Saturday, December 31, 2011

Man sued for keeping company Twitter followers

A screenshot of Noah Kravitz's Twitter profileMr Kravitz took the Twitter account after leaving Phonedog in October last year

Related Stories

A man is being sued for keeping Twitter followers that he attracted while working for a US mobile news website.
Noah Kravitz tweeted for Phonedog as @Phonedog_Noah, but later changed his username when he left the company - taking 17,000 followers with him.
The company is now seeking damages of $2.50 (£1.60) per user, per month - a total of $370,000.
Mr Kravitz said his former employer had given him permission to continue using the account after he left.
He told the New York Times that Phonedog had allowed him to make the account personal as long as he agreed to "tweet on their behalf from time to time".
The 17,000 followers, which have since risen to 22,000, had been built up by Mr Kravitz during his four years at the company where he worked as a blogger.
However, eight months later the company filed a lawsuit claiming that the account's followers were a customer list, and that it had invested "substantial" resources into building it.
In a written statement, it said: "The costs and resources invested by Phonedog Media into growing its followers, fans and general brand awareness through social media are substantial and are considered property of Phonedog Media.
"We intend to aggressively protect our customer lists and confidential information, intellectual property, trademark and brands."

Start Quote

Companies will now be developing careful ways of deciding if they want to tweet with a conjoined account”
Barbara CooksonIntellectual property lawyer
Strong personality
Corporate control of Twitter accounts has been a highly debated subject. Legal experts believe this latest case could set a precedent for future ownership tussles.
"Companies will now be developing careful ways of deciding if they want to tweet with a conjoined account," said Barbara Cookson, an intellectual property lawyer in the UK.
"For ordinary businesses it's quite difficult to gain a following without a strong personality. You have to have a very strong brand for it to work."
Ms Cookson argued it is hard to pinpoint a financial value to Twitter followers as it is unclear why they follow a particular account.
It's arguable as to whether a Twitter follower list is comparable to a mailing list.
"If Phonedog has been using it to run offers, it perhaps is a mailing list that has value."
However, intellectual property solicitor Leigh Ellis said Phonedog are likely to have a strong case as the original account featured the company's name.
"Let me put it this way, I'd prefer to be on Phonedog's side," he told the BBC.
"If you're a follower, who are you following? You might be following Noah, but it's PhonedogNoah. There's a very good argument that the reputation accrued is to the company, rather than the individual."
In a further statement issued on 28 December, Phonedog clarified that Mr Kravitz was tasked with creating the account in order to "promote Phonedog's published paid for content, giveaways, and live blogging events, and to provide the audience a way to follow Noah during his daily activities as a representative for the company".
It added: "Phonedog has always strived to provide a very personal user experience by frequently communicating with its audience, and all of our editors were and are encouraged to tweet personal aspects of their life to the account.
"Many of the statements made regarding the facts of the case are inaccurate. We intend to prove this in due process."
PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Idea Birthing (A Woman's Story and Guide to the Successful Delivery of a Brilliant Idea!)

ONE OF THE BEST BUSINESS BOOKS I'VE READ IN A 

LONG TIME! 



Idea Birthing (A Woman's Story and Guide to the Successful Delivery of a Brilliant Idea!)

Ebook By April Jeffries
Rating: Not yet rated. 
Published: Dec. 13, 2011 
CategoryFiction » Women's fiction » General
Words: 24433 (approximate)
Language: English
Price: $3.99




Ebook Short Description

Idea Birthing is the story of one woman’s journey through the stages of bringing an idea to life; guided by the lessons and insights of the most natural process known to womankind -pregnancy. It is a unique guide to the creative process and by revealing what to expect when expecting, it supplies motivation to stay the course; to conceive, develop and ultimately give birth to a brilliant idea. 


