2. View interruptions not as nuisances, but as opportunities to serve your internal customers. If you tend to view every interruption as a pothole in your road to success, reexamine those interruptions. If someone interrupts you to share gossip, that's a pothole. If someone interrupts you to ask for sales figures she needs to analyze sales team performance, that's a necessary lane change that will get your company closer to its destination. Learn to identify every real need from a colleague as a "necessary lane change," and think of every "necessary lane change" as an opportunity to move your organization closer to its goals. Take pride in helping your colleagues; enjoy your role in sharing information and providing services that help others get their jobs done. In most cases, your willingness to help others get their jobs done will lead them to readily assist you when you need it.
3. Exceed your internal customers' expectations. When someone exceeds your expectations, how do you feel? Most people feel delighted, excited, upbeat and very, very positive about that person and his or her organization. Think what you can accomplish in your organization by exceeding the expectations of fellow employees. If human resources asks for a list of important points to cover in an employee orientation, take time to think about it and provide a thorough list of what you would want to know if you were being introduced to a new job and company.
4. Say thank you. A simple, genuine "thank you" goes much farther to create an atmosphere of sharing and helping than two such small words would suggest. Even when it is a person's job to provide information or a product to you, tell them "thank you" when they have done it. Express your appreciation of their timeliness in providing it. Explain how it has made your job much easier. Show them your delight when they exceed your expectations.
from Scott Miller in entrepreneur.com
The Innovation Investment Fund assists small, high-tech companies access equity finance in their seed, start up or early expansion stage.
The Innovation Investment Fund is designed to promote the commercialisation of Australian research and development.
Licensed private sector funds managers make all investment decisions related to the fund. Fund managers provide equity financing and managerial advice to investee companies to assist in their rapid growth. The program addresses capital and management constraints:
The funds will be restricted to investing in technology companies with an annual average revenue of $4 million or less over the past two years, with a maximum of $5 million in either of those years.
Companies must be in seed, start up or early expansion stage.
AusIndustry
Tel: 13 28 46
The Networks Program encourages small to medium sized enterprises to cooperate in strategic areas of business and to exploit opportunities beyond the reach of the individual firms.
Support is available to establish networks, including customer supplier networks, innovation networks and lead firm networks.
Support for network broking and network development assistance is to undertake an investigation and/or review of the:
A subsidy of 75 percent up to a maximum of $15,000 is available.
The program does not prescribe any particular legal structure for the network or consortia but does require the network to show that it has had independent professional advice on the issue.
Companies should be financially viable with a manufacturing or services base in Victoria.
