Author: knjohn

3 Ways to Fix Unproductive Meetings That are Costing You Money | Inc.com

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getty_81178164_97064797045000_45142“Meetings are indispensable when you don’t want to do anything.” observed American economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

If Galbraith’s quote makes you smile and nod in agreement, you’re not alone.

Meetings are a necessary part of every organization. They are where plans are made, goals are set, and reports are given. They offer the opportunity for dialogue and problem solving, as well as the chance to get to know colleagues better. They can even make people laugh. When conducted well, meetings can help everyone be more productive. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

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Buying Girl Scout Cookies Online: Thin Mints Finally Reach the Web | Businessweek

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Buyers in the Girl Scout cookie market are of two types: people who are pressured, on behalf of a co-worker’s daughter, into purchasing three boxes of Thin Mints, and people who desperately want to buy three—OK, six—boxes of Thin Mints but can’t find a girl scout fast enough or persuade her to accept your credit card.

If you’re the first type of cookie buyer, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America can do nothing for you because, frankly, Thin Mints are delicious and you shouldn’t need any additional persuasion to buy them. But if you’re in the second camp—the person who can’t find cookies—the scouts understand your cookie-related pain and want to help. “The No. 1 reason people say they don’t buy our cookies is they couldn’t find a Girl Scout,” says Kelly Parisi, chief communications director of Girl Scouts of America. “We needed a new way to approach the consumer.”

That’s why this year, you’ll be able to buy Girl Scout cookies online.

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Sitting Stool in Backpack |CoolBusinessIdeas.com

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BAGOBAGO is a sitting backpack that allows you to sit down comfortably just about anywhere. BAGOBAGO is a sitting backpack with built-in stool. The interior is designed to prevent damage to its contents while keeping the stool always functional. The stool is hidden in the interior of the backpack and the construction is designed to prevent damage to its contents

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When the Extra Mile Isn’t Worth It | Page19

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“Go the extra mile” is a familiar adage, and really, what isn’t laudable about putting in 110%? Well for starters, it isn’t actually a great strategy for success. Here, learn what works for 10X companies like Intel, Microsoft, and Southwest Airlines instead.

We are all taught that the best way to get ahead in business is to never stop trying to succeed. At the end of every day you should have achieved what you set out to and more. In short, to smoke the competition you should constantly strive to go the extra mile or 10 – but this is far from truth.

The most successful businesses don’t try and push as much as they can. Instead, they make attainable targets and ensure they reach them.

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Seven Strategies I Use on Black Friday and Cyber Monday | The Simple Dollar

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downloadI’ll be honest: since about 2009, I haven’t left the house on Black Friday. Instead, I usually sleep in after a long evening spent eating a big meal and having a few glasses of wine with family members. I do get up and check a few online sales, but I haven’t found anything in a brick-and-mortar store that makes it worthwhile to actually go out there and battle the crowds.

That doesn’t mean I don’t utilize the bargains on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I usually do end up buying an item or two each year based on those sales though they have usually been online buys, but I have a very specific strategy that I use to make this work.

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11 Surprising Thanksgiving Facts | Live Science

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turkey-signDo you love Thanksgiving? I mean do you really LOVE everything about the holiday, from the delicious food to seeing your crazy relatives? Then you are going to be amazed at what goes into making the holiday what it is. And you thought cooking your turkey was a challenge.

1) Are you ready for a day (or three) of eating?

If you can’t make it through the daylong celebration of food, football and family be thankful that you weren’t around for the first Thanksgiving. That celebration took place in the fall of 1621 in Plymouth Colony between European settlers and the Wampanoag Indians and it lasted three days. Talk about a food coma.

2) What’s in a name?

If you think that your Thanksgiving celebration is something special, chances are it has nothing on the celebration in Turkey Creek, La. That town, which has only 440 residents, is one of four towns in the United States with the word turkey in its name. The others are Turkey, Texas, Turkey, N.C. and Turkey Creek, Ariz.

There are also seven towns named after popular Thanksgiving side dishes. Towns and cities named after cranberries are the most popular. In total, seven townships and cities in the United States are named for cranberries, though most have different spellings.

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