Jan 11
Welcome to a new year full of hope, possibilities, and new beginnings! Everyone loves a clean slate and with a new year, it feels like we all have 365 do-overs. I hope you have made a list of New Year's Resolutions and that you intend to keep them. The SmarterServices team is excited about the new year. Changing the name of our company and products last year was a big job! 2010 was definitely the year of change for us! We've settled in and now in 2011, we are ready to take our service and products to the next level. In a nutshell our New Year's Resolution is to use our business intelligence to improve client service, maximize productivity, and polish our products to perfection!
As always we welcome your feedback and suggestions. We are looking forward to serving you in 2011!
Sep 16
Check out these pictures of the keyboard I use at my desk daily!
Aug 19
According to John P. Kotter's article "Why Transformation Efforts Fail", there is a science to effectively managing major change. Kotter lists eight stages of creating major change and how to make them work. In today's world of fast-pace business it is crucial that we are equipped to handle the rapid change that continues to drive the direction of many industries.
- Establish a sense of urgency - If it is important then make it a priority!
- Creating the guiding coalition - Get people together who have the authority to make things happen and let them do their job!
- Developing a vision and strategy - Know where you want to go!
- Communicating the change vision - Don't leave those who are expected to "change" in the dark!
- Empowering broad-based action - Remove obstacles that can't hamper involvement and results!
- Generating short-term wins - Small wins keep players motivated!
- Consolidating gains and producing more change - Promote, hire, and develop those who can make the change happen!
- Anchoring new approaches in the culture - Implement accountability system and hold everyone to the appropriate standard!
Jun 21
Did the lines get crossed somewhere? What do television shows, movies, and college courses have in common? According to a recent blog post I stumbled upon, there is a connection. Check out the list below from OnlineClasses.org. Do you have others that could be added to the list?
"The Wire": HBO’s five-season drama about crime, politics, and the economy of Baltimore has been hailed by many critics as the best show ever made, so it was only a matter of time before it made its way into the classroom. Harvard University announced plans last fall to use the show in fall 2010 in a course examining poverty in America.
Star Wars, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings: The "Myth and Science Fiction" course at Centre College used these three popular films series to deconstruct narrative patterns and talk about what makes stories work.
"Judge Judy": Students at UC Berkeley were able to take a course that used "Judge Judy" to examine logical fallacies in arguments witnessed on television court series. A great way to get to the heart of rhetoric.
"The Muppet Show": Jim Henson’s Muppets are iconic characters, and this UC Santa Cruz course examines the series’ impact on puppetry and effects, children’s entertainment, and the popular media.
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer": The cult hit TV show has spawned legions of passionate fans and high-level studies, including this UC San Diego course that uses the series to explore feminist writing, religion, and more.
"The Simpsons": This is just the place to argue about whether the show’s still any good: Rochester Institute of Technology’s introduction to cultural studies uses the animated modern classic to demonstrate changes in political and social climate.
"Star Trek": There have been numerous series and films set in the world of "Star Trek," but it’s the original 1960s series that Georgetown students used to learn about philosophy.
"The Apprentice"The show that brought Donald Trump even more prominence has inspired courses on business ethics and personal relationships in the workplace.
"South Park": CUNY’s Brooklyn College used Comedy Central’s irreverent animated series to talk about the show’s very real messages on everything from war to political correctness.
Soap operas.: Yes, soap operas. This University of Wisconsin course used them to show how the roles of women on the shows had an impact on real-world families and workplaces. Who knew?
Apr 28
Professors' Guide LLC, compiled a list of the 14 habits of top college students. Read the full article here.
- Have a scheduled.
- Divide up the tasks.
- Are organized.
- Hang out with smart friends.
- Don't kid themselves.
- Manage their feelings.
- Challenge themselves.
- Are consistent-and persistent.
- Are open to feedback.
- Ask when they don't understand.
- Aren't too shy.
- Look out for number one.
- Keep themselves in tip-top shape.
- Have a goal-and a plan.
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