The TSA has changed the rules for air cargo shipping beginning early next week in light of the discovery of two packages containing explosives shipped from Yemen to the United States.

These changes will impose additional requirements on carriers and forwarders who handle cargo coming into the USA by both passenger and all cargo carriers. The changes have the potential to delay cargo in transit or prohibit the cargo from moving altogether.

Intelligence is still being developed on these two bombs. The latest news is that the package found in the UK was allegedly timed to explode over the eastern United States. Importers who are moving cargo by air should anticipate potential delays and check with their forwarders on the impacts to their specific supply chains.

Nurtured Employees Lead to Better Bottom Line!

For a lot of small business CEOs, the top goal over the last couple of years was survival. But not for Christine Barney. Over the last six months, Barney picked up strength in the public relations field by gobbling up competitors Pac Man style, this week adding the 21-year old Coral Gables firm, Thorp & Company.

The acquisition adds expertise in new areas and puts Barney's Miami firm, rbb Public Relations, in position to emerge stronger than before the economy soured. But ask Barney about the single most important factor in her firm's success and her answer isn't the ability to land big accounts; it is nurturing her employees.

As an employee, it's easy to see how creating a great place to work would make a huge difference in the success of a business. Make me feel valued, so the thinking goes, and I will work hard for you -- make sure your customers are happy. But for some reason, I see too many business owners who don't acknowledge the correlation. Instead, their employees feel used and trapped in their jobs. And, as a result, they're reluctant to help the organization succeed.

In fact, a recent study by Hewitt Associates, conducted in late June, saw employee engagement drop to the lowest levels Hewitt has seen in 15 years. Further, the Hewitt study found organizations with high levels of engagement (65 percent or greater) outperformed the total stock market index and posted total shareholder returns 19 percent higher than the average in 2009. On the other hand, companies with low engagement (40 percent or less) had a total shareholder return that was 44 percent lower than the average.

The study underscored what may be the big lesson of the recession: high employee engagement, customer satisfaction and financial performance are closely linked. The companies expanding, taking over competitors, and shaping their industries are those with happy workers, smart CEOs and good fiscal management.

Those companies who have had massive layoffs or haven't really invested in their employees are not really poised for a rebound when things get better,'' Florida State University mangement professor Bill Anthony. But Barney figured that out years ago.

Public relations is a 24/7 business, and rbb's employees must respond to client needs at all hours. That's not exactly the best recipe for work life balance. But even while the firm has high expectations of its staff, it has spent the last few years creating an employee-driven workplace. Elements include an open, cheery workspace to promote creativity and teamwork, and flexible work schedules and the tools -- including laptops and cellphones -- that allow employees to work from anywhere.

The strategy works, says Susan Gilden, a seven-year employee at rbb. ``We work hard, not because we're in fear for our jobs but because we feel as if we have ownership. Clients sense that and that's what got the firm through in a difficult economy.'' It also has helped rbb become recognized by several publications as one of the Best Companies to Work For.

Barney says her employee culture also has attracted one-time competitors eager to join forces. The acquisition of Thorp & Company is rbb's second this year; last spring, rbb integrated its operations with that of Haber & Quinn of Fort Lauderdale. The combined operations brings rbb to a total 36 employees, adds expertise in financial services and issues management -- and positions it as a strong regional player poised for growth.

Folding in new staff has gone smoothly. ``Our culture is well defined. It's not squishy. People understand what's expected, and how to treat each other.''
Career Xchange, a survivor in the hard hit staffing industry, also has pressed its advantages during the recession. The South Florida firm had acquired three smaller companies before the economy soured. This year, it aligned itself with a West Palm Beach staffing company, and it currently has another acquisition in the works.

Meanwhile, it decided not to purchase of a medical staffing company, turned off after discovering that firms employees were working 13-hour days.
Sue Romanos, CareerXchange president and CEO, says her company, while financially conservative, views employees as partners that are key to survival. ``We're close to our employees,'' she says. ``It is what has pulled us through hard times.''

Romanos says business owners typically spend time focusing on finances when things get tough. ``It's just as important to keep in mind you have employees and they are your business,'' she says. ``The most important asset is human capital. Financially strong companies know that.''
Indeed, they do, says Trudy Evans, a strategic business consultant and president of The Raven Group in Fort Lauderdale. Evans says successful companies, both during the recession and in healthier economic times, are run by CEOs who acknowledge the contributions of rivals and inspire their workers to outperform competition.

Look for a place that has happy employees and it will be a challenge to find poor results,'' she says.

By: Cindy Krischer Goodman, Miami Herald

New Dynamics Reshaping Freight Industry

According to Fleet owner magazine, increasing freight volumes have exceeded existing capacity in many cases, which in turn is convincing many transportation companies that better days lie ahead.

