Eight Myths About Difficult Volunteers

This list and the worksheets at the end of this segment, may help you clarify the depth of problems you face because of difficult volunteers. If you find yourself believing one of the following, you may have to readjust your thinking as you plan your strategy in dealing with identified problems. More

The Role of Orientation in Volunteer Programs

Orientation is a critical component of any volunteer programme because it is the first training stage for new volunteers. The orientation process should provide a specific set of learning experiences tailored to various volunteer positions. It should provide sound knowledge of the volunteer organization and prepare the volunteer to begin the specified job. Orientation can also be the step in which future training needs for volunteers are determined. More

How to Foster Healthy Conflict

If entrepreneurs want to survive this recession (and, with any luck, emerge stronger on other side), what they really need right now is honesty. As Abba Eban, the former Israeli foreign minister, once said, "consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually." More

STRIDE to Solved Problems

The group works on a project. All goes well and then the wheels come off the car. There are shifts in perception or a change in the basic agreements. A stalemate happens. The team is dead in the water. Arriving on a trusty steed is a mechanism to tackle this thorny issue when working with volunteer committees or teams. It helps make the break through necessary to solve the problem. STRIDE enters the picture. More

How to Build a Profitable Power Product Display

The key to successful retailing is being consistent in your relay merchandising and entrepreneurial in your displays. The power displays is the most important display in your store as it sets the image for the whole store, plus it should be the most profitable square metre of retail space of your whole floor space. Power spots need to be planned and managed and a few pointers will maximize the return of your investment. More

10 Best Practices for Selecting Retail Management Software

ISelecting your next retail management software system doesn't require in-depth technological knowledge. You simply need to roll up your sleeves and run a disciplined selection process, skills you probably have, assuming you're succeeding in the challenging retail industry. Here are 10 best practices for selecting your next system. While there are hundreds of retail software packages on the market, you can quickly narrow them down using these processes and criteria. More

5 Ways to Spur Employee Creativity

Stagnation is a bad thing. Luckily, you have the antidote - your volunteer employees. It is essential to keep them involved in the creative process. Here are a few ways to do so. More

14 Tips for Calming Upset Customers

Upset customers can be unnerving. But with the right attitude and techniques, many of these people can be turned into satisfied, loyal customers. It's not always easy, but it's worth it. More