THE
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5MONSTERS DESTROYING YOUR COMPANY CULTURE
FROM THE DESK OF Terri
RANSOMWARE
Ransomware locks up your files until money is paid.
It’s not only a “big city” or “affluent” issue; just about any business is vulnerable. In the past few months, 23 cities in Texas have been hit. It tends to come in the form of seemingly benign emails with attachments that, if opened, will infect a system. If you have bad or nonexistent backups, ransom becomes an attractive option. The downside is you are essentially funding criminal activity. The FBI recommends against paying ransom.
When Halloween rolls around, it’s easy to become so preoccupied with the monsters stalking the sidewalks and TV screens that you forget about the everyday boogeymen plaguing your office year-round. While the pillagers of workplace culture don’t wear fake fur, excessive makeup, or rubber masks, they can be just as terrifying as their fictional counterparts. Here’s a list of monsters to watch for, just in time for collecting candy. H ow to D odge the B usiness B oogeymen T his H alloween Though it often creeps up quietly, few monsters are more damaging to workplace culture than the boredom mummy. If excessive routine has made your office yawn-inducing or has mummified your employees at their desks, a crisis is likely nearby. One CNN article postulated that boredom is “the new stress,” and bored employees are more likely to be unhappy and seek new positions even if they’re still effective. To keep boredom levels in check, try to automate repetitive tasks, offer new challenges, and encourage communication. BOREDOM: THE MUMMY
To be useful, an attack should be treated as a “when” not an “if.”
Here are four steps for making your organization ready if/when you experience a ransomware attack.
1. Identify valuable data
2. Segment that data
3. Backup that data
4. Create an isolation plan
Want help to prevent all of this? Call us today at 972-992-3456 .
Dedicated to your success,
GOSSIP: THE WEREWOLF
-Terri
Gossip is like a werewolf. It doesn’t show up every day, but, when it does, it wreaks havoc. Rumors quickly destroy morale, erode relationships, and ramp up workplace tension. Worse, they can cause even the most dedicated employees to quit due to what’s often labeled as a “toxic” office culture. Inc. Magazine claims that zero-tolerance policies, regular
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expectations well. To keep your managers from causing shrieks and scurries every time they pop in on their charges, ensure they maintain good, consistent relationships with staff and spend regular hours in the office. That way, employees will be more likely to run to them rather than from them.
meetings to air grievances, and one-on-one discussions with loose-lipped personnel are good strategies to keep the werewolf in check.
OVERWORK: THE VAMPIRE
While some employees can handle packed schedules and extra work, overloading your entire team or office can be as ambition-sucking as the thirstiest vampire. Too many tasks can throw off your team’s work-life balance, keeping your employees up all night and inviting angst, sleepiness, and inefficiency. To stake the vampire, encourage your employees to share concerns about their workloads, embrace flextime, and set a good example by keeping reasonable hours yourself.
MISGUIDED INITIATIVES: FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER
Like the scientist Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s tale, it’s all too common for businesses to begin projects with the best of intentions, only to create monsters instead of successes. A project that stems from a good idea but lacks realism or follow-through can turn into a money pit for your company and a time-suck for your employees, rearing its ugly head again and again like Frankenstein’s Monster — and perhaps even bringing your company down. Try preventing the monster’s rise by investigating all eventualities and assigning specific roles to team members before you put the final stitch in a new initiative.
ABSENTEE MANAGEMENT: THE GHOST
An absentee manager can terrorize an office just as effectively as an unhappy ghost. If a manager is there one minute and gone the next, their presence can cause stress for employees, who won’t know them or their
REIGNITE YOUR PASSION Lessons in Innovation From Henry Ford
on both. He looked at how cars were actually made and found that, if he could build more cars within a certain time frame, he could pay less per car, per worker. Thus, the moving assembly line was born. When looking for ways to innovate in your industry, rethinking even the smallest, simplest details can make a huge difference for your business. You may not be able to reinvent the wheel, but who said you couldn’t reinvent the brake pads? Henry Ford may have changed the automobile industry forever, but you don’t have to go to such lengths to innovate in your own. The next time you find yourself uninspired or stagnant, look to those who made your industry what it is today. You might just find the inspiration you’ve been searching for.
and, if you apply them to your own journey, you could gain a new perspective and be inspired to create and innovate in your industry. CONSUMER-FOCUSED Ford realized cars were unreliable and unaffordable to most and set out to change that. After developing the first moving assembly line, Ford lowered the price of cars and made them accessible for people outside the upper class for the first time. As long as you keep the consumer and their needs in mind, you’ll find ways to make their experience better and increase your success. SMALL CHANGES, BIG IMPACT Unlike many companies today who sacrifice quality for quantity, Ford found ways to focus
As entrepreneurs scale their businesses, there is a lot to focus on: hiring the right staff, creating the most effective marketing strategies, and setting up efficient operations. With so much to do, it’s easy to lose sight of your initial vision for your company. If you’re stuck in a rut, know that you’re not alone. Plenty of the most successful entrepreneurs have endured the same struggles and, with a little ambition and a lot of creativity, came out on top. Take Henry Ford, for example. Henry Ford made the automobile accessible and appealing for the common citizen. This ignited interest in the market from consumers and manufacturers alike, which led to innovations like air conditioning and other appliances we can’t imagine living without today. There were some key factors that played into his success,
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In conversations about sales, one doesn’t usually think of George Harrison. But the truth is that the Beatles’ lead guitarist actually has some solid words of wisdom when it comes to converting warm leads. His last No. 1 hit single, “Got My Mind Set on You,”may sound like dated courtship advice, but it’s actually the perfect road map for turning interested parties into loyal customers. ‘GOT MY MIND SET ON YOU’ George Harrison’s Sales Advice
special offers specifically at your warm list is a great way to cultivate lifetime customers.