FedEx Corp., for one, expects earnings for its fiscal first quarter (which ends August 31 this year) to be in the range of $1.05 to $1.25 per diluted, up 81% to 116% from the 58 cents per diluted share it earned during the same period in its previous fiscal year and up from 85 cents to $1.05 per diluted share predicted during the company’s further fiscal quarter, which ended June 16.

“Our revenue and earnings growth are exceeding original expectations, primarily due to better-than-expected growth in FedEx Express and FedEx Ground volumes,” said Alan Graf Jr., FedEx executive vp & CFO.

“Our package volume growth rates in our first quarter are continuing at a pace similar to our fourth [fiscal] quarter,” he added. “Resumed growth in industrial production and global trade is increasing demand for our transportation services.”

For the full year, FedEx expects earnings per diluted share to range between $4.60 and $5.20, up from $4.40 to $5.00, which reflects the current market outlook for fuel prices and a continued moderate recovery in the global economy.

Others, however, are more cautious. “We’re at another interesting inflection point in our outlook. While we don’t think we’ll see a double-dip recession, we do project the overall economy growing slower than we previously forecast. That means the downside risks are increasing,” said Eric Starks, president & senior consultant with FTR Associates, during the firm’s “The State of Freight” webinar last week.

On the plus side, Noel Perry, principal of research firm Transport Fundamentals as well as managing director & senior consultant with FTR Associates, said freight volumes are definitely on the upswing, with a growing capacity crunch helping truckers boost rates and margins.
After watching truck freight pricing plummet by 11% last year, excluding fuel surcharges, Perry said prices should recover roughly 10% this year and next because freight demand is exceeding current capacity so strongly.

However, the overall economic picture that is causing some concern. Based on its analysis, FTR is scaling back its U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to the 3%-3.5% range – a full percentage point lower than its previous estimate. The firm also thinks growth will remain “choppy” and not just in the near-term; this will become the nominal state of economic behavior.

“We’re entering an era of ‘slow’ economic recovery, one characterized by several quarters of slow uneven growth,” Perry said. “Economies just don’t recover in consistent ways – they jump around a lot more and while this is painful, it will be normal.”

He thinks that will also be strongly reflected in trucking industry financials from here on out. “The long term volatility of the economy is going to be six times that of the 1980s and 1990s,” Perry said. “And transportation demand is going to be five times more volatile, with extremes in capacity doubling.”

As a result, trucking earnings will be far more volatile as well -- and not necessarily match the economic picture. “Carriers have tried to maintain steady earnings and just can’t. That’s going to be the challenge in the future here,” Perry said.

Truckload carrier Werner Enterprises also sees similar dynamic forces at work in the freight market. “We continue to believe that more of the improvement in the freight market over the last six months can be attributed to a decreasing supply of truck capacity rather than rising demand, however both factors are helping the freight market improve,” the company noted in its second-quarter earnings report.

Werner benefited handsomely from those factors in the second quarter, as its operating revenues increased 15% to $463.5 million compared the same period in 2009. And its pure trucking revenues, net of fuel surcharges, jumped 5% to $326.5 million compared to the second quarter last year. Finally, Werner’s earnings also went up a healthy 63% to 29 cents per diluted share compared to 18 cents per diluted share in second quarter of 2009.

“Inventory restocking also appeared to improve demand in recent months, particularly with many of our large retail customers,” the carrier added. “Our brokerage data suggests that carrier failures have begun to slow in recent weeks due to an improving freight market. However, we believe that many carriers are aging their fleets due to the rising cost of new trucks and inadequate rates. In addition, we believe the challenges of complying with increased government regulations and a lack of available equipment financing are proving difficult for smaller, private carriers.”

How to be Accountable and Hold Others Accountable

This is a story of four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybodyʹs job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldnʹt do it. It ended that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. - Unknown

Does this sound familiar? What kind of workplace situations does this remind you of? The topic of accountability has been such a hot topic for the last decade, it’s almost turned into just another corporate buzzword. However, for some reason, the word still seems to be a lightning rod when it comes to leadership development.

It’s a word with a lot of arms and legs. It’s often used to describe:- a personal value (someone who is accountable)- something you do to others (hold them accountable)- and something that an organizational entity should be or isn’t (e.g., there’s no accountability in government).For leaders, accountability starts with looking in the mirror.

Being accountable is our ticket to earning the right to hold others accountable.When someone else screws up, we tend to blame it on their personal characteristics. However, when we screw up, we tend to blame it on external circumstances. It’s a cognitive bias social psychologists call “fundamental attribution”.

