Adapting to a "Structural Break"

McKinsey Quarterly's most recent issues have offered insightful articles about the necessity for rethinking some business practices to adapt to current conditions. In this informative piece from the December 2008 issue, Richard Rumelt makes the case that we are experiencing not just a recession, but a "structural break" -- a sudden shift in the way business is done. Rumelt suggests that this shift will require not just belt-tightening, but detailed reworking of growth-based business structures and market strategies that so many companies have had in place to capitalize on previously favorable conditions. No organization can afford wasteful and time-consuming internal communications. Nor can the healthier business units continue to carry less-profitable units whose costs are hiding within the complex, multifunctional management structures we have built.

In short: the time to deliberately isolate business units' support structures, and collect data to identify areas of opportunity, is now.

Rumelt's conclusion:

"In ordinary hard times, the traditional moves are reducing fixed costs, scope, and variety. But in hard times accompanied by structural breaks, you must rethink the way you manage. Companies that survive and go on to prosper look beyond costs to the detailed structure of managerial work. Several new issues come to the forefront:

• How much extra work results from the way incentive and evaluation systems relentlessly pressure managers to look busy and outperform one another?
• Which information flows can you omit? Information that doesn’t inform value-creating decisions is a wasteful distraction.
• Which decisions and judgments can you standardize as policy rather than make in costly meetings and communications?
• How can you work with customers, suppliers, and the government to simplify their processes so that you can simplify yours?

Barr Corporate Success can help you develop and execute strategies which streamline processes, improve functioning of tight-knit teams, and produce a more effective, productive, profitable organization. Call (513-470-8980) or e-mail us to start today. Let's get to work!

Succeeding in difficult economic times

Krissi recently appeared on the WCET (PBS) program "Business Beat", discussing what company owners, leaders and managers must do to succeed in today's difficult business environment with host Crystal Faulkner. See it here.

A transcript of their discussion:

FAULKNER: I’m Crystal Faulkner with the CPA & Business Advisory firm of Cooney, Faulkner & Stevens. My guest today is Krissi Barr, president of Barr Corporate Success.
Krissi, you go in and you help companies identify things they need to do to be more successful and then you actually stay there and help them get those things done. With so much changing today, what should companies be doing to plan for the future?

BARR: Three things. If you’re a golfer, you’ll remember the acronym “PAR”. Prioritize – focus on what matters most. Adapt to change – see change as an opportunity. Innovate. And the R, responsibility. Take ownership of the outcome. Make sure you get it done. Take action today. Surfacing across all of that is: Make sure your team is aligned to what your priorities are. And make sure the team, if it’s dysfunctional, builds a real strong foundation of trust, because you’re going to need that trust in these times.

FAULKNER: Well, how can people keep positive when it seems like employees, employers, and even the country is experiencing such tough times? What’s the secret of staying positive through all of this?

BARR: A lot of it is you. Focus on what matters most. Focus on the future. The power is in the future, it’s not in the past. So think about: What’s the core, what do I need to do? A couple of basics: Take care of your own energy. Focus on: Are you exercising? Are you getting enough sleep? Do you have quiet time? Tired people make mistakes, and right now is a time you can’t afford to make mistakes. Take care of your financial house. Make sure that you have enough finances and cash and flexibility to be able to take care of those things. The biggest one out of all of it – pivot. So many of us focus on what we’re afraid of. We go, “Gosh, I don’t want to lose that customer,” or “I don’t want to lose my job.” You should pivot, and go, “I want to provide the best service for my customers so that they see I’m an ally in helping them get through this tough time.” Or, “I’m going to be the best employee, and produce the best results for my company, so that my company comes out of this stronger than ever.” If you focus on what you want, versus what you don’t want, you’ll stay more positive.

FAULKNER: How can leaders and managers of companies help their employees stay motivated to do all those things you just mentioned?

BARR: That’s a tough one. I mean, you see customer or employees surveys. People go, “Communicate, communicate, communicate.” So I’m going to tell leaders and employees: communicate. Over-communicate if you have to. Make sure people understand what your vision is, what you’re doing, how the people in the company fit into those priorities, what are they doing to contribute to success, what are they doing to that helps your customers. Everybody – I don’t care if you’re in the accounting department or in sales – at one point or another is servicing the client, maintaining the client, or selling to the client. And they need to understand how they fit. That’s the best way. And also, don’t judge as much, but coach. Coach employees. When they see that you really care about them, that you’re committed to this – because it’s a lot of hard work – they’re going to trust you.

FAULKNER: Krissi, that’s wonderful advice. Thank you so much.

Challenges for new CEOs

A recent USA Today Snapshot^® referenced an interesting study. Asked to name the top challenges they face in their first 100 days on the job, 1,400 chief executive officers said:

• Increasing productivity - 30 percent
• Increasing profitability - 20 percent
• Personnel decisions - 13 percent
• Building rapport with new staff - 13 percent

Study results reaffirm Barr Corporate Success's DISC (Dominance-Influence-Steadiness-Compliance) and PIAV (Personal Interests, Attitudes, and Values) profiles for those who work in profit-oriented leadership positions. An interest in the bottom line is critical in roles requiring careful management of resources. A CEO's natural tendency is to focus first on numbers, a comfort zone and primary accountability, rather than "emotional intelligence" strategies.

However, Barr Corporate Success's 20+ years' experience in high-level management strongly suggests that neglect of rapport, teamwork, employee engagement, and motivation seriously impairs strategic plans to improve profitability and productivity. Even CEO's with stellar track records can fail spectacularly if they start off on the wrong footing with their senior leadership teams.

Becoming familiar with current financial conditions in a new post is a no-brainer, but CEO's are well-advised to also establish strong rapport with direct reports. Those who do so reap the benefits of a better grasp of the skills, engagement, and styles of the team who will implement strategies which improve the bottom line. The result is smarter personnel decisions, messages that cascade throughout the corporation, more effective implementation, and very real financial gains. Disregarding the expertise and input of those who best know current conditions has dire consequences in today's difficult business environment.

Yes, market conditions are tough. But now is the perfect time to secure market position, find new markets, and develop a leadership team able to navigate stormy waters. Understandably, business owners and senior management are hesitant to commit scarce capital to consultants. They're right to be cautious. Some consultants offer recycled information, and induce eye-rolling or clock-watching with touchy-feely, time-consuming seminars.

