Personnel Turnover and Leadership Thinking

Personnel Turnover and Leadership Thinking
by Dale Collie

Some people tell me that as many as 75%  of all
employees are actually looking for or thinking
about finding a new job because they are fed up
with their workplace stress.

No matter what business you're in, this turnover
is  going to impact your bottom line.  As people
lose  interest in their current employment, their
productivity takes a dive,  absenteeism climbs,
and the company takes it on the chin.

Most of these people are smart enough to avoid
getting fired, but they truly don't care about
the old company anymore.  They are searching  for
a way to make a change.

It might take awhile, but your company is going
to have to pay the cost of recruiting and training
new people, and your productivity is going to
suffer again, until the new people are fully  on
the job and fully prepared.

This issue caused less concern in the past because
staffing levels were adequate for the work being
done. Remaining staff could take on some extra
work while the company scouted around for new
employees. But those days are gone - gone with
lean manufacturing and flat management  structure.

Here are 5 things you can do to avoid the
extraordinary cost of personnel turnover.

1.  Find out what employees like about your
company and do more of it.

2.  Find out what they don't like about your
company and change it.

3.  Find out what employees like about your
competition and see if that will work in your
company.  We're not talking about product
competition; we're focused on what the job
market has to offer.

4.  Find out what's causing all the stress in your
company and overcome it with solid leadership and
communications strategies.

5.  Find out about employee family concerns and
other external stressors.  Provide seminars,
training, and coaching to help people overcome
these stressors.

A few old-thinking managers/leaders are still
around, those who think that the paycheck and
annual vacation are all we owe employees.  The
basic compensation and fringe benefits are not
enough any more, and these geezers will find
themselves in trouble as the new breed walks in
with a good understanding of what it takes to
control stress and maximize productivity.

Get a free article about the top ten workplace
stressors and what to do about them by sending
email to this email - Click the link:
MailTo:TopTenStressors@CourageBuilders.com

Copyright 2005 (Dale Collie)

*************

Dale Collie (MailTo:collie@couragebuilders.com)
speaker, author, and former US Army Ranger,
CEO,and professor at West Point.  Selected by
"Fast Company" as one of America's Fast 50
innovative leaders.  Author of "Frontline
Leadership: From War Room to Boardroom," and
"Winning Under Fire: Turn Stress into Success the
US Army Way." (McGraw-Hill) Free newsletter  upon
request:
MailTo:subscribe-956606571@ezinedirector.net

Transforming Problems into Sales

Transforming Problems into Sales:
How to sell more by focusing on client problems

By Jeremy Cohen

My silent fish tank was no more. Enough water had evaporated
to make the filter gurgle. It was highly annoying and I knew
I wouldn't be at ease until it was silent again. 

I filled the tank.

Did I fill it to satisfy a want or a need? Does it matter?
Probably not. 

The gurgling tank was an unacceptable problem that required
a solution: more water. I was able to solve the problem on
my own. If it had turned out that my fish tank gurgled
because my filter was broken I would have needed a new
filter. 

Filters Don't Flow from My Tap
Where would I get a filter? How would I decide where to shop
first? 

There is a pet store chain in New York City that has been
advertising its business for decades. When I first moved to
my current neighborhood I noticed one of their stores a
couple of blocks from my home. I would go there for my new
filter without hesitation. I know that they have fish tank
filters, exactly what I'd need to solve my problem. 

Do your prospects know you have exactly what they need to
solve their problems? 

To sell more you must demonstrate to more prospects that you
have just what they want. There are two ways you can work
toward this goal:

      Market to a larger audience
      Improve your marketing material to attract more attention

It makes sense to do both. You can sell more by using the
same marketing material to market to a larger, targeted
audience. You can also increase sales by enhancing your
marketing material to be noticed by more of the prospects
you currently target. 

Marketing to a larger audience is simple but can be quite
expensive and improving your marketing material may seem
like a daunting task. You can make this second task easier
by knowing how to approach it. 

Help Your Prospects Focus on You
When your prospects encounter your marketing material they
should experience the familiar feeling of looking in a
mirror. 

