Business Resource & Lifestyle Magazine Issue #54

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More Jobs, More Homes to Arrive with the North West Rail Page 18

Planning for Success Page 22

When Strategy Doesn’t Align with Election Cycles Page 26

Bruce MacDonald A Man of People

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

CONTENTS

CONTENTS WEALTH MANAGEMENT | ACCOUNTING | BUSINESS ADVISORY

Cover Story

20 24 DIRECTION Regulars

10 Bruce MacDonald

Business Advice

A Man of People

Adrian Payne

Regulars

16 Gold-Plated Bludgers Cards

Charlie Lynn

Accredited by

the North West Rail The Hills Shire Council

The Challenges of Business Business Succession Planning When Strategy Doesn’t Align with Adam Goldstien Business Valuations Self-Managed Superannuation Election Cycles Fund Advice John Waters Accounting and Taxation Financial Planning and Wealth Management Planning for Success Commercial and Home Loans Andrew de Wynter

38 Classifieds

Financial Planning

Daniel Moisyeyev

Accounting and taxation services are provided by Skeggs Goldstien Accounting. AMP Financial Planning is not responsible for the provision of these services.

18 More Jobs, More Homes to Arrive with

Businesses Can Do More for Future Workers OFFERED Cathy Krimmer SPECIALIST SERVICES BY OUR TEAM INCLUDE Get In, Get Out, Get Even…

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Society & Life

Work, Working and the Work Ethic Angry Anderson

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

editor’s letter

Licence to Live

Dmitry Greku, M. Sc. - Editor and Publisher - GWP Magazines®

A couple of weeks ago, I was among a group of people representing the Western Sydney business community, when we had a meeting with The Hon Bruce Billson MP. The purpose of this meeting was to share our thoughts with the potential Minister for Small Business (if Tony Abbott and the Coalition should win the next election).

I have to say that Bruce Billson is one of those politicians who deserves respect. At this meeting he was very generous with his time. He listened and recorded carefully the comments he heard from us all. I believe, he is one of the few who still stands strong for a truly free-world conservative ideology and would speak out to protect this country and its people from left-wing dogma, so called ’progressive‘ ideas and utopian philosophies. But it was a shocking surprise for me to hear the views of some of my fellow business owners and a university representative. This surprise came from the realisation about how deep the ’nanny state‘ and ’I need something for nothing – so fund me’ attitude has become fixed in ordinary people’s minds. I would like to give you an insight into some of the conversations, so you can form your own opinion about where I think we are heading. The main purpose of Bruce’s visit was to find out from us what changes we would like to recommend that a future liberal government should implement to improve business and economy. The first opinion on the table was: “We need more funding”. My unspoken rhetorical question was: “Who doesn’t!” The person who brought this one to the table was a representative of one of the Sydney Universities. Perhaps

the

context

this

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

business

community meeting, such funding is supposed to improve a university’s knowledge about what we should do to succeed in business. The definition of university is ”an institution of higher learning providing facilities for teaching and research and authorised to grant academic degrees”. There is nothing in the dictionary about universities following private businesses on a day-to-day basis at tax payers’ expense and being helpful and supportive in the process!. What seems to be the case is they would like more funding, more authority, more influence and then more funding! I didn’t have long to wait for some more extreme ideas! The next one was (you’re going to love it), “Let’s introduce a ‘drivers licence’ for business owners!” Presumably, if you wish to start a business in this ’free‘ world economy you must first pass a test. The examiners would be our tax funded bureaucratic friends from universities and people in other business-related government organisations (most of whom never ran a business in their entire life!). But this will we suppose, keep us out of trouble in the future and protect (read ‘prevent’) you from starting your new business project due to a lack of business experience, funding, probably your social status, a perceived inappropriate mindset, your lack of English language abilities (you might have an accent), nationality/race and many other reasons as yet un-imagined! Perhaps you always dreamed of opening your own Fish & Chip shop, you’ll have to get a licence. You want to be a plumber – you’re not ready, no licence for you. Maybe you want to practice accounting? …then go back to school. Why?.. because I said so, says a bureaucrat on a comfortable salary and taxpayer-funded benefits. The bit I don’t understand, is that at this meeting, these ideas were supported by people who already run their own businesses. Are we really that dumb? I noted that the first business person who excitedly responded to the ‘fund me’ concept was someone who runs his own