Unlike so many of us, as her associate, I (Jodi) can attest Krissi Barr never wastes time. There may never have been a more effective time manager, or one more able to provide 100 percent signal, 0 percent noise! Our clients have written countless letters to affirm the value Krissi has delivered and the results they've reaped. Barr Corporate Success's services are focused, efficient direct consultations with specific information and hard data which quickly identify wasted time, money, and human capital. Clients are often amazed at the stark difference between Barr Corporate Success's results and those of prior consultants. Executives and their teams are never left thinking that time with Krissi might have been better spent elsewhere.

Let's face it: Only companies with an agile, engaged, and effective senior leadership team will be able to withstand and adapt to these economic conditions. The expertise of Barr Corporate has saved struggling clients before, and improves the bottom line of current clients every day.

Krissi will gladly discuss strategies to overcome the challenges you're facing, and offer concrete strategies to seize opportunities. Call (513-470-8980) or e-mail her today.

A Resolution Plan for Success

"New Year's Day... now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual..." - Mark Twain

Chances are better than even that many of us who made New Year's resolutions have abandoned them, or are flagging. According to a recent study conducted by Harris Interactive^®, only 22 percent of men and 14 percent of women follow through on our resolutions. Most of us drop our efforts by Valentine's Day, having faltered early and been overrun by the all-too-common cascade of rationalization and resignation.

If you're struggling, take heart. You can achieve your goals, and keep your resolutions. Having failed in the past in no way makes you weak-willed. What gets in the way of most of us is a total lack of preparation for success in achieving our resolutions. Here are some tips that can improve your odds.

Be specific. You are much more likely to follow through on a resolution with dates and measures in them. For example, "I will lose 2 pounds a month until Memorial Day, with an end goal of losing 10 pounds. I'll weigh myself on the 28th of each month." Contrast that with, "I want to lose weight." Which is more likely to produce results?

Be realistic and fair toward yourself. How many smokers have failed by vowing to quit a 3-pack-a-day smoking habit "cold turkey"? And dieters by limiting themselves to starvation-level calorie intakes? Achieving our goals should be enjoyable, not punishment and deprivation. Rigid and severe regimens are an "all or nothing" approach which can only exhaust you by constantly testing willpower. It's best to start with small, sensible, progressive goals that don't cause misery. Cut back in small ways. Give yourself small milestones along the way. As you succeed in those progressive goals, extend and expand them. Such goals are also more likely to result in a true lifestyle change, rather than a short-term crash course that is unbearable in the long run.

Review. We're often making the same resolution we made but didn't keep last year. You have a perfect opportunity to identify some potential problems! Think about the situations and obstacles which tripped you up last year. Did you end up pigging out on neighbor Bob's chili-cheese dip at the Superbowl party last year? Did Cousin Lisa's smoke-break call you outside despite your intention to quit? In either case, make a mental plan for what you'll do when tempted. Take gum to chew; bring something tasty but less sinful to munch on; sit away from the food; or take a few quiet moments out back, rather than out front with the smokers.

Write it down. By putting your resolution in writing and posting it somewhere within your view, you'll remind yourself to make choices that are consistent with your goals. As anyone who benefitted from taking tons of notes in school will know, merely writing it as you hear it can often give a little memory boost to the material. Many of us are visual or kinetic learners, so the mere act of manipulating a pen in writing our goals, or seeing it in black and white on a piece of paper, can impress that goal more deeply on our consciousness.

Share your goals. This may be the most important tip of all. It's unfortunate news for "the fairer sex," but men are more likely than women to always or often keep resolutions. (22% of men, versus 14% of women). Do men just have stronger wills (no) or is it something else? The key may be that men are also proportionately more likely than women to share resolutions with their spouses or others (41% of men versus 29% of women). Success in any given goal is much more frequently achieved when the goal is widely known and shared. What if everyone at the Superbowl party knew you were trying to lose 10 pounds? Would you be less likely to go for a third serving of the chili-cheese dip? If your family knew you had committed to one cigarette every 6 hours, you might be less likely to join your cousin in the garage for smoke-breaks. That's why sharing your resolutions is so important.

With some preparation and forethought, you can keep those resolutions. Be firm, but kind, with yourself, remembering that it takes 3 weeks of fairly consistent effort to cement a new "routine." Every step you take toward achieving a goal, no matter how small, is a significant improvement, and can't be wiped out by a small misstep. Get back on track, and take it one step at a time.

Let's get to work!

The Right Bus, The Right Seat

How do you feel about your work, your career, and the direction in which your life is heading? Does thinking about it make you satisfied and happy, perhaps spark some ideas and remind you of things you'd like to accomplish, or is it something you'd rather not think about? A survey conducted by Harris interactive last year shows that 55 percent of all Americans are unhappy with their jobs. Only 20 percent feel passionate about their jobs, and a mere 15 percent feel energized by what they do. Why? It's not a rhetorical question. It's an important question with important answers that affect our health, our creativity, and our ability to stay competitive in an ever-changing global business environment. When what we are doing is uninteresting, unpleasant, or extremely stressful, creativity, productivity, and happiness all suffer. Those numbers suggest that many of us are spending a large portion of our lives doing things we don't enjoy, or in environments which feel oppressive to us, and that we often feel drained by what we do. Obviously, there are practical limitations to how closely we can follow our dreams -- mundane matters still have to be taken care of, and even when we're excited about the work itself, we may dislike the routine matters that come with it, such as invoicing, record-keeping and so on. But how can so many of us be not just unenthusiastic but actively stressed by what we do. The numbers don't lie. The National Institude for Occupational Health and Safety, Centers for Disease Control reports survey results which confirm the occupational malaise. Forty percent of workers reported that their jobs were very or extremely stressful, with 25 percent viewing their jobs as the top stressor in their lives. Twenty-nine percent felt quite a bit or extremely stressed at work. And 26 percent said that were "often or very often burned out or stressed by their work." A full 75 percent of employees believe that workers have more on-the-job stress than was experienced by the previous generation.

It's worth investigating the causes behind that stress and burnout, which is often closely related to work culture and departmental communications issues. Rather than employees going on a hunt for just the right workplace environment, or employers having to deal with excessive turnover costs, all involved can benefit from the expertise of an executive/management coach. Individual workers can get a better sense of their own driving interests, their working styles, and many other factors that affect "fit" and satisfaction -- which in turn affect health, productivity and success.