Neither serve us or others well as leaders.What does it mean to be accountable as a leader? Let’s just say I know it when I hear it. It sounds something like this:- “I made a mistake”- “I screwed up”- “That’s on me, and no one else”- “No excuses” - “I’ll do it – it’s mine”- “I got it”- “I’m already on it, it’ll get taken care of”- “I’ll make sure everyone gets regular status reports”I also know what it doesn’t sound like… it doesn’t sound like:- Whining- Finger pointing- Blaming- “I’ll try”, “maybe”, “I’ll do my best”- Excuses, excuses, and more excuses- A victim-

Insincere, rehearsed, b.s. apologies Leaders can start creating a culture of accountability by being accountable. However, being a role model isn’t always enough to help someone else be accountable. As leaders, we often need to hold others accountable. In order to do this, we need to:1. Establish expectationsWithout expectations, managers and employees both end up frustrated and disappointed.

It’s important to clearly describe what “good” performance looks like, and what it does not look like. Gain Commitment...Without commitment, we get compliance – or even resistance. Don’t assume you have someone’s commitment just because you’ve discussed it with them. Watch out for those phases like “I’ll try”, or “I’ll do my best”.

Ask for and listen to people’s concerns. Help them overcome their obstacles, explain the benefits, and help them figure out what they need to achieve the goal. Ask: “Do I have your commitment?”, and “What needs to happen in order for you to commit to this?” Inspect what you expect“Inspection” sounds like a dirty word, indicating a lack of trust or micromanaging. It’s really not – following up shows that it’s important, you care, and you’re there to help remove obstacles.

Inspecting also provides an opportunity to give praise for progress towards a goal. In time, hopefully, your employees will learn how to proactively provide progress reports. Let’s face it, these days, we all have all kinds of competing priorities. Even with good intentions, it’s easy for things to slip. Inspection and follow-up make sure the really important things don’t fall through the cracks.

Provide feedback and consequences.Feedback lets someone know how they’re doing. If expectations are not being met, then they need to know about it, as well as how to get back on track.If expectations are being met or exceeded, then they need to hear about that as well. If performance consistently is below expectations, then there needs to be consequences. Without consequences, there is no accountability.

If you follow this process consistently as a leader, and role model accountable behavior yourself, you’ll create a culture of accountability and “no excuses” within your team or organization. From Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership.

Taking Risks in Sales!

According to "Sales Cowboy", nobody knows about risk and reward better than salespeople do. They get into the field because they believe in themselves and their abilities, and understand that they control their own destiny. They don’t sit on the sidelines and wait for things to happen. They’re not fans, they’re players. They know the rewards (large pay days) and they understand the risks (termination).

When 2010 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson was asked after his recent thrilling win...

what’s the difference between a great shot and smart shot he replied, “A great shot is when you pull it off. A smart shot is when you don’t have the guts to try it.” It’s an interesting line, one to mull over if you’re in sales.

Those who follow golf know that Mickelson is a risk taker who can pull off memorable, how-did-he-do-that? shots at crucial, nerve racking times (as he did on the 13th hole yesterday), as well as make some bone-headed moves, like his “I’m so stupid” moment on the 18th hole of the 2006 US Open.

Always true to himself, Mickelson lives and dies by his risk-taking ways.
Playing it smart is playing it safe is what Mickelson is talking about. Certainly there’s nothing wrong with playing it smart, playing the percentages, containing yourself, not trying to do too much.

The flipside is: How can you grow if you don’t take chances, don’t challenge yourself? Well, you can’t. Playing it safe might be smart but it’s never going to take you places you need to go... namely success (and failure). The successful salesperson builds on success and learns from failure.

How many sales managers out there are encouraging their employees to roll the dice and "go for it"? How many leaders are telling their teams, “Go after that hard to reach prospect, experiment with your pitch and post-pitch, be bolder, don’t be afraid!”? Salespeople in a leadership role should encourage their employees to take chances, take risks, and have fun doing it.

There is a certain joy about watching Mickelson play golf. He’s fun to watch because he’s having fun and he’s unafraid. And for those people out there who believe that you need to be steely-eyed, cold, and robotic to be successful, well, you didn’t watch the Masters this year and you didn’t see how being risky sometimes pays off—pays off big time!

Public Confusion over Implementation of Health Care Overhaul!

By MARGARET TALEV
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON -- Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how - and when - the sweeping measure will affect them.

Questions reflecting confusion have flooded insurance companies, doctors' offices, human resources departments and business groups. "They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com.

The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.
McLean said the call center had been inundated by uninsured consumers who were hoping that the overhaul would translate into instant, affordable coverage. That widespread misconception may have originated in part from distorted rhetoric about the legislation bubbling up from the hyper-partisan debate about it in Washington and some media outlets, such as when opponents denounced it as socialism.

