Summer Vacations – Is Your Company Prepared?

We are headed into vacation season. Your employees are happy but you are probably concerned. We need, as business owners, people to be motivated and present during a slow season. Why? It is a time to catch up on small tasks and prepare for the busy season, as well as generate new ideas to keep the company growing. However, people will need to take time off in order to be refreshed and productive. So, where is the balance?

Well, first – think about a real slow month / week that is coming up. Make attendance mandatory during this time. No one can go on vacation and everyone needs to be in the office. Why? This is a time to setup meetings / training / brainstorm new ideas, etc. Allow people to go on vacation but not during this specific and designated week. This will be your “go” time to create plans and address outstanding issues.

Next, create a vacation plan. Make sure you schedule people off in intermittent periods and not at the same time. Then, designate who is taking over specific duties for whom and ensure everyone is aware of the plan (and agrees to it) before vacations start rolling out. This will ensure a seamless transition during a slow time and it affords cross-training opportunities.

Well, speaking of vacations – Memorial Day is Monday so my blog will not be back up until Tuesday! However, keep your questions rolling in.

Until Tuesday,
Twyla N. Garrett

You're A Hostage!

I'm thrilled the Boston situation has been resolved. My prayers go out to the victims and their families. It is hard to reflect on what all has occurred during this past week. Tomorrow I will go back to writing business advice, which many of you benefit from. However, to end the week on a similar note to the past few blogs- today's topic surrounds being a hostage. I know it is a horrible thought, but it can happen. Being prepared for these types of events is your best defense. So, here's what to do!

#1. Understand that the first few minutes of a hostage-taking situation or an abduction are the most dangerous, and they become more dangerous if you resist. Don't resist and try to remember as many details as you can, even if you are only able to hear things and not see them.

#2. Calm down. Your adrenaline will be pumping, your heart will be pounding, and you will be terrified. The sooner you can regain your composure the better off you will be immediately and in the long run. You can make better decisions when calm.

#3. Ask why you've been abducted. This will provide you with insight about the situation. More importantly, this will engage your abductors, making it harder for them to see you as an object or pawn and not a person.

#4. Try to communicate with other people in the same situation. If others have been taken hostage, see if you can find a way to communicate. The more you know, the better. You may also be able to plan an effective escape together.

#5. Get out of the way. When help arrives you need to protect yourself. Even if your captors are taken by surprise, you could be killed by the actions of police or soldiers, who may use explosives and heavy firepower to enter a building. When a rescue attempt occurs, try to hide from your captors, if possible. Stay low, and protect your head with your hands, or try to get behind some kind of protective barrier (under a desk or table, for example, or in a bathtub). Don't make sudden movements when armed rescuers burst in.

I'm hopeful no one will ever have to use this information, but it is good to have in the back of your mind.

Stay safe out there,
Twyla