Employers, too, benefit greatly from a deeper understanding of just what motivates and rewards their most important people.

Stressed? Losing good people? Call a coach!

Lessons from "The Last Lecture"

Distinguished professor Randy Pausch gave the traditional "last lecture" to a packed house at Carnegie Mellon University in fall 2007. These lectures, given by retiring or departing faculty answer the question:

"If you had one last lecture to give students, what would you tell them?"

Pausch is a beloved figure, virtual reality pioneer, human-computer interaction researcher, co-founder of CMU's Entertainment Technology Center, and creator of the Alice software project. And Randy Pausch is dying. Last year, he felt somewhat tired and had a few digestive symptoms. He went to the doctor, only to be told that he had mere months to live because he had metastic pancreatic cancer -- the most deadly of all cancers. Yet Pausch, a father of three young children, focused on "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," his lifelong pursuit.

Pausch on How to Achieve Your Childhood Dreams

• We can't control the cards we're dealt, but only how we play them.
• Focus not on problems or death, but on how to live.
• Never give up dreams, childlike wonder, and enthusiasm.
• We benefit and learn from pursuing dreams, even if we never achieve them.
• Experience is what we get when we don't get what we wanted.
• If no one tells us when we're doing a poor job, that means others have given up on us.
• When someone pushes us, it's because they care that we are our best.
• Rejection letters are inspirational -- one more avenue explored.
• "Brick walls" are there to give us a chance to show how much we want "it."
• Have fun all the time, every day. Consciously choose to enjoy life.
• Humility is important.
• Expressing creativity is more important than pristine surroundings -- let kids paint their dreams on their bedrooms walls, and forget the resale value.
• No whining, no self-pity. ("When your father was your age, he was fighting the Germans.")
• Value people over things.
• Choose to be a "Tigger," not an "Eeyore."
• Work and play well with others: tell the truth, apologize when wrong, and look for the best in others.
• A true apology says, "I'm sorry. It was my fault. How can I make it right?"
• No one is pure evil -- be patient, and the good side will show itself.
• Show gratitude: It's simple and powerful.
• Don't complain -- just work harder.
• If we live life the right way, dreams will come to us, and karma will work itself out.

While Randy Pausch makes it clear that his last lecture is for his children, millions have seen and been changed by it since its posting online.

• The video is worth watching in its entirety, and can be seen here: http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/.
• Pausch also gave an 11 minute reprise of the presentation on the Oprah Winfrey Show October 7th, 2007, which can be viewed here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8577255250907450469&pr=goog-sl.
• High-resolution downloadable versions of Randy's videos can be found at www.cs.virginia.edu/robins/Randy.
• And his book, "The Last Lecture," which delves deeper into these life lessons, is available here: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Last-Lecture/Randy-Pausch/e/9781401323257/?itm=1
• Other Links: www.randypausch.com www.etc.cmu.edu www.alice.org

Flexible & friendly beats smart

Wharton@Work asked members in its December 2007 poll, "What are the most important qualities you look for in team members?" They answered:

• Flexibility/adaptability - 40 percent
• Interpersonal skills - 29 percent
• Specific functional skills - 15 percent
• Intelligence - 12 percent
• Loyalty - 4 percent

Turns out that most of what you really need to know, you DID learn in kindergarten.

As parents, many of us know that one of the competencies expected before children progress in school is the ability to transition smoothly from activity to activity on agendas set by circumstances. And getting along with others is, of course, essential at all ages. What's interesting here is how unimportant intelligence and loyalty are. Once you think about it, though, it makes perfect sense. We've all known people who were incredibly bright, but very difficult to work with. Stanford-Binet intelligence tests don't measure emotional intelligence, which is far more important in teamwork than spatial manipulation ability in most cases. Personal loyalty, too, can be problematic, if it prompts people to cover up unproductive behaviors, support faulty premises, or avoid challenging things which may cause problems later.

Teams drive work

Why should you keep those important team characteristics in mind? Because they are the driving force behind work, according to Wharton's January poll. When asked if leaders or teams primarily drove their work, 52 percent of members said teams, 34 percent said a balance of the two, and only 14 percent said their work was driven by leaders.

Smart is as smart does, my mother used to say. Smart leaders put their money on teamwork.

Workplace frustrations

A recent USA Today "snapshot" presented results of a survey to 1,200 workers listing their top five workplace frustrations. The results:

1. Poor communication by senior management about the business - 17 percent
2. Office Politics - 16 percent
3. Lack of teamwork - 15 percent
4. The use of politically correct language - 9 percent
5. Nosy co-workers - 6 percent

Let's break them down:

Poor communication about the business

One of primary benefits Barr Corporate Success brings is an immediate focus on identifying the top strategic objectives for a business, and, equally important - communicating and cascading those objectives throughout all levels of the organization. If you don't know how, we do. It's critical that front-line employees have the knowledge, mindset, culture, and tools to bring upper-level initiatives all the way down to customer relations. Front line employees want and need information, and to know what really matters and will contribute to their success by contributing to the company's success.

Office Politics

Politics are no more or no less than an expression of power struggles in poorly defined structures, confusion about objectives, and a lack of trust in co-workers. Teams must have the time, space, and structure to know each other, know what matters, and pursue it cohesively. Individual team members must be held accountable for behavior that divides and sabotages teams. Incentives must be geared toward rewarding all efforts that contribute to the success of the team in meeting defined objectives, even those efforts that are less visible, or harder to measure, and similarly, behavior that rewards the individual but damages the team should not be rewarded. It may sound complex, but Barr Corporate Success has simple, straightforward tools to align your company's systems with its goals, and eliminate the distractions of destructive competition, converting that energy into productive cooperation.

Lack of Teamwork

Teams suffer from a variety of ills, chief among them being a failure to understand that each team needs a diverse group of talents and styles to initiate projects, see to the details, and ensure results. Different work styles bring different strengths and talents. Barr Corporate Success has some amazing programs to foster mutual respect and understanding of what each team member brings to each project, and to the company's long-term goals.