Extended Description

A brilliant idea can change the world! But what does it really take to bring a great idea to life? What if the answer lies in the most natural process known to womankind – the invisible and amazing transformation that occurs with the development and birth of a newborn baby! Idea Birthing uses pregnancy as a metaphor to glean the insights and understanding necessary to make it through the creative process and successfully bring an idea to life. It is written as a fictional tale; one woman’s journey from conception through delivery of a unique idea. Universal lessons and important questions are extracted along the way. This creative guide for any woman will prepare her for the ups (finding the perfect mate, embryonic development) and downs (morning sickness, labor pains) of manifestation and motivate her to stay the course; to conceive, carry, nurture, protect and ultimately give birth to her brilliant idea.
Visit April's site: http://www.ideabirthing.com




PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Sunday, December 25, 2011

How I Learned to Stand My Ground With Clients


How I Learned to Stand My Ground With Clients
by Thursday Bram, Special to Portfolio.com  Oct 28 2011

Freelance writer and editorial consultant Thursday Bram shares the story of her first face-off with an unhappy client—and why she's a better businesswoman for it.



Editor's note: Failure can be a beautiful thing. With the right attitude, an entrepreneur can take the message from what went wrong and turn it into something that will be right in the future. Portfolio.com has partnered with the Young Entrepreneur Council to offer real-world stories of mistakes and the lessons they produce. Come back each Friday for another column in the series.
It seems like such a little thing after you’ve been in business for a while, but one bad client can make you question your abilities when you’re starting out with a business.
I’d only been in business full time for about six months when I faced off with a client. The contract had been going well—or so I thought—and was relatively simple. I was creating the copy for a new site. The client hadn’t given me much to work with, suggesting that I get the basic information off the current version of his site. I didn’t like using copy that clearly wasn’t working, but the first few pages that I turned in seemed to make the client very happy.
At the end of the project, when I turned over about half of the site’s copy to my client, he basically threw the entire project into reverse. I got nasty email after nasty email about how I’d only rewritten the information on the current version of the site, that I’d done an awful job on the project, and that he wasn’t going to pay for the work.
It sucked in ways that nothing had ever sucked for me before. I cried every time I tried to figure out what to do. I sent that client apologetic emails, trying to figure out what I could do to fix things. All I knew was that I’d made this guy mad and that I needed him to pay me for the time I’d spent on his project.
He finally sent me about half the fee we’d previously agreed on, swearing that I would never get anything else out of him. The work I’d done was already up on his site, and I left it alone.
Every time I thought about that project, I would just get more upset, and it took me a while to figure out why: He was angry with me, and I didn’t actually think I’d done anything wrong. When I was finally calm enough to deal with the situation, I looked over what I had written and the emails that we had exchanged. I’m pretty sure at this point that I fulfilled all the terms of our agreement and that I got taken advantage of. I failed to make sure that I protected my own interests and that of my business.
I revised the way that I dealt with clients as a result of this one upset. I made certain that not only did I have a contract on file for each of my clients, but I also made sure that I had exactly what every client I worked with wanted in writing. A phone call wasn’t good enough. I added a revisions clause to my contract. I even tweaked the process I used for handing over final projects to clients.
But, more importantly, I changed my mind-set. I made myself a list of why I’m the expert—why people pay my company to work on projects, and why they can’t just ride roughshod over me. I came to the conclusion that what a client says about my work may seem true from his point of view, but I stand by my work (and the prices I charge for it). The same holds true as I’ve expanded: I go out of my way to do great work and choose team members who do the same. I’m not about to let someone make me, or anyone I work with, feel that way again.
If someone wants to go back on our contract after the fact, and it’s happened again in the several years since I started my business, I’m not about to let them. I’ll go after what I deserve, without being scared that one client could ruin me.


PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

How I Learned to Stand My Ground With Clients

How I Learned to Stand My Ground With Clients

PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLCSPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Don’t Forget the Annual Notice Requirements Under the New York Wage Theft Protection Act By Lawren H. Briscoe, Esq.


December 2011

Don’t Forget the Annual Notice Requirements Under the New York Wage Theft Protection Act
By Lawren H. Briscoe, Esq.

