Tuesday, November 29, 2011

9 Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money

By Ilya Pozin @ilyaNeverSleeps
Don't show 'em the money (even if you have it). Here are nine better ways to boost morale.

The ability to motivate employees is one of the greatest skills an entrepreneur can possess. Two years ago, I realized I didn’t have this skill. So I hired a CEO who did.

Josh had 12 years in the corporate world, which included running a major department at Comcast. I knew he was seasoned, but I was still skeptical at first. We were going through some tough growing pains, and I thought that a lack of cash would make it extremely difficult to improve the company morale.

I was wrong.

With his help and the help of the great team leaders he put in place, Josh not only rebuilt the culture, but also created a passionate, hard-working team that is as committed to growing and improving the company as I am.

Here are nine things I learned from him:
  1. Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.
  2. Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.
  3. Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”
  4. Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.
  5. Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.
  6. Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.
  7. Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.
  8. Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.
  9. Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.
About the Author

Ilya Pozin founded his first company, Ciplex, at age 17. The digital marketing and creative agency caters to small businesses and startups. Ciplex, which has received the Inc.500/5000 award for two consecutive years,  is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, Jerusalem, Serbia, and Germany. In 2010 Ilya hired a new CEO and moved into the President/CMO role so that he could focus on building new ventures.   Originally from Russia, he currently resides in L.A. with his wife and daughter.

Also Read How a Few Bad Apples Ruin Everything


========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com 
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Rough Recording: One Hit Combo (Parokya & Gloc 9)

Recorded on August 3, 2010 at Chito Miranda's room...

"Eto yung video ng recording ng One Hit Combo. Ni-record lang namin 'to sa kwarto ko. ---@chitomirandajr (twitter ko)"



See our featured videos on our VideoRoll featuring Yeng Constantino, APink, Tiffany Albord and more!
========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Gary Vaynerchuk's Advice to Entrepreneurs

Focus on Your Strengths



No 4-hour Work Week



Crush it!


========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
 Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Lifetime Health Problems of Call Center Agents

by Benjamin Robert Johnson


As a public lifetime health educator, one of the countries I have visited is the Philippines. Among any others, this country brags of its proficiency in English communication. Gladly, most English speaking countries like my country, the US, take this opportunity to outsource some of their call centers here.

Primarily, cheap labor is what prompted foreign businesses to outsource here. As what I have observed, many Filipinos set aside their childhood dreams to work in call centers. How sad it is to note.

Call centers often lure young professionals because of a relatively high starting salary of 15,000 pesos (a lot higher than average laborers) and not to mention allowances, signing bonuses, good work performance, and other incentives.

In reality however, companies are exploiting the cheap labor here in the Philippines. A Filipino call center agent earns on average around $4000 dollars a year lower than Thailand with $4,900, Malaysia with $5,200, and Singapore with $16,900.

Not to mention the lifetime health problems attributed in working at a call center. These include:
  1. Stress problems. Call center agents are always under pressure since they are constantly monitored. Low job discretions with high performance monitoring contribute to stress and rapid burnout. Months or years under stress can cause heart problems, nervous breakdown, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, and many others.
  2. It causes boredom and lack of interest. Call center agents work the phones for the entire duration of their shifts unlike other jobs where people get a chance to go out and get fresh air, read newspapers, surf the internet, and take some snacks. Some call centers may be loose on these things but not loose enough compared to other industries. Boredom and lack of interest can cause a death knoll of the brain – it reduces brain power. For long, it contributes to memory loss even at a younger age.
  3. Very potent source of anxiety. Since everything is monitored, low score translates to corrective memos which can cost an agent his job; this constant monitoring cause anxiety to agents. On the losing part, penalized agents do not even have enough opportunity to appeal. In some companies, even tenured agents issued with corrective action memos get terminated.
  4. Females suffer from Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). According to a survey by the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research, a 10-minute break period is allowed for personal use like going to the restroom. This becomes difficult to workers more specifically to females since a cold working environment encourages frequent urination.
  5. More exposure to unhealthy foods and lifestyle. Bars, restaurants, and convenient stores accommodate night shift workers. We all know that foods serve in these places are highly processed or packed. Thus, this leads to unhealthy food choices and unhealthy manners like smoking or severe drinking of coffee. These bad practices can further lead to lung cancers, high blood pressure, depression, cellulite problems, and even malnutrition.
  6. Body clock is disrupted. Disrupting one’s biological clock more often can cause manic depression and heart problems.
  7. Less socialization leads to emotional problems. Since the time followed is of the client’s, there is less time for the family and friends. Weekends and holidays are rarely off and there is prevalent overtime or extended time. Dr. Prandya Kulkarni, who writes for United Press International Asia, adds that young BPO workers, who receive high salaries, do not have the maturity and emotional capability to handle their wealth. This sudden wealth syndrome has led to such high-risk behaviors as loose sexual practices, drug addictions, and alcohol abuse.
  8. Exhaustive workload creates lifetime health vulnerabilities. According to studies, exhaustive workloads can lead to various diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular illnesses, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, and high risks of cancer. Also, more medical needs are created to cure these heart diseases, or even cut off body fats, and even reduce cellulite build up for agents. Medical expenses lead to more financial problems.
  9. Exposure to health hazards. An independent study shows that working in call centers shows high incidences of eyestrains symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms, voice disorders, and hearing problems.
  10. Causes intellectual drain and immaturity. A Foreign independent shows that agents usually have a monotonous lifestyle, it only involves work, eat, sleep, and a little socialization. This common lifestyle often leads to communal apathy or in Filipino terms they call it “walang pakialam.” Since call center agents are engrossed with their work, they do not have time to respond to social needs and concerns which can directly benefit them as a community and as a country. If this mentality is imbibe, then a worse social cancer of apathy will surely pull the Philippines down as it is happening today.
Myriads of lifetime health problems are faced with call center agents. Lack of education, social awareness, and public response made this things happen. It gives individual health problems and a social cancer if these problems are not addressed.

