Everyone thinks teams are a good thing. Leaders like to form teams. People, for the most part believe in the value and purpose of teams . . .

All of us are smarter than each of us.

1 + 1 = 3

. . . are just two common phrases that reinforce and prove how pervasive our belief in teams is.

And that belief is justified.

Sometimes.

There are many times in our civic or church groups, and in our businesses and professional associations that we need teams of people to work on an issue or a project. And sometimes we would be better off without a team - with individuals contributing as individuals.

What?

No team?

You got it.

At least not the type of team you probably think of, when you think of a team.

Two Basic Types of Teams

To keep things simple, I believe there are two basic types of teams. There are basketball teams and there are track and field teams.

Basketball Teams

Basketball teams (or soccer or hockey) are teams that require, by the nature of their task, that everyone play as one unit. On teams in these sports the players are interdependent. At any moment of any game, in order to be successful, the entire team needs to be working in harmony. The role of each player is designated by their position (which takes into account their innate strengths and acquired skills). However, the situation at any moment during the flow of the game, may require any player to take any role.

And on good teams of this sort, all players are willing to be flexible, to assist, to change roles, to 'do what it takes'. Because they know that without working together, they can't achieve their team goals of victory. The nature of the game forces interdependency among the team members.

Track and Field Teams

Players on track and field teams on the other hand (except in a few relay events) are not interdependent, they are independent. Shot putters have a skill set that is largely unrelated to the sprinters. And the high jumpers can be personally skilled and successful without any tangible help or support from the distance runners.

At the end of the day (or meet), the team can win if enough of the individuals do well. In other words if enough individuals win, the team will win. The most successful of these teams will have highly talented individual contributors, supporting each other to reach their common goal of winning. In this way they are definitely a team. They may feel allegiance to the group. They certainly can have pride in being a part of the group. They want each other to be successful. They know that they can all be more successful when each individual is more successful. They can have a common goal (to win the meet or championship). But the fundamental relationship between the players isn't the same as it is on a basketball team.

What This Means to Us

In our organizations we most likely have both sorts of teams. We have teams that work in a process flow or project where the outputs of one person directly affect the work of the next - where the work and the people are highly interdependent.

We also have teams that look more like the track and field team. In these situations people are working toward a common mission and goal, but their work doesn't intersect in nearly the same ways as for the highly interdependent teams.

Fair enough you say.

But in my experience, we tend to want all teams to think they are basketball teams. If the work or project dictates that focus, great. But if you have a track and field (independent) team, you don't need the same focus on interdependence and traditional 'team building' activities.

What Do We Do Now?

If you lead a team or form teams or are just a member of a team, you need to think about and talk about this distinction. Determine across the team (or future team) what type of team you are. Once there is agreement on the type of team you are, you can begin to set the right kinds of expectations for each other and for yourself. You can build more appropriate plans for training, development and team building.

Knowing which type of team your work or project dictates is the first step towards helping that group of people be more successful and the work being done successfully.

So maybe it isn't really, 'to team or not to team?', but 'which type of team?'

. . . that is the question.

Answer that one first. And, using the answer as a guide, watch all of your teams be more successful.

Article source: Free Management Articles.

One of the most important things you need to understand when it comes to working online or being self-employed is the importance of your prospects or leads.People don't like being sold.Instead,they like being talked to like they are a human being,and not an object.It's essential that when looking for potential prospects that you are searching in the right places.One would think that you could get potential prospects anywhere but this simply isn't the case.Often when you advertise without making a plan beforehand,you end up finding a lot of tire kickers,who really aren't interested in your business.They simply have a million questions to ask and no real intention or desire to buy.

Also,understand that your prospect will also give you an edge on knowing how to talk to them and what marketing message, marketing strategy,sales process and sales strategy you should use.The pre-requisite is that it's important for you thoroughly understand your business or your product.The last thing a prospect likes hearing when they are asking you questions is to hear nothing but fluff and lack of decisiveness.Keep in mind that these people trust you to be honest with them.Fail them in this and they will find out eventually.

It is also important to use a healthy dose of good customer service when it comes to talking to prospects.Make some time for them, allow them to call you on the phone so they can 'see' the real you.People will soon realize that if they can't get good customer service then the company isn't worth their time.This is a good practice to follow when dealing with any business in any industry.A company that is weak in customer service at the beginning of the relationship will simply get worse as time goes on.

If you try to understand what your prospect wants,needs,and desires you have a good chance of getting them to buy from you or to do business with you.Dont forget that any business transaction,regardless of the size or of the companies involved, ultimately comes down to an understanding between two human beings.All of the basic principles of human communications apply.In order to succeed in business, you need to understand that your success will ultimately depend on your ability to communicate honestly and accurately with your prospects.

Author: Diana De Conno

About the author:
With years of experience, Diane DeConno, a successful entrepreneur,teaches individuals wanting a better way to earn $250k plus in their first year and people of every economic level,wanting to take control of their finances.For more info, visit: www.EmpoweredForFinancialFreedom.com

Article source: Free Management Articles.