Creating a sense of familiarity for your prospects when they
encounter your marketing material eliminates a barrier to
making a sale. People are more likely to buy from someone
with whom they feel familiar. When we see ourselves in a
mirror we see a clear and familiar image. 

You can create a sense of familiarity for your prospects by
focusing your marketing material around their problems. 

Problems tend to strike an emotional chord within each of
us. When we have emotional reactions we tend to become more
alert to our surroundings. You can take advantage of this
reaction by including client problems in your marketing
material. You will increase your chance of being noticed,
remembered and making a sale by presenting your marketing
material to someone who has recently become more alert. 
     
      What problems do your clients have?
      What problems do you solve?

Being noticed more often is good. You will sell more.
However, you will sell even more if a greater percentage of
the people who notice and read your marketing material take
the next step and contact you. 

To be contacted by more prospects your marketing material
must attract attention and also clearly demonstrate
believable value. 

      What value do you provide?
      Are your offers believable or too good to be true?
      How can you integrate client problems and the value you
      provide into your marketing material? 

The answer is to use a marketing message. A marketing
message is a highly specific set of words you can use to
attract and demonstrate value to your prospects. 

With a marketing message focused around client problems you
will sell more with less effort. 

What's your marketing message?

Copyright 2005, Better Marketing Results and Jeremy Cohen

RESOURCE BOX
The author, Jeremy Cohen, helps small business owners and
professional service providers attract more clients, grow
their business and be more successful with his marketing guides
and coaching service.
Get his free marketing guide: Jumpstart Marketing:
More Profits, Clients and Success at:
http://www.bettermarketingresults.com/y.asp

Groundcover: great-looking greenery, year 'round

The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
www.landsteward.org

Groundcover: great-looking greenery, year 'round

Groundcover is an excellent alternative to a high-maintenance lawn and
can enhance the look of your landscape beautifully while reducing the
amount of sweat-equity you need to invest.

Right now would be a very good time to be planting most types of
groundcover, and today I'll have some suggestions for groundcover
varieties that would look great and thrive in your particular soil and
sun conditions.

In this column last time, I discussed the best ways to prepare your
soil for planting groundcover and how to 'beat the weeds' while you're
at it. If you missed that column, you can find it archived at my Web
site www.landsteward.org when you click on 'the Plant Man' header.

So... your soil is properly prepped and is weed free. What should you
plant' Two major considerations will be the amount of sunlight your
planting area will be exposed to and whether or not you want year-round
(evergreen) groundcover. First, let's think about plants that enjoy
basking in full sun to light shade conditions.

Dragon's Blood - Red Sedum.
Here's a groundcover that seems to turn as red as you would if you laid
out in the sun all summer! The more sun it gets, the more intense the
color of its flowers and foliage. Dragon's Blood grows to about 3" to
8" high and spreads thickly. It's tolerant of poor, dry soil and
variations in temperature.

Creeping Phlox.
Also known as Phlox subulata, nothing spreads as effectively as Phlox.
I think it looks beautiful as an edging to a pathway and spilling over
a rock garden. There are so many varieties, it can be hard to choose,
but that's a good problem to have. If you can't decide on a single
variety, mix and match a few. You can find red, pink, white, emerald
blue and even candy-stripe varieties! Even when not in bloom, Phlox
has a vigorous green foliage that is very attractive.

Phlox does need a good supply of nutrients. In early spring, sprinkle a
9-12-12 time release fertilizer around the young plants and add mulch.
About 2 weeks after the blooms have appeared, pull back the mulch,
fertilize again and replace the mulch.

Looking for a groundcover that'll work in a more shaded area? Think
about this...

Hosta.
There are several varieties of hostas out there, but there are a couple
that are a little out of the ordinary. Look for one known as
'Patriot,' a variegated plant with bright white edges to its vivid
green leaves. It will grow to about 18" - 22" high and 36" wide. It
will need at least a half a day of shade, so it's ideal for the shadier
spots in your landscape, and can tolerate a wide variety of soil types,
as well as heat, cold and humidity.

