What's in it for me?

A Guided Tour
This week's feature article is a guided tour to the varied resources on this site. It's all here to help you do a better job as a manager.

I apologize to those of you who have been with me from the start. You have watched this site grow and develop and add new features. You already know what is here to help you, but please bear with me as I share that information with those who have found us more recently.

Strategic Direction
This site is focused on general management issues. That includes issues that are of importance to General Managers and above. Perhaps more importantly, it also includes issues that are important to managers in general.

If you are a personnel manager you have different issues than a production manager. You also have a lot of issues in common. The same is true for the Vice President in charge of a large division of a major corporation or the owner of a sole proprietorship; for a manager in retail versus a manager in high-tech.

We all have a lot of things in our responsibilities that are different, but we also have a lot in common. For instance, we are all faced with trying to get more done in less time. We all have personnel problems - whether they are a problem employee, or not being able to find enough qualified candidates to hire. We all struggle with how to utilize technology without de-personalizing the workplace.

What are your primary issues and concerns? Email your comments to me and I will see that they get addressed.

Weekly Features
Each week I publish a new, original feature designed to address one of these topics of common concern. Although there is a new article each week, the earlier articles are archived for your reference. Last year we talked about the implications of incorrectly classifying employees as independent contractors and about whether or not your employees trust you. We explored issues connected with benchmarking, new employee training, and increasing sales.

This year already we have had multi-part series on mentoring and on developing an Internet strategy for your company. We have explored on-the-job safety concerns and the issue of fraternization. We looked at ways to use org charts as an effective management tool, and not just as a passive reflection of the way your organization has evolved.

In the coming months we will address issues such as how to improve the valuation of your stock, how to lead meetings so that something actually gets done, and how to beat your competitors to the punch. We will also talk about the issues that you suggest to me by email or posts on the bulletin board.

Weekly Tips
Some of us don't have the time or inclination to read a full 1,000-word article each week. That's why I post a "management tip" each week. These concise thoughts highlight the key points of a single issue in a few sentences. Rather than vague platitudes, I try to keep them focused on practical advice you can use right now.

Categorized Net Links
I realize that you don't have enough time to do the things you have to get done, let alone time to spend "surfing the Internet". That's why I search the Internet for the very best management resources and put them into categorized lists. You will find lists, so far, of net links that cover everything from administration to women's issues; from safety to the latest theories. There is even a list of business humor sites, because we all need to laugh once in awhile.

I have visited all these sites personally. I review them and tell you what's good about them. I point out the virtues of sites with great value, even if their presentation is not so great. And I keep them up to date. If a site moves or changes, I change the annotation, or delete it if appropriate.

Encourage Dialog and Discussion
I am delighted to share my experience with you. And I trust you will find it useful. However, I will be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers. That's why I maintain and encourage opportunities for all of us to pool our expertise and help one another. This site has a online discussion forum called the "Management Forum" and a private chat room that is available 24 hours a day.

Management Forum
This electronic bulletin board provides a forum where each of us can can freely post a message on any topic. It can be a question, a business problem, or an observation about the general state of things.

We have had some delicate business situations posted by managers looking for advice and counsel from their peers. And they have been rewarded with some thoughtful responses from people with varied perspectives on the problem.

I started one thread on the board about "my worst boss." It generated some interesting stories (and one very interesting response from a 'worst boss'.)

Private Chat Room
Have you been dissuaded from online chat rooms because they seem to be full of nothing but teenagers with overactive sex drives? I maintain a private chat room on this site that is open 24 hours a day. I spend as much time there as I can, and will soon be scheduling specific chats on topics of wide interest. In the meantime, it is available for your use if you need a place for an interactive discussion with someone else.

Feedback Mechanisms
I am sincerely interested in your thoughts about the content and direction of this site. I want to know which topics you would like to see addressed in weekly features and what areas on the Internet are of most interest and greatest value to you.

While the bulletin board and, to a lesser extent, the chat room provide an opportunity for feedback, I know there are times when private feedback is appropriate. To facilitate your providing private feedback to me I maintain an open email channel.

So In Conclusion...
I hope this "guided tour" has made you aware of some additional resources available on this site to help make your job easier. If it has not, please let me know what would be of more value to you. If it has, I hope you will share that information with a friend (or two).

John Reh--

If you have any questions or comments about this article, or if there is an issue you would like us to address, please email them to me or post them on our Management Forum to share with the entire group.

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