What is CRM? If I buy CRM software will I be a better recruiter?
Should recruiting software have CRM features? Do recruiting software vendors include CRM in their product?

I think CRM is a lot of smoke created by some very good marketing people who could sell ice to Eskimos.

A common definition for CRM is 'The process of using information to find, secure and keep customers. The people, events, and questions associated with marketing, sales, and service'. Yikes! I thought that is what recruiting is?

Why am I on such a soap box? Because I talk to about 50 different recruiters and recruitment firm owners a week and every once in a while I get asked does this software contain CRM. A few years back when the question was asked I was at a loss for words. I had no idea what they were talking about. I was terribly concerned that after 25 years in the recruiting industry putting in 10 hours a day seven days a week I had completely missed something and an entire process went right over my head.

So I went to work reading and studying everything I could find on CRM and came to the conclusion that CRM and recruiting software are one and the same. If your recruiting software does not have the characteristics defined by CRM then you do not have recruiting software.

First of all, who are the customers of an executive recruiter? Candidates and clients are! As any recruiter knows the product of a recruiter is also the customer, the candidate, one unique characteristic of the recruiting industry.

Let's go back to that CRM definition above. 'The process of using information to find, secure and keep customers'. Your recruiting software must be used to find and track candidates and clients. Once found the software has to keep them available to you through periodic contact.

Next, 'The people, events and questions associated with marketing, sales and service'. Ok, if your recruiting software cannot help you market to different demographics of clients and candidates then why are you using it? What are you using to market to clients and candidates? Do you have a separate system for this? Do you have a separate database for marketing to clients, a separate database for marketing to candidates? Do candidates sometimes become clients? Do clients sometimes become candidates? Is candidate John Smith repeated in the client Database and then again in a separate marketing system? How silly these questions are! If you answer yes to any of the above I suggest you reconsider your whole approach to recruiting.

And if you have this separation how in the world are you ever going to keep track of the events and questions? Perhaps if they are all separate I can sell you business idiot consolidation software that will pull all these desperate systems together for you.

So I will answer the leading questions. If I buy CRM software will I be a better recruiter? No, because you're an idiot for having recruiting software that is not also CRM. Should recruiting software have CRM features? Of course, CRM and recruiting software are one and the same thing. Do recruiting software vendors include CRM in their product? Yes, if they don't they are not a recruiting software vendor.

Article source: Free Management Articles.

The concept of conventional logistics covers all activities relating to the procurement, transport, transhipment and storage of goods. Logistics as generally understood is concerned particularly with material flow (raw materials, interim and final products), but also involves providing companies with services and information.

Nowadays the development of electronic information and communication technologies affects all spheres of life. Naturally, it influences significantly economic life, including logistics. As a result, nowadays it is possible to speak about electronic logistics as extremely perspective field for further development.

On researching the problem of electronic logistics, it is primarily necessary to dwell upon the methods that are traditionally used in the related researches. Basically, it is possible to use phone inquiry, face-to-face interviews with companies implementing electronic logistics in their business. Also it is possible to interview management consultants and IT suppliers.

Obviously, nowadays electronic information and communication technologies are widely used in the field of logistics. As a rule, it is widely used in buying and selling transactions, as well as material follow transactions. It is necessary to point out that logistics services providers use electronic logistics wider than companies operating in the field of manufacturing and trade.

In the current a situation, the advantages of electronic logistics are evident since it creates new operating models that provides a company with a competitive advantage compared to the companies using conventional logistics. It also permits to develop efficient management of larger entities and correct information in constantly changing market situation.

Nonetheless, it is necessary to emphasize that electronic logistics is a relatively new field and it makes its first steps in the contemporary business. In such a situation, certain obstacles and challenges, the companies implementing electronic logistics face, are quite natural. Among these obstacles and challenges may be singled out the following: scarce financial resources for investments, lack of capabilities of network parties, lack of standards, challenges in integrating inter-company information systems.

However, electronic logistics is still quite popular due to the perspective of business process re-engineering skills, since it provides the possibility to use technologies to support business processes.

Thus, electronic logistics is a very perspective field that needs further research in order to provide better opportunities to its proper implementing and wide use.

Article source: Free Management Articles.