As the New Year approaches, New York employers should take time to ensure that they are in compliance with their annual obligations under the state’s Wage Theft Protection Act (the“Act”). As many employers are aware, the Act applies to all New York employers and sets forth new-hire notification requirements, imposes an annual notification requirement, and modifies the information to be included on pay stubs. An overview of the Act’s requirements can be found here. 
The annual notification must be provided to employees between January 1 and February 1 of each year and should contain the following information: 
1) the employer’s name and any“doing business as” name; 
2) the physical address of the main office or principal place of business of the employer and a mailing address if different; 
3) the employer’s telephone number; 
4) how the employee is paid (hour, shift, week, etc.); 
5) the employee’s rate of pay,regular payday and overtime rate (if applicable); and 
6) any allowances taken as part of the minimum wage (tip, meal and lodging deductions). The New York Department of Labor has posted templates of the notices, which can be found here.
The notice must be provided even if the information it contains has not changed from previously provided notices. It must be written in English and in the employee's primary language (if different from English), but only if the Department of Labor has released a notice template in that primary language. Employers must have each employee sign and date the completed notice, and employers must provide a copy to each employee. Employers must also maintain copies of the notice given to each employee for six years. 
Failure to comply with the notice requirement can lead to civil liability of up to $2,500 per employee. 
If you have any questions about the annual notice requirements please call Lawren Briscoe or any member of the firm’s Employment practice group, at (973) 597 2500. We also would be pleased to assist you with other employment practices and workplace compliance issues. 

  




PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Thursday, December 22, 2011







Vault's Careers Blog

The 10 Most Overused Resume Buzzwords

Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2010 5:39:04 PM GMT   | 


Quick! Think of three adjectives to describe yourself to a potential employer. Now consider the following possibility: what are the chances that everyone else in the same field as you used one or more of the same words when describing themselves?
Here's the second part of the test: how many of your words are on the following list?
  1. Extensive experience
  2. Innovative
  3. Motivated
  4. Results-oriented
  5. Dynamic
  6. Proven track record
  7. Team player
  8. Fast-paced
  9. Problem solver
  10. Entrepreneurial
Resist the temptation to pat yourself on the back if you found one or more of your terms above—the list was put together by LinkedIn's analytics team, and represents the most overused buzzwords in LinkedIn profiles in 2010.
Bottom line: employers care more about what you can do than who you are. So ditch the empty buzzwords and use your resume or LinkedIn profile to show specific examples of what you've done.









PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How To Remotely Wipe Your Terminated Employee’s Cell Phone Clean


It’s a power that employers rarely use, but perhaps all should consider: How to remotely wipe cell phones that contain sensitive information — especially when the phones get stolen.
All you need is an email address to command to a cell phone to self-destruct. Employers send the command via their company’s email server.
But before you go wild with the power to wipe, experts say to make sure your workers have agreed to it. Otherwise they may take issue with the data destruction — and could possibly take you to court.
Case in point: A woman whose employer remotely wiped her personal cell phone by accident, NPR reports. All company-related email was instantly destroyed — along with everything else, from photos to personal contact lists.
That kind of remote wiping could be grounds for a lawsuit, as one expert told NPR:
Lewis Maltby, president of the National Workrights Institute, says he’s not sure what a court would say about a company that wipes an employee’s phone without permission.
But he says he’d like to find out: “I’m salivating right now at the prospect of this lawsuit.”
A signed waiver and a cell phone policy could help prevent litigation, Inc. suggests. The waiver should include the power to remotely wipe cell phones, along with any other device that can access the company’s email system, IT experts say.
Home computers and tablets like iPads should also be included, they say.
Security concerns are numerous — such as theft by corporate spies or disgruntled employees who share sensitive data online.
That’s why remotely wiping cell phones is used as a last resort, giving employers peace of mind in a sensitive piece of equipment. Source:  Andrew Chow at FindLaw.com





PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

The Season for Sharing by Glenda Brown

We’re all familiar with the saying “It’s better to give than to receive.” A recent study has given scientific proof that providing support to others provides health benefits to the giver, in addition to the one receiving the support. While I appreciate the science, I’ve known the benefits of giving for a long time, and in my experience, there’s an incredible correlation between giving and receiving when it comes to career support.

This holiday season, I’m encouraging you to offer and give career support to individuals in your network and prepare for the benefits that will come your way in return. I believe it’s the most powerful and authentic way to build and maintain a powerful network, strong connections, and access to opportunities and support. Here is my top list of ideas for supporting others. I look forward to hearing your ideas as well.
Introductions:  Think about people you know who would benefit from meeting others in your network. In five to ten minutes, you can create a warm introduction by email and share your thoughts on how the two might benefit professionally from knowing one another. If you have colleagues who are particularly focused on job seeking at the moment, invite them to review your connections list, and let them request people they would appreciate connecting with.

