Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

6 Steps to Choosing a Competent Start-up Service Provider

Insisting on hiring ONLY individuals/companies with a client portfolio can deny you huge benefits. Every start-up WILL begin with ZERO customers. Even Bill Gates, must have had to find a FIRST paying customer or client!

This article suggests other “indicators” you can use (aside from past clients list) to decide whether or not to hire a start-up – pointing out how doing so can yield MORE value than you pay for!

The First Customers Of Sincere First-Time Startups Often Get Served With Passion, Sincerity PLUS Get EXTRA VALUE

Someone has to give the startup a chance to serve. Usually, such first customers/clients get rewarded via services and products delivered with enthusiasm and passion – because the start-up will typically be HUNGRY for success and desirous of recognition – and referrals.

Of course, if the startup is smart, that attitude of giving MORE value than clients/customers pay for is one that s/he will make a PERMANENT feature of his/her business.

It is the key to achieving long term success.

You MAY Need To Assume Some Risk(A Real-Life Case Study)

I do not know the details of how Bill Gates got his first customer, but for very many people who start out in business for themselves, I think the following case study will be representative of their experiences (at least to some extent):

Start — “Ahmed has just started his custom software development service, and has sent out over 100 hundred introduction letters to companies in Lagos. One morning he follows up one of his letters to a company in Ikeja, and the CEO – James – (following two subsequent meetings) awards him a project.” —-End

From the brief narrative it is obvious that James could not have asked Ahmed to mention names of his(Ahmed’s) previous clients, since Ahmed was a first time startup.

This implies that James must have had to LOOK closely at Ahmed, listened carefully to how convincing/competent and sincere he sounded. PLUS he possibly asked questions (or made enquiries) about his background etc.

James would then have decided to “trust” that Ahmed knew what he was talking about – and could deliver the results he promised.

By taking THAT risk or “leap of faith”, James would effectively have afforded Ahmed the opportunity to get a paid job under his belt, which he would then use to “sell” his services to others not willing to proceed without evidence of past clients patronage.

If EVERYONE insisted Ahmed FIRST produce evidence of past patronage, he would probably have had to travel to outer space to find someone willing to give him a chance to serve – even if for FREE!

Apart from the “impossible costs” of getting there(I mean “outer space”), I believe language would have been a bit of a constraint for Ahmed :-)

Thankfully, most entrepreneurs starting up do not have to go that far before they find their first willing clients.

But In Taking the Risk to Hire a Start-up, You’ll Need to Do It Intelligently – & Protect Yourself (Tips You Can Use)

If you want to try giving a FIRST TIME startup (with no clients portfolio) a chance, I suggest you proceed using the following suggestions as a guide:

1. Ask For a Demo/Sample or Preview:

Try and see if s/he can do some kind of cost-free preview, sample, demo or prototype for you to study/evaluate in making up your mind.

A willingness to provide this kind of “evidence” to buttress his/her claims of proficiency would guide you to decide how far to go in trusting him/her.

2. Request a Bio Or Profile:

Where has s/he been?

What was s/he involved in prior to starting up?

What kinds of achievements did s/he have e.g. reputation/pedigree ? work ethics?

Any testimonials (of any sort) from a past life?

3. Enquire About His/Her Rationale For Choosing a Target Audience:

Why did s/he pick you or your company?

What exactly does her company offer that s/he feels is of compelling relevance to YOU?

Is s/he just “shooting in the dark” approaching everyone or has there been conscious effort made to narrow down to a certain group of prospective clientele with defined demographics ?

4. Discuss a Case Study:

Depending on the type of product or service to be delivered, and so long as it does not pose the risk of getting misconstrued as an attempt to “pick” his/her brains*, try to challenge the startup with questions about what exactly s/he can do to solve a specific problem you have.

Get the specific MEASURABLE deliverables s/he promises to produce written down on paper.

*I assume here that you will NOT be guilty of trying to take advantage of a “newbie” entrepreneur, like some people I have encountered :-)

5. Ask About After Sales Policy:

Ask what happens if s/he delivers but fails to meet the agreed standards or deadline etc?

One Suggestion: You could FIRST ask the startup to work with you to generate an “FRS” detailing the measurable results to be delivered.

For instance, in my work I (usually) use a Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) checklist which is generated in collaboration with the client at NO cost to him/her.

At the end of the project, the client is able to run through that FRS checklist and tick off those deliverable outcomes that s/he agrees appear in the completed work. Any “missings” are brought to my attention for action.

When the client’s (in-scope) changes or modifications have ALL been made, I send in a feedback/Job Completion Testimonial form to be filled/signed by him/her. This way both parties are agreed on the final outcome of the project.

6. Be Clear About Your Intentions:

If you’re not interested, say so. If you cannot say so(or don’t thing you can do so without hurting the startup’s feelings), then at least don’t encourage him/her to make follow-up visits. Here’s one way to deal with this problem:

Don’t say: Why don’t you check on me again next week“, when you KNOW you will be away on leave!

Say instead:I’ll think about it, and give you a call if i’m interested.

If s/he does not hear from you, the message would likely be clear – AND you would at least be sure s/he would not resent you deliberately fixing appointments you do not intend to keep with him/her!

Having Said The Above, The Truth is That It’s a Bit More Difficult For The Nigerian Startup…

My experiences as an entrepreneur in Nigeria (before I relocated to Cotonou, to focus on providing online products/services) remind me that it CAN sometimes take a startup a relatively longer while to find ANY kind of first customer – EVEN if s/he expresses the willingness to do it for FREE, just to prove him/herself.

Why this happens I remain uncertain. But I have noticed it happens MORE frequently to startups engaged especially in delivery of intangibles (i.e. services) that are considered – rightly or wrongly – to be NEW, untested, unproven or unpopular.

Let me say however that I am proof that the situation is NOT hopeless.

This is because I successfully transited from the stage where no one gave me the chance to do for them what I claimed to be able to do (e.g custom spreadsheet software development) for two years, UNTIL my persistence led me to find paying clients who readily agreed to reward me profitably to work for them.

Maybe it did not have to be that difficult and traumatising, but looking back, I really don’t think I would have wanted it to be different!

I am tougher mentally and MORE competent/proficient skills-wise as a result of having to go back AGAIN and AGAIN to refine what I had to offer and return to try selling it in the somewhat hostile market place of my society.

Final Words: If You Need The Product/Service, Give The Startup A Chance!

Having said that, I do believe YOU would be better off (if you TRULY have need for his/her product or service) giving a startup a FAIR and IMPARTIAL opportunity to serve you.

If s/he offers to give you a FREE sample, give it a try.

If not, consider hiring him/her for a small project (remembering to protect yourself by applying some of the suggestions offered in this article).

Use the outcome to decide whether or not to hire the startup for a bigger project and/or to give him/her testimonials or referrals.

As I have illustrated at the start of this article, both parties ultimately stand to benefit.

PS: This article is based on excerpts of an original piece first published online, via www.iff.spontaneousdevelopment.com on 1st June 2007.

 

When People Do MORE Without Being Asked, You Commend them! (Hint: That’s Smart Leadership)

[MEMO] From: Ag. Production Manager

To: Tayo Solagbade

Date: 9th March 2000

Re: COMMENDATION

I wish to commend you for the contributions you have been making to our process control through comput(e)risation of operations. Specially worthy of mention is the ODBM calculation spreadsheet for Malta Guinness Brews done on 8.3.2000. I know you put in much thought and time into developing that spreadsheet. Besides it was your idea and you did it unasked.

Thank you and keep up the good work.

Best wishes.

Signed.

A.O. Isikhuemen

cc: Operations Manager, Technical Manager

Photo - MEMO From: Ag. Production Manager, To: Tayo Solagbade, Date: 9th March 2000, Re: COMMENDATION

For years I’ve written articles yapping about how I excelled in Guinness Nigeria by developing spreadsheet solutions to solve various problems or meet unique needs.

But, this is the first time ever, that I am publishing ANY proof to back up my claims, outside of my own narratives and the resume I’ve always shared online.

I mean written, formal or official proof…not just me saying I did something that no one else can corroborate.

Let me add that apart from my use of spreadsheet automation, I also made several creative contributions that earned me accolades – which I will share later on.

The truth is that I never really bothered myself with whether or not anyone told me thank you for any of the solutions I developed.

As I have said in so many past articles, I was driven by a need to enjoy an improved work situation, to use my skills to create the needed changes.

Most of us are familiar with the saying: Be the change you want to see in the world. Well, that was exactly what I chose to do. Rather than sit around and moan about how things could be better, I formed the habit of constantly seeking ways to make things better.

And it did not matter to me if I got rewarded or acknowledged or not. As long as I was able to make things better, I was satisfied. Not surprisingly though, my efforts often made me a darling in most places I worked. And that was enough for me.

But my main purpose for writing this piece is not to talk about myself (I’ve done that many times before now).

Instead, it is pay tribute to the gentleman who chose to go out of his way to formally acknowledge my efforts in his capacity as Acting Production Manager i.e. Austin O. Isikhuemen.

Austin did NOT have to write that letter. After all, I’d worked under other superiors in the past. None of them had written any such letter – even though some of the solutions I’d developed during their terms had been groundbreaking.

That’s not to say they did not wish me well. I’m just saying it did not occur to them to do it.

Such gestures can INSPIRE greater efforts from those who take the pains to go the extra mile without being asked.

And that’s what Austin did.

Not only did he write that commendation letter to me, he went a step further to send copies to the brewery head (Operations Manager – OM) and the Technical Manager (TM) – both of who were expatriates.

To me, that makes Austin a manager with a VERY high level of Emotional Intelligence (click here to read my article on Emotional Intelligence).

I can confirm that Austin’s letter made me feel like doing even more.

I kept on doing so – and it paid off in many ways before I left the company to start my own business.