coaching/consultancy practice: “More money for education? More funding for business ‘driving licences? – I am definitely ready for this – fund me, fund me good!” For him, this sounded like a great idea! So this seems to be the way to go!~ Why bother using our own initiative? Let’s simply forget about private property and its untouchable status. Let’s dump the freedom to start our own business. Let’s never say what we really think, let’s take it all from ‘them’ – they’ve got all the know-how after all. Let’s regulate shares in media companies to give fewer people a ‘fair’ voice. Let’s protect our kids from Santa Claus because he is not part of the culture of the ‘all-important’ ethnic minority. Let’s put four families in your house – one family per room, it’s a waste to keep one room for each person and let’s shut out those who think differently – because they are the majority so they are clearly wrong, biased and oppose ‘progress’. Historically, many countries that went down this road might have been called a ’Lucky Country’ before they chose that path. Their experience was never lucky and never successful. In their ‘regulated’ world the scenario was simple – business, housing, holidays, weekends, education, freedom to talk with whoever you like and permission to say what you want were in the hands of a few who had exclusive rights to give or take back a ’licence … a licence to live only as life was prescribed. The next step? – they make all decisions for us. So then we won’t need permissions any more, every day we’ll all know when to wake up, what to do and what to say. We’ll be set up as a society licensed by an ultimate state system. My suggestion is this – think before you agree to be regulated, and before you ask for ‘funds’… remember, there will be conditions attached! Instead, think about our Nation’s real potential instead of personal tax-funded ambitions to be running other people’s lives. G

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1300 889 132 Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

great australian Business People

Bruce MacDonald

A Man of People by Adrian Payne

Bank clerk... aircraft fitter, bookkeeper, accountant, park ranger, nurseryman, actor, taxi driver, yardmen, truck driver, wine exporter, horse breeder, recruitment manager. That’s an impressive line-up of jobs listed by anyone working in the recruitment world but in the case of Bruce MacDonald, founder of Forstaff, that list is just an extract from his own resumé!

ver twenty three years from humble beginnings in a spare-bedroom sized office, Bruce MacDonald’s Forstaff recruiting business expanded over 30 branches across Australia employing over 20,000 people annually. In 2004 he sold the biggest non-government recruitment agency in Australia to Chandler Macleod, feeling at the time, that retirement at age fifty-five sounded like a great idea. In hindsight, he realised that all he needed was just a nice long holiday. Today he’s at the head of a new business, Newport Recruitment. Founded in 2011, Newport already has offices in Wetherill Park, Castle Hill and in Orange... and it’s growing fast! But the story is in the journey of the man at the heart of it all, Bruce MacDonald...

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Proudly Presented by Daily routine – Castle Hill office

He was born in the quiet Western Sydney Suburb of Carramar on the 4th of August 1949. He and his parents lived with his grandparents for the first three years of his is parents’ marriage, until they moved into a shed in Sefton, from which his father built them a house, in his spare time, over the next three years. Bruce went to school at Bass Hill along with children of war-time refugees most of them from European countries. The area was quite poor at that time, they walked five miles to school, there was no money for buses and on his fifteenth birthday, his birthday present was a pair of school trousers. He remembers that life at school in Bass Hill was a tough one. He jokes now that to gain entry to the school “you had to have five warrants out for your arrest!” Nevertheless he won two bursaries there before leaving at age sixteen. His first job in 1967 was with The Bank of New South Wales (now Westpac). After ten months he moved on

Business Resource Resource & & Lifestyle Lifestyle || Issue Issue 54 54 || May May 2013 2013 Business

to TV Channel ATN 7 as an accounts clerk. In December 1969, at age nineteen, Bruce left the family home to join the RAAF. He studied there and qualified as an aircraft fitter, specialising in armaments. But life on the base wasn’t all work and no play. On one occasion along with a mate, he recalls introducing some industrial-strength dye into the water supply of the shower block in the WRAAF quarters. He claims at least two bright green young WRAFFs were ‘on parade’ next day! While in the RAAF he also completed the first two years of an accounting procedures diploma course winning Commonwealth scholarships attending Newcastle’s Tighes Hill Technical College. At night after work with the RAAF his mother had often told him “stand up for what you believe in”... but in the armed forces he learned that wasn’t the best plan. He received ten charges for insubordination while in the service and in 1973 he was honourably discharged from the RAAF... not for insubordination

at all, but at the time Gough Whitlam’s government was cutting down on defence spending, so Bruce applied for and received his discharge papers. Back on ‘civvy street’ Bruce gained a position as assistant accountant with Repco Auto Parts. He stuck it out for a year before moving on to a car retail firm as accountant. While there he completed his Accounting Diploma at Bankstown Technical College. But accounting wasn’t living up to expectations and bored with his calculator and spread sheets, he looked for a different direction. In the process he tried many new avenues of interest. He applied for a Ranger position with the Department of Lands (now National Parks and Wildlife). He was sent out to the far west of NSW to work in the Burrendong dam area near Wellington. His promised rental accommodation there turned out to be a cramped caravan, with no room to store his belongings and the job soon lost its appeal.