Recommendations and Endorsements:  If you aren’t endorsing and recommending your outstanding business associates proactively, you’re missing a great opportunity to build relationship capital. An unsolicited recommendation posted to an associate’s LinkedIn, Viadeo or other profile will delight the recipient, and in all likelihood, the favor will be enthusiastically returned.

Support: Let’s face it – these are tough times and some of the most exceptionally talented executives are pounding the pavement. Check in with those in your network who are actively looking, offer your time to listen to their challenges or brainstorm their job search strategy. Take it a step further by recognizing that one challenge an out-of-work executive faces is the lack of daily business decisions that naturally keep one engaged and sharp. By asking for advice on a business situation you’re navigating, you’re providing a confidence boost for the jobseeker who might suddenly feel re-valued, and you’ll likely receive true expertise around your challenge.PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

In-Demand Position - Head of Global Talent Management


By: Joe Chappell
Friday, December 09, 2011
AESC member retained executive search firm Salveson Stetson Group predicts a strong increase in demand for the role of Head of Global Talent Management over the next five years.

As more companies compete globally, they will need to manage an increasingly global workforce – but the pipeline of leaders with experience managing their company’s human capital on a global basis is short, the firm said.

“It has been interesting to watch companies transform from multi-nationals to truly global organizations over the past decade,” said Sally Stetson, Co-Founding Principal and Human Resources Practice Leader at Salveson Stetson Group. “Skills like multi-cultural leadership, which were not even on the radar screen 10 years ago, are now critical to success as companies manage employees, partners, and customers across the world.”

“Think about the implications of this new landscape for Human Resources leadership,” Stetson said. “At this point, many companies don’t have a fully integrated global HR function capable of telling them how many employees work for them, let alone an infrastructure capable of global performance management, executive development and succession planning.”

Other global workplace trends that Salveson Stetson Group is following include:
  • Executives who have accepted international assignments will likely be in high demand – and will find that their overseas experience helps them when they return home. “It was not uncommon for an executive who served overseas for several years to return home and find there was no position for her. Companies did not always do a good job of managing the return of talent from around the globe, which was a terrible waste given the significant investment made in expatriate assignments. With a Global Talent Management Leader in place, an executive will find that her career – not just her assignment – is being managed.”
  • Increasingly, companies are looking for alternatives to traditional expatriate assignments. “Traditional expatriate packages generally come with a hefty price tag, including enhanced benefits ranging from housing subsidies to educational assistance for dependent children to potential severance packages if a position is not available when the executive returns home.  Companies are looking for ways to reduce that financial burden, including the option of short-term assignments – lasting one to 12 months – directed at building a particular skill set without the expense or disruption of a full family relocation.”
  • College graduates are better prepared to compete in a global marketplace.“With 14 percent of college students now studying abroad for at least one semester, employers are finding that even entry-level hires come with some overseas experience. Watch for this trend to continue.”
Stetson said that employers’ growing need for Global Talent Management leaders is not limited to just North America.

“When we talk with our executive search colleagues around the world from IIC Partners, this is the number one topic in the human resources industry. Everyone knows they need to be searching for someone to fill this position – and they know they need to be looking globally for those candidates.”

About Salveson Stetson Group
Salveson Stetson Group is a multi-specialty retained executive search firm based in suburban Philadelphia.  Employing a strong focus on cultural fit, the firm delivers executive search services globally across major industry and functional areas ranging from Fortune 50 to emerging companies with specialty practice groups in Life Sciences, Wholesale Distribution, Human Resources and Finance. Salveson Stetson Group is a member firm of IIC Partners, a top ten worldwide executive search organization with 56 offices in 38 countries, and a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants. This partnership with IIC expands our global reach while capitalizing on the local market expertise of each IIC member firm.




PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities


CEO & Board Practice at Heidrick & Struggles Analyzes Path to CEO

By: Joe Chappell
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Jeffrey S. Sanders, Vice Chairman and Managing Partner of the North American CEO Practice for Heidrick & Struggles, an AESC member executive search and leadership consulting firm, recently analyzed the careers of all current Fortune 500 CEOs in anarticle at Forbes.com.

