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Welcome to Chamber Insights, Complete April 2009 issue In the April 2009 issue
The monthly newsletter of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce. Editor and feature writer: Sue Stivers President's Message: Donna Stotts Feature Writers: Dan Koger, Ramie Hutchison
"Thought of the Month" "A Successful person is one who can build a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw away." President's Message Wow! What a great crowd for the Annual Banquet on April 21st. The crowd of nearly 300 from all categories was on hand as the winners were announced for this years awards. The many nominees for every category just prove that Adair Countian's work hard and it is noticed by others.
The few days we have had of warmer weather is a promise of what's to come. With that in mind, don't hesitate to call the Chamber office to book the Roadside Park Pavilion for your reunions, birthday parties, etc. Call the office at 270-384-6020 for more info. Donations are accepted for the use and this helps to keep the park maintained. New Member Hi-Lights The Chamber is extremely happy to have 2 new members to the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce.
Looking Ahead
May is just around the corner and it is a beautiful time of the year. Having enjoyed the redbud and dogwood trees in bloom along with the many other flowers and trees, the landscape is absolutely beautiful. Take time to enjoy the scenery. Some of the things that make May a special month is May Day, National Teacher's Day, Mother's Day, Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, along with school graduations and making plans for summer vacations. Spring is always a time for planting, sprucing up your lawns and homes, and looking forward to summer. Even though businesses are experiencing a slower economy, look for ways to market your business to increase traffic and sales. With Mother's Day being an important holiday, think of creative ways to make women and especially Mothers feel special. One idea is to offer discounts to mothers or special ladies. Ten percent goes a long way...you know mothers are the coupon queens. Restaurants may want to offer a discounted dinner to the ladies. Use clever specials such as "Mom's Day Off" or "No Laundry Today". These don't have to be gourmet meals. Moms will love the names and the fact they are not the one cooking them. Always remember a warm greeting and friendly smile go a long way in making your customers and visitors feel truly welcome and know that their patronage is appreciated. Some Thoughts on Leadership Leadership is the ability to influence others and to achieve results. It is the capacity to mobilize yourself and others to serve and to work collaboratively. Leadership is a process, not a position. Truly effective LEADERS manage four things well...vision, meaning, trust, and self. Leadership is value-based. Research indicates that the core values of effective leadership are:
The Chamber: A to Z Here is an alphabetical listing of some of the programs, projects and activities of your Chamber of Commerce A--- Ambassadors, awards and the annual meeting B--- Business After Hours, beautification, board meetings, brochures C--- Committees, customer service programs, citywide celebrations, counseling for businesses D--- Development (both community and economic), Directory of membership E--- Educational partnerships with local businesses, organizations, etc. F--- Festivals, fund raisers and flyers advertising member businesses G--- Grant-seeking for community and Chamber projects H--- High-tech headquarters for all community promotion I--- Information Center Extraordinaire!! J--- Job promotion and creation activities K--- Kick-off catalyst for community projects L--- Legislative lobbying for small business, community leadership program M--- Mailing lists of members, maps, and materials center N--- Newsletters, news releases, networking opportunities, newcomer welcomes O--- Orientation programs for community and school groups P--- Planning programs for community and school groups Q--- Quality Management in the workplace R--- Referrals, recognition projects, ribbon cuttings S--- Seminars, surveys, membership services T--- Tourism, travel and trade shows, customer thank-you programs U--- Unifies community organizations for important projects V--- Visitors center, volunteer coordination for community/Chamber W--- Web Site which promotes our Chamber members and community to the world X--- Wares Fair...business expo to promote local businesses Y--- Yuletide promotions: Christmas in Columbia, events, lights Z--- Zeal for our community's quality of life: It's what drives the Chamber!! In Tough Economic Times, Too Much Hard Work Can Cost You Dearly By Dan Koger, Associate Professor of Communication, Lindsey Wilson College It seems logical. In a recession, you conclude, hard work helps you keep your job and feed your family. Not so fast, say people who study life, stress and success in the work place. "Given the difficult economic climate and the number of jobs being lost daily, most of us are feeling the pressure to work harder than ever," employment researcher Bruce Weinstein wrote in a recent edition of Business Week Online. "But in spite of the increasing intensity of our economic crisis, it is not only unfortunate to give in to such pressure. It's unethical." By Weinstein's logic, it's never too late to shake the myth of hard work, especially when all that effort comes at the exclusion of all else in your life. It's all about balance, something the philosopher Aristotle nailed 2,000 years ago when the famed Greek said "the happy person will exhibit a personality appropriately balance between reasons and desires, with moderation characterizing all." For Aristotle, "virtue is its own reward" with true happiness being attained "only through the cultivation of the virtues that make a human life complete." Sue Stivers, Executive Director of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce, says roughly the same thing. By her logic, all that extra work, at the expense of family, community, church and other off-the-job relationships can weaken your ability to do a good job, which in turn can weaken your ability to keep your job. "Employers and work colleagues value a positive attitude," she said. "That's hard to maintain when things aren't going well in all corners of your life." Besides, she said, you may need the very relationships you're putting at risk if, despite all that effort, you end up losing your job in the economic downturn and need to find new work. People you know and love can help, but only if they're still in your camp. How's this for a worst-case nightmare. You burn all those hours on the job, and still end up a victim of what, these days, is politely being called "downsizing". Weinstein puts a painful truth of downsizing into perspective. "Of course it's important to remain an employee in good standing," he writes. "But you shouldn't assume that there is a direct correlation between the number of hours you work and the likelihood that you'll hold on to your job." Downsizing, he reminds us, is a fickle beast that is "largely a function of economics rather than of job performance; companies are letting people go to cut their losses and hit budget targets. Working 12-hour days six or seven days a week isn't going to guard against getting downsized." So what do Weinstein, Stivers, and, by implication, Aristotle recommend? Simple. If you still have a job, cut down on expenses, save for the possibility of job loss, don't take on a lot of new debt, and spend time with the people you love and who love you back. Give your employer a full day on the job, then go home, hug your family members, go to church, help out in the community, and, if you get the chance, stop by the Chamber of Commerce office on Burkesville Street. They have a nice candy dish on the reception counter and they'd love to see you. Eye Candy: How To Ease Eye Stress When Working With Computers You've been at work for several hours now and are starting to feel the effects of doing research or responding to emails all day; your burning eyes can't take any more microscopic text. The only option for relief is to put your head in your hands to rest your parched eyes. Even though you feel there is no way to ease the pain, below are some helpful tips from wisegeek.com It is important to always set up your workspace to protect your eyes, along with the rest of the body, because it will keep you healthier and more productive. There are a number of steps you can take to protect your eyes so that you will not feel strained and tired when you arrive home from work.
This story was posted on 2009-04-30 05:17:05
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