Another hosta variety that I like is 'Sum and Substance.' The
deeply-veined, bright chartreuse leaves really brighten up a shaded
area. It's very showy from early spring to late fall and is quite
tolerant of moist locations. If you'd like to add an unusual splash of
color to your hosta patch, look for a variety called 'Blue Vision.'

Evergreen groundcover, of course, provides year-round coverage. How
about...

Trailing periwinkle.
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) is a dense and fast-growing evergreen
groundcover that works equally well in sun, shade or semi-shaded areas.
It has dark green, oval leaves and small, pretty blue flowers in early
spring. A good choice for slight slopes and around trees.

Carpet Bugle.
Known to horticulturists as Ajuga reptans, this evergreen produces a
nice horizontal spread and a height of about 4" - 6" with 8" - 10"
spikes of purple blooms in the spring.

Pachysandra.
Last but not least, pachysandra... the 'green carpet' that retains its
dense beauty even in quite adverse conditions! It's ideal for steep
slopes and terraces where it would be dangerous to try to mow grass,
too. Pachysandra looks elegant in shaded courtyards and alongside
walkways.

There are so many options when it comes to groundcover, and these are
intended simply as idea-starters. Drop me an e-mail with a few details
such as sun and soil conditions, your location, and the look you wish
to achieve and I'll try to come up with some ground-breaking (and
covering) solutions!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs
and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and
additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed
newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org

All About Strawberry Pots

All About Strawberry Pots
By Monica Resinger

Strawberry pots are the pots that are shaped like an urn and have
`pockets'
up and down the sides of the pot. They are made especially for growing
strawberries and are easy and convenient. You can also grow herbs,
flowers or other
plants in them. Plants that have a hanging habit put the pockets of
strawberry
pots to good use. Strawberries do have a hanging habit and don't mind
being
cramped because their roots are shallow so are an excellent choice for
growing in
a strawberry pot.

If planting with other plants than strawberries, be sure to check their
growing requirements before planting to be sure they are compatible.
You'll need to
group plants that require about the same amount of sun, water, type of
soil
and amount of fertilizer.

The pots are made of different materials, some plastic, some terra
cotta, and
some ceramic. Each material has its` pros and cons. With plastic, the
pot is
lightweight and will have a chance of toppling over in the wind but it
is the
least expensive. Since terra cotta is porous, it sucks up the moisture
in the
soil and therefore has to be watered more often, but, terra cotta is
attractive. Ceramic may be the best way to go because it is heavy,
retains water and is
attractive, but you'll probably be paying a little more. When you
purchase
your pot, be sure it has holes in the bottom for drainage. This will
ensure that
your plants' roots won't be sitting in water and rotting.

When purchasing plants for the pot, choose one plant for each `pocket'
and
three or four for the top. When potting, use any all-purpose potting
soil and,
if you wish, mix in a slow-release fertilizer. If you don't use the
slow-release fertilizer, keep in mind that you will need to fertilize
your plants some
other way after planting. Plants in pots need more feeding than ones
in the
ground because each watering leaches nutrients from the potting soil.

Begin planting by putting the potting soil in the pot until you reach
the
first `pocket' level. At this point, plant a strawberry or other plant
in that
`pocket'. Continue all the way to about 3-4 inches from the top level
and plant
the three or four plants there and fill in with potting soil. Water
well.

If planted with strawberries, set the planted pots in full sun on your
patio
or in your yard. Check to see if the soil is dry daily by poking your
finger
in the top inch of soil. If it is dry, then it's time to water.

Strawberry pots can be a fun way to garden. Consider planting themed
gardens
in them such as all blue flowers or Italian seasoning herbs. Just
remember
it's very important to make sure the chosen plants are compatible and
will like
growing in the cramped quarters of a strawberry pot. Have fun!

Copyright ©, 2000, Monica Resinger

About the Author:  Monica Resinger is the creator of 'Homemaker's
Journal
E-Publications' where you will find many fun and informative home and
garden
related e-books, tip sheets and how to sign up for her FREE home and
garden
newsletter!  Click here to visit:  http://homemakersjournal.com/

Roundup Extended Control

I read this on another list and thought it would be of interest. I've
used Round-up for years, but never for residual control. Read on...