When he wrote me that letter, I was still a brewer in the Production Department, but had had several stints acting in higher positions (e.g. as Technical Training & Development Manager), where I had also given a good account of myself.

It goes without saying that my past performances, and subsequent commendations like the one influenced top management’s decision to give me greater career advancement opportunities.

For instance, later that year (200), I was promoted substantive TTDM. On top of that I got nominated to attend a 6 week International Brewing Course in the UK.

Other opportunities followed upon my return, including a full month as Acting Production Manager, less than 4 months after I got promoted out of the Production Department!

I’m not saying that Austin’s letter led to all these. What I’m saying is that it would have made noticeable contribution to tip the scales in my favour. And like I said, he did not have to do it. Yet he did it.

I believe what he did is worth emulating.

You don’t have to be in paid employment to do so either: As a business owner, you should do this with your employees/workers. Same applies if you lead others in a group or organization of ANY nature or size.

Indeed, anywhere you see persons doing things worth commending, don’t hesitate to acknowledge them.

It can only make them do more of it, and everybody will be better off as result!

PS: All of this will be published in a comprehensive form, in the books I’m working on. For now, I simply use these articles to offer what I hope will be useful information, education and inspiration…and also a sneak preview of what is to come.

 

No. 166: Seek Success by Being CREATIVE and NOT by being COMPETITIVE

 

 

Click now to view the latest issue of Tayo Solagbade's Public Speaking IDEAS page

Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday 3rd November 2014

No:166

Title: Seek Success by Being CREATIVE and NOT by being COMPETITIVE

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [Tel: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) ]

Blog URL: http://www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets

Archive (E-mail version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here


Logo - Tayo Solagbade's Self-Development Academy

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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email them to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance :-)

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

No. 166: Seek Success by Being CREATIVE and NOT by being COMPETITIVE

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SPEAKING IDEAS (155 pages): 25 Articles and True Stories for Experts Who Speak and Those Aspiring (Volume 1) – now LIVE in my online store!

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As experts-who-speak, serving clients successfully will require periodic self-improvement e.g via reading, skills acquisition etc. However, meditation on/adherence to the right guiding philosophy will be the best way to ensure we NEVER go wrong. I explain below…

Despite implementing an intense web content publishing blitz last week, I found time to REJUVENATE myself RAPIDLY, over the weekend by READING and MEDITATING on the contents of a book I’ve owned for over a decade.

The author of the book died many decades ago.

The book was published before 1910.

Yet, the wisdom it contains remains VERY relevant to success achievement in today’s world.

However, the book does NOT enjoy mainstream popularity because (as the author rightly put it) it challenges the reader to THINK & ACT in a specific way, if s/he is to reap the promised rewards i.e. SUCCESS.

Majority find “thinking” to be too much HARD work…!

Yet, readers who diligently do/did that find success with amazing/shocking regularity – as if they belonged to “another kingdom”…just like the author asserts!

The book offers wisdom for succeeding in a way that leaves others better off…

Now THAT is rare.

The nature of success we see today often involves someone ending up worse off than another person. So some of us may not believe what this book says is possible.

But I’m telling you that it is…and as a student of that “philosophy”, I AM telling YOU that I AM one of those who succeed in that manner!

I do so by giving back MORE use value than the cash value my clients/others pay me. In fact, some don’t give me anything, yet I leave them with more than they had when we first met!

Even more profound is the fact that those who DO NOT know the philosophy, succeed by unconsciously applying it!

This happens because they THINK and ACT in line with what it advocates – and so reap authentic success – just as the book promises, even though they never read it.

I’m living proof of this…all through the 7years I was in paid employment, I habitually gave MORE use value than the salary Guinness paid me, and I constantly thought and acted with purpose.

My track record of relentless success achievement during that period was the reward I got.

I NEVER knew anything about that book or what it preached. But the results I got confirm the author’s claim that the principles described in the book are universally applicable.

The explanation is found in the book: The author – Donald D. Wattles – notes that some people accidentally apply aspects of the philosophy, and rise to success. He however pointed out that they only do it in bits and pieces, not the comprehensive approach the book recommends. As a result, if their circumstances change, they may not easily continue to succeed.

That apparently happened to me UNTIL I switched from paid to self-employment.

I quit my job in Guinness and became self-employed from January 2002. Then I got a PDF copy of the book on a CDROM at an entrepreneurship conference – around August 2002.

But it was bundled with over 12 other PDF e-books, and at that time (my start-up) year, my “excited” state of mind kept me from paying it much attention. So I ignored it.

2 years later, after I’d experienced several severe setbacks and was wondering why I was not succeeding like I’d done in Guinness, I stumbled on the CD among my books.

This time around, my sober state of mind enabled me READ the book as it was meant to be read – and the contents instantly resonated with me. Today, it’s my number one reference for evaluating and evolving my progress in life.

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” – Unknown

I especially like the fact that it gives VERY clear guidelines on the mental attitude one is to adopt in one’s personal as well as business life.

It’s written in simple English, and as the author promises, it’s stripped of “fluff” and retains only the essentials: What you need to know, and to remember, to achieve authentic success.

For instance, in today’s world, so many people are throwing caution to the winds and doing business VERY unethically, and without consideration for the needs of those they transact with.

As a result, so much distrust, fear and suspicion characterize most business relationships.

This book explains how failing to THINK and ACT with integrity in relation to others, and in one’s disposition to the Creator, can stop you from getting the riches (or success) you want.

It then goes on to outline step-by-step guidelines you can follow to avoid making such mistakes.

Simply put, it offers a balanced philosophy, addressing the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of life.

The graphic below features some excerpts/quotes from the Science of Getting Rich E-book…but your best bet is to download it, and READ it by yourself (It’s FREE by the way!)

This graphic features some excerpts/quotes from the Science of Getting Rich ebook - but your best bet is to download it, and READ it by yourself (It’s FREE by the way!)

As my experience demonstrates, with regard to books like this, if you’re NOT ready for it, most of the contents will make no major impression on you initially.

Come back 1 week, a month or several years afterwards, and you may find your needs, concerns, and/or perspectives have changed enough to better appreciate it.

This is why I strongly recommend that you download/store this PDF…until when you’ll need it.

As an expert-who-speaks, the core lesson you will learn from the book, is that you MUST seek success by being CREATIVE and NOT by being COMPETITIVE.

You must continually add value to ALL those around you, even as you seek/get what you want in life – while staying attuned to guidance from YOUR creator.

Get the book and learn more – it will guide you to better serve clients who hire YOU!

Final Words: It’s such a simple philosophy. If MORE people would adopt it, our societies would experience UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS across social strata/classes.

I’ve already explained why adopting it can make anyone more successful at what s/he does.

Wise parents will teach it to their kids from as early as possible in their young lives, so they can grow up mastering its application.

I am already doing that for my own kids. It’s the BEST gift anyone can give his/her offspring – one that they will cherish for life, and gladly pass on to their own offspring.

Indeed, if applied across society, this is one philosophy, as the author has noted, that CAN help to ERADICATE poverty anywhere in the world!

This is NOT the first time I’ll be writing about this book…and it will NOT be the last. The potential benefits make doing so worth it.

More on this over the next few weeks, as I begin to implement the new insights I’ve gained to take my work forward.

Have a great week :-))

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Get Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring
for Africa Based Experts
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www.tayosolagbade.com - Invite me to Speak...click here!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)

http://www.tayosolagbade.com

Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to

Farm Businesses and others.

Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organisations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting,

freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™ and the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook. He is also the developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator™ and the Poultry Farm Manager™ software.

He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organisations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods

and others.

In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.

His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars

and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, and then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy Limited.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes his Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS

newsletter(which he uses to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

You can connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.

====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====

On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.

Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.

But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts

he’s published.

If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.

Click “Tayo, What Happened to SpontaneousDevelopmentDotCom ?” to read a detailed narrative about how the above event occurred :-))

Here’s an article Tayo wrote, to inspire others to defy adversity, and bounce back to even greater reckoning at what they do EVERY time:

And he wrote the one below, to explain why losing a domain name, no matter how old NO LONGER determines your online success or otherwise:

A Proven Strategy to Find Profitable Buyers Regardless of Your Domain Name

==================

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

Useful Resources for Speakers

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Get Burt’s mentoring at any of the 3 levels below:

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Publications

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Smart Exercising Will Keep You Fit, Healthy and Alive - Click to read

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NEW: Speaking Ideas: 25 Articles and True Stories for Experts Who Speak and Those Aspiring (Volume 1)

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NEW: Get 2 Real Life Poultry Layer Farm Start-up Business Plans (PLUS Customization)!

Screenshot of the 1,000 bird Poultry Layer Farm Business Plan I prepared and sent to a new client in Nigeria - click to read the article I wrote on it.

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New Ebook (55 pages): Best Practice Farm Management (& Performance Measurement) for Profits – No. 1 of 4

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New Ebook (57 pages): Farm Business Start-up (Information, Education & Inspiration) – No. 2 of 4

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New Ebook (55 pages): Best Practice Livestock Farm Business Feed Formulation – No. 3 of 4

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NEW: EXCEL-VB DRIVEN POULTRY LAYER FARM MANAGER SOFTWARE

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NEW: Your Practical Feed Formulation (& Compounding) Home Study Video Series Is Now Available

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NEW: Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success

Tayo Solagbade's Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

THEY WROTE…


“(Tayo Solagbade) is amazing and I think he is going to produce some impressive results online…” – click here to read full comment by Patrick Meninga (US based 6 figure income blogger who gained fame for building a $2,000 per month adsense website and selling it for $200,000).

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“Tayo, I honestly believe you are one of those who will succeed at anything he does. Your commitment and effort has been outstanding….Thanks for all your hard work since I’ve been here – you will be sorely missed. I don’t need to wish you good luck, you have the ability to make your own luck. – Andy”(R. Jones)*

*Operations Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc Benin Brewery, December 2001 (Handwritten comments in farewell/xmas cards sent to Tayo Solagbade following his resignation to start his own business).