Politically correct language

This listed item, in my opinion, reflects many people's frustration at having their intent misunderstood or mischaracterized. All of us have occasionally misspoken or made an offhand comment that flopped with the audience. When among friends, we speak freely, knowing that others will understand us, call us on something borderline, and give us the benefit of the doubt if we express ourselves badly. But in a business environment, we interact with a much wider group of people with whom we have less in common. That's why offering opportunities for employees to get to know one another on a slightly more personal level, through team-building exercises, can be groundbreaking. It's difficult to get much done if one is watching every word he says, or parsing everything another says, looking for something objectionable. Such an environment lacks trust and understanding, and is poisonous to cooperation. When teams know, understand, and trust each other, miscommunications and frustrations over word choices are much less of a problem -- because they're much more likely to be brought out into the open, and resolved very happily.

Barr Corporate Success has a team-building program that involves personalized assessment of work styles and personal interests, attitudes, and values. When a team sits down together, and understands one another's styles and driving interests, the team as a whole draws together and better appreciates the advantages of diverse talents and styles. Call 513.470.8980 for more information about DISC- and PIAV-based team-building programs.

Nosy Co-workers One person's nosy co-worker is another person's best friend at work. Again, It all comes down to lack of trust, violation of others' boundaries, and different styles. We can help.

It's inspiring and uplifting to know that these top work peeves can be easily solved with the right tools. Imagine how productive your company will be when those frustrations and distractions are out of the way, and every employee's attention is focused on achieving important goals with their teammates.

Warning Signs

To succeed in business at any level, but particularly at the executive level, having a finely tuned radar for who can and who cannot be trusted is critical. Beef up your radar with the following. According to author Mark McCormack in Staying Street Smart in the Internet Age (Viking/Penguin), be especially cautious of those who:

• Rarely do what they say they will.
• Push their work onto you.
• Do not apologize for being late.
• Tell you, "I'm too busy."
• Reject your ideas out-of-hand.
• Won't let you off the hook when you're in a jam.

All the above are indications that a person is concerned only with their own needs, and unwilling or unable to consider other points of view. That rigidity and lack of empathy can indicate a lack of what we would all call, simply, "character," so be on the lookout.

Work-life balance tops pay

To recruit and retain the best workforce, it's important to know what people want. A recent Hudson survey of 1,634 workers who have been in their current positions for at least 5 years ranks the primary reason they accepted their current position. (Please note that respondents were to choose the one most important reason.)

Top Responses

1. Work-life balance and flexibility - 29 percent
2. Compensation - 23 percent
3. Work culture - 13 percent
4. Training opportunities - 5 percent
5. Advancement opportunities - 5 percent

Are your recruiters and advertisements emphasizing advantages that bring the most candidates, and offer what jobseekers are looking for? It's worth a second look.

What spurs innovation?

What is the most important driver of innovation for companies?

Many of us might say that innovation is driven by having the most creative talent on board. But we would be wrong. While it is important to have talented people working with us, an unsupportive environment can quickly turn off the creativity switch, and send our creative people into a defensive posture where they fear making a mistake, feel unsupported, and avoid taking chances -- the backbone of creativity and innovation.

By the numbers, top execs say the important factors in innovation are:

1. Supportive corporate culture (53 percent responding)
2. Top management support (21 percent)
3. Clear processes and measurable goals (13 percent)
4. Creative talent (5 percent)

Source: Textron survey of 150 senior-level executives

The bottom line: Build an environment open to creativity, which drives innovation, and innovation will come.

Barr Corporate Success has the tools and the knowledge to unleash the creativity, enthusiasm, and productivity of your workforce. To discuss your situation and needs, please contact Krissi Barr: krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com or 513.470.8980.

"The Millenials are Coming" -- Managing Millennials

As if you didn't have enough management challenges, check out this story, from the November 11 broadcast of CBS news' "60 Minutes". Correspondent Morley Safer talks to researchers and analysts about the psychology and outlook of the so-called millenial generation. Be warned: It's a little scary.

"There are about 80 million of them, born between 1980 and 1995, and they're rapidly taking over from the baby boomers who are now pushing 60. They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. [Don't boss them around, or speak to them too harshly...] And if you persist in the belief you can, take your job and shove it."

See? Maybe "scary" is a bit much, but definitely "daunting" and "formidable" when one considers the difference this generation may require in our approaches to management.

Features of this coming generation, according to the story, include:

• Most are hardworking (great!)
• They know and can operate the tools to get things done (also great!)
• They are impressively clever and resourceful (really great!)
• Some of them are absolutely incorrigible(uh-oh)
• "It's their way or the highway. The rest of us are old, redundant, should be retired." (What?!)

Researchers who have studied the millenial generation say a new style of management is required to get results from this cohort of workers.

• "Speak to them a little bit like a therapist on television might speak to a patient."
• "You can't be harsh."
• "You cannot tell them you're disappointed in them. "
• "You can't really ask them to live and breathe the company. Because they're living and breathing themselves and that keeps them very busy."
• "The era of the buttoned down exec happy to have a job is as dead as the three-Martini lunch." "These young people will tell you what time their yoga class is and the day's work will be organized around the fact that they have this commitment. So you actually envy them. How wonderful it is to be young and have your priorities so clear."
• "The flipside of it is how awful it is to be managing the extension, sort of, of the teenage babysitting pool."

Researcher Mary Crane said: "You now have a generation coming into the workplace that has grown up with the expectation that they will automatically win, and they'll always be rewarded, even for just showing up," Crane says.

Safer responded: "To what extent are you having to tell the boomers, the bosses, the 50- to 60-year-olds, 'The people who got to change are you guys, not them?'" Yeah! Why do current managers have to change? What we're doing is working.

Unfortunately, it may not continue to work going into the future. Previous generations are accustomed to doing what it takes to produce results, and if we're dealing with an entire new generation of workers that require a different approach, we're going to have to make some adjustments, apparently.

Crane: "The boomers do need to hear the message, that they're gonna have to start focusing more on coaching rather than bossing. If this generation in particular, you just tell them, 'You got to do this. You got to do this. You got to do this.' They truly will walk. And every major law firm, every major company knows, this is the future."

You heard it... coaching rather than bossing. Participative management rather than dictating. Providing guidance and resources, focusing on results rather than methods... basically all the things that my boss, Krissi Barr, has been teaching her clients for years.

