OPLDatabaseFile P:`.Ar 3 pROM::BJ.WDR%P @No_Lesson_  0!NEVER CONFUSE A MEMO WITH REALITY#(A Little Book of Business Lessons);by Richard A. Moran, adapted for the Psion by Richard Lyon.=THE ESSENTIAL HANDBOOK FOR ANYONE IN THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESSU 1HAlways know who your client or customer is - no matter what your job is.e 2XBe nice to receptionists - they can help you. If they don't like you they can hurt you. Q 3DNever let your guard down around superiors - even when socialising. T 4GBrag about someone to another person; that person is sure to find out. Y 5LSimplify, don't complicate - especially processes, procedures and policies. q 6dNever take a problem to your boss without some solutions. You are getting paid to think, not whine. w 7jSpend five minutes figuring out how to communicate the decision for every ten minutes you spend deciding. y 8lBelieve that change can happen, even after overwhelming evidence says that things never seem to get better. t 9gLife in business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defeats - claim them all as victories. D 107Know what shoes to wear and keep them in proper shape. X 11KWhen waiting in a lobby for a meeting, or to meet someone, don't sit down. d 12WCarry telephone numbers with you - use the back of a calendar or an electronic gadget. A 134Keep track of what you do - someone is sure to ask. f 14YRead the business and trade publications - so you understand trends and know buzz words. 3 15&Don't promise what you can't deliver. & 16Get to the office early. U 17HDon't write memos of more than one page and use graphics where you can. ) 18Never miss deadlines. Ever. d 19WDon't be late for meetings. If you are late, don't make it a big deal, just apologize. Q 20DAlways have documents proofread. Never send a document with a typo. n 21aWhen you hear words like restructuring, de-layering and/or rightsizing, get your resume together.` 22SBe prepared for performance reviews - do your own review and give it to your boss. @ 233Get to know people in the public relations office. y 24lIf you interview for another job, inside or outside the company, expect your boss to find out; be prepared. ] 25PNever confuse a memo with reality.most memos from the top are political fantasy.i 26\Get out of the office as much as you can - especially if you are with clients or customers. * 27Don't look at change as bad. \ 28OResignation letters should only be one or two lines. Don't take parting shots. * 29Don't tell off-colour jokes. 4 30'Don't take newspapers to the bathroom. { 31nShare the credit for successful projects and make sure everyone's supervisor knows of everyone's contribution  32Remember that the purpose of every business is to make or do something and sell it. The closer you get to those activities, the better. k 33^If you are in a staff job, get line experience by jumping at assignments out in the trenches. A 344If you tell a racist joke, be prepared to be fired. p 35cAs Queen Victoria said, Never complain, never explain. Be courageous in your business perspectives.: 36-Never go to a meeting without your calendar.  37Focus on the most important things to do to help your department or organisation be successful. Don't focus on the easiest things.  38{Never start a meeting with anything remotely resembling I'm sorry, I have a cold, or .that we're late, or .there's a typo. \ 39OTake a time management course and then develop your own system that will work. ^ 40QAs tedious as it may be, understand your health benefits and keep track of them.  41Collect business cards and keep them in a Rolodex. If you don't think you'll remember how you know a person, make a note on the card. _ 42RMaintain an accurate mailing list for announcements, newsletters and sales calls. . 43!Go to the company holiday party. ; 44.Don't get drunk at the company holiday party. J 45=Treat your time as if someone is paying for it - someone is. H 46;Keep track of your expenses or you'll end up losing money. Q 47DAlways carry your business cards with you and give them out freely. H 48;Maintain a sense of humour and inject it when appropriate. G 49:Return calls within 24 hours. Never leave one unanswered. q 50dIf you are going to complain about something, have a solution in mind and make clear what you want. M 51@Develop friends in the executive search-and-placement business. V 52IBuy clothes that will last a long time - lean towards wools and cottons. h 53[If travelling on the corporate jet, know what the seating protocols are before you get on. 1 54$Learn to read financial statements. q 55dKnow how to write business letters and send them - including thank you letters and proposal letters.L 56?In all sales situations seek clarity - is it sold or isn't it? P 57CDevelop a high tolerance for ambiguity - you'll be more satisfied. Y 58LLearn to remember people's names. If your memory is poor, develop a system. P 59CAt all costs, avoid dotted-line or ambiguous reporting situations. $ 60Always have an agenda. L 61?Don't hang your diplomas in your office unless you are an M.D.  62Learn how to give first rate presentations so that the message you're trying to deliver is the same one the audience receives. I 63 1271Buy good luggage and briefcases - people notice. 3 128&Assume no one can/will keep a secret. h 129[Make sure you can operate the fax machine, photocopy machine and report binding equipment.  