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Click here to contact Tayo… 

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You can SUCCEED MORE by being a Multipreneur – A True Story (Hint: New Book Coming Soon)

“Specialization is for insects: A human being should be able to change a diaper….butcher a hog…balance accounts…set a bone…comfort the dying…take orders/give orders…cooperate/act alone…analyze a new problem…pitch manure…cook a tasty meal…fight efficiently…die gallantly.” – Robert A. Heinlein [NB: This is an abridged version. See complete/verbatim quote at the end of this piece.]

I coined the phrase “Jack of Many Trades” for use in a 10 page report I wrote on this subject back in March 2003.

It was titled “How to be a Jack Of Many Trades AND Why It Can Make You Succeed More Often!”.

Since then, I have written several other articles in which I shared various income generating successes I’ve recorded, as an entrepreneur, which would never have happened if I had not always functioned as a Multipreneur.

But long before I became a multipreneur in business, I had succeeded as a multipreneur in paid employment, and before then, as a multipreneur as an undergraduate in the university.

Being A “Jack Of Many Trades” In Paid Employment – My Story

I recall vividly that as an ex-Graduate Management Trainee Green-horned Brewer in Guinness Nigeria (in 1995/96), my keen interest in computers initially attracted criticism from some of my peers and senior colleagues in Benin brewery.

One particular individual often readily seized the opportunity of any shortcoming I displayed in doing my job as a Shift Brewer, to insinuate that the time I spent working on the computer (something not at that time in widespread use) prevented me from mastering the essential practical requirements to successfully function as a brewer.

As time went on, I was of course able to demonstrate beyond any shred of a doubt that such assumptions were wrong. Not only did I mature into a competent brewer/shift manager (who got repeated secondments to several other departments to fill sudden vacancies), but I also went on to use my computer (specifically spreadsheet automation) skills to develop over five customized applications.

All were formally adopted in place of the manual reporting systems being used at that time in the various departments I worked.

My abilities got me noticed early by senior management, so that within 2 years of joining the company, I was already actively involved in, and even responsible for collation/preparation of brewery-level reports. These were activities which required an understanding of key manufacturing performance parameters, as well as sound knowledge of various calculation for estimating monetary gains/losses in brewing, for decision making. In the process, I got to know/work closely with senior managers in my function, well ahead of my peers.

Yet, I did all this while still doing my regular job as a brewer.

I was so proficient in doing it all that I felt no strain combining it with my normal job. Looking back, and even considering the sources from which criticism for my multidisciplinary approach came, I have come to the conclusion that many times, people assess the “workability” or “viability” of what another person is trying to achieve from THEIR own mind frame.

If they think it will be difficult for them to do, then they will believe it would be so for the other person. What they forget is that we are not all alike. In fact, there are certain people who cannot stay doing just one single thing for long. They would be bored to death (I happen to be ONE such person!). As one self-confessed multipreneur – Gary Havener – put it, “I guess I just have a short attention span”.

Two Real Life Examples In Pictures

Photo 1: The senior manager presenting me a certificate of Beer Tasting Training completion, was the brewery head, when that photo was taken in 1997 (I was 27). Two years before that, when I’d arrived that brewery, he’d assigned me to work directly with him in his office for 2 weeks.

During that time I prepared all sorts of spreadsheet tables and charts for planning manning and production of brewery packaging operations.

Photo 1: The senior manager presenting me a certificate of Beer Tasting Training completion, was the brewery head, when that photo was taken in 1997 (I was 27).

Photo 2 (L to R = Commercial Services Manager, Engineering Services Manager, then ME): The 2 managers next to me were departmental heads, in 1998 when that photo was taken. In contrast, my title was “Shift Brewer” – 2 steps below their on the management hierarchy. Yet, I got nominated to attend the best practice conference with them.

Photo 2 (L to R = Commercial Services Manager, Engineering Services Manager, then ME): The 2 managers next to me were departmental heads, in 1998 when that photo was taken

In addition to that, I was BY FAR the youngest by age and years in service amongst ALL the attendees.

In fact, virtually all the others were substantive heads of department, and had spent close to 10 years in the company, while I was less than 4 years old in the company!

As you can imagine, therefore, without my demonstrated skill in use of spreadsheets, which I’d employed to develop solutions that decision makers took note of, I could not have earned such high level access to top decision makers.

In reality, minus that skill, I was just like my peers – a green horned young brewer yet to prove himself. And that would not have earned me any special attention!

See how being multi skilled can open unexpected doors of opportunity for YOU?

Indeed, I have ALWAYS been driven to do more than one thing at a time.

Today, despite countless setbacks since I first become self-employed, I succeed in business as a multipreneur doing just that. Again, several past articles provide examples.

The above make it obvious that I really do EXCEL when I operate in that mode!

Simply put, being a Jack Of Many Trades enables me make the MOST of my God-given abilities, to the benefit of myself and all those I come into contact with.

Incidentally, there are MANY multipreneurs, well known for what they do in the world…!

Richard Branson is an example of a multipreneur who has been at it for ages.

And look how he’s doing for himself!

Imagine if he’d stuck to just ONE thing i.e. chosen to specialize? He would NOT be where he is today. And WE would not have been this blessed by many of the brands he’s nurtured and supported to success.

In other words, by following his true passions as a multipreneur, thereby making the most of himself , he’s simultaneously making the world a better place!

Consider Google, Microsoft and other successful organizations and individuals – even entertainers: many are multipreneurs!

If they are not starting new ventures from scratch, they are acquiring controlling shares/interest in other businesses or concerns, with a view to increasing their influence and market share.

It only makes common sense to do this, if one is to achieve long term success and relevance!

And that’s why I believe any person(s) who have multipreneurial tendencies should NEVER be subjected to negative criticism or discouraged.

Instead, they should be helped to develop that unique ability, because if they achieve mastery at it (like I have), their ability to deliver superlative performances, will make them a useful ASSET virtually anywhere they go!

The above is why I’m putting together a collection of real life case studies from my time in paid employment, as well as in business, towards publishing a revised and expanded version of the earlier mentioned report that I wrote a decade ago (see cover below).

Report cover - I coined the phrase 'Jack of Many Trades' for use in this10 page report I wrote back in March 2003. It was titled 'How to be a Jack Of Many Trades AND Why It Can Make You Succeed More Often!'

Persons who wonder how I did it while in paid employment, OR how I DO it now that I’m self-employed, will (through that new book) have the step-by-step guidelines I’ve conceived based on my experiences, and achievements.

But that’s not all.

Readers of my book will also get to read a wide ranging compilation of real life narratives I’ve penned, which illustrate the multidimensional benefits to be had from being a true multipreneur.

And they will also learn how to prepare their kids to make the most of their multipreneurial abilities as early as possible in life.

But all who consider this route must understand that it’s not one that leads to overnight success…

Too many people today do not easily accept that getting what they want may not happen quickly or easily. That mental attitude can present a challenge for anyone who wants to succeed via multipreneuring.

It would be naive for anyone to expect that as soon as s/he commences learning or doing something, success will follow. If the world worked that way, EVERYONE of us would become a millionaire overnight.

So, let’s be honest here, it won’t be easy. Some people find it hard to do just ONE thing they do well. Talk less of you wanting to do several different things well at the same time!

But you have an advantage in the sense that you KNOW it can be done. What you need to understand is that you will need to apply focus, discipline, determination and persistence, to achieve your goal.

EXAMPLE: I spent MANY night shifts as a brewer combining supervision of the brewing plant operations with improving my typing speed using a Typing Tutor, and also working on different spreadsheet solutions on the brewers’ office computer.

One afternoon, the Brewery Manager’s secretary saw me typing and exclaimed:

“Solagbade, you type so fast! What is your speed?”

Since I’d never bothered to check what the typing tutor recorded for me, I could not answer her question readily. But I knew I was much faster than I used to be before I began using the tutor. And that was enough for me. That day I realized my ability in that area could also earn me added recognition – and respect!

Neither the secretary, nor a senior manager who had a habit of calling me “TK Computer” really knew how many hours of hard work I had expended, in my personal free time, to become that good at those things they acknowledged me for.

And if you recall, from my story, I made many blunders at work initially, that caused others to criticize me for lacking mastery of my primary job, because (in their opinion) I spent too much time on the computer. What they did not know was that even after they had gone home, I would often stay back in the brewery to learn directly from the process operators on duty, the rudiments of successfully managing the shop floor process operations.

Many times I would leave the brewery for my house as late as 1.00a.m, even though I had actually worked on morning shift, and close at 2.00p.m the previous day!

Now, may not have to do what I did. But you will have to pay YOUR dues. If you do, you will get to a level of mastery that will make others marvel!

Final Words:

I once watched an edition of Oprah Winfrey’s show in which Venus Williams was interviewed along with her sister, Serena. Both ladies were questioned about criticisms levelled against them by other Tennis stars for engaging in other vocations while still active in top-flight tennis. Venus owned her own fashion design company, and actually designed her own clothes. Serena had been appearing in some new films/movies playing leading roles.

According to Oprah, Martina Navratilova had stated that the sisters were being arrogant by doing that, since it was “expected” that they, as professional tennis players, would concentrate on playing tennis – like all others. In response, Venus said (quite sensibly), that they believed it would be unwise to assume they would continue to do well in tennis indefinitely, and following their parents’ advice, decided to explore other vocations early on.

So long as you are not getting inefficient from doing multiple tasks or acquiring multiple competencies, don’t let people tell you you’re a Jack-of-all-trades.

I once read an article on career development, which advised people in paid employment to “Know A Little About Everything”, if they wish to get ahead on their jobs. In fact, most start-up entrepreneurs HAVE TO be that way for a major part of their start-up life, because they cannot afford(due to limited capital) to do otherwise! Companies – and even individuals – will in the future be looking for a one-stop solution to their needs, and will tend to settle for entrepreneurs(or employees) with proven multiple competencies.