Source: Lifetime Health Problems of Call Center Agents

Recommended Read: Common Health Problems of a Call Center Agent


========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Health Hazards in Call Center Jobs?


There was a health concern now rising among call center population in the industry.  Although there was no thorough study on the short and long term impact of being a call center agent, there was an increasing rise on health and psychological problems amongst the call center population according to a recent industry survey.
The question now is whether the high paying job is commensurate to the hazards it poses to the call center agent.

The call center job in the Philippines is offering hefty salary and benefits to those willing Pinoys who take the night shift job. However, recent rise in health problems and concerns suggests that it’s taking its toll on the call center agent’s health both physically and mentally. Ronnie P., 26 year old single male, is a typical customer care call center agent. He is already self supporting and is paying for his own pad from his own salary. He has been getting a lot of attention from his superiors because of his excellent performance which also pays him more than his contemporaries.

However, Ronnie is experiencing some radical changes in his body.  And he will tell you that it was doing him no good.  His weight had grown to 120 kilograms, or about 264 pounds, and he was missing out on social life as he worked long overnight hours at a call center. Now, he is thinking of quiting the call center job to the dismay of his boss when he discussed this in one of their huddles.

“You are making nice money. But the trade-off is also big,” said Ronnie, who now spent nearly three years at a well known call center company in Manila, answering customer calls from the United States.

Call centers and other outsourced businesses like software writing, medical transcription and back-office work employ more than half a million young men and women in the Philippines, mostly in their 20s and 30s, who make much more than their contemporaries in most other professions.  The estimate will grow fast in the next 2 years.

They are, however, facing sleep disorders, heart disease, depression and family discord, according to doctors and several industry surveys.  Experts agree that the brewing crisis could undermine the success of Philippine’s hugely profitable outsourcing industry, which earns billions in dollars annually and has shaped much of the country’s transformation into an emerging economic power.

Heart diseases, high blood pressures, strokes and diabetes are among the many illnesses that call center agents face in their career.  The lack of sleep has many ill effects to the human body and sooner or later, it will catch up to those who inadvertently abuse their bodies for money, according to some doctors we interviewed for this purpose.

Reliable estimates on the number of people affected are hard to come by since there is no serious effort yet to look deeply into this looming problem that can take its toll on the national health insurance system in the future. Despite this, government officials and experts agree that it is a growing problem.

“After working, they party for the rest of the time,” and industry spokesperson said at a public meeting last month. They “have bad diet, excessive smoking and drinking. We don’t want these young people to burn out.”

The BPO industry, more particularly the call center sector has come under fire because the sedentary lifestyle of its employees combined with often stressful working conditions make employees more vulnerable to heart disease, digestive problems and weight gain than others. Some complain of psychological distress.

Most call center jobs involve responding to phone calls through the night from customers in the United States and Europe – some of whom can be angry and rude.

It is monotonous and there is little meaningful personal interaction among co-workers. That can also be true of other jobs like software writing and back-office work.

“There are times when the stress is so overwhelming that the agents will fail to cope up with it leading to various problems such us being irritable and restless.” according to Dr. Jose De Vera, psychiatrist.

The complaints are varied, but marital incompatibility and relationship issues top the list, Dr. De Vera added.  This  often because the long, odd working hours which means that couples do not have much time to be intimate together.

More women than men ask for help, he said. The outsourcing boom has created new employment opportunities for Filipina women, but there has been little change in social and family expectations. Adding workplace pressures and stress to an already overwhelming responsibilities at home, which often includes taking care of kids and in-laws, leaves women workers with multiple stresses.
For those single women, loneliness can also take a toll. “There is no social life,” said Linda, who worked at night and either slept or watched television during the day. “You are not meeting new people.”

