as a get well gift with a card saying just what the doctor ordered for you to get well. Minimizing anxiety and showing emotional support are a definite positive impact on good mental health. Treats and good wishes are always welcome and relieve stress and show thanks, concern, care, best wishes.