You can be a successful Jack Of Many Trades™, so long as you avoid crossing the not-so-thin line that leads to becoming a “Jack of all trades”. All you need do is intelligently decide on relevant competencies that will help you attain your personal/career advancement goals. Then acquire and put them to use in ways that benefit you, people around you, or the client/organisation you work for. The results you get will excite you perpetually!

PS: Here’s the complete version of the quote I began this article with…

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.” -Robert A. Heinlein

We Who Are Authentically Connected with our Creator MUST Remain a LIGHT for Others to Follow [Hint: Dealing With False Accusations]

How would YOU deal with a FALSE ACCUSATION if it’s leveled against YOU? If you think it can’t happen, you need to read THIS article!

All my life, I have been taught to take the high road, and never to dignify salacious or false accusations. And I have been taught never, never to lie. Not only do I never lie, I never respond to lies, no matter how vicious, no matter how hurtful. ~Paula Abdul

In this article, I explain why we all need to STOP and THINK CAREFULLY when we hear of someone getting PUBLICLY accused of doing any kind of wrong – before passing judgement!

There may be more than meets the eye going on. And if you’re not careful, you could get USED to do evil…and one day, it may come right back at YOU!

I’ve told my kids how a female primary school classmate falsely accused me of peeping at her in the girls room.

That story appears in my new parenting book – Kukuru Danger™ (you can get a FREE PDF chapter preview here). Each of my kids will get a physical copy as a gift, to remind them of what can happen…to even the innocent!

We’ve talked about it several times – me and my 3 boys (15, 13, and 11 years old), and I’ve also discussed it with my 8 year old daughter.

The boys I asked: What would you do if a girl accused you in that manner of doing something you did not do?

It was all fun and laughter, as they tried to give answers. But I did my best to impress upon them the fact that stuff like that happens all the time. And that’s why I wrote my story book – Kukuru Danger™ – to share my experiences and guide them as best as I can.

This aspect of false accusations being leveled against an innocent person is one that really strikes me as having the most devastating potential of all.

It seems as the quality of THINKING in larger society is dropping –partly due to less preference for self-improvement – fewer people are capable of critical thinking.

Now, many people don’t immediately realize that the above has far reaching implications. So I’ve formed a habit of pointing out some of them.

1. When people are too lazy or distracted to do critical thinking, most lame ideas proposed to them will either get accepted or ignored.

Either way, they will not engage in conscious, deep seated examination of issues that occur. As a result, others with manipulative intent will find it easy to exploit their shallowness and naivety, to do naughty things.

The above is why it is so easy today for someone to discredit another person simply by coming forward to make unsubstantiated allegations.

Even if afterwards, nothing is found to incriminate the person wrongfully accused, many people go on thinking “well there’s no smoke without fire”. Maybe s/he was so smart that they could not find evidence to pin it on him/her.

2. Taking it further, and again this does happen, a person with ulterior motives, who sees another person as a potential rival threatening his/her ambitions, may decide to launch a campaign of calumny against the latter.

For instance, people have been known to pay individuals and/or groups, to publicly make false allegations against a rival, so as to drum up public outrage.

In the process, the “rival” often gets discredited, or at least some doubts are raised over his/her credibility.

What is most shocking is the fact that PERMANENT damage can be done to another person’s reputation – SO EASILY today!

…by someone, from virtually anywhere, choosing to come out and say s/he did (or did NOT do) something!

It seems to rarely matter whether the accuser is lying or not. Most people today seem not to be too keen to consider that possibility. This is often so when the “news” is disseminated gleefully by the mass media, or via some powerful or connected person(s) or organization.

In other words, if you want to take a stand on an issue that could pit you against a powerful person, or someone with media links, you could end up getting badly burnt, image wise.

Indeed, if you’re not careful, you could end up serving some punishment e.g. a fine or worse, jail time…and STILL be innocent. History offers useful examples!

I ask: Why is it so easy for these kinds of extreme injustices to happen?

1. Why are those who make all sorts of false accusations that literally destroy the lives of others allowed to do so, and to get away with it?

2. And why is it that even after the truth is discovered, the same people who publicized the lies, do not circulate the truth with the same zeal?

More importantly, I ask the reader to consider the following questions:

1. Do you consider yourself safe from this pandemic of false accusations?

Especially in this day and age when unscrupulous news channels grant audience to those willing to narrate outrageous accounts of phony incidents, to reap financial and other benefits?

2. Do you realize that there was a time when journalists did proper investigation to ascertain the veracity of claims made by those who offered them news? Are you aware that very little of that happens anymore?

3. Does it bother you AT ALL you that an excellent role model in society, who paved the way for others to achieve success, can end up having his/her name discredited via false allegations?

Can you imagine what it must feel like to be the spouse, child, grandchild, brother, sister or parent to such an individual?

Do you know how much pain will be inflicted on multiple souls related to him/her, every time those false allegations are made the subject of the court of public opinion?

The embarrassment and humiliation of bearing the same name with someone who previously one was proud to be related to!

And yet, not because s/he did wrong. But because a mean spirited few chose to discredit him/her for their own gain or out of envy…or both!

More questions for the reader…

1. Have YOU ever played a part in any of the above described incidents?

What did you say, or do? Were you willing to examine the facts, if any were provided, objectively, before coming to a conclusion?

And if no compelling facts or evidence were provided, did you have the courage to point that out, and demand that something be done?

2. Lastly, has it ever occurred to you that whether or not you partake in any such acts as I’ve described above, YOU, and/or YOUR loved ones could also be on the receiving end some day?

All it takes is for one of such mean spirited persons to identify any of you as a target…and before you know it, your lives could take a dramatic turn for the worse!

Now, you could argue that you’re not a celebrity orpublic figure and that they are the ones who often get treated that way.

But consider the REAL possibility that as YOU/YOUR kid or loved one climb the ladder of success/fame, or even after you “arrive”, some person(s) can decide to do that to any of you?!

Did I get your attention there? Hmmm!

Well, chew on that over the weekend…

Then in the new week, I hope you emerge with a resolve to NOT let false accusers get an easy ride wherever you are, if you have a say. By the time we begin to resist their advances, fewer will be able to boldly come out and do their evil at the expense of the lives of others.

These people make a living from destroying what others spend decades of their lives building.

And majority of others in society just stand by and let them. You don’t have to take sides – just seek the truth. Don’t let them win you over with ridiculous claims that lack substance!

I’m saying all this because I have experienced what it feels like to be falsely accused – more than once too!

Luckily for me though, I always had persons guided by the creator to help me.

The first time, as I said earlier, I was 8 years old. So you could say it was not so serious.

The second instance occurred over 2 years ago…and it was dead serious!

As a custom spreadsheet software developer, I had a client (who proudly displayed a picture of himself standing next to a former Vice President of Nigeria on his office wall) make false accusations against me to the police.

Not just him – he also got his accountant and manager to do the same thing!

I was shocked to my bones to see/hear those 2 employees of his, who I’d often chatted with while working on the project bold facedly saying I’d done things I never did.

It was bizarre, as if they were drugged. In truth however, the ONLY “drug” influencing them was a FEAR of losing their jobs…LOL!

Their boss – the client – wanted me to resolve a problem they had using the software  – but he bluntly refused  to pay my overdue balance which I’d been requesting for over 2 months, after handing over.

I stood my ground, and told the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) why.

The latter (a graduate of Nigeria’s University of Ibadan!) proved to be a rare man of integrity, gifted with excellent skills of persuasion.

That same day, he got the client to pay me my balance soon as I was done.

The same client and his staff went on to use that software for SIX solid years (paying me several times a year to provide call out support).

Then at the tail end of the 6th year, he paid me twice what he paid 6 years before (all of it 100% up front), to add a billing system to the app – only to repeat the same thing later on during the test run phase.

Long story short, I got TIRED of being treated that way, and today (with the help of the Attorney General’s office) we’ve parted ways.

But I kept copies of all our correspondence, as proof of all that transpired. Just in case.

I’ve shared that client’s story with my kids as well.

That experience was however the one that broke the camel’s back for me. I decided I NEEDED to better protect myself from such abuse.

It subsequently occurred to me that I needed to FREE myself from exposure to exploitation or situations that could lead to false accusations being leveled against me. This led me to focus more on providing online products and services.

Today, less than 20% of the income I earn comes from working directly with clients. That’s why I’ m so HAPPY and FULFILLED, working as a Location Independent Multipreneur – the photo below says it all!

Photo: Click to view LARGER size. Taken around Cotonou's Etoile Rouge. I cherish the freedom that a mobile office affords me, as a Location Independent Multipreneur. As long as there's an Internet connection I can do work that I need to do. Whenever I want, I can take a break. My self-discipline developed from well over 2 decades serves me well, ensuring that I can deliver what I promise!

Today’s world is full of mean spirited people, who will stop at nothing to have their way – even if it means harming others.

Those of us who are connected with our Creator MUST ensure we remain a LIGHT for others to follow.

We must continue to be the conscience of our respective societies. And we must prepare our offspring to do the same thing.

We are the hope of the world.

We are the ones who can HEAL it.

If we fail, society is doomed!

I hope you will join me.

PS: In the event that it does happen, hold on to the faith you have in the creator, and let these wise words of Paula Abdul guide you in dealing with ANY false accusations that may come your way…

All my life, I have been taught to take the high road, and never to dignify salacious or false accusations. And I have been taught never, never to lie. Not only do I never lie, I never respond to lies, no matter how vicious, no matter how hurtful. ~Paula Abdul

When Using Spreadsheets – BEWARE! (True Story About How a “Little” Data Entry Mistake Can Damage Business Reports!)