great australian Business People He went on to work for Port Stephens Council on the coast north of Newcastle. He gained a position as Parkes Foreman setting up a plant nursery, and managing a team of about twenty gardeners. Still, he was restless and in his spare time developed an interest in being an actor, and with the Newcastle New Theatre, played parts in ‘Elizabeth the 1st’ and ‘The Big Men Fly’. Feeling that acting was maybe the career move he was looking for, he moved to Sydney, thinking that as a professional actor he would make his mark. He won parts in the Sydney New Theatre’s productions of ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ and ‘the Captain of Köpenick’. He also played parts in TV series ‘Chopper Squad’ and ‘The Restless Years’. As most professional actors find, there are often long gaps between parts and the income just doesn’t stretch. Other casual work was needed so

Forstaff was sold in 2004 that original investment was turned into an annual turnover of around two hundred and twenty million dollars.

than foresight, sold out only weeks before the thoroughbred industry was struck with the equine flu epidemic.

Early in Forstaff’s history, Bruce realised that most recruitment agencies targeted white-collar workers, like managers and office staff. He saw an opportunity to go behind the front office and into the factory, where staff were more often needed, and besides, proportionally there were more of them. So he began to focus on the blue-collar sector of the market.

Another opportunity that came his way during the time at Wilberforce, was to open an export business marketing Australian wine in China. There were originally two offices, one in Suzhou and the other in Shanghai, while the Shanghai office was closed in 2009 the business is still a going concern principally marketing quality Australian reds.

Along the way Bruce gained a number of “bluechip” clients including Qantas. When Qantas utilised Lindsay Fox’s Avalon airport for aircraft maintenance, Bruce’s RAAF experience came in handy as he won the contract to supply aircraft engineers, initially to refurbish the 747 and 767

One day, Bruce’s son Boyd declared his interest in finding another career course, different from the one in the building industry that he currently had. Bruce decided that the time had come to step out again into the world of recruitment where he had done so well in the past. Newport Recruitment was

Bruce with Pam at 2010 Starlight Ball

Forgot to smile Bruce worked as a truck driver and yardman for a timber yard. After a backpacking holiday in New Zealand he drove a Sydney cab for a year. Realising that working as a ‘journeyman actor’ wasn’t going to lead to star status and a decent income, he applied for a position with Manpower, a recruiting firm. In the two years he spent there as Industrial Manager he discovered a lot about himself, gaining confidence with success in managing people and in business activity. Between 1979 and 1981 he improved Manpower’s Industrial recruiting business by seven hundred percent. In the six months before leaving Manpower, he met, and in May 1981 married Pam Ferrari. It was Pam who was instrumental in persuading Bruce to start his own business. With a loan of fifteen thousand dollars, guaranteed by Bruce’s father, Forstaff was born in a small office in Western Sydney. Incidentally, by the time

Qantas aircrafts. That contract is still with Forstaff Aviation today and in the time that Bruce led the business they provided a range of skilled workers to Qantas, from catering staff to pilots and a large range contingent (700-800) of licensed aircraft maintenance engineers. In 2004 when Bruce sold Forstaff, he took a break of somewhere between six and twelve months, only to realise that he needed something to do. He and Pam, by then with grown-up children Cara and Boyd, bought a property near Wilberforce in Northwest New South Wales. It was very run down, and needed serious attention. So it was ‘something to do’. “It was a tip” said Bruce, but he already had an interest in horses, and within eighteen months ‘Oakleigh Park’ became a notable thoroughbred horse stud. But once the transformation had taken place and there was a manager and staff on site, Bruce and Pam realised that living on a horse stud, just wasn’t their thing! Bruce with luck rather

born with Boyd managing the Castle Hill office as a senior manager, and Bruce ‘driving the ship’. Today they have other offices in Wetherill Park, Orange, Roma in Queensland and soon in Penrith. Newport specialises in staff for logistics, pharmaceuticals, mining, aviation and heavy industry. Not only are they busy keeping the wheels of Australian industry turning with qualified, well paid workers, holding down satisfying jobs, they also actively promote the importance of workplace safety among workers and clients alike. This paragraph appears on their home-page... “Newport Recruitment’s core values are predicated on the belief that no job is so important or so urgent that it cannot be done safely. We are committed to preventing injury or illness among our contractors, employees, clients and the wider community. We expect and foster operational awareness that demonstrates caring for the environment”.

