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Top of Mind: September 8, 2016
September 8th, 2016
by Bill Boyajian
Use Common Sense with Your Smart Phone

Clients often ask me what their policy should be for staff members and sales associates who use their smart phone during work hours. Our digital devices – whether we like it or not – have managed to integrate our work, social, and personal lives as never before. Millennials, in particular, view their phone as a vital extension of their being. Trying to change that, at this point, would be as futile as trying to live in a world without computers.

This said, work is for work, and not for personal communications or playing on the internet. Associates should use their phones only on breaks or lunch periods, where their time is their own, not their employer’s. There are exceptions, however. If contacting clients is important to facilitate business, by all means, use your phone. But if it isn’t, be mindful of the fact that your employer pays you for an eight-hour work day.

I think it’s a matter of principle. Most people want to do a good job and to be a valued and respected member of your team. They need to be told what that means when it comes to work and how unfair it is for employees to take time away from their bosses to do their own thing. Associates want to be treated fairly, but so do owners and managers. It really comes down to what is fair and just for everyone. Let common sense prevail.

Here are a few Business & Life Tips to think about….

Business Tips:

  • When you work for someone, your job is to do well and add value. It’s about what you bring to the table to make a difference.
  • Hire young people. They bring new ideas and new technology to your business. They are in tune with what’s fresh in the world.
  • Your primary responsibility as a leader is not just to lead well, but to develop new leaders so well that it makes your role less essential.

Life Tips:

  • Change enables growth. The fear of change inhibits progress. Most know what they must change, but refuse to do it. Be different.
  • Materialism is a part of society that is hard to escape, but a perfect antidote to it is generosity. Giving back is very rewarding.
  • When we quiet ourselves, we can more easily think, reflect, and observe. Take time today to be still and listen to your inner voice.

 

I received a lot of comments on my Tips on Flying in the last issue. Here are a couple more:

  • When flying to a new time zone, especially internationally, change the time of your watch to the time zone you’re flying into. If you’re changing planes domestically or internationally, you don’t want to be confused about the time of departure of your next plane.
  • When flying, especially internationally, you should try to sleep in the evening of the time zone you’re flying into. This will lessen your jet lag and allow you to adapt much quicker to the new time zone.


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“I needed help orchestrating a succession plan for our business. I had heard that Bill Boyajian specialized in assisting owners to transition their business to the next generation. He knows how to bridge the generation gap and deliver what each needs to hear. I would recommend Bill to any business owner who needs advice on succession planning from a trusted outside professional.”

–Charles Denaburg,
Managing Partner,
Levy’s Fine Jewelry
Birmingham, AL

"Our family needed some guidance on business transition and succession planning. We asked Bill Boyajian to help us because we knew we could trust him to tell us what we needed to hear. Bill became a valuable resource for our company and our entire family. He has the ability to meet each of us where we’re at and it has served us very well."

–Ceylon Leitzel
Leitzel Fine Jewelry
Hershey & Myerstown, PA

“We needed a plan to transition our business to a non-family member and we asked Bill Boyajian to help us. His experience in the area has really paid off, but we didn’t expect the added value of putting us together with a financial planner who helped organize our retirement needs. We now have the fundamentals to transition our business successfully, and we have Bill to thank for it.”

–Ernie & Debbie Cummings
Kizer-Cummings Jewelers
Lawrence, KS