A fresh perspective is needed

Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

Facing the challenges of people in business can be a daunting task. In business development, it means that I daily have to grapple with the challenges and problems that people present to me about their situations. Often they are related to their business, however, there are instances of some personal issues they need to address that often impact their businesses.

2018 has been a particularly rough year, it seems that bad news was just coming in from all directions. Averting foreclosures, turning around financial situations, dealing with all the challenges in business within an environment of uncertainty were all old hat to me or so I thought. The bigger the problem people had the more I enjoyed the challenge of successfully solving it for them.

This year, sure it may have been going on before, but I hadn't noticed it with this intensity. Lots of people I know died, and quite unexpectedly and at a rapid rate. It was at such a rate that I couldn't even attend all the funerals. Many were younger than I am.

'“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”' Ecclesiastes 1:2

I managed to recognize it earlier last evening when depression was trying to grasp me. Having heard others describe it, I never once experienced it before. Along the way, I wondered how many others have to grapple with this thing called depression, especially when everywhere they turn there is bad news. Reader, we have tried to compartmentalize our lives using human standards of understanding, and we are wrong. Life is intricately intertwined.

Of late, there are many who want to put God in a box, only calling on him when there is a tragedy. I have read comments by those who know better, it would appear, who post seemingly careless thoughts about what they think about God.

Well, thank God for my relationship with him, since you can really get some really negative thoughts coming at you that if left unchecked can result in a loss. It is important to have a default position. Mine is with Christ. The opening statement of this article sums it up to an extent.

How many others have to grapple with this with changes and challenges to their equilibrium with regards to work, family, lifestyle, country, and other aspects of living to which they have grown accustomed. Yes, the only thing constant in life is change, but are we prepared for these changes?

We can't rely on the government for assistance, but the government has to rely on us as we are facing a most dire rebuilding process given the magnitude of the situations we face. There are many who don't have a mechanism for coping. We have to be our brother's keeper. It is necessary for others to experience the joy of their salvation. A fresh perspective is needed.

Good manners with support systems

It seems that many people do not know their own name. Don't believe me? Just call anywhere and experience how many people on the other end loathe saying their name when identifying themselves and the organization they represent.

When working somewhere you represent a brand of the business; however, there's a personal brand as well. Some older business people who never went anywhere to study business had something about their personality that enabled them to interact with people. So skilled were they with people, that when anyone was referred to the organization they would also be asked to see that people who offered exceptional service.

Nowadays, service has gone the way of education and entitlements which have become so entrenched that the provider has lost sight of who is the customer and what they represent to the business that they should be representing; albeit in a woeful manner.

We seem to have put so much emphasis on catering to customer complaints that customer service has become a department for fielding the various complaints of customers rather than an area that permeates the entire establishment that plans and implements practices that enhance the customer experience. With more education and certification in the area, we have become more reactive rather than proactive; dwelling on problems rather than focusing on solutions.

Businesses, big and small, have lost their sense of good manners. We have developed a society where looking pretty/cool takes precedence over being sincerely helpful. Many of those who offer help seem to have an ulterior motive; they want to be paid for everything. No one seems to care about developing a sound reputation for integrity and honor.

Can we make a difference? Yes, we can! Constantly being mannerly can do you a world of good, and it can improve our environment significantly. Stop being just an expense and begin being an asset in your environment, and develop a reputation for great manners.

The Teas ("ty's") of Business

In business, life most things in life there must be some element of governance. Nowadays, many are jumping onto the bandwagon of entrepreneurship with the mindset that they want to be their own boss. What needs to be asked is, have we counted the true cost of the elements that are needed for business? Have we looked at key ingredients that if not present, the business is doomed to failure.

This short, interactive article will look at not the teas, but the ty's of business. We will highlight them and briefly illustrate how they can be useful in business. The list can be extended as you deem fit, however this is the starting point to just quicken your thinking into considering which of these apply to your business and how you may adapt them to move your business forward. You will be able to identify your own "blend" of business.

Responsibility

Authority

Loyalty

Dependability

Accountability

There, I have hyperlinked them for you. On this occasion, you are going to look them up individually rather than me tell you their meaning. Why?

It's because if you're serious about business, you would want to be aware of the ingredients that go in and make your blend that's suitable for you, your staff, and your customers. Ponder on the next image and see:

• The various elements that affect your business
• How can you manage them with all that's going on?
• What are some of the decisions that you'll have to make and how will the affect the big / small picture of your business?
• Do you affect only the local situation where you are, or do your decisions have an international impact? Think in terms of all the "publics" you will serve. 
• Are you setting any trends / just following leads within the market?

Business is dynamic, interesting, exciting, risky, sometimes stressful, gratifying, and despite the myriad of emotions and experiences - good and bad that it presents, more people want to get into business.

For instance; I want to publicly thank those who created these images that I have used in this article. My imagination would not have allowed me to convey this message as clearly without these images that they developed and never knew that they would be of use for me. Their decision though having an initial local thought has international impact. I also liked learning about their services when I followed their links, since it sort of blends with what I do.

Think locally / Act globally is more than a cliche. It is a MUST. I hope to enjoy your "ty" [pun intended]. Wishing you the best!