Business Resource Resource & & Lifestyle Lifestyle || Issue Issue 54 54 || May May 2013 2013 Business

Proudly Presented by Another winner at Hawkesbury Races, Bruce with his Father (right)

Bruce with his best friend, Sid Kelly (OAM) at Hawkesbury Race Club

Clearly they also have a view on industry being able to do business profitably while having a care for the environment in which they operate. Newport has an indigenous business partner Brad Draper who has a recruitment business called Kenjahry which identifies, trains and delivers indigenous workers to the mining industry. When asked what made him successful, Bruce has no hesitation in highlighting the principles that were taught him by his parents, but says “what made me successful was... my wife!” When they returned from their honeymoon they did so asking Bruce’s father to lend them money to start Forstaff. Pam was the driving force. Until they were married, Bruce says “I was wild-as... I liked to have a good time and enjoyed a party”. He was almost thirty-two years of age and realised that this was the girl he’d been waiting for and if he was going to do the right thing by his new bride, he needed to have a plan and stick to it! When the business was in its early years, Bruce was also needing to put a roof over their heads, so in addition to the long hours spent building Forstaff, he would go out in the evenings doing cleaning work to help make ends meet. So “hard work” was on the list of things that made him successful. Forstaff, was always ‘service-driven’ and Bruce looked for ways to have an edge on the competition, and he was innovative. During the early 90’s, in the recession Paul Keating declared

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

‘we had to have’ Bruce learned to listen to the needs of his clients delivering services to suit their precise needs. For the pharmaceutical industry, they delivered a ‘code’ among factory workers called GMP...’Good Manufacturing Practice’, this innovation

The Hon Jack Face, Minister for Sport & Racing, presenting winner’s trophy at Hawkesbury Races

great australian Business People

Drinks after Sailing

progressively installed in pharmaceutical factories allowed them to write business of around forty million dollars a year in the NSW pharmaceutical industry alone. They also made a bold commitment to training. Starting with the establishment of a high-reach fork-lift training facility of their own, being able not only to train people, but to test candidates for fork-lift driver positions. They would test the capabilities of people like welders, to be sure that when they sent them to begin a job, they really were able to do it well. During the 90’s recession Bruce sadly needed to lay-off staff, another mark of his success was that when times improved, almost all came back, and were re-employed by Forstaff. He manages a happy team, all of whom are well paid, and have generous bonuses related to sales targets.

Back-packing Bruce in Asia after leaving the RAAF, Dec 1973

Early in the development of Forstaff, Bruce became aware that most of his clients had an aversion to going ”head to head” with Unions. His solution was to ensure that union concerns are always listened to and that awards and other workplace agreements are observed, so wages and conditions don’t vary between similar

workers, wherever they come from. In taking that stance Forstaff earned a respect from the Unions, and would recommend them to other companies requiring recruitment as a result of Forstaff’s policy of workplace equity. In a final comment about his success, Bruce said he often fostered out-of-hours relationships with clients, where he would spend informal time with people at a dinner party, a restaurant or at the races. He tells the story that these informal relationships often bring him useful feedback. On one occasion a client rang him and said that a recruitment agency competitor had called in and gained an appointment. When they asked the client who was the recruitment agency they currently used, Bruce’s agency was mentioned, at which point the hopeful competitor closed his notebook saying ... I can’t compete with them ... “we’re good, but they are the best”! ... and gave up the pitch! G

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Leadership

Gold-Plated Bludgers Cards The Hon. Charlie Lynn - Member of the Legislative Council

One can only wonder what we are becoming after recent revelations that there are now more people on a disability pension in New South Wales than the combined total of our Australian war casualties from two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. A recent headline exposing us as a nation of shirkers is obviously not too far off the mark if these statistics are even half-true.