Aspiring CEOs need to create a path for themselves to become a potential CEO candidate. What does this path look like?
  • 30% of Fortune 500 CEOs began their careers in finance
  • 20% began their careers in sales and marketing
  • Even though finance is an important building block, only about 5% were promoted directly from CFO
  • More than half were promoted from the role of COO or President
  • Most companies value financial acumen, but above all, they value a strong operator

The article reports that executives rarely arrived at CEO from a finance role, with a few exceptions. Instead, more than three quarters came from an operating role.
  • Consulting at 4% ranked the least common early career experience among CEOs
  • More than three-fourths of today's top leaders were appointed internally
  • Less than a third of CEOs were "lifers" (those who had spent nearly their entire career at the company)
  • Average time to CEO appointment when rising through the ranks = 16 years
  • Average age at CEO appointment = 50
  • Technology offers the fastest path to CEO
  • Industrial companies offer the slowest path to CEO
  • About 45% of CEOs served as non-executive directors on public company boards before being named CEO


PRESENTED BY: Executive Leadership, LLC SPECIALIZING IN: Human Capital Transition and Executive Coaching - (908) 822-9655 WEBSITE: http://www.exec-leadershipLLC.com
If you are seeking an Executive Coach for yourself or your organization, consider contacting CB Bowman, MBA, CMC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
CB Bowman, ia a Certified Master Coach and president, CEO of Executive Leadership, LLC. She is also the Chairperson and Founder for the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (http://www.acec-website.org).
Among mid to senior level professionals Executive leadership LLC is the go to company for individuals and companies seeking human capital repositioning, development and/or growth through coaching, counseling, and strategic advice.
With her Fortune 500 business background, laser like precision, and a take no prisoners approach she swiftly narrows in on the issue, and unlike others, she presents financially sound, creative and action oriented solutions with infinite possibilities

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Top Ten Ways To Hold A Company Party – Without Getting Sued


REPRINT FROM JD SUPRA
By Michael Mitchell
(Labor Letter, December 2011)
With the Holiday Season in full swing, many employers ask us about the wisdom of holding company
parties where alcohol will be served. They generally want to know about the risk involved if an
employee drinks too much at the party and misbehaves, or worse, injures or kills someone on the
way home. In the interest of answering these questions generally, and with apologies to David
Letterman, we are re-running here an article which has appeared in our newsletters several times
over the years.
There is always a risk involved in holding any company-sponsored function. Serving alcohol
compounds the problems. According to one study, 36% of employers reported behavioral problems at
their most recent company party. These problems involved everything from excessive drinking to off color jokes to sexual advances to fist fights. As a result, more and more employers now hold alcohol free parties.
Since most employers still want to hold holiday parties, you can reduce your legal liability by
observing as many of the following recommendations as possible:
10. If possible, don't serve alcohol. This is easier to do if you simply have a catered lunch at the
company's offices.

9. Invite spouses and significant others so that there will be someone there to help keep an eye on
your employees and, if necessary, get them home safely.
8. Always serve food if you serve alcohol, and always have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages
available.7. If your party is a dinner, consider serving only wine or beer (plus non-alcoholic alternatives) with
the meal.
6. If you do serve alcohol, do not have an "open bar" where employees can drink as much as they
want. Instead have a cash bar or use a ticket system to limit the number of drinks. Close the bar at
least an hour before you plan to end the party. Switch to coffee and soft drinks from there on.
5. Let your managers know that they will be considered to be
"on duty" at the party. They should be instructed to keep an eye on their subordinates to ensure they do not drink too much. Instruct managers that they are not to attend any "post party" parties.
4. Consumption of alcohol lowers inhibitions, and impairs judgment. This can result in employees
saying and doing things that they would not ordinarily do. Remind employees that, while you
encourage everyone to have a good time, your company's normal workplace standards of conduct
will be in force at the party, and misconduct at or after the party can result in disciplinary action.
3. Hire professional bartenders (don't use supervisors!) and instruct them to report anyone who they
think has had too much. Ensure that bartenders require positive identification from guests who do not
appear to be substantially over 21.
2. Arrange for no-cost taxi service for any employee who feels that he or she should not drive home.
At management's discretion, be prepared to provide hotel rooms for intoxicated employees.
1. Never, never, hang mistletoe! Yep, we're not kidding. Take a look at item number 4 again, and
you'll see why.
For more information contact the author at mmitchell@laborlawyers.com  or call (504) 522-3303.




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