My new Career Development book titled “The Workplace Warrior™: Using Smart Spreadsheet Automation for People & Process Performance Enhancement” will showcase real life memos (like the one below) regarding my informal Spreadsheet Solutions Developer role in Guinness. [“To: Mr. TAYO SOLAGBADE. From: PRODUCTION MANAGER’S SECRETARY (L). Date: 7th May 1998…]

gn1

No one asked me to do it. I chose to do it of my own free will, where ever and whenever I saw the need for it.

I did not get any company award for using my spare time, over the course of 7 years, to develop a wide range of spreadsheet automation solutions, to boost data handling and report generation in different departments.

But I did get lots of commendation and recognition, and was rewarded with rapid career advancement opportunities.

It all began one year after I joined the company as a graduate trainee and was redeployed to Benin brewery from Lagos, where I had trained – as a brewer.

Within a matter of days I was soon relating one on one with senior managers on calculating company usage rates and other performance parameters. (I’ve written several articles about it all in the past. They will all be compiled into the book volume I’m now working on).

I had learnt from working with my expatriate training manager, Richard Chambers, to build elaborate, nested formulas into Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet cells . Lotus was the app we used from 1994, when I joined till 2000, when the company moved from Lotus Smart Suite to MS Office).

It was my ability to do the above, and my passion for data analysis and reporting, that helped me quickly come to grips with the complex array of performance indices that needed to be computed daily, weekly, monthly and for the year.

The work involved helped me appreciate why Chambers was developing an automated spreadsheet application to enable fast and reliable reports generation by breweries.

And that made me sensitive to identifying opportunities to do the same when I got to the breweries.

Now, he never sat me down to give me lectures on spreadsheet use. Instead my interest made me spend time watching him at work every day I got the opportunity.

Since I’d already gotten basic computer appreciation training before joining the company, I was able to then tutor myself, to do what I saw him do.

As time went on, Chambers would give me his laptop, and ask me to check the many nested formulas in massive spreadsheets he’d built into the brewery reporting application.

Following my training, Chambers had recommended to his colleague in Benin brewery that I could help them with problems they had with his app. After I did so, news had spread to Lagos, and so I got called up whenever they had problems in Lagos as well.

The above explains why this memo was written to me. As I said, most of this has already been narrated in several of my past articles.

Interestingly, the 2 memos shown on this page relate to that app built by Chambers, for use across the breweries.

Here’s the relevant excerpt from the secretary…

“Please find enclosed a diskette containing the problematic file on Ogba xxxx Monthly Report.

Our observation is that the usage rates column for April has the wrong formula thus producing wrong figures.”

Please assist in correcting the errors detected and where necessary on the file generally.”

Let me describe the application built by Richard Chambers a bit, to give you an idea of what it did and why it was so highly valued…

It enabled generation of a 4 page monthly report that captured everything from volumes outputs to Key Performance Indicators, Costs per product output etc. And it auto generated performance indicator charts, with a summary of materials over used and those underused!

That was really what excited me and made me fall in love with spreadsheet automation. I’d seen senior colleagues with years of experience pore over calculators and brewing books for days to finish month end reports. Then, with Chambers’ application, the same reports were generated in a matter of minutes – following data entry. Just a few clicks of the mouse and it would all be ready to print!

With those 4 printouts, a competent manager could readily deduce what had taken place in a brewery and come to an informed conclusion about its performance.

But that’s NOT why I’m showcasing this exchange I had with a user of Chambers’ app in Lagos at the time,

As you will soon note from reading my response below, I was in the process of handing over as Acting Technical Training & Development Manager (TTDM), when this request came in.

So, as usual I’d had to attend to the request in my free time.

Eventually, I found that rather than having a “wrong formula” as she suggested, the cell in question had a WRONG entry type. More on this below.

In other words, my intention for writing this piece is actually to point out how a little mistake in spreadsheet data entry, can cause major havoc in a business report.

As I said in my report titled “Using MS Excel Solver or Least Cost Feed Formulation Can Be Easy, But Also Dangerous (How to Protect Yourself)”, so many examples abound in the world of big, wealthy companies where one little spreadsheet mistake led to losses running into millions. I give examples in that report. If you’d like to get a copy, click here to request it.

However, you need not go that far to understand what I’m saying here…

The explanation I gave in my response to the memo – shown below – illustrates a very common mistake the average spreadsheet user is VERY prone to making

…and that includes YOU and ME!

Indeed, some of the most competent users of spreadsheet applications still make this error, so the need to avoid it cannot be over emphasized

The worst thing about this error is that if it happens that you’re very busy or distracted, or the workbook you’re working on is very large, you may NOT discover it for a long time, or at all!

So, what is this mistake I’m yapping about?

I refer to the inadvertent use of an apostrophe (‘) in posting a numeric value, meant for use in spreadsheet calculations.

Here’s an excerpt of my response to the sender of the request memo from Lagos:

[NB: HL = Hectoliters (volume of beer)]

“Upon making corrections to the formulas, I found that “Actual Volume Brewed” entry made on Page 1 (Key Production rations Sheet) i.e. the xxxxx hl, was made as a “label” entry instead of a number – in other words, an apostrophe (‘) was used to precede the number entry, thereby causing Lotus not to recognize it as a numeric entry.

This kind of error should be avoided as it would cause the usage rates not to appear on Page 2, even though the correct formulas will be there (sometimes it could be done inadvertently hence it is advisable to check entries after making them).”

gn2

The screen shot below of an example I created, shows 2 tables with the same data being added by a sum formula.

You can see in the formula bar that the “1,000” entry in the second table (on the right) has an apostrophe next to it. As a result the total sum at the bottom is different from that for the first table – even though on the surface both look to be adding the same values.

xl-example

Now, this is a simplistic example. It’s easy to narrow down to the problem cell when the entries are few. But lots of business users have hundreds to thousands of cells with data. When this kind of wrong entry happens they may NEVER see them, and the affected value could be in millions.

The lesson: when using spreadsheets, beware!

[NEW BOOK] SPEAKING IDEAS™ – 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) – Volume 1

This book (155 pages thick following typesetting and available in both print and digital formats) is based on a collection of 25 top performing past issues of the author’s Weekly Public Speaking Ideas™ newsletter published over the past 3 years.

If you’re an expert-who-speaks, or one aspiring, the unconventional, yet high impact experienced based ideas in this book, can help you.

 

psip-ebook-Cover

UPDATE – 29th Oct. 2014 @2.40p.m: Poor connectivity is really making simple tasks take MUCH longer than they should in the last 3 days out here in Cotonou. But I refuse to be deterred!

Click the corrected link below to view the Ebook in it’s online store. And the link for the print version is at number 2 below it.

Click here to read the preview on the book’s Back Cover

Enjoy!

Tayo

1. EBOOK VERSION: Speaking Ideas: 25 Articles and True Stories for Experts Who Speak and Those Aspiring (Volume 1)

Screenshot of ebook in online store

Click here to read the preview on the book’s Back Cover

2. PRINT (PAPERBACK) VERSION: Speaking Ideas: 25 Articles and True Stories for Experts Who Speak and Those Aspiring (Volume 1)

Screenshot of paperback book in online store

Click here to read the preview on the book’s Back Cover

psip-LULU-BACK-coverOK

psip-LULU-BACK-coverOK

No. 165: Achieve Your Book Writing Goal Using This Proven Strategy (Hint: 135 Page Speaking IDEAS Ebook LIVE tomorrow!)

 [Photo below: My 135 page Speaking IDEAS book goes LIVE tomorrow]

Most experts author books, to share their expertise and establish authority status. But writing can be tough when client projects demand your time. That’s why smart experts write their books in chunks e.g. an article at a time. I explain how…

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Click now to view the latest issue of Tayo Solagbade's Public Speaking IDEAS page

Publication: Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Newsletter

Date: Monday 27th October 2014

No:165

Title: Achieve Your Book Writing Goal Using This Proven Strategy (Hint: 135 Page Speaking IDEAS Ebook LIVE tomorrow!)

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [Tel: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic) ]

Blog URL: http://www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets

Archive (E-mail version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here


Logo - Tayo Solagbade's Self-Development Academy

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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule :-)

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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email them to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance :-)

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

No. 165: Achieve Your Book Writing Goal Using This Proven Strategy (Hint: 135 Page Speaking IDEAS Ebook LIVE tomorrow!)

[Photo below: My 135 page Speaking IDEAS book goes LIVE tomorrow]

Most experts author books, to share their expertise and establish authority status. But writing can be tough when client projects demand your time. That’s why smart experts write their books in chunks e.g. an article at a time. I explain how…

My Speaking IDEAS Ebook: 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) - Volume 1

My Speaking IDEAS Ebook: 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) - Volume 1

If you’re proficient in ANY vocation or subject, the truth is you have useful expertise that others interested in that area may want.

It may not even be what you do for a living. Instead, it could be a hobby or your in-depth understanding of a language (e.g. proverbs in Yoruba – a language spoken in West Africa).

Your unique insights, if creatively prepared, packaged and presented can make those who seek them willing buyers – or at the least, your fervent advocates.

However, if you’re like most “experts” (which is what being as described above makes you), it’s likely – as I said earlier – that you may consider yourself (or are indeed) too busy to find time to write that book or article or report.

My purpose here is to share with you ideas about probably the EASIEST way to get your writing done.

I’ve written an ebook titled “Proven Techniques to Start & Finish Writing Anything” – which offers various ideas.

However, this time around I’m focusing on ONE strategy that I have found to be the most reliable, and easy to sustain of ALL that I have known and used.

And it’s actually quite simple….

It’s the HABIT of writing a book ONE article at a time – without necessarily “thinking” about the book.

But the problem is too many of us are too rigid in the ways we think.  

We’ve been taught to look at issues from what is often a one-dimensional perspective.

However, the truth is that to go to through life, we often find ourselves constantly forced to consider a variety of perspectives.

