American Business ‘Spirit’

The key to the success of any organization is in the spirit of its people. It is through the people of an organization that things get done; yet it is the quality, the nature and the heart of the people as a whole that determines its destiny. That’s its ‘spirit’. Each and every individual within an organization affects its spirit. You can feel it in the atmosphere around individuals. You can feel it in the energy of an empty room. You see it on people’s faces. You can hear it in the tones of their voices.
Each individual contributes to the spirit of an organization. They do it through their behaviors or feelings. Feelings of confidence, courage, enthusiasm and cooperation contribute to the true nature or spirit of an organization. Fear, doubt, criticism and humiliation become a strain upon the people in an organization, thus dampening its spirit. In this case, work becomes a constant struggle to stay ahead rather than means of scaling great heights. An organization of low spirits is a dying organization. This means a lack of trust and hope exists within the people. You cannot build an organization on these qualities.
The true nature of an organization is to build on the efforts and energies of its people. An organization combines the power of individuals producing a greater power. Organizations exist for the benefit of all. Its purpose is to provide a focus where each individual may achieve his or her dreams. Through a common vision, singleness of purpose, and the melding of minds into one, an organization becomes a fountain of extraordinary ideas and a force able to ‘brave the storm’ in the quest to unimaginable heights and service to humanity. This is what an organization is about. The spirit of an organization is its life and when it is harnessed and nurtured it matures into a force of limitless potential and magnificent possibilities. Spirit. The spirit of a people held high can accomplish anything. Damage or lower the spirit of the people and an organization will self-destruct.
An organization as a body of individuals has a life of its own. That life expresses a quality of energy that can be of a very high or low nature. As an organization, when the energy is of a very high quality, nothing is impossible. Groups that are able to maintain extremely high spirits regardless of the conditions they face become the pioneers, trendsetters, torchbearers and ‘Beacons of Light’ to the rest of the world.
It is amazing the things that are accomplished when a group or groups of people come together in completeness of spirit. When spirits are high in an organization, no one lacks for courage or enthusiasm. In fact, individuals become absolutely fearless. The word ‘failure’ is stricken completely from their vocabulary and the workplace becomes an ‘accelerator of energy’ charging individuals with the ability to stand, face and conquer limitations.
It is the spirit of a group of people that helped to establish this nation. Think what this could do for an individual or organization! This is what America experienced and why she exists. And it is America’s spirit that we have been charged with as a responsibility to our loved ones and ourselves to uphold. Therefore, keep your spirits high and we will move forward and upward on the spiral of organizational success.
“People will forgive and forget – even ignore the shortcomings of individuals and organizations of high spirit and integrity.”

 

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Watch Out for Habits

So many people seem to be rushing to do things and with no real or permanent results. This is especially true in business or work activities. The motivation to rush in any case seems to be based on fear and can never generate any permanent or worthy results.

Seeing Problems As Opportunities

Always look up! For those who truly seek to achieve a certain level of success, you must train yourselves to see only the Perfection you desire, and understand that any improvements you wish to make in your business and personal affairs is the Perfection of that condition.
Any effort to raise a condition to a higher level of quality for your happiness and that of others requires discipline and determination. Training yourself to focus on this discipline provides tremendous help.

High Ideal and Standards

Having high ideals and standards is very important to building a business. There is absolutely no way a business can survive without improving all areas of its operation at some time or another. This is very evident when you consider competition, especially when it comes from a large company.

There are two vital points in further proving the importance of constantly raising a business’ standards: If you have an existing business, customer loyalty and the company’s reputation are its life. Lose one of these, and chances are you’ll lose the other. Having high ideals and standards helps to keep a company ahead of itself. It means constantly improving upon your best qualities and eliminating your weaknesses.

Extraordinary Achievement

True or false? It takes large amounts of money in order to achieve the extraordinary. Perhaps you might think this is a trick question. For me, it is a very valid question.
You see, I have noticed that most people have the desire to accomplish or attain something extraordinary in their businesses, careers or personal affairs. I have heard many reasons why a thing couldn’t be attained. The most common reason I hear is the lack of money.
Now let’s think about this question of extraordinary achievement. What does it mean? It means to me getting something that is beyond the ordinary. What is ordinary? To me, it means the routine or traditional activities that we become accustomed to over time. Ordinary things or activities seem to always be the same. This seems to be a fair explanation of the differences between what is extraordinary versus ordinary.

Build Your Business with a Strong Identity Program

What’s in a name? Well when it comes to your business a lot. Your name is a label used so people can identify your business. If well-thought out your company name has a unique quality that helps people to remember your business or its products and services. Of course, when you’re trying to build business your need more than just a good name, Your business should be easy to recognize. In other words, you need a strong identity.