130Never appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or you boss. Take a deep breath and ask yourself, In the course of human events, how important is this? W 131JNever go into a meeting without knowing what you want the outcomes to be.  132If anticipating your first day of work doesn't stir feelings of excitement in your gut, it isn't the right job for you. Don't find out the hard way. \ 133ODon't check your luggage, and take only the essentials with you. Travel light. i 134\Always keep your passport and airline tickets in the same pocket of your suit or briefcase. D 1357Spend your department's budget as if it were your own. { 136nThe days of the three-martini lunch are over - don't drink at lunch unless you don't plan to go back to work. q 137dNo matter what you are told, a laptop computer will run on the battery for an hour and a half, max. d 138WAt most, only half the time you spend on a plane will be productive: plan accordingly. a 139TYou are never too old to change, learn a new job, start over, or try something new. 1 140$Take evening and extension courses.  141When interviewing, think about the people with whom you'd be working. Eight hours a day is a long time to spend with people you don't enjoy. ] 142PLife is choices: always choose to do what you will remember ten years from now. X 143KBecome proficient in another language - or at least get the tapes and try. ] 144PMake a 'to do' list every day. Crossing things off the list is very satisfying. > 1451Don't try to be close friends with subordinates.  146wLeave concise phone-mail messages. If you know it will be long, say how many topics you'll cover early in the message. O 147BNever leave misspellings in any document that leaves your office. | 148oThe final presentation/ recommendations should never come as a surprise to the client, task force or your boss. 149~Leave your office building at least once every day, even if it is January and you work in Anchorage. It will clear your head. [ 150NNever go to more than two meetings a day or you will never get anything done. P 151CBefriend your travel agent, and don't be afraid to demand service. X 152KNever correct a co-worker in front of a customer or client.or anyone else. L 153?Cooperate with consultants - their input can change your life. $ 154Don't date co-workers. S 155FDon't tell people their ideas are bad unless you've got a better one.  156Commuting is not necessarily bad - you just need a good reason for it, such as loving your job or loving your house. The longer the commute, the better the reason needs to be. X 157KNever apologise for an idea that didn't work - but always admit a mistake. b 158UMake a friend with the guard in the lobby - someday you will forget your i.d. badge.  159Be realistic about how much work you can accomplish at night or on a trip and only pack that much. Don't overpack your briefcase and lug too much around. T 160GDon't talk about your boss, clients or projects in elevators or taxis.  161Always push that little button that sends callers directly to your phone when you are not around. No one likes to wait six rings and then get a recording. 1 162$Go through an Outward Bound course. H 163;Let things go. If the old way doesn't work, don't keep it. N 164AYou will never regret having spent too much time with your kids. < 165/Never make up an acronym; try not to use them.  166Use commuting time well. Listen to National Public Radio, tapes you enjoy, or, if you can afford it, use a car phone to get things done. If using public transportation, read, do paper work or get mentally prepared for the day, but don't use a cellulaD 1677Take risks with your ideas and with implementing them. 1 168$Use metaphors to convey your point. p 169cBe the first to use technology - don't fight it. People talk about Luddites, but they are history.  170People who don't know how to use phone mail and personal computers will tend to slow things down - surround yourself with early adapters. D 1717Being good is is important; being trusted is essential.b 172UHave lunch once a month with someone outside your company who someday might hire you.C 1736Become known for building ideas, not for finding fault 174Always strive for a deeper level of truth with business associates. Posturing and pretending is always transparent to everyone.I 175 2841Read the fine print in early-retirement packages.4 285'Try to make your hobbies into a career. 286Own your career.t 287gLearn the paradoxes of organisation work, like growing the organisation while maintaining cost control.U 288HBe a supporter of the latest fad, but don't build your career around it.r 289eNever travel first class if your customer and boss don't, even if you've used a cheap upgrade coupon. 290Don't try to save money on travel expenses if it means you'll lose a productive minute working on whatever you are travelling for.A 2914Don't make people feel bad when they make a mistake.* 292Never complain about jet lag.4 293'Read the same book the boss is reading. 294Training is often seen as a reward and a sign that the organisation is willing to invest in you. Take advantage of it, but be realistic about what you will really learn.p 295cDon't expect that things will be different back at the ranch after you finish a training programme.= 2960The best training is provided by your customers./ 297"Be direct but not confrontational.O 298BNever try to accomplish more than three things in any one meeting. 299Get assigned to a project team working with external consultants. You may learn something and protect your job at the same time./ 300"Globalisation is really happening.4 301'Support recycling. Avoid wasting paper.^ 302QLearn the definition of outsourcing and find out whether or not you are a target.d 303WDrink coffee and drive, or talk on the phone and drive, but don't do all three at once.f 304YIf you are placed on a Total Quality Team, do something worthwhile; don't redesign forms. 305sAlways get a title and sufficient money going into a company; promises about future potential are aways overstated. 