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Captain E. J. Smith said years before the Titanic's maiden voyage, "I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that." Success in 2002 will hinge on being decisive, nimble and willing to make constant course corrections. What worked last year maybe the very thing that might cause your organization to sink this year. The following top-ten list provides some solid advice for keeping your business afloat and prosperous in 2002:
1. Conduct a vampire extermination expedition. The beginning of the year is the best time to analyze your organization's work processes. Determine what is wasteful and what is productive. Eliminate things that keep people from performing at their best. Exterminate the "vampires" sucking money and resources from the bottom-line. You are better off bringing in an expert from outside the organization to do this. Outsiders bring an unbiased approach and a different perspective to your business.
2. Build a high- retention workplace. High retention begins the first day on the job. Put extra effort in your employee orientation programs and build a bond with new hires. A major factor causing workers to stay beyond go days depends largely on how they were treated the first twodays on the job. Managers should meet with new workers during the first week and conduct a new hire survey approximately 3o days after they have been on board.
3. Don't work for a jerk. Those of you who watch the television show ER recently saw Dr. Peter Benton quit his job. The reason he quit-his boss was a jerk. The fact is that good people will quit bad bosses. A survey conducted by Chart Your...