This year alone those working in the income generating sector i.e. individual, small, medium and large business enterprises will see 15 billion of their hard earned dollars pay for over half-amillion Disability Support Pension recipients. Disability is the new ‘welfare’ – a gold plated bludgers card that doesn’t require any further medical assessment or justification. Before the sanctimonious set blow the froth off their cappuccinos’ it would be fair to say that none of our income-generating entrepreneurs’ would object to generous support benefits going to those with genuine disabilities. Indeed if the bludgers could be identified and put back onto newstart job seeking allowances the Disability Support Pension could and should be increased. Genuine workers are enraged when they see able bodied bludgers with handicapped stickers parking in disabled parking spots. Those who dare challenge the occupants as they alight from their cars are usually given the bird and a few choice words as they strut off. I know of a limbless Vietnam Veteran who has endured an abusive tirade on more than one occasion. There is much debate on how we arrived here. How could a nation that once prided itself on our Anzac heritage, our pioneering spirit, our outback folklore and our laconic character tolerate the emergence of a rorting class of bludgers? How and why have the ruling political class allowed such people to be denied the dignity of work? Why do they overburden our income generators with disincentives to employ more people? Are the ruling class so isolated from reality that they cannot see that the paradigm of work has

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

now changed forever? Have they not heard of Alibaba? Don’t they realise that the world is now on a 24/7 work-cycle? Don’t they realise our industrial relations system based on a 40 hour working week between Monday and Friday is obsolete? The annual Easter ritual has changed from a strict religious observance to an entrenched ‘working class’ holiday entitlement. To stop the ‘bosses’ from exploiting the ‘workers’ unrealistic penalty payments are legislated by the ruling class of politicians, unionists and bureaucrats from the

the ‘white trash of Asia’. President Lee Kwan Yew transformed Singapore from a dependent colonial outpost to a prosperous independent nation in a single generation by harnessing his human capital. He had no time for malingerers, hippies or elitists. He gave his people hope and inspired them to learn, innovate and commit to success. He was proud, tough and uncompromising but deeply compassionate about the future welfare of his people in a country with no natural resourced other than their human capital.

Social housing estates for illegal immigrants and welfare bludgers should be built within the Socialist Republic of Canberra ... Socialist Republic of Canberra. The result is a massive shut-down of our service industries that are denied the opportunity to generate income and create employment during this period. It’s not as if the country needs a rest because we have just resumed work after the traditional Christmas holiday period. In the meantime, Alibaba, soon to become a trillion dollar online service industry out of China, continues to provide a 24/7 trading facility. Rather than consigning an increasingly large segment of our human capital to the disability scrapheap we should be providing them with every incentive to realise their potential and restore purpose to their lives. If this requires a bit of tough love then so be it. Australians are renowned for their resilience in the face of adversity. Our heritage is based on the spirit of our pioneers, our Anzacs and our rural communities who have fought recession, depression, flood, fire, and drought for generations. Our growth came off the back off their capacity for hard work, their willingness to have a shot at something and their sense of a fair go. If the laws, by-laws and regulations enacted by the ruling classes since the 1960s had been in place during our developing years we would have pre-empted former Singapore President Lew Kwan Yew’s prediction of Australians becoming

Australians have almost reached a state of despair over the abuse of our human capital by our ruling class in Canberra today. They are almost immune from shock as daily headlines report on an unprecedented scale of corruption in NSW Labor politics; the scale of illegal immigration; massive waste caused by government red tape; and the emergence of a dependent underclass. Things will not change until we have national leaders prepared to disempower the ruling class and empower the aspirational class. Only then will be we be able to properly support those in genuine need such as the disabled, the aged and the homeless. In the meantime social housing estates for illegal immigrants and welfare bludgers should be built within the Socialist Republic of Canberra to allow the elitists within academia and the bureaucracy to gain first-hand experience from the outcomes of their misguided policies. G

For more topics and to contact Charlie Lynn, please visit www.charlielynn.com.au/blog.