As you leave home for work, you have to drop the kids off at school, then remember to order drinks for the party to be held at your home.

Then there’s the client update report you need to finish and dispatch via email. And after that there’s some other task…

You get my drift.

It’s simply impossible to tell “life” to hold on till you’re ready before it introduces another “variable” in the “equation” of activites you’re trying to solve!

As they make themselves apparent, you simply have to attend to each and every one of them.

This analogy applies to getting your book written if you decide you want to write one.

And why not? There is a lot you know, that others can benefit from, if you were to properly articulate it in writing (and other relevant forms).

I do this kind of writing all the time – so much so that I’m now publishing new books ranging from 50 to 140 pages in a matter of days.

But rather than go on to give you a lecture, I’ll simply give you 2 examples I just finished within the last 7 days…

1. My Farm Business Best Practice Educational E-books Series

This is a 4 part series comprising a collection of top performing articles on Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas I’ve written over the years.

The 4 e-books cover different themes:

a. Farm Business Best Practice Management

Screenshot of ebook in online store

b. Farm Business Start-up

Screenshot of ebook in online store

c. Farm Business Feed Formulation

Screenshot of ebook in online store

d. Farm Business Marketing

Screenshot of ebook in online store

Related to the above 4 e-books is my new my PDF Farm Business Start-up primer shown below – which I now offer also for sale.

If you came looking for my PDF Farm Business Startup primer shown below click here to submit a  request for details of how to purchase it.

2. My Speaking IDEAS Ebook: 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) – Volume 1

This 135 page book will be available in print as a paper back and also an ebook.

It goes LIVE in my online store tomorrow

My Speaking IDEAS Ebook: 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) - Volume 1

This book is based on a collection of 25 top performing past issues of my Weekly Public Speaking Ideas™ newsletter i.e. THIS newsletter you’re reading right now.

Today’s issue is No. 165.

So, if you work backwards, you can see that I’ve been writing it weekly – without fail – for 3 years.

That gives you an ideas of the VOLUME of material I have to choose from. And I can tell you that a lot of the stuff I’ve written has gotten good feedback to me, so I know they are perceived as useful. It’s far from being fluff!

My Speaking IDEAS Ebook: 25 Articles & True Stories for Experts-Who-Speak (& Those Aspiring) - Volume 1

That is the beauty of the technique of writing ONE article at a time, that I use – and which I recommend to you in this piece!

What makes it even better is that I NEVER have to pressure myself to think of writing a particular e-book.

Instead, I let situations and circumstances – and in some cases my intuition – guide me to write articles on various categories I have expertise in.

Day in day out, I scribble insights, ideas, and thoughts in my diary, on pieces of paper, and on my Blackberry.

Then over a period of days or weeks, I flesh out my ideas. At some point, one or more of the articles would appear “ready” for publishing in my estimation – and I would put it online…often on this blog.

Afterwards I would watch the level of interest from the number of views it gets. And that would help me gauge the interest level or popularity – guiding me on what to write on in future.

When I see that I’ve amassed enough new articles, to make a book or two, then I then choose a selection and publish – like I’m NOW doing!

People who have been watching me publish article after article Every Monday to Saturday (sometimes Sundays) over the past year, for instance, may have been wondering what “madness” I was about…ha ha!!

Well, as it turns out, there was some purpose in the “madness”. Always has been!

Apart from the fact that my articles have boosted my search engine visibility and won me new subscribers/buyers, they have also been adding to my “bank” of articles, for my new book projects.

I kept researching my topics and writing on them knowing that one day I would be able to pool them together into a comprehensive body of knowledge (i.e a book) that I could offer for sale.

It’s not the first time I’ve done this. I’ve had a 25 articles e-book on sale since 2006(click to see).

Apart from that, I’ve sold several of my individual articles in the past, on different platforms.

But my plan has always been to amass a collection of written works that would boost my passive income earnings, even as it further cements my credibility as an authority on the subjects I’ve written about.

The approach I’ve described is one that ANY expert can easily use to start and finishing writing ANY book s/he wants to author.

It’s a system that makes you motivated to write a little bit on a regular basis. An article per week or per month.

Whatever works for you.

Just be sure to choose a topic or theme you have passion for, and deep interest in.

One that you know well enough to NOT have to strain yourself to come up with what to say about it from different angles or perspectives.

Here’s a TIP: As an expert-who-speaks (or aspires to), imagine a journalist comes to interview you on a different aspect of your subject each day or week or month.

Then try and write down what your answers to those questions would be. From the stuff you put down, the essence of your book’s contents will eventually emerge.

This is what I have done for years. And now I’m simply picking and choosing which articles to publish in what volume of each book I plan to publish!

For instance the above mentioned Speaking IDEAS E-book that goes live tomorrow, has 25 past issues I’ve chosen from about 75 issues in my archives that I’ve reviewed.

And now, they’re due to publish in print and digital form as a book!

Once the book is published, I’ll simply add it to my newsletter display, and promote it along with the others, while I write MORE articles for future books.

The interesting thing is that apart from the 75 past newsletter issues I’ve reviewed, there are still over 80 others I have yet to even look at!

Now, for those who think the sales from one’s book may not be much, if one does not write a “bestseller”, you must understand that you have nothing to lose.

First of all, there’s is great prestige to harvested from being the author of an authoritative body of writing in your field – bestseller or not. If some people find them useful in your target market, they are worth having and keeping.

Once the articles are written they can just sit there on your PC or website…or you can try and make the most of them – like I do!

And as for the aspect of sales, a lot of it has to do with the effort one puts in.

Before now, I’ve not really paid much attention to promoting my books, and yet I’ve been making sales!

However, I intend to begin promoting my books more actively now, to increase the passive income I already earn from book sales.

Screenshot of flyer I use at my speaking events to feature some of my passive income generating book products

When you have many of them, over time, the sales DO ADD up…!

Here’s another benefit: When you have a speaking event, back room sales and orders from attendees can ramp up your earnings!

Would it not be great to stand before an audience and tell them to check out your library of books they can purchase from you??

If nothing else, that’s likely to put you ahead of many other experts they may come across!

Let me know (click here to send a message) if you need help getting started with this.

Meanwhile, look out for my announcement tomorrow of the new Speaking IDEAS E-book as it goes LIVE!

Have a great week :-))

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www.tayosolagbade.com - Invite me to Speak FREE Anywhere in Africa...click here!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)

http://www.tayosolagbade.com

Tayo K. Solagbade is a Location Independent Performance Improvement Specialist and Multipreneur (i.e. a highly versatile/multi-skilled entrepreneur), with a bias for delivering Best Practice solutions to

Farm Businesses and others.

Since 2002, he has earned multiple streams of income providing individuals and organisations with personal development training and coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems/web hosting,

freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

Tayo is the author of the Self-Development (SD) Bible™ and the popular Livestock Feed Formulation Handbook. He is also the developer of its accompanying Excel-VB driven Ration Formulator™ and the Poultry Farm Manager™ software.

He has delivered talks/papers to audiences in various groups and organisations, including the Centre for Management Development, University of Lagos, Christ Baptist Church, Volunteer Corps, Tantalisers Fast Foods

and others.

In May 2012 he was the Guest Speaker at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development’s Annual Semester Entrepreneurial Lecture at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

On 1st April 2013, Tayo (who reads, write and speaks the French language) relocated to Cotonou, Benin Republic to begin slowly traveling across the West African region.

His key purpose is to deliver talks, seminars

and workshops on his key areas of focus and interest to interested audiences (Email tayo at tksola dot com for details).

In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, and then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.

He is an Associate Member of the UK Institute & Guild of Brewing, a 1997 National Finalist of the Nigerian Institute of Management’s(NIM) Young Managers’ competition, a Certified Psychometric Test Administrator for Psytech UK, innovator of Spontaneous Coaching for Self-Development™ (SCfS-D™), and Founder of the Self-Development Academy Limited.

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Daily Self-Development Nuggets blog – on which he also publishes his Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS

newsletter(which he uses to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

You can connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.

Visit Tayo Solagbade Dot Com, to download over over 10 performance improvement resources to boost your personal and work related productivity.

====
[IMPORTANT NOTE:====

On 4th May 2014, Tayo’s 9 year old domain (Spontaneousdevelopment dot com), which hosted his website, was taken over by Aplus.net.

Within a few days however, Tayo used his advanced self-taught web development skills to build a SUPERIOR “reincarnation” of it the website http://www.tayosolagbade.com.

But updates are still ongoing to URLs bearing the old domain name in most of the over 1,000 web pages, and blog posts

he’s published.

If you experience any difficulties finding a page or document, email Tayo at tksola dot com.

Click “Tayo, What Happened to SpontaneousDevelopmentDotCom ?” to read a detailed narrative about how the above event occurred :-))

Here’s an article Tayo wrote, to inspire others to defy adversity, and bounce back to even greater reckoning at what they do EVERY time:

And he wrote the one below, to explain why losing a domain name, no matter how old NO LONGER determines your online success or otherwise:

A Proven Strategy to Find Profitable Buyers Regardless of Your Domain Name

==================

View Tayo Solagbade's video tutorials and demonstrations on Facebook Productivity Tips, Web Marketing, and for his Custom MS Excel-VB driven software applicationsJoin the SD Nuggets community on Facebook.comConnect with Tayo on Twitter.comConnect with Tayo on Google Plus

 

Useful Resources for Speakers

Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters.

Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Burt Dubin’s monthly Speaking Biz Strategies Letter [Signup & get a 7-Part Email Course on “How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker“]

Get Burt’s mentoring at any of the 3 levels below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here]

2. Mid Range [Click here]

3. Budget Delight [Click here]


Publications

On Being a Master (PDF)...A Gift from Burt Dubin - Click now!

Burt Dubin’s latest book: “On Being a Master

Download Chapter 1 Preview as PDF

Showmanship Strategems

177 Wow! Wow!

Showmanship Stratagems

Discover these secrets of making your programs more interesting and valuable to your clients and audiences now.