From the Landscape_Pro_Tips list:

I wonder if any of our Landscapers or professional licensed
applicators have
seen the NEW Roundup Extended Control and looked at the formulation? I
wonder if they have added another active ingredient for the extended
control, or simply increased the strength of the mix?

I've been seeing TV ads for this product here in Michigan for about a
week,
yet it is not stocked in any of our stores. In fact, the manager of our
Lowes looked it up and it is not even on his list of products that he
could
order for his store.

I'm still working on a gallon of concentrate from 2 years ago, but my
chemical supply house does not have it in any commercial form. It
appears to
be packaged in a 1.33 gallon ready to spray retail package for
homeowners.

The new product sounds like it is something like Ortho's Triox, which
has
been around for at least 30 years that I can recall.

I'm surprised that the Roundup people haven't come up with a product
like
this earlier. I think I've been using Roundup for about 20 years now.

The Roundup product has been touted as safe and becoming inert when it
comes
in contact with the earth or ground. However, if you are a licensed
applicator and use the concentrate, maybe you know or have found out
that if
you spray the concentrate at 2x or 3x the recommended rate in water,
that
you do get a residual killing effect in the soil that lasts for 2-4
months.
I've been spraying gravel or stone driveways and similar surfaces for
years
with Roundup concentrate at 3x the recommended dilution rate and
getting
excellent residual control. It kills growing vegetation and prevents
new
weed seeds from sprouting for several months. It's been cheaper than
Triox
type products, but you must be careful of runoff around the perimeter
of the
area you spray. This is one of those "do not try this yourself things".

rf

Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying Power

Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying Power

Perennial plants and flowers stay around for more than just one
gardening season. Some of them bloom again for only about 3 years,
while others will continue to bloom for many years to come.

Now sometimes the first year you plant a perennial, you won't be
overly impressed. You see, that first year the plants need to get used
to the new environment. Some of them will produce blooms that first
year, but some of them won't do a thing until at least the second
year. And that's when you start seeing progress too. The perennial
plants and flowers start really filling out and taking hold in the
second year. And by the third year, they're so well established you'll
look like a gardening pro.

When planting perennials - as with any plant, flower, shrub, bush or
tree - you need to choose a location for the plant based on soil
quality, water availability, and sunlight. Once you have the location
chosen, plant your perennials with plenty of room for them to grow
over the years. If you put them too closely together in the beginning,
you'll find yourself moving them frequently as time goes by.

Planting them with room to grow will make your perennial garden look
sparse though, so you may be unhappy with it after you're done. One
way to help fill in the bare spots, and add some quick color, would be
to scatter annuals in between.

Annual plants and flowers tend to grow and bloom for just one
gardening season. They grow quickly though, and some of them flower
for months on end. This makes them very popular with many gardeners.

Since annuals don't usually come back on their own in the next season,
you won't have to worry about crowding out your budding perennial
plants. So that first year when they look straggly and sparse, mix in
some annuals to liven things up. Then when the second year comes
along, if you still have a few bare spots: plant a few more annuals.
You'll probably need less this second year of course, because the
perennials have started to flourish. By the third year, the perennials
should be doing quite well on their own... so you won't even have room
to plant annuals in your perennial garden bed!

Popular perennial plants and flowers include: Calla Lilies, Coral
Bells, Hibiscus, and Hosta.

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard, The Garden Source Network -
http://www.garden-source.com - A premier online publication featuring
gardening articles, tips, advice, resources, shopping and supplies.
This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the
author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left
intact.

I planted some Lantana I was told that they would come back...

From a ProGardenBiz Reader:

Hello All,

Last year I planted some Lantana I was told that they would come back,
well
now its March and still no sign of life.  I have cut them all back.  My
question is how long do I wait? 

PS.  I live in the Dallas area

Thanks in Advance,

Make a comment if you can help.