Three Abilities for Business Owners’ Success

Three Abilities for Business Owners’ Success

All business owners should always consider themselves special individuals. They have stepped forward to provide for themselves and others a means of expression that reaps many rewards. Sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation — whatever structure you have doesn’t matter. It certainly doesn’t matter to your customers, employees or vendors. There may be a few exceptions.

Use Your Experience to Build Your Business

Use Your Experience to Build Your Business

Because of my experiences and exposure to businesses and their owners, I have to address the issue of ideas. For some strange reason, it appears most business owners feel that their success depends on the best idea at the time.

And they change their direction as frequently as the ideas come. I feel we need a reality check.

A Firm Positive Attitude Guarantees Success

A Firm Positive Attitude Guarantees Success

I would like to caution all business owners. We know it’s important to make money or build business. Just don’t get so wrapped up in getting your ideas out too fast. Sure you need or want instant results. But how many times have you heard of any business becoming a success overnight? It is much wiser to take the time to think your ideas through than to jump right into them. Unfortunately, many business owners become absorbed in their problems instead of the goals.

Merchandising Your Company

Merchandising Your Company

Many times, business owners are found constantly pushing their product — product, product, product. It’s no wonder competition gets steep. If everyone’s pushing product, it has to be based on price. That means price wars and thin profit margins. As a solution to being competitive or appearing to be the best value, we only hurt the customers and ourselves.

Service is Communications and Delivery!

How often have you looked at your company’s service and asked how good it is? Or does it matter? Whether business is good or bad, its service is something that needs to be looked at constantly. Of course, if you’ve follow my articles, you learned that marketing is ultimately service.

Are You a Small, High-Growth Business Owner?

I’ve discovered some very interesting things over the past 3 decades. There exists a type of small business quite unique to most. They seem to be creative and progressive. They are in retail, professional, services, construction, manufacturing, warehousing — everywhere.

Marketing and Your Business are One!

By Stanley El

As I continue to support marketing for small and local businesses, I also continue to hear business owners say they don’t need marketing. It is obvious that they don’t fully understand what marketing is. There are several viewpoints. Some business owners feel marketing is selling — when a person brings in a product or knocks on your door to try to sway you with a lot of fast talk and fancy gimmicks. Others feel marketing is advertising. There are some who believe marketing is some kind of gift item given away to try to get customers. One of the biggest is the multilevel selling. This where you buy into an organization’s product and sell it through other people. You make money from everything sold by those recruited by or through you.

Good Marketing Ideas Don’t Work — Good Plans Do!

By Stanley El

If I were to tell you that you can get 10 of the best ideas for building and marketing your business, you would probably jump for the opportunity. Well, what if I told you there are dozens of books with marketing ideas to help you build your business? Now you’re probably wondering what I’m up to.

Creating Value Can Build Business

By Stanley El

Many small businesses build their companies to meet demand. Of course, when the demand slows down or is not there, we may have a problem. You must understand a few basic things. One is that you should build your business to meet the demand for your product or service. Two is that you should be a major part of creating that demand. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses start up because of demands that appeared to not be met. Others start because the idea seemed worthy of survival, or be your own boss.

Principles of American Business Ownership Development(TM)

ABODE Principle No. 5
Business ownership is a career, a profession, a way of life and must be continually developed into mastery as with any other profession or craft. (Click on the ABODE Principles link for a list of all 13 principles.)

“If you are a business owner, you must be committed to learning – continuous development.” (See also the “Five Spheres of Leadership and Influence.)

Seven Seeds of Business Success(TM)

These are the factors that may make or break your business regardless of size or position. Study them well. Click on the “ABODE Tools” for more practical business development tools. All Rights Reserve The National Society of American Business Owners

Image: A Business’ Most Valuable Hidden Asset

By Stanley El

There’s a big secret about marketing that almost all small businesses know, but fail to realize its importance. It is often the difference between success and failure. And most often the difference is whether marketing is viewed as an expense or an investment.

Marketing Dollars and Advertising Effectively

By Stanley El

I can’t help noticing the number of businesses using newspaper advertising in the area. Print advertising has been the mark of local small business marketing for a long time. I often ask, when consulting small business owners, how well their advertising works. The typical answer is they don’t know. Except when advertising is their only means of promoting their businesses. As a marketing specialist, I need to know why they advertise if they don’t know if it’s working.

Small Business Success in Marketing

By Stanley El

Let’s begin by defining small business. I’ve learned that any business can be a small business, especially if you have big competition. The small businesses I’m writing about are those who needed the greatest support. They might be a family-owned, a local professional service, manufacturer, distributor, or one-person business.