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Burt Dubin live

Burt’s Flagship Album

This is the product to own if you can own only one. Why? Because in it you discover principles of platform mastership available to you nowhere else at any price.

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With its Money back if not delighted Guarantee hardly any are returned.

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Presentation Magic - Speaking Business Success

Presentation Magic

A live example, including a complete audio recording of a program Burt created from scratch–on a topic he knew nothing about and never, ever presented before! See how you, guided by your personal Learning Guide, (Presentation Magic), can do this too and thrill audiences as often as you want.

Presentation Magic Manual with new pages added plus 3 audio CDs.

more information

ProgramManual

How To Create a Great Program Manual

Discover how you can produce a precious memento of you and your program. Capture over 44 model pages you can easily adapt for your use. Engage proven principles that add value to the experience of sitting at your feet and learning from you.

This is a reprise of the historic presentation that launched the Speaking Success System.

No copy of this 2 CD program and 50 page Learning Guide has ever been returned.

more information


 

Smart Exercising Will Keep You Fit, Healthy and Alive - Click to read

Click to read article titled: 'Smart Exercising Will Keep You Fit, Healthy and Alive'...and ONE other. Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist - Tayo Solagbade - works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Multipreneur. 

NEW:Click here to download your FREE 20 Page PDF Chapter preview of my latest Book” titled “KUKURU DANGER™: 5 True Stories About the Adventures – & Misadventures! – of a School Age Child Trying to Find Purpose in Life

lick here to download your FREE 20 Page PDF Chapter preview of my latest Book" titled "KUKURU DANGER™: 5 True Stories About the Adventures - & Misadventures! - of a School Age Child Trying to Find Purpose in Life

Download above PDF

Using MS Excel® Solver for Least Cost Feed Formulation Can Be Easy - But Also Dangerous (How to Protect Yourself) - Click to downloadDownload above PDF

NEW PDF - 10 Frequently Asked Questions About Feed Formulation

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NEW: Your Practical Feed Formulation (& Compounding) Home Study Video Series Is Now Available

NEW: Your Practical Feed Formulation (& Compounding) Home Study Video Series Is Now Available

Click here to learn more

FREE TALK: How a Best Operating Process Management Sysem (BOPMS)™Will Earn Your Farm MORE Profits!

FREE TALK: How a Best Operating Process Management Sysem (BOPMS)™Will Earn Your Farm MORE Profits!

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FREE TALK: 3 Zero Cost Strategies to Attract Profitable Buyers for Your Farm Products!

FREE TALK: 3 Zero Cost Strategies to Attract Profitable Buyers for Your Farm Products!

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NEW: Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success

Tayo Solagbade's Coaching Program for Farm Products Marketing Success (Verbatim Text Transcript of Introductory Video)

THEY WROTE…


“(Tayo Solagbade) is amazing and I think he is going to produce some impressive results online…” – click here to read full comment by Patrick Meninga (US based 6 figure income blogger who gained fame for building a $2,000 per month adsense website and selling it for $200,000).

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“Tayo, I honestly believe you are one of those who will succeed at anything he does. Your commitment and effort has been outstanding….Thanks for all your hard work since I’ve been here – you will be sorely missed. I don’t need to wish you good luck, you have the ability to make your own luck. – Andy”(R. Jones)*

*Operations Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc Benin Brewery, December 2001 (Handwritten comments in farewell/xmas cards sent to Tayo Solagbade following his resignation to start his own business).

———————–

Click here to contact Tayo… 

SD Nuggets Blog

New posts from last week that may interest you! *
Public Speaking[Monday]:

Entrepreneurship[Tuesday]:

Self-Development/Parenting [Wednesday]:

Career Development [Thursday]:

Parenting [Friday]:

Writing/Blogging/Entrepreneurship [Saturday]:

Want me to write for you? Click here to send me a message

 

Find ALL my PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT products (Books, Excel-VB apps etc) in ONE place

This page (click) lists and links ALL my PAID products (books, Excel-VB apps etc) in ONE place – and I will continue to add more e.g Real Life Poultry Layer Farm Start-up Business Plans (PLUS FREE preparation service), Excel-VB Poultry Farm Manager software, Ration Formulator software, Feed Formulation Handbook, E-BOOKs on Best Practice Farm Management, Feed Formulation, Farm Business Marketing, Farm Business Start-up, Self-Development Bible etc.

Important Notes:

Click here to view the page's display of products and their features, prices etc.

a. Some links may lead to this web contact/request form through which you can send me a message indicating your interest in making payment.

This may apply to both products I have in my online store (where you can use Paypal and credit/debit cards) as well as other products I do NOT put in my store.

b. Prices displayed on this page supersede those displayed ANYWHERE else.

c. Changes can be made to the prices and terms stated for each product without notice.

d. All members of my Farm Business Ideas club get 40% discount off ALL my products & services – with the exception of my Feed Formulation solutions (handbook, software & training).

e. I will continue adding new products as they become available.

Click here to view the page’s display of products and their features, prices etc.

Are Your Employees Happy & Satisfied With Their Jobs?(A Ten Item Quiz That Can Help You Find Out)

This article offers ideas developed based on a relatively small questionnaire survey I conducted in 1999 for a paper I entered into the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Manager’s Competition.

I make no claims to having exhaustively tested the survey items for statistically significant relevance to all situations. My main purpose is to offer suggestions for decision makers to consider in evolving a suitable program to boost employee morale in their respective organisations.

Your Individual Employees Are Different From Each Other

People may look the same outwardly and on paper (appear to) have the same backgrounds and competencies. The truth however is that when it comes to doing their work WELL and feeling good about it, to the extent that they – on their own – would decide to continue doing it even when not required to do so, EACH employee is likely to differ in terms of what s/he will want to see, hear or receive in order to ACT that way.

But a company’s decision makers cannot “kill” themselves trying to meet every individual’s needs or requests.

Having said that, they CAN help employees get to a point where they(i.e. employees) feel that the company truly CARES for them and takes their NEEDS seriously.

PLUS that it can be trusted to ALWAYS fulfil its own end of the bargain when they(the employees) deliver desired results to the expected standards.

In many companies – big and small – the challenge is however that not much attention is paid to this easily missed area that can significantly affect the quality of employees’ workplace performances.

Few companies bother to do in-house checks aimed for instance, at measuring how enthusiastic people feel about coming to the workplace and doing their work DAILY.

Yet most decision makers KNOW from attending many (expensive) training courses on management and leadership that people who are enthusiastic about what they do, can deliver dramatically superior output compared to those who are reluctant, demoralised and/or frustrated.

So why don’t these decision makers try to find out how their people “feel” regularly and take action to address any VALID issues that are raised?

Going by my experiences, I think it is because they feel only few employees are complaining.

They feel (and will often wait till ) it is only when many of the employees start grumbling loudly about their dissatisfactions that something would really need to be done.

In their thinking taking action before then would amount to setting a wrong precedent.

Hmm.

Yet decision makers who think like this are often the first to talk about being “Proactive” when describing their preferred management techniques/philosophies!

I would say that if you are REALLY to be proactive, you would not wait till a confrontational situation develops between your employees’ union leaders for instance, and your HR Management team before you investigate and redress identified imbalances in the working situations of your employees.

Think about this for a minute.

If they(i.e. your employees) notice that you have a habit of quickly finding out and addressing any issues they are concerned about, in order to make doing their work easier, they WILL be more understanding if/when you say you cannot do something they want – or that it could take a while before you can.

It is only when they FEEL they cannot trust or depend on you to do anything that makes doing their work easier and more fulfilling that the common tense relationship develops between both parties, resulting in the company’s management/decision makers feeling they need to “threaten, force, and coerce” the workforce.

The employee’s unions in turn would naturally decide they need to issue ultimatums etc in order to have their needs/concerns taken seriously.

Of course there will always be the possibility that some individuals may try to push silly/selfish requests through, especially if they sense you are willing to be flexible, but these individuals would be easily managed with careful planning by showing others the folly of what they propose.

Organisations Need To Avoid Adopting New Management Fads & Concepts Without “ADAPTING” Them

Getting people to feel good about working in your company may sometimes require that you introduce new people/process management ideas or concepts. However this must be done intelligently else nothing worthwhile will be achieved for the organisation and its members.

In many companies today, new initiatives are continually being introduced/implemented with a view to enhancing the organisation’s ability to attain set goals and objectives. Decision makers must however ask themselves at every opportunity:

Do we have to implement these new ideas to the letter “as is” or can we modify them to suit out peculiar business workplace/employee situations and needs? They must ask: “Do we have to accept every new concept or fad hook, line and sinker as being applicable for our use?”.

People within the same society/culture typically differ in their workplace preferences and expectations. What works in a particular society/culture may not work as well(or at all) in another society or culture.

The implication is that companies may find that the manner in which they have to manage their employees/team members may vary from one culture to the other in which they operate branches or subsidiaries for instance.

Failure to do this could result in significant dis-improvements in employee performances that the company will eventually suffer for – as the “people” may “fight” the new initiative because it conflicts with their socio-cultural values or preferences.

Investigating Employee Workplace Morale(A True Story)

In a previous life, I worked as a trainee sales coordinator in a wine manufacturing company for about 6 months, before later joining a brewing multinational as a Graduate Trainee, and 7 years later voluntarily resigning as Technical Training & Development Manager.

During my time in paid employment, I often discussed extensively with other employees within and outside my company about the workplace, employment conditions, boss-subordinate relationships, job satisfaction etc.

Most times people I spoke with dwelt more on the monetary remuneration/benefits they received from their companies as a means for deciding whether or not to be “happy” with their jobs/companies.

But in certain instances I found that some (like me), wanted more than that – such as freedom to express their individuality in doing their work; more recognition from the company for their contributions etc.