The main trade body of the outsourcing industry, said many of its member.  Some companies have recognized this phenomenon already and are taking the right steps to alleviate the call center agents problems.  Call center firms were already providing advice on health, gyms and money for regular checkups

Some have set up 24-hour help lines for counseling by psychologists, while others have connected with health clubs and counseling companies. Some even built day care centers for children and routinely sponsor group outings by their employees.

But will this be enough to work?  We believe there should be more focused attention on this threatening problem rather than to resolve issues on a piecemeal basis.  Companies should contribute to the study of the lingering effects of call center work to their agents and set aside funding to find solutions to those findings.

You, what do you think?

Do you believe that there is a health hazard to the call center agent job?  If yes, what do you think the industry, the government and the call center agents do to solve this problem?

Source: Pinoy Call Center Jobs Blog
========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Be Positive Daily: Grab this Affirmation Video

When you feel down or losing steam in your career or life, just go back to this video and be re-energized:



Read: How to Use Intention to Experience a Desired Change. (At the end of this article you can watch the full movie of "The Secret." Go there now.)


========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Rumor: Justice League Movie In The Works After Superman And Green Lantern Sequels

Plans are being put together for Justice League movie for either a 2015 or 2016 release.

DC Entertainment will be spearheading the film, and it will be distributed by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.



Geoff Johns, DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and Co-Producer on the Green Lantern movie, will be on the Justice League movie as an Executive Producer, and will be doing the initial treatment for the film before a writer is brought on to pen the screenplay.

David Goyer (screenwriter on Man of Steel) is said to be the initial favorite for the screenplay.

As Johns hasn't started work on the treatment yet, story details will not be made known, just production details within the next few months as to what it will hold.

The reason for the later release date is to get the movie right and do it proper.

They want Christopher Nolan and wife, Emma Thomas, to be involved in the film in some capacity, most likely as producers. Don't expect Christian Bale as Batman; it will be a new actor in the role.

However, Henry Cavill and Ryan Reynolds could appear as their respective characters, Superman and Green Lantern -- but it is too early to tell.

There is a strong indication that the Justice League movie will be part of a shared universe.

WB wants another Superman movie released before Justice League; however, don't expect that story to be compromised for Justice League, as the next Superman film will still be treated as a stand alone film.

Another Green Lantern film before Justice League is also a possibility. It's being said the Green Lantern sequel will definitely be better than the first as Sinestro will be the villain, and also that the sequel will act as the first step towards a joint universe in which hints towards other heroes can be intergrated more easily (than lets say a Superman sequel).

Source: ComicBookNews
             ComicBookMovie

========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Discountitis

By Rene Espinosa

“Discountitis” is fast spreading like a virus among salespeople.  It is a sickening condition which renders a sales agent unable to secure orders at the normal price.  At the slightest hint of price objection, the sales representative will immediately discard his ace right under his sleeves ---  discounts.

Time and again, whenever I am asked to conduct sales training, company owners, Presidents and Sales & Marketing Heads will tell me, “Our people know very little how to handle price objections.  They seem to think that without giving a huge discount, the product or service cannot be closed.”

I can’t help but recall one company where I’ve conducted a sales training program.  In order to simulate a real situation, I asked somebody to play the role of the prospective customer and another to play role of the customer service representative or salesperson.  As a matter of course, the “customer” inquired about the various services of the company and then the price of the one she liked the most. The “salesperson” with much enthusiasm explained the different packages and then told the “customer” the price.   

When the customer showed reluctance and raised concern about the price, immediately and without batting an eyelash, the salesperson offered a whooping 30% Discount.  I could see the very upset reaction in the eyes of the General Manager.  If her people would dispose this way in her presence, the more they would do so in her absence.  Her people would offer discounts left and right at the expense of the company’s profit margin.

How do you handle requests for discounts?  How do you handle price objections?  If you are leading a group of salespeople, you should see to it that your people will internalize them.


1. Before Answering Your Customers’ Price Objections, You Must First Answer Your Own.

If the salesperson himself believes that the price of his company’s product or service is too high, he will not be effective in handling the price objections of the customer.   I believe this is very essential.  In the words of Martin Shafiroff, “All great business successes have strong convictions in what they are doing.  Essentially, the first person you must sell to, if you want to succeed, is yourself.  I believe this is vital.  When you believe in what you are doing, the other party evaluating your comments is going to react accordingly.”

Along this line, business owners or sales leaders must make it a point to give a product orientation to their people.  The purpose is not merely to explain the products but more importantly, to convince them of the value of the products.  This can be done once in a while or during sales meetings.  Remember, if the salesperson is sold himself, then he will not easily cower even under a Herculean pressure.


