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Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain!

As the 'Great And Powerful Oz' once said to Dorothy, "Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain" and as you know, appearances can be deceiving they are also one of the first things people judge others by. For instance, you recall the old saying 'Never Judge A Book By Its Cover?' well guess what - we still do

As the 'Great And Powerful Oz' once said to Dorothy, "Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain!" and as you know, appearances can be deceiving they are also one of the first things people judge others by. For instance, you recall the old saying 'Never Judge A Book By Its Cover?' well guess what - we still do!

I know that might not sound too politically correct, but deep down we make snap judgements using exterior appearances and then spend our time trying to rationalize our 'gut instinct.' Apparently we should trust our guts more often because gut cells have not yet advanced enough to engage in self doubt? It's amazing what can read inside a fortune cookie!

--- They Call Them Rational Lies For A Reason

And incidentally, have you ever stopped to think about that last word - 'rationalize'. It really is the addition of the word 'rational' and 'lies'? Makes you think doesn't it.

Anyway, back to my point. So what's this got to do with you? Well your clients need to "see" you as the BOSS - the one "in charge." And surprisingly enough, so do your employees.

Let me give you an example. If a new customer walks into your shop and you are dressed like all your staff, how are they to know whom to ask for? Why do you think throughout history we've used uniforms to denote our place in the system? It's certainly not been to make a

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fashion statement - okay, at some points in history it was to make a fashion statement, but the General always looked different from his troops.

--- Le Grand Fromage!

And unless you wear a nametag that says "I'm In Charge" or "Boss" or "Head Honcho" (incidentally, all of which are bad ideas) your new customer will be left having to ask, and people are not always comfortable asking. Remember, your new client is already at a disadvantage because they have a problem they don't know how to solve - make it easy for them to spot you.

Also, if you dress differently from the rest of your staff, slacks, a jacket and so forth, people will assume you are in

The term fashion applies to a prevailing mode of expression. Inherent in the term is the idea that the mode will change more quickly than the culture as a whole. The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current popular mode of expression. The term "fashion" is often used in a negative sense, as a synonym for fads and trends. In this sense, fashions are essentially a relief from bourgeoisie and petit bourgeoisie boredom, or a distraction from important matters, for the idle rich. The term is also frequently used in a posi
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management and not a technician - I know, it maybe a strange assumption, but we're back to those appearances again. Believe me it helps customers feel comfortable because dressed that way you are more like them. And when they feel more 'like you' they will be more inclined to 'relate' to you (the cornerstone of trust and ultimately good

"Management" (from Old French ménagement "the art of conducting, directing", from Latin manu agere "to lead by the hand") characterises the process of leading and directing all or part of an organisation, often a business, through the deployment and manipulation of resources (human, financial, material, intellectual or intangible). Early twentieth-century management writer Mary Parker Follett defined management as "the art of getting things done through people."
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business).

--- 'Hanging' With Your Staff

As to your staff, (management commentary aside) you really should differentiate yourself from them - at the very least in how you appear. Let me give you another old axiom - familiarity breeds contempt. Over familiarity may not breed contempt in your business, but it certainly may lead to over-stepping the bounds in conversations.

Remember, you and your employees are not equal in all things. You may be equal on a technical level, you may be equal on many other levels but there is one significant difference: you are their employer. You are the one who has the occasional sleepless night thinking about cash flow and receivables, not them.

--- One Small Step?One Leap of Faith

You were the one who took the leap of faith and started a business. You should look different - you are different - and it helps to keep up the illusions we all need to operate properly in this business world of ours.

Now I'm not suggesting you act all high and mighty - you need your staff, some times more than they need you. Just remember you might have to make some tough decisions and it will be doubly tough if it involves "a friend."

But you knew all this already, right?

JAMES C. BURCHILL is a 20-year veteran entrepreneur and

In economics, business is the social science of managing people to organize and maintain collective productivity toward accomplishing particular creative and productive goals, usually to generate revenue.

The etymology of "business" refers to the state of being busy, in the context of the individual as well as the community or society. In other words, to be busy is to be doing commercially viable and profitable work.
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information technology executive who now provides strategic

Information as a concept bears a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation.

Many people speak about the Information Age as the advent of the Knowledge Age [citation needed] or knowledge society, the information society, and information technologies, and even though information science and computer
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marketing consulting services to a select group of clients. He is a published author, a passionate advocate of technology and the

Marketing, as suggested by the American Marketing Association, is "an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders".[1]

Another definition, perhaps simpler and more universal, is this: "Marketing is the ongoing process of moving people closer to making a decision to purchase, use, follow...or conform to someone else's products, services or values. Simply, if it doesn't facilitate a "sale" then it's not marketing.
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Internet, as well as an avid study of classical

The Internet (also known simply as the Net) can be briefly understood as "a network of networks". Specifically, it is the worldwide, publicly accessible network of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It consists of millions of smaller domestic, academic, business, and governmental networks, which together carry various information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer, and the interlinked Web pages and other documents of the World Wide Web.
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advertising and marketing strategies (which he uses during 'Internet alchemy' experiments.) James is an expert in information and data management, Internet marketing and online

Advertising, generally speaking, is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually performed by an identified sponsor. Marketers see advertising as part of an overall promotional strategy. Other components of the promotional mix include publicity, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion.
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networking. A self confessed 'information and technology enthusiast', James brings a wide range of valuable skills to any venture. Of singular note is James' ability to assimilate complex subject matter and produce clean clear 'easy-to-understand' messages. James has been interviewed many times and caused quite the media buzz when a client 'double-dog-dared' him to prove you can get front page coverage for $0. The details and that 'dumb stunt' are now part of EBay legend. Currently James lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife and family, their Siamese cat and one very nervous fish. Visit http://www.JamesBurchill.com for details.

Computer networking is the scientific and engineering discipline concerned with communication between computer systems. Such networks involves at least two computers, which can be separated by a few centimeters (e.g. via Bluetooth) or thousands of kilometers (e.g. via the Internet). Computer networking is sometimes considered a sub-discipline of telecommunications.
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Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain!

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