306There are work clothes, school clothes and church clothes. Don't mix them up. The focus at work should be the organisation, not your socks.E 3078Don't expect to make money in the boat or wine business.P 308CPerformance evaluations take place every day, not every six months.K 309>Ask questions at company meetings, but don't embarrass anyone.) 310Job security does not exist.W 311JWhen giving a presentation, don't read the slides and don't use a pointer.g 312ZThe concept of entitlement is disappearing fast. You have to earn employment and benefits.{ 313nEmployees always know what's going on in a company. When making announcements assume no one will be surprised.a 314TIf you order a drink, name the label you want. Don't just say, 'I'll have a scotch.'b 315UEliminate guilt: don't cheat on expense reports, taxes, benefits, or your colleagues.^ 316QLet the business shape the organisation, not the organisation shape the business.( 317A good raise is 10 percent. 318FUD is the IBM acronym for an illness called Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. If you have it, it will probably last for a while, but fight it any way you can._ 319RThe organisation most of us grew up with is gone. Corporate chaos is here to stay.3 320&Always carry a thin, cheap calculator. 321~When travelling internationally, read a simple travel guide in advance and carry a quick reference guide to currency exchange.s 322fTechnology cannot solve all problems. It can only make the real work cheaper, faster and less tedious. 323|Reducing costs, increasing competition, or providing more training are usually not the solutions to organisational problems.Q 324DDon't work on weekends - work longer during the week if you have to. 325Companies like UPS may not do everything right but they sure keep their trucks clean and their people courteous. There is a lesson in paying attention to details like people and trucks.d 326WDon't smoke. Especially don't hang around out front of the building with other smokers.X 327KIf you receive a customer complaint letter, give him or her what she wants.3 328&Take a good presentation skills class. 329If you get a bad review, mke sure you understand what genuinely needs to be improved upon, as opposed to your boss's perception of how bad things are. 330Make decisions in a timely fashion, even if you are not 100 percent certain that it's the right decision. Not deciding is a decision, too.: 331-The fewer polices and procedures, the better.h 332[If the result of a meeting is a form, it was a meeting that produced the wrong deliverable. 333xWhen giving presentations, read the audience continuously. Change the tenor, subject, or speaker if you are losing them.u 334hHanging around in an office lobby will give you a flavour of what it's like to work in the organisation.j 335]Don't carry huge calendars with all the gizmos and gadgets. They will label you as a staffer.? 3362Focus on what peers and supervisors will remember.{ 337nPreparing budgets and anything related to them is a necessary evil but a good use of anyone's time and energy. 338Remember what Stanley Marcus said: 'You achieve customer satisfaction when you sell merchandise that doesn't come back to a customer that does.' 339Never pay a relative to fix your car. Never fix your relative's car. The car will work better if it's taken to a shop. The same holds true for doing taxes, writing resumes, developing business plans, public relations, and all other business functionsD 3407Always sit at the conference table - never by the wall.Z 341MConstructing a matrix can create a powerful picture. Use it whenever you can.z 342mFollow Stephen Covey's suggestion of knowing how to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.b 343UCareer planning is an oxymoron: the most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned. 344Treat everyone in the organisation with respect and dignity whether it be the janitor or the president. Don't ever be patronising. 345Learn to enjoy the present and don't be too future orientated. Your life will probably not change dramatically once you move from a grade 9 to a grade 11. 346Past performance is the best indicator of future performance. Remember this whenever a leopard claims to have changed its spots.l 347_Be wary of slogans like 'The future is Here', or 'Excellece through People.' Look for the beef.i 348\Regardless of his tone and style, Tom Peters is almost always right. Read what he's written. 349Children are a source of truth and ideas. The icebreaker to use in an intense meeting was developed by a six-year-old: 'Raise your hand who's mad.'B 3505Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.M 351@Don't use the speaker phone unless you are on a conference call. 352All employees - including the management - want to know three things when they show up for work: What's my job? How am I doing? and, How does my contribution help serve the organisation's mission?R 353ELearn to stand up in front of a room and take notes at the same time. 354If your job isn't going well, change jobs before you even think about taking your frustations out on your co-workers, your family, or yourself.O 355BAlways know the answer to the question, 'What business are we in?'V 356IIf you write a customer complaint letter, tell the company what you want. 357~Don't confuse the organisation chart with who does what. Real activity often takes place between the organisation chart lines.P 358CDon't treat peope like they are dead if they get fired or laid off.> 3591Use the word 'paradigm' no more than once a week. 360Written visions, missions, and goals are not as important as knowing what you are supposed to do when you show up in the morning.t 361gWhen someone tells you these are the best years of your life, believe it and act accordingly. They are.0P:`.Ar 3 pROM::BJ.WDR%P @No_Lesson_