Krissi Barr is an expert in coaching. I know, because I work for her. You only have to talk to her, or to me, once to know how motivating and encouraging she is, while not coddling or wasting time with things that make no contribution to the bottom line. As her associate, I (Jodi) wholeheartedly affirm that if anyone can teach other managers how to deal with the millennial generation, it's Krissi Barr.

That's my firsthand recommendation, but you don't have my word for it.

She's trained in and certified to teach Paul Hersey's Situational Leadership program, as well as Coach 4 Success, Will to Win, and many incredibly practical and inspirational techniques. (See bio).

It's not just her curriculum vitae that impresses. Doing the various administrative and professional tasks I do as her "jill-of-all-trades", I've seen her at work, seen what she accompishes with people. After my interview with her, I researched the management and leadership training business as a whole. I came to the conclusion that many people out there are offering, in essence, modern-day "snake oil," and asked her about it. She confirmed, "There are lots of consultants out there. What matters is pull-through."

Over the next few months of assembling client data into spreadsheets, being cc'd on e-mails to her clients, seeing clients recommendation letters and their e-mails of gratitude, I realized that she is the "real deal."

Serious stuff, how she works with clients. The programs are just the start for her.

Krissi didn't just take her training and use it to sell programs -- she trains, but also does follow-up, coaching, and ongoing accountability measurement. She has enough passion for and commitment to the work that she does to follow her clients, ensuring that their new knowledge is ingrained such that it becomes behavior, and even habit, to the benefit of all who have worked with her.

The coming generation of "millennials" will be a challenge to those who are accustomed to the previous generations of direct reports. If you thought Gen X'ers were difficult... well, we're all in for a bumpy ride. If you are already experiencing rough terrain with your teams, whatever their generation, I encourage you to call Krissi (513.470.8980) or e-mail her (krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com).

Stress Facts:

52% of employees report that they have considered or made a career decision -- such as looking for a new job, declining a promotion, or leaving a job -- based on workplace stress. Leading sources of stress at work are:

• Low salaries - 44 percent
• Heavy workload -- 41 percent
• Lack of advancement opportunities -- 40 percent
• Uncertain job expectations -- 40 percent
• Long hours -- 39 percent

55%

of employees report being less productive at work as a result of stress.

24%

of workers with household incomes under $50,000 report that they manage their stress poorly, versus 15% with incomes of $50,000 or more.

Lower income adults are more likely than those with higher incomes to experience symptoms of stress

• Physical -- 80% versus 74%
• Psychological -- 77% versus 68%
• Including:
• Irritability or anger -- 54% versus 46%
• Feeling nervous or sad -- 50% versus 42%
• Lack of motivation or energy -- 51% versus 40%

Barr Corporate Success can help you design a plan that will not only reduce your work stress, but take your business to the next level. Call Krissi today to find out how! 513-470-8980.

Return to Barr Corporate Success

Going in Circles at 150 MPH

It's one thing to be excited, motivated, and passionate about our work. It's another to be overwhelmed, consumed, out of balance, and in danger of burn-out. Many of us who have a "high sense of urgency" must be on the lookout for the effects of overwork, over-controlling, and allowing work to over-run our lives.

To re-assess and identify some potential fixes, consider the following:

• What would happen if I did less?
• What tasks can only I do? What can I assign to others?
• Is the business running me, or am I running the business?
• What message am I sending to my employees?
• If I fell under a bus, what would happen to the company?
• Is my family suffering because of my job?
• Am I taking care of myself? How is my physical health?

Many of us pay lip-service to the notion of work-life balance, but continue to neglect it.

Don't fall into the trap.

Neglecting your physical health, the state of your family, and the effects that over-work have on you overall actually costs you productivity. It's easy to enter a spiral of diminishing returns by becoming so overtired, stressed, and physically unconditioned that your time becomes less productive. The key is to make sure is that the right steps toward personal and professional success get done. Without a plan, and regular reassessment of your progress, you can get lost in constant busy-ness that does NOT move you closer to your goals.

Check your professional and personal "vital signs," making limited, intermediate goals that contribute to long-term objectives.

Examples of professional vital signs:

• Have lunch with at least one past customer a week.
• Meet with 4 new customers a week.
• Add X prospects to your database a week.
• Reduce your paperwork or admin by X hours a week.
• Sell X dollars/units a week.

Examples of personal vital signs:

• Spend X hours a week reading inspiring or motivational material.
• Exercise one hour 3 days per week.
• Dedicate non-working hours to your family and hobbies, not more work.
• Listen to one self-improvement or motivational CD per week.

Reassess, review, reallocate, recharge and renew -- step back and make sure you're moving in the right direction. Call or e-mail us today for a complete "vital signs checkup"!

Krissi Barr 513-470-8980, krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com

Return to Barr Corporate Success

Good Reads: The Next Generation of Work

From the Indianapolis Star: "Today's age groups express their values and perceive work differently:

• Valuing family: Older men show they value their family by working long hours to make lots of money. Younger workers like to show they value their family by spending more time with them.
• Experience: The older generation tries to maintain its clout by emphasizing experience, which it equates with knowledge. The younger generation values experience not "just because," but by analyzing whether anything was learned or gained from it.
• Respect: Older workers want to be held in higher esteem than their younger peers, because they are older or earn more. Younger people also want esteem and to be listened to, but they have no expectation that they should be deferred to in decision-making.
• Work ethic: Older workers believe younger employees don't want to put in the hours necessary to get ahead. Younger workers are willing to put in the time for their jobs, but they're uninterested in having a lot of "face time" at the office."

To attract the best and brightest of coming generations of workers, companies and managers will likely have to adjust their expectations of what the work day, work week, and work life look like, using communications technology and infrastructure, allowing flexible work schedules that still get the right work done the right way.

Return to Barr Corporate Success

Good reads: "Leader Machines", Fortune, Oct. 2007

In this article, Geoff Colvin demonstrates the power of a leadership-building culture. Instructive excerpts:

"Your competition can copy every advantage you've got -- except one. That's why the world's best companies are realizing that no matter what business they're in, their real business is building leaders. Here's how the champs are doing it."