2. Remember, Many Ask For A Discount Or Raise Price Objections Merely As A Force Of Habit.

Studies show that many who ask for a discount do not expect that their request will be granted.  As Kelley Robertson has put it, “Recognize that people ask for more than they expect to get.” Believe it or not, a lot of prospective customers are just giving it a try.  With or without a discount, they will still buy anyway.  Unfortunately, many customers are far better than the salespeople when it comes to sales presentation or negotiation.  The customers present with more conviction (i.e., the plausibility of a bigger discount) compared to the way the salesperson presents the value of his product. That is why, the stark fact is that, it is the salespeople who often get the shorter end of the stick.  

3. Even If You Have To Give Discounts, You Must First Defend The Price You Have Initially Given.

Picture this in your mind.  Suppose, for example, that you are looking for a second-hand car and I come to your office to offer my Honda Accord.   Let’s just say that my initial offer is Php600,000.  Smirking, you shot back with, “Come on, just give it for Php560,000.”  To your complete surprise, my immediate reply is, “OK, Php560,000.  Deal!”   What would you feel?  Even if you got what you asked for, you would still feel short-changed, don’t you agree?  

If, instead of giving in immediately, I replied, “You know buddy, I could really sell that car even for Php640,000.00  if I were not in a hurry.  I just need money very badly now.  But with its well-maintained engine, new seat covers, etc., etc., Php600,000.00 is a jackpot for you.”  Now, you may still try to haggle down the price.  I may just repeat my justifications but if I have to, I will say, “OK, just to finish the whole thing.  Let’s settle for Php575,000.00.  Even if you manage to ask for more concessions and let’s say, you’ve succeeded to scale it down to Php560,000.00, what would you feel?  You’ll get the impression that you’ve bought something valuable, right?

4. You Should Use Some Effective Techniques To Win In A Sales Negotiation

The next time you find yourself entangled in a negotiation, do not use a knife while your opponent is using an M16.  Allow me to offer a few techniques you may find useful.  To make it easy for you, I will use alliteration - they all start with the letter “S”.

(a) The first is called the SURPRISE technique.
As the title suggests, it is a visible reaction to the offer or counter-offer of the opponent.  If somebody asks for a big discount, for example, instead of appearing calm and composed, you make the other person uncomfortable about his offer by appearing shocked and surprised.  

“What! 30% Discount!”  Unless the other person is a seasoned negotiator, he will lower his expectation for a 30% discount.

(b) The second is called the SUMMARY technique.
Price objections are raised because the prospects fail to appreciate the value of the product.  He looks at the price and it looks far bigger than the benefits the product offers.  Your role as sales professional is to make him see again and again the benefits of using your product.  Here, you can make a brief recap about the different advantages and benefits of your product or services (e.g., safety feature, savings, etc.).  “Mr. Prospect, you did say you wanted this feature.  Likewise, you mentioned it would meet the objectives of your company if the quality is . . . ?  Moreover . . .”

(c) The third is called the SLICE technique.
You can break down the price into smaller units.  Let me illustrate.  Suppose, for example, that you are selling an equipment worth Php96,000 with a lifespan of ten years.  Instead of talking with the prospect about the astronomical amount of Php96,000, you can talk to him about his investment per year which is only Php9,600.  Then you can further break it down and tell your prospect, “This equipment will definitely increase your profits (or reduce overhead costs) year after year for a very small investment of Php 800 a month.  Makes good business sense, don’t you think so?”   

Here’s how a real estate salesman may deal with Mr. Cruz, a prospect who has been renting an apartment for Php15,000.00,  If Mr. Cruz is really interested in a property with a monthly amortization of Php20,000.00  but raises price objections, the real estate salesman can respond with, “Mr. Cruz, what we are talking about here is the fulfillment of your dream for your family.  Your investment here is only Php20,000 a month.  Considering your monthly rental, it means that we are talking of an investment of only Php5,000 a month or Php1,250 a week or less than Php200 a day.  Mr. Cruz, for Php200, will you deny your family a house they can call their own?”

(d) The fourth is called the SUBTRACTION technique.
We have a saying, “You will only know the value of a person when he or she is gone.”  This is true of marriage and courtship, right?  (I am not an expert here, ha ha!).  Guess what?  This principle applies in sales presentation, too.  In order for your prospect to appreciate more the value of the benefits of your product, try “removing” them (mentally).  

So, one of the first things you can do is to determine the features that your prospects like the most about your product then “remove” them.  “Sir, this product has this AAA feature which guarantees more production in your poultry.  If it didn’t have this system like many other products today, the price could be reduced.  But do you want this product without the AAA feature?”   

As you can see, sales negotiation techniques are used to lower your opponent’s expectations or justify your price.  No, your people don’t have to be the next victim of Discountitis if you will exert efforts to train them and make them see the value of your product.

****************************************************************
Note:  If you want to learn more techniques in handling price objections and closing more sales, then don’t miss the special seminar – 39 Ways to Close More Sales to be conducted by Rene Espinosa on November 25 at RCBC Plaza.  For reservations, please call Powermax Consulting Group now at 470-1055.