"We tell them it's not free, that there are going to be things in place that help people who are low-income, but that ultimately most of that is not going to be taking place until 2014," McLean said.
Adults with pre-existing conditions are frustrated to learn that insurers won't have to cover them until 2014 (though those under 18 will be protected in late September); then they become both hopeful and confused upon learning that a federal high-risk pool for them will be established in the next few months. "Health insurance is so confusing. You add this on top of it and it makes it even more confusing," McLean said.

The Obama administration is embarking on a years-long public education campaign about the overhaul, including a Web component. However, much of the guidance will depend on Department of Health and Human Services regulations that are still being developed.
Parents of young adults, including those who are preparing to graduate from college this spring, have heard that the overhaul will let them keep their children on their insurance plans until they reach age 26. That starts in September, however; they have to determine how to cover them until then.

A new wave of inquiries could come next month as federal COBRA subsidies for laid-off workers dry up. Ann Wooten of Austin, Texas, a breast cancer survivor, said she didn't understand whether the health insurance overhaul law meant that she should try to access private coverage again someday. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 after she lost her insurance in a divorce, and soon after she lost her job at a convenience store as a result of the economic crisis.
Medicaid has covered her treatments but she must apply regularly to renew the coverage. She went back to school to learn hotel management and is seeking a good-paying job with benefits. She doesn't know how the health overhaul will affect her options, and hasn't yet found the time or energy to investigate.

Americans who already have good coverage aren't so worried about the immediate implications, but some admit that they're plenty confused. "Why does it take so long for certain health care things to take effect?" said Sandra Preston, a state employee in Paterson, N.J.
Ben Wiesen, a software engineer who works for a small company in Tarrytown, N.Y., said he'd read up on the overhaul but remained concerned about the unknowns.

"The timelines have been pretty clearly stated," he said. "It's the execution and the details: How are they really going to roll out the changes, and who ultimately will be the arbiter and decision-maker?" Actor Sam Robards, the son of Lauren Bacall and the late Jason Robards, was visiting Washington last week with his children and Danish-born wife. Chatting in front of the White House gate, he said he tried to follow news coverage of the overhaul but conceded that "I'm not totally clear" on the details. He said he was glad that he got good coverage through the Screen Actors Guild so he didn't have to worry about it.

The couple previously lived in Denmark, which has universal health coverage. They applauded the overhaul's aim of extending coverage to nearly all Americans. Many small-business owners are nervous about requirements being phased in. "Members are still trying to wrap their head around everything that's in this law," said Michelle Dimarob, the manager of legislative affairs for the National Federation of Independent Business, the small-business lobby.

Dimarob said the lobby's primary concern was that its costs would rise over the next four years as a result of fees, taxes and coverage mandates related to the overhaul.
"The next question that comes out of their mouths is: 'What do I have to do right now?' They need to start talking with their accountant, depending on how they're organized, what industry they're in and whether they're offering insurance now and what kind they're offering. We're suggesting they talk to their agent or broker."

Tanning salons face a new excise tax starting in July as part of the overhaul. Other business owners are trying to understand new Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements related to business-to-business transactions that will kick in as a result of the new law. Others are looking ahead to coverage mandates for 2014 and calculating how many part-time versus full-time employees they should have to best contain costs.

While Obama has been touting a tax credit for small businesses that offer employees health coverage, Dimarob said many small businesses wouldn't be able to participate. First they must do research to see whether they qualify. "It requires them to understand the intricacies," she said.
The president has begun traveling the country to talk about the new law to ordinary Americans. In Maine last week, he explained many highlights of the four-year phase-in. However, Obama's remarks were laced with enough political rhetoric to dilute his policy message.

Many organizations have produced timelines explaining when provisions are to be phased in. Still, it's confusing for consumers, and until the administration issues more regulations, many details can't be pinned down.

"The first meeting the president held with the team post-passage was on implementation," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "Obviously this is a big task, and a campaign to ensure that people understand what benefits are coming online when obviously will be tremendously important."

Small Businesses See Economic Conditions Improving!

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

More than half of small business owners see improved economic conditions for their companies compared with a year earlier, according to the Capital One Small Business Banking survey.

One in four respondents said business conditions improved and another 28% said their businesses were in a better financial position than a year ago.
Among the most heavily hit by the recession, financial conditions for many small businesses have remained relatively constant over the past year.

"The lack of further deterioration and a growing access to capital are reasons to be cautiously optimistic as we look ahead," said Robert Kottler, executive vice president of small business banking at Capital One.

The survey, conducted between December 2009 and January 2010, polled small business owners to assess their businesses during the recession. More than two-thirds of respondents said they had access to the credit and financing they need.

Most businesses owners surveyed, however, said they had no plans to make major investments in the companies in the next six months and only 28% said they planned to hire.

Over half respondents said the primary business challenge over the next six months is the ability to acquire new customers, while maintaining existing customers and finding new revenue streams are among top concerns.

