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I am a fan of the original Star Trek TV series.  In one episode, one of the characters, Spock, returns home to mate.  His intended rejects him for another, and requires that Spock fight for her, and chooses Kirk, Spock’s captain, as her champion.  After Spock apparently defeats Kirk, and Spock releases his intended for the man she wants, Spock says:

“After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is often true.” – Star Trek, season 2, episode 1 (“Amok Time,” 1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=-wtYGZt7aI4

There is truth in this quote.  I know in my life, I have wanted things, then when I work to get them, I find they are not satisfying or fulfilling.  In addition, things I have worked for are more satisfying than things given to me.

We should be thoughtful about what we want.  We may well find that when we achieve what we want, the thing is not really what we wanted in the first place or did not provide the satisfaction we had expected.  It is very important to think through our goals and objectives, both personally as well as in business.  Is what we may desire at first blush, really what we want?  We may spend a lot of time and energy working for something that in the end is not really what we want or is a poor substitute for what we really want.

It is important to really think about our ultimate goal in business.  What are we trying to accomplish in business?  Is it just to make money, or to accomplish something much more important than that?  I believe that when we create a business, having a vision for something more profound, while harder to accomplish, will provide a more rewarding outcome when we actually accomplish it.

At BitLedger, our vision is to help small businesses succeed.   If businesses out grow our services, and we have helped along the way, we are successful.  We would love the opportunity to talk with you about how we can help you on your journey.

Author: Russ Bell

I came across this article in Forbes about bullying bosses

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2017/09/09/is-your-boss-a-true-bully-how-to-tell-and-what-to-do-about-it/#3cfbe2e12435

In the article the author differentiates between a tough boss and a bully:

A tough boss will insist that you work hard and give your best effort and submit high-quality work all the time. They will also insist you abide by workplace norms such as dress code and other organizational policies. Their goal is to speak the truth in love so that you can be the best version of yourself. They also expect a healthy level of self-discipline, self-awareness, and self-restraint on the part of the individual. They desire exemplary followers who not only meet but exceed the standards.

On the other hand, an abusive or bullying boss deliberately provides you with false or misleading information, humiliates you in public, calls you demeaning names, puts the blame on you and treats you like a servant. They will steal your good ideas and attempt to “get you” if you don’t comply with their demands. They are prone to public displays of anger and attack the person on a personal level rather than criticizing their work. They insist on passive followers who pledge blind allegiance.

This made me think about my views on leadership.  To me, the role of a leader is to provide a vision for the team, then to provide the resources to be successful.  I believe that if a leader makes his team successful, he will be successful.  This does not mean that one must spend more than the organization can afford, but what is within the capability of the organization.   Also, staff see what is going on better than we want to acknowledge.  If we say we cannot afford resources for staff to be successful, or remove unnecessary stress, and then spend money on secondary, frivolous, or extravagant personal items, then claim we cannot afford needed resources for our staff, we are seen hypocrites or like Scrooge.  A team that knows that they are important, respected, and supported will always provide more than a team that feels used and abused.

A leader must lead not push, it is too easy to sit in ones office, and issue orders or commands, and criticism when things are not done.  It is much harder to be involved in your team, to provide the support they need.  This does not mean abdicating your responsibility but providing support to your team to achieve the goals of the organization.

This last paragraph is very important.  The quid pro quo for this kind of leader is that each member of the team must provide an honest days work for an honest days pay.  That means that there is no room for toxic people or people that are just looking for a free ride.  As the article says, a leader must speak the truth in love.  The objective is to help the team succeed, both individually and corporately.

For further discussions about this kind of leadership please contact BitLedger.

Author: Russ Bell CEO

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday from our team at BitLedger. Enjoy the festivities and time with loved ones as we wrap up the year. We wish you great success in the New Year. Remember a new year is a chance for new beginnings, positive change, and further successes.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Have you ever had representation at an event for your business? If so what was that like for you and for your company? Did you have a lot of traffic come through that had a benefit to what you were offering? There can be some great benefit in having a business presence at different events and trade shows. Let’s take a look at ways you can make your attendance worth while.

• When looking at events to attend, ensure it follows in suit with what your business is. For example if your business offers a certain service, it would be ideal to be apart of a business expo. You want to make sure you are targeting the audience that you want.
• Don’t get discouraged. Each event you attend is a gamble. You have no idea who is going to walk through the doors. Some events may be better than others.
• Each time you have your business out there at an event or expo, regardless if you make any sales or gain a new customer, there is still a benefit. Your company is getting exposure and being known in that area.
• When setting up your area ensure it is neat and clean. Have eye appealing color to draw people’s attention. Offering different levels can add eye appeal as well. Having props that are above and below eye level can bring in more attention.
• Have fun! Get out there and talk to people. Don’t be pushy but be engaging. If people are interested they will come to you.
• Look into doing a raffle. This an encourage more people to come by and learn/see what you have to offer.

It’s the time of year many look forward to. The holidays have begun and the festivities are happening. Often among those festivities  are work Christmas parties. As a business do you plan and offer a Christmas party to celebrate with your employees? If so what do you do? There are many options from having a simple luncheon, to dinner at a restaurant or even a full evening out. But there are a few ground rules that should be put in place.

We all love to let loose and have fun. Getting together with the coworkers outside of work for a Christmas party can be exciting but we need to remember that we are employees/managers/owners. There are certain lines and boundaries we do not cross even at a non formal gathering. For example you don’t want to be the one on the floor because you drank too much. Not only is that embarrassing but not something you want your boss or board members to witness. It’s important to remember you will be seeing them again in your work setting. There is nothing wrong with going out and having fun. It can bring you closer as a team by getting to know each other outside of work. But remember you are coworkers.