****************************************************************
Do you have an interesting sales experience?  Like how you have handled a challenging objection or a difficult situation or how you have successfully closed a sale?  Inspire others by sharing it.  I may feature it in my seminar. Send it to rene@powermaxph.com  and  ren.espinosa@gmail.com 

========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Canada's New "Super Visa"

Canadian officials on Friday announced a new two-year, multi-entry "super visa" for parents and grandparents of immigrants settled in Canada.

The move came after wait times for sponsorship of "family class" applications had grown to an unwieldy seven years or longer.

"Without taking action, those times will continue to grow, and that is unacceptable," said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney in announcing the move.

"Action must be taken to cut the backlog, reduce the wait times, and ensure that the parents and grandparents program is sustainable over the long run," Kenney said.

The multiple-entry "Parent and Grandparent Super Visa" will be valid for up to 10 years, officials said, and allow applicants to remain in Canada for 24 months before needing seek visa renewal.

The new visas will begin on December 1 and the will be issued, "on average, within eight weeks of the application," officials said.

Source: Y! News
========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Saturday, November 5, 2011

How a Few Bad Apples Ruin Everything

What harm can a handful of nasty or incompetent employees do? A lot more than you may think.
Superstars get a lot of attention from bosses. But bad apples deserve even more.A growing body of research suggests that having just a few nasty, lazy or incompetent characters around can ruin the performance of a team or an entire organization—no matter how stellar the other employees.

Bad apples distract and drag down everyone, and their destructive behaviors, such as anger, laziness and incompetence, are remarkably contagious. Leaders who let a few bad apples in the door—perhaps in exchange for political favors—or look the other way when employees are rude or incompetent are setting the stage for even their most skilled people to fail.
It's crucial for leaders to screen out bad apples before they're hired—and if they do slip through the cracks, bosses must make every effort to reform or (if necessary) oust them. 

Spreading the Vibes

It's easy to understand why bosses would rather focus on attracting and developing superstars. A mountain of research shows that stars and geniuses can deliver astounding results. And, obviously, it's more fun and inspiring to focus on top-performing, energetic employees.

But studies of everything from romantic relationships to workplace encounters show that negative interactions can pack a much bigger wallop than positive ones. The reason is simple: "Bad is stronger than good," as psychologist Roy Baumeister and his colleagues put it. The negative thoughts, feelings and performance they trigger in others are far larger and longer lasting than the positive responses generated by more constructive colleagues.

Consider research on bad apples and team effectiveness by Will Felps, Terence R. Mitchell and Eliza Byington. They examined the impact of team members who were deadbeats ("withholders of effort"), downers (who "express pessimism, anxiety, insecurity and irritation") and jerks (who violate "interpersonal norms of respect"). An experiment by Mr. Felps found that having just one slacker or jerk in a group can bring down performance by 30% to 40%.

How can organizations squash those negative influences? The easiest way, obviously, is to avoid hiring bad apples in the first place—and that means taking a different approach to assessing candidates for jobs.

The usual means of screening are often weak when it comes to determining if a job candidate is a bad apple. Candidates may have gone to the best schools or may come across as charming and brilliant in interviews—thus disguising their laziness, incompetence or nastiness.

That's why one of the best ways to screen employees is to see how they actually do the job under realistic conditions. Akshay Kothari and Ankit Gupta favor that approach. When they're hiring new people for their Palo Alto, Calif., company, Pulse, which makes a news-reading app for mobile devices, they consider evaluations from peers and superiors and do multiple rounds of interviews. But they say the most effective thing is to bring candidates in for a day or two and give them a short job to accomplish. (The candidates are paid for their time.)

Not only do they learn a lot about the candidates' technical skills, Messrs. Kothari and Gupta say, but they also learn about their personality. How do they deal with setbacks? Do they know when to ask for help and to give others help? Is the candidate the kind of person they want to work with? The partners say there have been several candidates who looked great on paper and came highly recommended but weren't offered jobs—because technical and interpersonal weaknesses surfaced during the selection process.

Play Nice or Else

Beyond smarter screening, it's important to develop a culture that doesn't tolerate jerks. The best organizations make explicit their intolerance for bad apples; they spell out which behaviors are unacceptable in the workplace and act decisively to prevent and halt them.

Consider Robert W. Baird & Co., a financial-services firm that has won praise as a great place to work. The company is serious about creating a culture where disrespect and selfishness are unacceptable. They call this the "no jerk rule" (though they use a more colorful word than "jerk").

The company starts sending the message during the hiring process, says CEO Paul Purcell. "During the interview, I look them in the eye and tell them, 'If I discover that you are a jerk, I am going to fire you,' " he says. "Most candidates aren't fazed by this, but every now and then, one turns pale, and we never see them again—they find some reason to back out of the search."

When the company makes a hiring error and brings aboard an employee who persistently demeans colleagues or puts personal needs ahead of others, Baird acts quickly to deal with or expel the bad apple.