-By Jodi Xu, Dow Jones Newswires

Electronics Buyers' Report Biz is Improving!

What a difference a year makes for electronics buyers: In March, 49% of buyers said business was improving and demand for their companies' end equipment was growing, according to Purchasing's monthly survey of business conditions.

In March 2009, only 11% said business was improving.With business improving, buyers are increasing their purchase orders. A hefty 65% said they would increase their purchase orders (POs) over the next 90 days. The last time that many buyers said they would increase POs was in July 2006.

While some of the orders may be for inventory replenishment, a lot of orders will be for parts needed to build new electronics equipment."There's no question business is heating up," says Paul Blom, senior vice president supply chain for electronics manufacturing services provider SMTC in Markham, Ontario. "There is an incredible increase in demand that we are seeing from our customer base."

SMTC has a broad range of customers, including industrial control, computing and telecommunications OEMs.He says while business tanked in the first half of 2009, it started to rebound in October 2009. "As bad as it was in the first half of last year, it is the opposite today.

"Business is incredible."

13 Customer Retention Tips!

Salespeople are wise to focus on their existing customer base to impact success during economic recovery. Competitors are getting creative and aggressive and existing relationships could be up for grabs … unless…you treat your existing clients like new customers. Think about how you treat new customers.

During economic recovery, treat your customers like new customers by trying the following things:

* Conduct a thorough needs-analysis with them to make sure your solutions still are solutions. Their business has likely changed like the rest of the world.

* Find out where they need help and deliver.

* Figure out how your company can better service them – clear billing, better response on customer service issues, etc.

* Bring senior leaders to face-to-face meetings to thank them for their business and show how valuable they are to your company.

* Sincerely thank them for their business.

* Share new ways to solve old and new problems.

*Share industry expertise. Help them be innovative.

* Help them help their customers succeed.

* Learn everything you can about their business – you’ll recognize ways to help them the more you know their business.

* Be attentive, present and part of the team.

* Commit to quarterly business reviews to hold yourself accountable to the results you promised.

* Make sure they know all that you can do for them. (Exercise: Think of 10 things your top customers may not know about your offering that may help them.) Figure out how to share all your services without giving a sales pitch. Your competitors are sharing this information. It’s best to share this information in response to a business need they have.

* Be someone they can’t live without!

Competitors are gunning for your clients. Treat your existing customers like the gold that they are.

How the Health Care Bill Affects Small Business

NEW YORK (Reprinted from CNN Money.com) --

The sweeping health-care bill passed by the House of Representatives Sunday, and now headed for President Obama's desk, promises a sea change in the way that small business owners purchase and provide health insurance for themselves and their employees.

But many of the provisions won't kick in until 2014 -- and the final rules could still be changed by amendments that will now be considered by the Senate.

Thanks to the political maneuvering that followed the Democrats' loss of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, the House passed two separate health care bills. The first was an exact duplicate of the one passed by the Senate in December, enabling the president to sign it into law as soon as this week.

The second, a package of diverse amendments addressing elements of the Senate bill that the House wanted changed, will now be voted on in the Senate under "reconciliation" rules that require only a simple majority.

For small businesses, the effects of the now-passed health reform law include:

* By no later than 2014, states will have to set up Small Business Health Options Programs, or "SHOP Exchanges," where small businesses will be able to pool together to buy insurance. ("Small businesses" are defined as those with no more than 100 employees, though states have the option of limiting pools to companies with 50 or fewer employees through 2016; companies that grow beyond the size limit will also be grandfathered in.)

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the exchanges would ease small business insurance costs, albeit only marginally: premiums in the small-group market are forecast to fall between 1% and 4% under the exchanges, while the amount of coverage would rise by up to 3%.

* For the next four years, until the SHOP Exchanges are set up, businesses with 10 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees earning less than $25,000 a year on average will be eligible for a tax credit of 35% of health insurance costs. (Companies with between 11 and 25 workers and an average wage of up to $50,000 are eligible for partial credits.)

The tax credit will remain in place, increasing to 50% of costs, for the first two years a company buys insurance through its state exchange. The Congressional Budget Office predicts that the tax credit will affect about 12% of individuals covered via the small-group insurance market, lowering their cost of insurance by between 8% and 11%.

* Insurers will no longer be able to set rates or exclude coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and can vary premiums only by geographic location, age, and tobacco use.
These restrictions, however, would not kick in until 2014. Going into effect immediately: a ban on lifetime limits on coverage, and on "rescission" (canceling policies already issued) except in cases of fraud.

* Starting in 2014, businesses with more than 50 employees will be required to either offer healthcare coverage or pay a penalty of $750 a year per full-time worker. The coverage offered will also have to meet minimum benefits -- covering both a specific set of services and 60% of employee health costs overall -- or else employers will face additional penalties.