Fortune teamed with Hewitt HR outsourcing/consulting, and RBL Group to study how companies develop leaders, and which are doing it best. The top "academy companies" --those whose employees move on to top leadership in many best-performing large corporations -- include GE and Procter & Gamble "Says Hewitt's (Robert) Gandossy: 'companies that provide people with opportunities to learn and grow become talent magnets, drawing scarce talent in droves.' By continually attracting the most promising graduates and then developing them, these firms become higher-performing organizations, enhancing their ability to attract the best -- a self-reinforcing cycle that makes the company more dominant every year." Traits shared by the top companies for leadership development:

Invest time and Money:

"At GE, Immelt reviews the top 600. Bill Hawkins of Medtronic (No. 12) spends 50 percent of his time on people issues, and many of the other CEOs reported similar percentages -- making it the largest commitment of time they have." The University of Michigan's Noel Tichy, an acknowledged authority, says checking a CEO's commitment is as simple as looking at the CEO's calendar. "Yet the CEO's time is only the beginning. As those who report directly to the boss see what the focus is, they also become devoted to developing talent, as do their subordinates. It's called the cascading effect.(...) Virtually all of them evaluate executives partly on how well they're developing people."

Identify Promising Leaders Early

GE starts on day one, and many discreetly observe interns to see how they get others to work for and with them.

Choose Assignments Strategically

Eli Lilly (No. 13) president/COO John Lechleiter offers this model: Approximately two-thirds of leadership development is from experience, one-third from mentoring and coaching, and a bit from classroom training.

Develop Leaders Within Their Current Jobs

Divisions struggle when bosses move on after 18-24 months. Nokia (No. 3) and Eli Lilly (No. 13) report great success with current programs that use short-term work assignments and additional assignments outside employees' fields of expertise to develop managers within their current assignments.

Be Passionate About Feedback and Support

Companies on the Fortune list "combine frequent, honest assessment with plent of mentoring and support. So when people are told what skills they need to improve, they're also offered programs or coaching for doing it."

Develop Teams, Not Just Individuals

Immelt says the GE he grew up in did primarily individual training, and that it led to problems. "He'd attend a three week program at Crotonville, but back at work 'I could use only 60 percent what I'd learned because I needed others -- my boss, my IT guy -- to help with the rest.' And maybe they weren't onboard."

Exert Leadership Through Inspiration

How well does it work to make people do what you say by firing and promoting? A.G. Lafley of P&G says, "The command and control model of leadership just won't work 99 percent of the time." Which is why P&G runs a development program called "Inspirational Leadership." American Express similary has "Leadership Inspiring Employee Engagement" and it is mandatory for every VP and above.

Encourage Leaders to be Active in Their Communities

Leaders, the company, and the community can all impact on another in positive ways, benefitting all.

Make Leadership Development Part of the Culture

"Developing leaders isn't a program; it's a way of living. For example, honest feedback has to be culturally okay. At many companies it isn't. Devoting significant time to mentoring has to be accepted. Working for nonprofits has to be encouraged, not just tolerated. Such cultural norms can't be dictated; they have to be in the air." ------ "Good as these companies are, not one of them is satisfied with the way it develops leaders. They all have plans for improvement, mostly by involving more people, working more with teams, and refining their views of what skills tomorrow's leaders will need. None are scaling back." (emphasis added)

Does your company have a culture of leadership development?

Krissi Barr (an alumna of P&G, #2 "Top Company for Leaders") can help. Call her at 513-470-8980 or e-mail krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com. Or for more information, please visit our website.

Coaching -- What executives say

Executive coaching has become a popular leadership development technique. A research study by Christine Turner, published in the Ivey Business Journal, asked executives themselves what benefits, if any, they've received from executive coaching. Turner was guided by questions like: What are the benefits of executive coaching? What are its limitations? What factors are critical to its success? The executives typically cited these goals: to fine-tune their vision for their business, empower and motivate staff, improve communication and listening skills, and become more confident and assertive.

The benefits of executive coaching as a leadership development tool were:

• Continuous one-on-one attention

Since executive coaching takes place over an extended period of time, it becomes a great way to not only acquire but ingrain learned skills. Coaching achieves results superior to attending a course, reading a book, or having a discussion.

"Executive coaching works for the 'leadership, performance, personal effectivenss and 360-degree development (she) wants... Coaching provides a consistent, long-term development that gets embedded and becomes part of your routine."

• Expanded thinking through dialogue with a curious outsider

"Dialogue, fuelled through powerful questions, is at the heart of the coaching process. In coaching conversations, executives think out loud, become more reflective and gain access to their own tacit knowledge and unexplored ideas. The coach's role is to act as a sounding board, confidant, partner, challenger and catalyst for change."

• Self-awareness, including blind spots

"The expression 'no pain, no gain' is true for coaching; it is not easy to be challenged out of your business-as-usual comfort zone." The value is not for a coach to be really nice, or another friend. The value is having someone who sees what you don't see, and says what others won't.

• Personal accountability for development

One can learn proper form in a one-time fitness course, but quickly lose the way by cutting corners, using poor technique, or skipping workouts. Executives, like athletes, benefit from the ongoing personal training that creates momentum and ensures accountability for development and achievement of goals.

• Just-in-time learning

Because it is personal and situation-specific, coaching provides learning on the spot for special situations and new challenges.

Limitations of coaching...

To have the best possible experience with executive coaching, clients need to ensure that their coach offers:

• Defined methodology

Coaching is popular, and many non-expert, non-trained coaches are offering services. Those coaches can be a waste of time, money, and energy, "paid friend" who informally advises, rather than guiding clients to develop new skills and capabilities that generate lasting results. Be careful. Do your homework. Ensure that your coach has extensive business experience, proven methods, and a solid track record. (To read about Krissi Barr's extensive experience and career, please visit http://www.barrcorporatesuccess.com/kbarrbio.php. For real results of clients, please go to: http://www.barrcorporatesuccess.com/success.php)

• Defined shared language

Executive coaches must be familiar with the language of business, and be able to not only speak it well, but offer real-world business expertise. Again, do your homework, and define terms upfront.

• Clarity of focus

While an executive coach can offer brief situational guidance on personal matters, the focus should always return, quickly, to business skills and business results. Executive coaches are not therapists or medical practitioners. Any ethical coach should refer clients to professional therapists for highly personal or dysfunctional situations.