This article explains why – I believe – every company needs to work hard to measure(possibly using a short Employee Morale Gauge quiz like the one I developed) and nurture the morale of their employees/team members IF the company is to progress.

In a paper criticising the indiscriminate/dogmatic adoption and application of new philosophies by some organiations, an American writer(whose name and other details I have sadly been unable to locate in my records) wrote in part as follows

Mindlessly following a concept is a recipe for disaster. Our organisations must begin to think and develop approaches (like the Japanese did) that best suit their organisational culture. No organisation should launch any company-wide initiative without first making a thorough assessment of the need to change and the cultural barriers to achievement.”

In November 1999, I wrote a management paper titled “Performance Management and Employee Motivation”(*See “Note” section below) – for entry into the 1999 edition the Nigerian Institute of Management’s Young Managers’ Competition.

In the first chapter of the paper, I posed the following questions based on literature reviews I had done:

a. Do our people(i.e. employees/team members) see effort leading to performance, and performance leading to the rewards they value?

b. Do they trust management to fulfil its promises to them?

c. Why are employees often dissatisfied with management?

d. Why are employees ever complaining about being underpaid, overworked and disrespected?

e. Is there (in Nigeria) any company where employees are so well motivated by the management that they do not have any complaint to make against it?

The above questions were investigated using a simple 10-item multi-choice survey questionnaire mailed to/recovered from employees of a number of organisations in Lagos and Benin cities.

Over 80% of the employees scored their companies low in areas relating to welfare, rewards/recognition, involvement in decision making and fulfillment of promises made to them etc.

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*Note: I did not get past the zonals unlike my maiden 1997 outing which I described in the article titled “I Flopped Badly At The National Finals(How NOT To Prepare For/Deliver An Important Presentation”. But the effort was still rewarding for me as I later got to use my ideas in that paper to contribute to my department:About 9 months later, my boss – Greg(Production Manager) invited all mangers in the department to send in their submissions/ideas for moving the department forward towards achieving its vision as a key unit of the brewery/company. I wasted no time in sending him a 10 page paper (on 21st August 2000) articulating my thoughts/drawing extensively from the paper I had earlier written.

The 10 page paper was titled “Summary Highlights Of A Proposal On The Implementation Of Benin Brewery’s Production’s Vision for Year 2000 and Beyond”. So, even though I did not go far this time in the competition with my management paper, I found useful outlet for my ideas in a way that could add value to the entire team. I mention this to drive home the point that you need to form the habit of ALWAYS building on any ideas you have.(In my case I wrote and entered a paper advocating ideas I felt could be applied to improve workplace performances in MY organisation). By so doing, you will find yourself perfectly positioned in future to exploit unexpected opportunities that WILL crop up, to “sell” those ideas to others, and make a BIG difference/impact on others around you.

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Going by the above, it is my firm belief that employers/decision makers can – if they want to – consciously begin to systematically disabuse the minds of employees.

They can do this by checking periodically how the latter “feel” about their jobs/working conditions and then TAKING ACTION to make improvements where possible.

To be fair there are many companies which can boast of considerably high morale amongst their workforces because they already operate in this manner.

However, as people managers we know that a few employees in such companies (who might hold positions that enable them influence a large number of others) might still answer the questions posed in a. and b. above in the negative.

More generally, the truth is that some employees’ utterances and attitudes on the job would suggest that questions c. d. and e. depict issues that are relevant to their current situations – therefore needing management’s prompt attention and/or action if work force morale is to the kept at an optimal level.

In my Conclusion and Summary, I opined based on results of the study’s survey that:

an organisation employing a management approach that actively recognises the knowledge and experience of its employees as well as openly acknowledges their significant contributions to the business is likely to succeed and enjoy competitive advantage over its rivals. This is because such a company would get the full commitment and loyalty of its workforce who would have no difficulty aligning their personal goals with those of the company. Further, employees would thrive better in the environment where they are not being “controlled” and “directed” by management while doing their jobs…Whatever scheme we introduce should be self–sustaining and not take from the company more than it can give back.

Conduct Simple In-House Attitudinal/Opinion Surveys To Keep Tabs On How Your Employees Feel

It is based on all that I have said above, that I now suggest as follows to any organisational decision maker who desires to KEEP workers/employees/team members constantly enthusiastic about their jobs:

Make out time to periodically administer a simple “Employee Morale Gauge or Barometer” Quiz to them – individually.

You can adopt the questionnaire that I developed, or generate for your purposes one that is suitable.

This quiz would be periodically administered to YOUR employees/team members.

The answers obtained to EACH question will be used to gauge your success in changing the attitude of your people for the better.

In other words, you will have one over riding purpose – as employer/organisational decision maker.

And that will ALWAYS be to work towards doing things that would make employees change ANY negative opinions they have. Especially about issues raised in each question, so that they begin to respond positively to EACH one… EVERYTIME.

The challenge for you will therefore be to get to a period or point when/where ALL the questionnaires returned to you will contain responses that indicate your employees/team members true feelings.

That’s whether or not they are TRULY happy and satisfied with their jobs – and by implication with the company’s management!

I had an eye opening experience in 2004, working with one particular business owner(a sole proprietor) to administer this questionnaire to his employees.

The individuals concerned requested that they be allowed to leave their names OFF their completed questionnaires.

We agreed. This eliminated any fears of reprisal, with the result that much more honest and qualitative responses were obtained from them.

In a certain case, some “hidden grudges” long held by a particular individual against the company’s management were unearthed!

Sample Employee Workplace Morale Gauge Quiz Template

Below I reproduce the contents of my ten item quiz. You may find need to modify it to suit your purposes. In which case, you may find it useful to download and customise the Excel based template I use.

Question 1. Is it okay for an employee to make mistakes on the job?

a). Sometimes, so long as s/he works hard to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

b). Never.

c). Sometimes, but only concerning areas s/he is recognised not to have significant experience.

d). Others

Ideal Choice = Up to the respondent(Coment by Tayo: My ideal response would be “a”).

Question 2. Do you believe you have a say in how you should do your job?

a). Yes.

b). No.

c). Not Sure.

d). Don’t Know.

Ideal Choice = a

Question 3. Which do you prefer of the following options in your workplace?

a). You are told everything to do at each stage of your work by your boss

b). You are allowed enough freedom to do most aspects of your work by yourself but can consult your superior when you so desire.

c). Somewhere between a. and b.

Ideal Choice = Up to the respondent

Question 4. Which of the following best represents the situation at your workplace currently?

a). You are told everything to do at each stage of your work by your boss

b). You are allowed enough freedom to do most aspects of your work by yourself but can consult your superior when you so desire.

c). Somewhere between a. and b.

Ideal Choice = b

Question 5. If you had a choice, would you stay behind office hours to finish a job even when you know your boss will not be upset if you do not?

a). Yes.

b). No.

c). Not Sure.

Ideal Choice = a

Question 6. How do you feel when you are preparing to come to work in the morning?

a). Enthusiastic and rearing to continue from where you stopped the day before.

b). Indifferent

c). Slightly nervous and wondering what is going to go wrong today. Choice = 0

d). Unenthusiastic about the impending duties to be done.

Ideal Choice = a

Question 7. What would be your reaction if you heard someone say he believes the company you work for provides necessary support for its employees to give their best on the job?

a). Strongly Agree.

b). Agree.

c). Undecided.

d). Disagree.

e). Strongly disagree.

Ideal Choice = a

Question 8. Do you feel your company shows respect for its employees in the way issues concerning them are handled?

a). Yes.

b). No.

c). Not Sure.

d).

e).

Ideal Choice = a

Question 9. If you had a very bright idea you knew would lift your company to greater heights, would you be willing to bring it to the knowledge of management?

a). Yes.

b). No.

c). Not Sure.

Ideal Choice = a

Question 10. Upon carrying out a job that results in significant benefits to your department, how would you prefer to get feedback on your efforts?

a). By hearing that your boss announced the achievement at a meeting without specifically mentioning your name?

b). By getting a personal commendation letter from a management representative or verbal commendation from your boss?

c). By seeing your name placed on some notice boards acknowledging your contribution. Choice = 0

d). By receiving a form of reward e.g. cash or gift.

e). You would not need any form of acknowledgement.

Ideal Choice = Up to respondent

Administering The Employee Workplace Morale Gauge Quiz

You can use my customisable Employee Workplace Morale Survey Quiz Template(click here to request the download link to the Microsoft Excel version – approx 23.5KB) to measure how your employees, reports or team members feel about working with you/your organisation. It can be quite insightful to see responses to the questions.

NOTE that the quiz has NO CORRECT ANSWERS.

The score you get will only indicate how much agreement there is between the respondent’s choices, and those I have specified as “best-fit” or “ideal” indications of “good/positive employee morale”.

You will get the most value from using this quiz by studying the individual responses made by your staff/team members to each question.

Scoring Options: If you wish, you can assign points from 5 (for the choice of answer option “a” to 1(for the choice of answer option “e”.

There are three questions in the above quiz for which it may be difficult to assign scores since the answer options that can be chosen would reflect the respondent’s personal preference. They are question Nos. 1, 3 and 10.

Based one the foregoing, total maximum scoring for a completed questionnaire would be 35 out of 35 maximum possible points. While 5 (out of 35 maximum) points would be the minimum. You should HOPE that each of your recovered questionnaires will give at least 75%(i.e. at least 26 out of 35 points). That “target” is just a suggestion though, as it is my opinion that EVERY singe non-ideal answer you get on EVERY single question should prompt you to take decisive action to ensure it does NOT re-appear in the next survey you conduct.

Here’s wishing you good luck as you work towards building a better motivated work force for your organisation.

PS: This article was first published via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com in 2007.

Since then it has been republished with my permission in journals, term papers etc, by other individuals and organisations.

See some references in No. 119: How to Achieve Success in Any Field (True Story) | SD Nuggets™