<p class='MsoNormal' style='margin: 0in 0in 0pt;'><span style='font-size: small;'><span style='font-family: Times New Roman;'>Brainstorming asks you to come up with thoughts and ideas that you may not even know you had.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>These ideas may turn out to be a bit off the wall, crazy even, but they are ones that can be built upon and added to.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Brainstorming techniques can help you come up with very creative solutions to a problem, create new opportunities, or improve the quality of work or services that you offer.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span></span></span>

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<p class='MsoNormal' style='margin: 0in 0in 0pt;'><span style='font-size: small;'><span style='font-family: Times New Roman;'>The key to successful brainstorming is to leave any and all criticism at the door.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>The goal is to open up all possibilities, and criticism will put a halt to the process.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>One very successful brainstorming technique is to have an interactive group brainstorming session.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>By enlisting the help of others you will bring in the experience and ideas into solving your problem, creating a solution, or creating an opportunity.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Group brainstorming may cause some people to bottle up their ideas instead of share them for fear of criticism.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>These group sessions need to be monitored closely so that criticism is not a part of the process.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Ideas need to flow freely, and you may find a better solution with the group than you would have relying on just yourself.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span></span></span>

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<p class='MsoNormal' style='margin: 0in 0in 0pt;'><span style='font-size: small;'><span style='font-family: Times New Roman;'>A great brainstorming technique to get your creative juices flowing is to do brain warm ups. <span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>The first warm up is to participate in an opposites match.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>On the left side of a paper write down 15 every day words, not related to the topic or subject at hand.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes, however long you may think that you need to think of and write down 3 opposites of each word.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Don’t pause too long on one particular word, the idea is to wake your brain up, get it warm and used to thinking of ideas quickly.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>If you are working in a group, have one person say the word out loud and everyone else make a list in front of them.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Perform the match several times so that everyone has a turn reading a list out loud and participating in the opposites writing.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span></span></span>

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<p class='MsoNormal' style='margin: 0in 0in 0pt;'><span style='font-size: small;'><span style='font-family: Times New Roman;'>Another great warm up is to play a word game.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>There are hundreds of popular word games to choose from.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>One of the most popular games is to run through the alphabet.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>If you are working with a team, the first team member says a word that begins with the letter A, the next a word that is somehow related to the first, but begins with the letter B, the next C, and so on.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>If you are working by yourself, write the words down on paper as quickly as possible.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span></span></span>

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<p class='MsoNormal' style='margin: 0in 0in 0pt;'><span style='font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";'>Using brainstorming warm ups before your actual brainstorming sessions can really help to get your creative juices flowing.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span>Thoughts and ideas will come quicker, and more freely.<span style='mso-spacerun: yes;'> </span></span>

Author: Matt Murren

About the author:
Matt D Murren owns and operates http:// Brainstorming Techniques

Article source: Free Management Articles.

Most meetings are attended by a giant.

These are the people who dominate a meeting with big ideas and big voices and big talk.

While dominant participants contribute significantly to the success of a meeting, they can also overwhelm, intimidate, and exclude others. Thus, you want to control their energy without losing their support.

Here's what to do.

Approach 1: Ask others to contribute

Asking quiet participants to contribute indirectly moderates the more dominant participants. Say:

'Before we continue, I want to hear from the rest of the group.'

'This is great. And I wonder what else we could do.' (Look at the quiet participants when you say this.)

Approach 2: Change the process

A balanced dialogue equalizes participation and sequential participation (a round robin) prevents anyone from dominating the discussion.

Approach 3: Include them in the process

Ask dominant participants for their support during the meeting. Meet with the person privately and say:

'I need your help with something. It's clear to me that you know a great deal about this issue and have many good ideas. I also want to hear what other people in the meeting have to say. So, I wonder if you could help me encourage others to contribute.'

You can also retain control by giving away minor tasks. For example, dominant participants make excellent helpers. They can distribute materials, run errands, serve as scribes, deliver messages, post chart papers, run demonstration units, operate projectors, change overhead transparencies, act as greeters, and (in general) perform any logistical task related to the meeting.

Approach 4: Create barriers

Simply move away from the more aggressive participants and make less eye contact. If you are unable to see them, you are unable to recognize them as the next speaker.

Use this approach with moderation and support it with complimentary requests for assistance. Ignoring someone conveys disapproval, which could change a potential ally into an adversary.

Approach 5: One point at a time

Sometimes dominant participants will control a discussion by listing many points in a single statement. They cite every challenge, condition, and consideration known, which completely clogs everyone else's thinking. End this by asking participants to state only one point at a time, after which someone else speaks. It is very difficult to monopolize a discussion when this technique is used.

Quiet participants often hope to be ignored; dominant participants want to be noticed. A quiet person may feel overbearing after making two statements in an hour. A dominant participant may feel left out after contributing only 95% of the ideas. You will be most successful moderating dominant participants by building bridges between what they want and what you need.

Approach 6: Interrupt with 'excuse me'

Use the words 'excuse me' as a wedge to interrupt a long monologue. It's important that you say 'Excuse me' with polite sincerity. For example, you could say:

'Excuse me, this seems interesting and I wonder if you could tell me how it relates to our meeting.'

'Excuse me, I'm sure this is very important and since we have only five minutes left for this issue, I wonder if you could summarize your main point.'

Use these techniques to hold effective meetings by moderating contributions from the more outspoken participants.

This is the fifth of a seven part article on Monsters in Meetings.

Article source: Free Management Articles.