• Continuity between sessions

There should be an "arc of learning" and a defined pattern of progress, follow-up, and ongoing goals. If a coach cannot define, organize and follow a plan, he or she cannot help you do so.

• Measurement of results

Measurement is an important means of making sure that you do what's important, do what matters, to achieve your long-term objectives. When you try to reach a destination, you do so with mile markers and an end destination in mind. Anything else is an aimless stroll through the countryside!

Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success is a respected and celebrated executive coach and business consultant offering individual and team coaching. In her twenty-year business career, she achieved amazing results for companies she worked for, and for more than 5 years has independently offered coaching that helps others achieve outstanding results.

For more information, visit Barr Corporate Success.

Getting Past "But..."

A successful career in sales requires not just a tough skin or ability to withstand rejection. The most successful sales reps are able to not just withstand rejection, but also to examine rejections and objections to identify customers' very real needs and concerns. Initial objections from customers aren't simply "no," but a jumping-off point, the beginning of the conversation. Any information the customer offers is a means to discovering and understanding their needs, priorities, and anything in your company's performance with room for improvement.

When are Objections Beneficial? Always!

Objections are a natural part of the buying process. Appreciate them! They show that the customer is actively interested, or he/she wouldn't be wasting their time talking about it. Objections allow dialogue about questions and doubts, give information for strategic moves in the future and the direction of your company's product and service development. They provide an ideal starting point to educate the customer about your products, your service, and your willingness to go the extra mile. Objections reveal the customer’s concerns. When objections are handled well, the result is a good relationship and enhanced trust between customer and sales rep.

Process for Handling Objections:

Step 1 - Encouraging

Draw out the objection. Listen. Don’t try to answer right away. Acknowledge it without interrupting and let the customer express his or her reservations completely. Show empathy and put yourself in their shoes. Empathy defuses antagonism and resistance, transforming confrontation into mutual problem-solving. (Seven habits -- seek first to understand, then to be understood.) Be patient. Your turn comes when the customer feels heard and understood. “I can see how you would be concerned about that.” “I’d feel the same way if I had your responsibility.” “Can you tell me more about that?”

Step 2 - Questioning

Ask questions to clarify the objections and draw out the underlying reservations. Frequently, the real objection is different from what the customer first expressed. (Just as in your personal life -- someone may seem angry about the dishes, but it may go back a few days to when you forgot to make an important call... all anger is not caused by the immediate stressor. ) Don’t interrupt and assume you have it all wrapped up, launching immediately into a "counter." “And then what?” “What are your biggest reservations”? "What other concerns do you have?"

Ask open-ended questions that lead to an informative response, rather than yes/no questions.

If you've ever worked as a telephone market researcher, you may recognize the direction,

"Ask until unproductive."

That's when the agent waits for you to finish, recording all that you say, and then asks, "What other words would you use to describe the dishwashing detergent...?" And they continue to ask until you say, "Can't think of anything else!" Ask those questions again and again until they are unproductive (but not annoying), to be sure you get to the source of any objections, reservations, or negative feelings. You may even see a physical relief of tension in the shoulders of your customer. Who among us isn't less stressed when we feel truly heard, listened to, and understood?

Step 3 - Confirming (Mirroring)

Check your understanding of the objection/problem before responding. Repeat to the customer, using his or her own words in a summary, the concerns that were expressed, demonstrating that you truly understand any problems before you try to provide a solution. Responding too quickly, with incomplete understanding, will undermine your customer's trust.

Step 4 - Providing

Respond to the objection/problem. Answer the objection as specifically, completely, and informatively as possible. Objections and their appropriate responses usually fall into the following categories: Misconception, Skepticism, Real Drawback and Real Complaint.

Misconception

- The customer does not understand the product or service or is misinformed (often with complex products). The customer needs more information, targeted directly to his or her level of expertise, to help them make a purchasing decision, and you are the educator. Approach: Clarify, teach, explain, and resolve. Example: “If I understand correctly, your concern is that our product won’t handle X… and it’s important for you to have a machine/service that handles X… As you can see from our proposal, we can handle X, because our product/service does the following, in this way...”

Skepticism

The customer is not convinced your product will do what you claim. He or she is being cautious or probing for more information. Approach: Prove it. Give solid evidence such as examples, statistics, references, and trials. If needed, ask for sample situations in which the customer will need your product or service and demonstrate how it will function. Generic info may not provide all the information your customer needs, and your creativity and genuineness -- or lack thereof -- will make or break this sale. Customers who are extremely satisfied will be good, objective references for difficult circumstances. Example: “If I understand you correctly, you aren’t sure our people will be available when you need them. We realize that it’s important for you to have weekend service, and others may have promised it but not provided it. Our techs are on call 24x7, and are highly trained reps, not third tier. You know, if it would help to speak with a customer who uses this service, we've been providing that sort of service for Bill Smith over at Acme Industries for 3 years now. Please feel free to call Bill. It might really ease your mind to talk to him about the arrangements we made for them.”

Real Drawback

- Customer has a valid point about some disadvantage, such as price, delivery, or operating specs. Approach: Don't be blindly defensive and make vague references to quality. Show the big picture, then get specific on how certain advantages your product or service provides will outweigh those disadvantages. Lower prices often come at the cost of lower quality or reduced service. You can elicit information about costs that come with the lower price, and demonstrate how those costs are greater than the additional cost of a higher-price, higher-quality product. Try to find out very specifically how any drawback affects the customer, and reason through the benefits that may outweigh those drawbacks. Example: “Yes, our price is higher. I can see why you would be concerned about that. We have had other customers who were also concerned. But they found that the savings both in time and total dollars (combined with the knowledge that they had a reliable resource on hand) far outweigh their initial concerns about price.”

Real Complaint

The customer has had an experience that created an unfavorable impression. That impression stands in the way of moving forward with this account or a purchase. Approach: Show immediate empathy, action and responsiveness. Example: “I'm so sorry that happened. So you felt the last representative wasn’t clear about the service policy, and that you got stuck? That's no good for you or for us, and we will work to make there are no repeats. One idea to make sure nothing like that happens again... let's go over this written scope of work together, to make sure we're on the same page about terms and expectations before you buy. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them."