‘IT’S GONNA TAKE PRECIOUS TIME’
The No. 1 mistake sales teams make is giving up on leads too early. If you dump a prospective customer because they hesitate on your first few attempts, you’re shutting the door on future profits. Depending on your business, leads that take months or even years to convert can more than make up for the time and effort you’ve spent on them. Customers won over this way are far more likely to stick with you.
‘I GOT MY MIND SET ON YOU’
The theme of the song is painfully straightforward: A lovestruck singer has his mind set on dating someone. While your mileage may vary on single-minded romantic pursuits, this level of unwavering dedication is a must for warm leads. Unlike the mystery woman of Harrison’s song, these people have shown interest in your business. To build toward a sale, you have to return the favor. Send personalized emails or newsletters, or pick up the phone and call them.
‘TO DO IT RIGHT’
‘IT’S GONNA TAKE MONEY’
The final conceit of George’s song is that there may be other ways to win a person over temporarily, but this is the right way. By remaining dedicated and spending the time and money to build your relationship, you can win over lifetime customers — no singing required.
As the first verse of the song suggests, building this promising relationship isn’t going to be cheap. If someone hasn’t already taken the leap to become a customer, they need some incentive to get serious. This is where free trials and giveaways are your best friend. Targeting these
Take a Break!
Miso Caramel Apples Inspired by Bon Appétit
Ingredients
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4 Popsicle sticks
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4 Granny Smith apples
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2 tbsp light corn syrup
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1/2 cup raw pistachios
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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1 1/2 tsp plus 1 cup sugar
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1/4 tsp kosher salt
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3 tbsp sesame seeds
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2 tbsp white miso, divided
Directions
to a boil. Boil for 5–7 minutes, swirling infrequently, until caramel is a light amber color. 5. Add cream and salt to caramel, whisking to combine. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and quickly whisk in remainingmiso. 6. To assemble, first roll apple in caramel, then in pistachio mixture, before resting on greased baking sheet. 7. Let cool 30 minutes and serve.
1. Heat oven to 275 F. 2. In a food processor, pulse
pistachios and 1 1/2 tsp sugar. Add sesame seeds and 1 tbsp miso, pulsing until miso is fully broken up. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15–20 minutes and let cool. 3. Meanwhile, insert a Popsicle stick into the center of each apple. 4. In a saucepan, bring corn syrup, 1 cup sugar, and 2 tbsp water
PUMPKIN SPOOKY
HALLOWEEN HARVEST LEAVES OCTOBER
AUTUMN CANDY CANDY COBWEBS
SUPERNATURAL TRICK-OR-TREAT
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Why It’s So HardTo Stop Cybercrime AndWhat You Can Do About It
INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Terri PAGE 1
5 Monsters Destroying Your Company Culture PAGE 1 How Henry Ford Innovated His Industry PAGE 2 PlayThis Song to Your Sales Team PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Miso Caramel Apples PAGE 3 Tips for Women Climbing the Business Ladder PAGE 4
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com
‘WOMEN, WORK &THE ART OF SAVOIR FAIRE: BUSINESS SENSE & SENSIBILITY’ A Woman’s Guide to Corporate Success
Guiliano is true to her word. Between the covers, readers will find advice on topics as far-ranging as developing the perfect handshake, choosing catering for a business dinner, dressing for success, and putting together an effective presentation. Guiliano has plenty of experience to back up her counsel and shares amusing anecdotes about the food and beverage industry, French culture, and her own journey along the way. There are no easy three-step solutions here, only long-term goals and strategies.
While Mireille Guiliano is best known for “French Women Don’t Get Fat,” her book on healthy eating and balanced living, authorship is actually her second career. Before she took up the pen, Guiliano was president and CEO of the French Champagne brand Veuve Clicquot. She developed Veuve Clicquot’s reputation in America almost single- handedly over a 20-plus year career, and now she has chronicled that success in her 2010 bestseller “Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense & Sensibility”— a guide to climbing the corporate ladder geared specifically toward women. Just as “French Women Don’t Get Fat” upended the typical diet book format, “Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire” leaves the usual business book style behind almost immediately. As Guiliano writes in her introduction, “This isn’t another business book that tells you how to ‘succeed’ or ‘get the corner office.’Yes, of course, you’ll find advice on getting ahead and getting promoted … but more than that, you’ll find advice on being happy and living a good life, even while you are making the biggest contribution you can to the workplace. That’s why I dare to talk about style, and clothes, and food, and wine, and entertaining, and LIFE in a business book. We don’t work in a vacuum.”
What really makes “Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire” unique is that it caters specifically to women in pursuit of high-powered CEO or CFO jobs. Guiliano covers circumventing prejudice right alongside choosing a dress and tips on being the perfect lunch date. Still, both men and women will come away from this book with ideas about how to achieve success without sacrificing the pleasures French women hold so dear.
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