Mr. Purcell's crusty approach won't work in every company culture. For an idea of how to handle the task with a more subtle hand, look at renowned chef Alice Waters, who has headed the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., for 40 years now.

Biographer Thomas McNamee describes how Ms. Waters's love of people and food has spread to those around her. Along the way, though, many bad apples have been shown the door—but Ms. Waters doesn't hold it open. The process usually starts when one of her colleagues conveys the message that Ms. Waters isn't "entirely pleased." If the hints don't work, then that colleague—or someone else close to Ms. Waters—does the firing.

A spokesman for Chez Panisse says Ms. Waters does personally fire employees on occasion and "she manages to have that person feel as though they are making the decision to leave and it is better for themselves to move on and explore new opportunities." He also notes that a large percentage of employees have been with the restaurant for decades.

Keeping Them Close

There are times, of course, when an organization can't—or won't—remove a destructive personality. Maybe the person is a star as well as a bad apple, for instance, or is otherwise crucial to the operation. In such cases, leaders might try to use coaching, warnings and incentives to curb the toxic employee's behavior. Another tactic is to physically isolate the bad apple.

In one organization, there was a deeply skilled and incredibly nasty engineer whom leaders could not bring themselves to fire. So, they rented a beautiful private office for him several blocks from the building where his colleagues worked. His co-workers were a lot happier—and so was he, since he preferred working alone.

But beware: Leaders who believe that destructive superstars are "too important" to fire often underestimate the damage they can do. Stanford researchers Charles O'Reilly and Jeffrey Pfeffer report a revealing episode at a clothing retailer. The company fired a top-producing salesman who was a bad apple. After he was gone, none of his former colleagues sold as much as he had. But the store's total sales shot up by nearly 30%. The lesson, according to the researchers: "That one individual brought the others down, and when he was gone, they could do their best."

Mr. Sutton, a professor of management science and engineering at Stanford University, is the author of "Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best…and Learn from the Worst." He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.
Recommended Read: How to be the Millionaire Next Door


========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Munoz stops Leben in UFC 138 main event

Before UFC 138 ever started, Mark Munoz said that he believed he was finally hitting his stride and was ready to make a statement in the middleweight division.

The former two-time NCAA champion wrestler did exactly that with a hard-fought performance and victory over Chris Leben to cap off UFC 138. Munoz won via TKO when Leben couldn’t continue after the second round.

In what had to be one of the craziest rounds of the year, Munoz and Leben went after each other with reckless abandon during the first five minutes of their fight, throwing the fact that they had 25 minutes to battle out the window.

Leben on a couple of occasions looked to put Munoz away with guillotine chokes, as well as launching his signature sledgehammer lefts and rights. Meanwhile, Munoz played a very smart and tactical strategy putting Leben on his back and wailing away with what has become the most vicious ground and pound in the sport.
Munoz has learned so much about MMA since he started fighting that some wondered if he was going away from his wrestling too much, but he fought Leben with the best strategy available to him and he says that was the game plan all along.

“I had to get my angles, utilize my wrestling, hit my single leg and use my ground and pound. That’s what I did,” Munoz said.
 
The first round was a dogfight with back and forth exchanges, and both Leben and Munoz tried to gain a slight upper hand. As the fight wore on, however, Leben’s gas tank started to drain and Munoz was able to kick into overdrive.

A right hand came crashing down on Leben’s eye courtesy of Munoz, and a large gash was opened up as the former “Ultimate Fighter” season 1 competitor started to wear a crimson mask of blood. A brief doctor’s check allowed the fight to continue, but Munoz was unrelenting in his attack.

Seeing Leben as a wounded animal, Munoz went in for the kill and threw punches with all of his force behind him, looking for the finish. The second round horn sounded, but that was all she wrote.
As Leben’s corner checked on him, he simply said that he couldn’t see and that was all they needed to signify the fight was over and declare Munoz the winner.

“Chris Leben is a tough, tough competitor,” Munoz said about his opponent. “I knew I had to look out for his left hand, and he came with it. I had to get rid of my brawling instincts and I had to stick to my wrestling, so that’s what I did.”

While it certainly wasn’t the highlight finish he was looking for, Munoz punished Leben and definitely earned the victory. Following the fight, Leben paid Munoz credit for his evolved fight style and his ability to get the victory.

“Hard to fight when you’re choking on blood. He got me good,” Leben stated. “Munoz is a National Champion wrestler, he’s as good as they come on the ground and I definitely need to evaluate my ground game after that performance. He did a fantastic job on the ground. It takes a man to know to know when they’re beat and he beat me tonight.”

Sources: Yahoo! Sports and MMA Weekly
========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Twilight: Hand and Footprint Ceremony at the fabled Grauman's Chinese Theatre


Thousands of "Twilight" fans lined up on Thursday to get a glimpse of the film franchise's heartthrobs (L-R) Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner. The three became part of Hollywood Boulevard forever at their Hand and Footprint Ceremony at the fabled Grauman's Chinese Theatre. 