* So-called "Cadillac" plans costing more than $10,200 a year for individuals or $27,500 for family coverage (not counting dental and vision plans) will be subject to a 40% tax on the portion of the cost that exceeds the limit. Though the tax would actually be paid by insurers, it's expected that it would be passed along to plan holders in the form of higher premiums.
Furthermore, if the House amendments approved Sunday pass the Senate intact under the reconciliation process, some other small business provisions will change:

* Part-time employees would be counted toward the 50-employee minimum on pro-rated basis based on hours worked, bringing more small businesses into the group required to provide coverage.

* The $750-per-employee penalty for not providing insurance would rise to $2,000.

* The Cadillac tax would be delayed until 2018 and apply only to the most expensive plans, making it more of a "Maserati" tax, in the words of Kaiser Health News.

* Individuals earning more than $200,000 a year, or couples earning $250,000 or more, would be hit with a 3.8% surcharge on investment income to help pay for the bill.

What's next: For the immediate future, all eyes will likely be on the SHOP Exchanges, which can receive federal aid as soon as next year, though most states probably won't implement them until closer to the 2014 deadline.

"The departments of insurance and the governors' offices and the legislatures will all start thinking about that stuff," said New America Foundation director of health policy Len Nichols in a January interview. "It'll take a while."

Meanwhile, says Nichols, a small business owner "is going to be buying tomorrow in the same market they are today," because the new markets aren't going to be set up until 2014.

A Myriad of Medical Cord & Cord Set Designs!

High Tech Connections provides an entire family of "IN STOCK" and custom-manufactured Hospital-grade and Medical power cords and detachable cord sets.

These products meet the critical standards of "patient care equipment" (see UL section 60601-1).
Hospital-Grade cords all feature the required green dot ID mark on the plug face.

This mark signifies the cord has been specially designed and tested for grounding reliability, assembly integrity, strength, and durability and is fully compliant for use in today's critical hospital and medical instrumentation environments.

Although many clients prefer the plug to be "clear" so internal connections can be visually inspected, gray, black other color options are also offered. All of these cords are UL listed and CSA certified (or, certified cULus). High Tech Connections can produce Hospital-Grade cords in any length and in most popular AWG sizes meeting OEM's specific requirements.

A specially molded Hospital-Grade NEMA 5-15 plug is featured on the supply end. For the equipment end, cords can be custom-stripped to customer's specifications for "hard wiring" or they can be supplied with a molded EN60320 C13 female connector, allowing a detachable option.

Contact your local High Tech Connections sales representative or our sales department on line (sales@hightechcords.com), today with your specific Hospital-Grade cord requirements.

A 12-Step Program to Increased Productivity

by Amber Singleton Riviere.

Productivity can seem so elusive at times. It can be hard to prioritize, manage the workload and stay focused, but with a few simple steps and a good dose of discipline, you can be on your way to more control over your workdays.

1. Plan your exit. Productivity for tomorrow starts today. Set a time to leave the office and stick with it. An hour before that time, have a wrap-up alarm remind you to start wrapping things up for the day, a great tip from organizational and productivity guru Julie Morgenstern in her book, “Never Check E-Mail in the Morning”.

2. Plan tomorrow. Set your intentions and priorities for tomorrow during the last hour of your day so that you hit the ground running.

3. Set your boundaries. At quitting time, turn off the computer (completely off so that you’re not tempted to “quickly” check your email), turn off the light, and shut the door. Don’t return until it’s time to work tomorrow.

4. Honor a bedtime routine. Two or three hours before you want to be asleep, begin a routine of winding down. This will be different for every person, but it might include: no more phone calls or connectivity with the outside world (unless it’s an emergency, of course), no more talk about work, a bath or shower, a cup of hot tea, light reading, journal writing, no television, and lights out at a set time.

5. Start the day off right. Wake up at a set time. Exercise or do yoga for fifteen or twenty minutes, unless you have another workout routine that you prefer. Eat a healthy breakfast (don’t skip this, as it affects your energy levels for the rest of the day). Set out with the right intention for your day by taking care of yourself first.

6. Maintain your boundaries. Don’t immediately go to your office and start checking emails or news feeds. You’ll be at your computer all day. Take some time for yourself and other priorities in your life, or they’re less likely to get done later in the day, especially after work. Have some coffee, write in your journal, read, or go for a walk. Just take some time for yourself before jumping into your work day.

7. Avoid or limit email time. Avoid checking your email right when you go to the office, or if you prefer seeing if anything important is waiting, at least limit your time to fifteen minutes so that it doesn’t distract you from more important tasks. Email is a huge time suck; if you don’t control it, it will control you.