Step 5 - Checking

Confirm that the objection has been resolved. Ask outright if your response was satisfactory. If not, go back to encouraging the customer, and asking questions to draw out the more objections or unaddressed concerns. Continue working with the customer until the objections are addressed to the 100% satisfaction of the customer. Sales aren't just about products or services, but about relationships with customers. The steps above are all about maintaining that relationship, and responding positively to the fact that the customer is talking to you, sharing concerns with you, and moving toward the customer allowing you to resolve those concerns through a SALE.

Objections are opportunities -- seize them!

Great sales techniques often require real-life practice, roleplaying, and follow-through for long-term results. Krissi Barr of Barr Corporate Success teaches several energizing, invigorating programs that teach concrete and actionable sales techniques, generating Amazing Performance(TM) from your sales program. For more information, please feel free to call Krissi at 513-470-8980 or e-mail krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com! Return to Barr Corporate Success

Make More of Your Time!

You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it. Charles Bruxton

When you pack for a family vacation driving across the country, do you fling your luggage into the back of your car, allowing it to fall however it may? Of course not! You would run out of room!

Instead, you carefully choose the luggage you use so that it will fit in your trunk, pack accordingly, and leave a little room for souvenirs. When you've assembled everything you need to take, you put the big luggage in first, and fit smaller items around it, compactly placing everything so you'll have as much room to move around in the car as possible. You prioritize, compartmentalize, make decisions, and maximize use of space.

Maximizing use of space is much like maximizing use of time. Do you pack your day as thoughtfully as you do your car?

Probably not. Most of us don't. But if you've packed for a big trip, you DO have within you all the skills and practices you need to make the best use of your time.

Some simple time management techniques can increase our output while reducing our stress. Time flies and you are the pilot. Fortunately, some simple planning tips -- some of them counterintuitive -- can help us use our time carefully.

Tips for getting the most out of your day.

Don't work late into the night.

It saps energy and makes you less productive the following day. Surveys show that working late at night causes you to go to bed with a mind racing, recounting today's events and planning tomorrow's, and makes you less likely to get restful sleep. The habit of working late at night also gets built into your schedule and reduces your sense of urgency to finish tasks earlier in the day.

Arrive early, and leave on time.

You can not only boost your productivity, but improve your work-life balance, since family members are impacted more heavily by absence in the evening than leaving earlier in the morning.

Limit the length and number of meetings.

Frequent and uncontrolled routine meetings without defined agendas are a huge time waster for all concerned. Purpose-driven meetings with clear agendas should result in clear accountabilities, and defined follow-up dates, allowing you to focus on tasks that bring the greatest results.

Set aside uninterrupted project time.

Anything that interrupts you and breaks your train of thought costs you time, in the long run. Hang a do-not-disturb sign on your door, turn off your cell phone, route landline calls to voicemail, and turn off "new e-mail" notices.

Make Monday count.

Build some momentum by getting off to a good start Monday, working on individual tasks and digging in on important projects, which helps the rest of the week flow better. Fridays are a good day for staff meetings that to set group agendas that will be addressed by each person on Monday, with a brief follow-up Monday afternoon.

Prepare the night before.

Choose, set out, and, if needed, iron tomorrow's clothing. Pack kids' lunches, set the timer on the coffeepot, and have your packed work bag by the door. You can even preserve morning momentum by filling up your gas tank on the way home, or at lunchtime, rather than in the morning.

Don't over-plan.

The average person can only realistically plan about 50 percent of his or her day. We all generally underestimate the amount of time a task might take by at least 20 percent, and tend not to anticipate and allot extra time for interruptions and other delays. When we overplan, it later costs us time rolling tasks over to the next day and adjusting our daily planners.

Get specifics.

When someone says, "as soon as possible," define exactly what that means, and why. Sometimes, people operate in default crisis mode. Their "as soon as possible" may not be the same as yours -- does that mean drop everything because we need this now, or that we only have a couple of weeks to get X done? Find out, or you will allow unnecessary stress and time pressure to hijack your day.

Our clients often seek our advice on time management, and in addition to these tips, there are more specific steps you can take to produce Amazing Performance(TM). Give Krissi a call at 513-470-8980, or e-mail her, krissi@barrcorporatesuccess.com, to find out how Barr Corporate Success can help you.

We'll leave you with a (brutal) quote that might inspire any of us:

"Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein." H. Jackson Brown

Let's Get to Work!

Return to Barr Corporate Success

Job Satisfaction on the Wane?

The Conference Board reports that U.S. worker job satisfaction has declined 14 percent in the past two decades, and is still in a declining trend. According to a TNS survey of 5,000 U.S. households, the percentage of workers satisfied with their jobs, by year, was:

• 61 percent (1987)
• 59 percent (1995)
• 51 percent (2000)
• 52 percent (2005)
• 47 percent (2006)

The figures are no cause for alarm, necessarily, but indicate a troublesome trend. Why do we pay close attention to satisfaction trends? Because each employee's job satisfaction statistically correlates with whether he or she will quit, and his or her absenteeism rate. And overall satisfaction rates strongly correlate with productivity and profitability. Management Malpractice reports, “...The decline in job satisfaction is widespread among workers of all ages and across all income brackets. Half of all Americans today say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from nearly 60 percent in 1995.

But among the 50 percent who say they are content, only 14 percent say they are "very satisfied."

This report, which is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households, conducted for The Conference Board by TNS, a leading market information company (LSE: TNN), also includes information collected independently by TNS.

"This information reveals that approximately one-quarter of the American workforce is simply 'showing up to collect a paycheck.' The survey finds that job satisfaction has declined across all income brackets in the last nine years.” from Management Malpractice."

Satisfaction and profitability aren't a dichotomy, but instead are linked reflections of the underlying effectiveness of leadership practices.

If you suspect that your employees are simply showing up to collect a paycheck, all is not lost. Much can be done, with adjustment of management styles, assessments to get the right people in the right seats, and amazing performance goals.

Barr Corporate Success can help drive teams and individuals to outstanding profitability and job satisfaction. Call or e-mail today! Return to Barr Corporate Success For more data and analysis of worker satisfaction, causes, and effects, please see : http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/13/business/workcol14.php, accessed 8/4/07. U.S. Job Satisfaction Keeps Falling, The Conference Board Reports Today. Source: The Conference Board, Feb. 28, 2005 http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=2582, accessed 8/4/07. http://www.managementmalpractice.com/in_the_news.php