Source: Yahoo! | OMG
========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Keanu Reeves: The Real Time Traveler?

Come on!

This might be more ridiculous than the Cage-Travolta "old" pics. But somebody did more research and dug-up look-a-like pics of Keanu Reeves.

Again, your guess is as good as mine...

So where did popular actor Keanu Reeves find the Fountain of Youth?  
Wait, there's more!

A painted portrait by Parmigliani, 15th Century
Related story: Cage & Travolta -- Vampires?

==========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

Face-Off Twist: Nicholas Cage & John Travolta are Vampires?


See it for yourselves.

The much talked about pics on eBay supposedly of Nicholas Cage and John Travolta from the 1800's-1900's have risen speculations of some type of reincarnation, time travel, or of vampires in our midst.

Thanks to the Twilight series, many look at the photos as leaning towards vampires.

Bizarre coincidence? 
Face-Off: 1800's - 1900's Photos of Cage and Travolta's "look-a-likes"

Before the $50,000 eBay listing of the Travolta picture was pulled, the seller postulated that John might perhaps be he same captain of the S.S. Xenuprise.

Your theories are as good as mine.

See related story: Keanu Reeves --- a Time Traveler?


===========================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
Email us: info@agentsentral.com

The Millionaire Mind


CD Cover
Rich people have a way of thinking that is different from poor and middle class people. They think differently about money, wealth, themselves, other people, and life. Let’s examine six crucial differences between how rich people think and how poor or middle class people think.

By doing so, you will have some alternative beliefs in the files of your mind from which to choose. In this way, you can catch yourself thinking as poor people do and quickly switch over to how rich people think.

Remember, beliefs are not right, wrong, true or false, they're just past opinions which can be changed on your command. The fact is, you can CHOOSE to think in ways that will support you instead of ways that don't.

1. Rich People Believe "I Create My Life"

Poor people believe "Life happens to me."

If you want to create wealth, it is imperative that you believe that you are at the steering wheel of your life; that you create every moment of your life, especially your financial life. If you don't believe this, then you must believe you have little control over your life and that financial success has nothing to do with you. That is not a very rich attitude.

Instead of taking responsibility for what's going on in their lives, poor people choose to play the role of victim. Of course, any "victim's" predominant thought process is "poor me." And presto, through the law of intention that's literally what they get; "poor," as in money, me.

Here's some homework I promise will change your life. For the next seven days, I challenge you not to complain at all. Not just out loud, but in your head too. I've given this little challenge to thousands of people and several hundred have personally told me that this exercise completely transformed their lives. I invite you to email me with the results of this experiment. I guarantee you'll be astonished as to how amazing your life will become when you stop focusing on the "crap."

It's time to decide. You can be a victim OR you can be rich, but you can't be both. It's time to take back your power and acknowledge the fact that you create every moment of your life. That you create everything that is in your life and everything that is not in it. That you create your wealth and you create your non-wealth and everything in between.

2. Rich People Play the Money Game to Win


Poor people play the money game not to lose.

Poor people play the money game on defense rather than offense. Let me ask you, if you were to play any sport or any game strictly on defense, what are the chances of you winning that game? Most people agree; slim and none.

Yet, that's exactly how most people play the money game. Their primary concern is survival and security, not wealth and abundance. So, what is your goal? What is your real objective? What is your true intention?

Rich people's big goal is to have massive wealth and abundance. Poor people's big goal is to have "enough to pay the bills..." on time would be a miracle! Again, let me remind you of the power of intention. When your objective is to have enough to pay the bills, that's exactly how much you'll get; just enough to pay the bills and usually not a cent more. You get what you truly intend to get. If you want to get rich, your goal has to be "rich." Not just enough to pay the bills and not just enough to be comfortable. Rich, darn it, rich!

3. Rich People Are Committed to Being Rich

Poor people are uncommitted to being rich.

Most of us have good reasons as to why it would be wonderful to be rich, but what about the other side of the coin? Are there reasons why it might not be so great to be rich or go through the process of trying to get rich?

Each of us has a file on wealth in our mind. This file contains our personal beliefs that include why being wealthy would be great. But for many people, their file also includes information as to why being rich might not be so great. These people have mixed internal messages around money and especially wealth.

One part of them says, "Having more money will make life a lot more fun." But then another part screams, "Yeah, but "I'm going to have to work like a dog! What kind of fun is that?" One part says, "I'll be able to travel the world." then the other part responds, "Yeah, and everyone in the world will want something from me." These mixed messages are one of the biggest reasons that most people never become rich.