8. Avoid or limit news feeds and social networks. This is another time-suck that easily distracts from other priorities. Set specific times for keeping up with the latest news and updates, and then be diligent about staying away from the distractions.

9. Start with your list. Jump right to your list of intentions and priorities that you jotted down the previous day. You were probably much more focused and honest about what needed your attention when you were planning it out with a clear head. First thing in the morning, it’s easy to want to procrastinate or give too much importance to trivial tasks and to-dos.

10. Check in often. Set yourself an alarm for every hour or two. Don’t let yourself get too far off base from your intention/priority list. If you do get derailed, at least you’ll not lose much time this way.

11. Work in blocks. In a business, it’s easy to have a wide variety of different types of tasks. There might be client work, writing and publishing, and marketing-related tasks to be done. Groups these tasks and complete them in scheduled blocks of time, say two- or three-hour sittings.

12. Stay disciplined. When you finish with a particular type of task, like work for a specific client, don’t pick up that client’s work again until his/her designated time comes back around again. It’s easy to be tempted to do “just one more thing” for a project, especially when clients are emailing feedback and updates throughout the day, but avoid the temptation. Treat all time blocks with equal importance, whether you’re working on client projects or doing lead generation tasks. It’s all important, and if you don’t maintain a balance between current work and future prospects, you’ll experience peaks and valleys with your revenue as well.

It’s not always easy to stay on track. Time flies, distractions can beg for your attention, and deadlines loom, making you feel pulled in one hundred directions and unable to keep up with the demands, but by approaching your work with purpose and discipline, it’s a lot easier to get things done and feel great about what you’ve accomplished.

What steps do you follow each day to stay on track and productive?

Freight Volumes Slowly Trending Upward

Though freight shipments as tracked by the Department of Transportation (DOT) remained lackluster at the end of 2009, according to Fleet Owner, total volumes grew slowly yet steadily over the course of the year – a trend that is expected to pick up speed as 2010 progresses.

While the DOT’s Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) remained unchanged in 2009 from November, the index ended the year trending higher. According to the DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), though the Freight TSI declined 4.1% during 2009, the index increased 2.9% over the last seven months of the year.

The Freight TSI – which measures month-to-month changes in freight shipments in ton-miles from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air cargo carriers – reached 96.2 in December, a 2.9% increase from its low of 93.5 reached in May – the lowest index reading since June 1997.

Those numbers are in line with industry analyst expectations of continued slow recovery in freight volumes, which should pick up speed in the second half of 2010.
“Right now, we’re still waiting for the ‘line of dominoes’ to fall in terms of the freight market,” Kenny Vieth, partner and senior analyst with ACT Research Co., told Fleet Owner. “But when freight demand turns, it will be big. Fleets are going to go from not wanting trucks to buying all the trucks they can get their hands on.”

Vieth believes the trucking industry is still a quarter or two away from material improvement in freight rates at this point – a view shared by other analysts as well.
“We continue to believe pricing has reached an inflection point for the truckload industry,” noted Jon Langenfeld, transportation and logistics analyst with Wall Street investment firm Robert W. Baird & Co., in the company’s monthly research brief.

“Though carriers remain guarded about first half 2010 bid season prospects, we believe rates have stopped deteriorating,” he said. “Ongoing capacity reductions, through below-replacement demand for new trucks and carrier failures, should return the market to equilibrium during 2010.”

The global economy overall seems to be in recovery, as well, which could help fuel stronger freight flows in the U.S. as 2010 progresses, according to Fitch Ratings. “Recent data have confirmed that global economic recovery started in mid-2009, supported by policy stimulus measures, an easing in the pace of inventory correction and a pick‐up in world trade,” the agency said in its recent Global Outlook 2010 report.

China Tightens Internet Control!

(AP) -- China's technology ministry moved to tighten controls on Internet use Tuesday, saying individuals who want to operate Web sites must first meet in person with regulators. The state-sanctioned group that registers domain names in China froze registrations for new individual Web sites in December after state media complained that not enough was being done to check whether sites provided pornographic content.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that ban was being lifted, but would-be operators would now have submit their identity cards and photos of themselves as well as meet in person with regulators and representatives of service providers before their sites could be registered. It said the rule was aimed at cracking down on pornography.

China has the world's biggest online population, with 384 million Internet users. The government operates the world's most extensive system of Web monitoring and filtering, blocking pornographic sites as well as those seen as subversive to communist rule. The new regulations come as the government is in talks with Google Inc. about whether the U.S.-based Internet giant will be allowed to continue operating in China after saying in January it would no longer cooperate with the country's Web censorship. The two sides have given no details of the status of their discussions.

Small Business Will Regain Consumers' Trust

FRESNO, Calif -- FRESNO, Calif. - Ponzi schemes, bank and auto-industry bailouts and exorbitant Wall Street salaries have diminished the public's trust in corporate America to new lows - but examples of integrity can be found among local businesses.

That was the message the president of the Council of Better Business Bureaus brought to Visalia, Calif., on Wednesday. "You don't have to look very far to recognize we are in a trust deficit," said Steve Cox, president of the organization that represents the nation's better business bureaus. "It is lower now than it was at the time of the Enron scandal and dot-com crash."

In an interview before his speech at the annual Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics in Visalia, Cox said the distrust is reflected in a boost in calls for service at 110 better business bureaus in the United States and 14 in Canada.

Cox said the number of people who file complaints against a business, access reliability reports online or make other calls for service climbed from 100 million nationwide in 2006 to about 130 million in 2009. "You can spend five minutes watching 'Headline News' and scan headlines and see any number of issues that cause you to be cynical to business," Cox said.

As evidence, he cites the 2009 Edelman Trust Barometer, which has been ranking public trust globally for a decade. Only 38 percent of 25- to 64-year-olds surveyed in 20 nations trust corporations to do the right thing. In 2008, it was 58 percent. Corporations must put customer focus and trust at the forefront of their efforts, Cox said.

"Trust is manifested day-by-day by the front-line employees," he said. "Businesses have to deliver on their promises and do what they say they are going to do. Act quickly, be transparent and be fair in resolving the issue."

The Torch Awards are presented annually by the Central Valley chapter of the BBB to businesses with strong ethical policies. Willey Tile of Fresno and the temporary-employment agency Spherion were honored.

In Visalia, Cox honored two businesses that officials with the Better Business Bureau Serving Central California selected as worthy. Willey Tile was selected because it has a 30-year history of strong customer service, said Vickie Sanders, assistant director of business services at the bureau. "If you don't stand behind your work, you won't have customers," Sanders said.

The local franchise of Spherion was selected in part because of its dispute-resolution policy. The business will mediate any problems that arise between businesses and temporary employees.

"It all goes back to their standards for their management practices," Sanders said.

Innovation Training & Coaching - Overlooked?

by Robert F. Brands of Brands & Company...

Smart companies often pride themselves on training programs that introduce or enhance employees' knowledge of corporate business practices. They promote mentoring initiatives that pair seasoned execs with rising talent. They create booklets or PDFs on corporate policy - and implore staff to read them.But introduce a business innovation initiative, and those involved are expected to just know how things are done.

They're supposed to possess some innate awareness of the concepts, the best practices, the goals, milestones and targeted end-game.It doesn't work that way.Innovation is a learned concept. Training and coaching is the forgotten imperative in the process of innovation. For best practices in the pursuit of innovation have to be shared to be learned - and mastered.

From the Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) to the innovation team to rank-and-file employees who will implement, follow through or carry forth on the fruits of innovation, people don't just know. They're taught.Organizations whose teams are not trained and coached in its unique approach to the imperatives of innovation are destined to amass a litany of failed projects.

For example, a major multinational launched a new Innovation initiative with the hopes of turn-around renewed profitability and growth. After much initial excitement and visibility, expected results did not materialize - and in the turn-around world, false starts are more costly for an organization than starts or restarts.What happened?

The team involved basic project management training. After a course of such training and coaching, associates had gained a common language and understanding. Progress was realized, and the company today remains on a growth path.Training and coaching is vital to transmitting the organization's unique approach to innovation - and ensuring people adhere to its practices. Proper hiring, training and coaching is the way to create, reinforce and enhance company culture and mindset.

At its root, training and coaching introduces people to the organization's vision, mission, strategy and objectives, and points everyone's compass toward True North.Training and coaching should cover the lot - from the unique way ideation is treated, to the unique way ideas are cataloged and approached; teams are inspired, formed and managed; risk is assessed; new product development is explored; ownership is encouraged; value is created; accountability is attached; metrics are observed and measured; net results are rewarded; and yes, how teams are trained and coached.

Training and coaching is developed and delivered on a continuum. No sooner are existing policies and best practices discussed, then new procedures are introduced to further the organization's pursuit of innovation.Continuity is the key. Training helps your team constantly improve its skill set, through new techniques in ideation, process experience and intra-organizational communication of best practices.

Ongoing reinforcement helps employees understand their place and aspire to greatness on the New Product Development team (whether that "product" is a product, a service or an internal practice). This goes beyond the team. Trainers and coaches need continuous training and coaching, as well. Even the CIO at times requires training and coaching on evolving corporate innovation practices.

Alas, training and coaching often is lost or last as companies often believe they have little time and money to fund these efforts. Best of breed companies have earmarked a dedicated budget to training and coaching.Why? Because they realize the downside of not training - and retraining - their people in the process of innovation is to be mired in mediocrity.