In fact, the #1 reason most people don't get what they want is they don't know what they want. Rich people are totally clear they want wealth. They are unwavering in their desire. They are fully committed to creating wealth. They will do "whatever it takes" to have wealth as long as it's moral, legal and ethical. Rich people do not send mixed messages to the universe. Poor people do.

I hate to break the news to you, but getting rich is not a "stroll in the park." It's takes focus, expertise, 100% effort, and "never say die" perseverance. You have to really commit to it, both consciously and subconsciously. You have to believe in your heart you can do it and you deserve it. If you are not fully committed to creating wealth, chances are you won't.

4. Rich People Think Big

Poor people think small.

We once had a trainer teaching at one of our seminars who went from a net worth of $250 thousand to over $600 million in only 3 years. When asked his secret he said, "Everything changed the day I began to think big." In my book, SpeedWealth, I discuss the "Law of Income" which states that "you will be paid in direct proportion to the value you deliver according to the market place."
Another way of understanding this is to answer the following question: How many people do you actually serve or affect?

For instance in my business, some trainers enjoy speaking to groups of 20, others are comfortable with 100, others like an audience of 500, still others want 5000 people or more in attendance. Is there is a difference in income between these trainers? You bet there is.

Who are you? How do you want to live your life? How do you want to play the game?

Do you want to play in the big leagues or in little league, in the majors or the minors?

Will you play big or play small? It's your choice.

But hear this. It's not about you. It's about living your mission. It's about living true to your purpose. It's about adding your piece of the puzzle to the world. It's about serving others.

Most of us are so stuck in our egos that everything revolves around "me, me and more me." But again, it's not about you, it's about adding value to other people's lives. It's your choice. One road leads to being broke and miserable, the other leads to money, meaning, and fulfillment.

It's time to stop hiding out and start stepping out. It's time to stop needing and start leading. It's time to start being the star that you are. It's time to share your gifts and value in a BIG way. There could be thousands or even millions of people counting on you. Are you up to the challenge for our society and our children's sake? Let's hope so.

5. Rich People Are Bigger Than Their Problem
s

Poor people are smaller than their problems.

Getting rich is not a stroll in the park. It's a journey that is full of obstacles, twists, and detours. The simple fact is, success is messy. The road is fraught with pitfalls and that's why most people don't take it. They don't want the hassles, the headaches and the responsibilities. In short, they don't want the problems.

Therein lies one of the biggest differences between rich people and poor people. Rich and successful people are bigger than their problems while poor and unsuccessful people are smaller than their problems.

Poor people will do almost anything to avoid anything that looks like it could be a problem. They back away from challenges. The irony is that in their quest to make sure they don't have problems, they have the biggest problem of all... they're broke and miserable.

The secret to success is not to try to avoid or shrink your problems; it's to grow yourself so you're bigger than any problem.

Imagine a "level 2" character person looking at a "level 5" problem. Would this problem appear to be big or small? The answer is that from a "level 2" perspective, a "level 5" problem would seem BIG.

Now imagine a "level 8" person looking at the same "level 5" problem. From this person's perspective, is this problem big or small? Magically the identical problem is now a SMALL problem.

And for a "level 10" person, it's NO problem at all. It's just an everyday occurrence, like getting dressed or brushing your teeth. Whether you are rich or poor, playing big or playing small, problems do not go away. If you're breathing, you will always have so-called "problems."

What's important to realize is that the size of the problem is never the real issue. What matters is the size of you!
Remember, your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do! The idea is to grow yourself to a place where you can overcome any problems that get in your way of creating wealth and keeping it once you have it.

Rich people do not back away from problems, do not avoid problems and do not complain about problems. Rich people are financial warriors and when a warrior is confronted with a challenge they shout: BRING IT ON!

6. Rich People Focus on Opportunities

Poor people focus on problems.

Rich people see potential growth. Poor people see potential loss.

Rich people focus on the rewards. Poor people focus on the risks.

It's the age-old question, is the glass half empty or half full? We're not merely talking about "positive thinking" here, we're talking about a habitual way of seeing the world. Poor people come from fear. Their minds are constantly scanning for what's wrong or what could go wrong in any situation. Their primary mindset is "What if it doesn't work?" or, more bluntly, "It won't work." Rich people, as we discussed earlier, take responsibility for creating their life and come from the mindset, "It will work because I'll make it work."

In the financial world, as in most other arenas, risk is directly proportionate to reward; generally, the higher the reward, the higher the risk. People with rich mentalities are willing to take that risk.

Rich people expect to succeed. They have confidence in their abilities, they have confidence in their creativity and they believe that should the "doo-doo hit the fan", they can always make their money back or succeed in another way.

On the other hand, poor people expect to fail. They lack confidence in themselves and in their abilities, and should things not work out, they believe it would be catastrophic.

You have to do something, buy something, or start something in order to succeed financially. You have to see opportunities for profit all around you instead of focusing on ways of losing money.

============================
Visit us: http://www.agentsentral.com
 Email us: info@agentsentral.com