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LOCAL Government

More Jobs, More Homes to Arrive with the North West Rail The NSW Government’s recently released North West Rail Link Corridor Strategy outlines how The Sydney Hills will change with the arrival of the rail.

retail and bulky good sectors, in the vicinity of Commercial Road and the rail corridor. The North West Rail Link Corridor Strategy can be viewed on the Department of Planning and Infrastructure’s website at www.planning.nsw.gov. au/onexhibition#nw_rail_link

improve floor space ratios and plan for the future. “Capital Corporation has seen firsthand the changes to Norwest Business Park since we first became involved in 1990,” Steve said. “As such, we are able to recognise the redevelopment and growth potential of the area

The plan sets out how areas around the new stations will look and proposes 27,000 new homes and 46,500 new jobs in centres around the station precincts. The majority of the new dwellings will be apartment living. Under the plan, it is proposed that Castle Hill will have 6,100 additional dwellings by 2036 and around 5,400 of these will be apartment blocks that rise from 3 to 20 storeys. The plan estimates around 16,000 commercial and retail jobs will be created here. The area around Showground Station will see significant changes as the Hills Centre is demolished to make way for the rail, and a new community grows up around it. Around 4,500 new homes will emerge to take advantage of the proximity to the station, with around 3,400 of these being apartments from three to 12 storeys. The area is expected to add more than 15,000 jobs – with bulky goods and industrial expanding in the Castle Hill Industrial Precinct. Capital Corporation Gets Ahead of the Game Norwest will be a key player in The Sydney Hills of the future. More than 3,000 apartments in blocks up to 12 storeys are forecast, and an additional 26,200 jobs are expected to be created in the business park following the arrival of the rail. These jobs will predominantly be commercial with a slight increase in retail, making Norwest one of the pre-eminent places to work in Australia. Bella Vista will house around 6,000 new homes – with around 3,200 apartments. According to the strategy, it is proposed that the existing business park will expand to the north along the rail corridor, creating an additional 20,000 new commercial and retail jobs. Kellyville has 6,400 new dwellings earmarked to line the rail corridor. More than half will be high density, making the most of the proximity to the station and direct access to the bus and rail interchange. An additional 900 jobs are targeted here – mainly in retail. Rouse Hill will see almost 3,000 new homes built, with around 700 of these apartments. Up to 7,500 new jobs will be created in the commercial,

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Leading property development and investment company, Capital Corporation, has demonstrated its confidence in The Sydney Hills ahead of the arrival of the North West Rail Link with the completion of Norwest Business Park’s first commercial knockdown/rebuild - the $44 million ‘22B Norwest’ in Brookhollow Avenue. Capital Corporation has developed over 40 commercial buildings in Norwest Business Park and has signalled further redevelopment projects are planned for Norwest as it moves into a new phase with connection to the rail network. 22B Norwest was purchased as a low-level commercial building from the original owners in October 2006 and the new seven-storey building contains 11,000sqm mix of office accommodation, specialty showroom and serviced apartments with tenants including Adina Apartment Hotels, Eden Brae Homes, Home Option Gallery and Twenty Two Cafe Bar & Grill. Capital Corporation Director Steve Grant, said ‘22B Norwest’ was ideal for knockdown/rebuild to

- and 22B Norwest was one such redevelopment opportunity.” “We’ve found that Norwest has shown substantial growth in value above market, at various stages attributed to substantial improvements in infrastructure such as the completion and opening of Norwest Boulevarde, the opening of the M2 and again with the opening of the M7,” he said. “For those looking for an investment to outperform the market, there is undoubtedly an opportunity with the North West Rail Link underway.” G Major changes are coming to The Sydney Hills and Council is encouraging businesses to think big. Contact the Economic Development Team today on 9762 1108 for a confidential business visit, and to find out how you can re-engineer your business to take advantage of the opportunities the rail will bring.

is youR busiNess

North-West rail ready ? How will your business be impacted by the construction of the North West Rail Link?

Call the Economic Development team at The Hills Shire Council to find out more

+61 2 9762 1108

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Business Advice

Get In, Get Out, Get Even…

The Challenges of Business Adam Goldstien, Wealth Adviser - Skeggs Goldstien

Charlie Croker has a “job” to do…he is charged with the task of leading and stealing $4m of gold from under the nose of the Mafia – a risky prospect to say the least. To be successful Charlie recruited a specialist team to help him pull off the heist. He recruits Steve, the “inside man”, Handsome Rob, the “driver”, Left Ear the “explosives expert” and Lyle the “technology expert”. You might remember this famous movie…The Italian Job – the movie with one of the best car chases ever!

We are continually told that failing to plan is almost certainly planning to fail, but what does this really mean, and how does it affect business? When watching this movie Charlie learnt that although you think you have planned for all scenarios, there will always be the unexpected! The importance of trust, knowing the intentions of your ‘business partners’, having a contingency plan, solid networks and people to rely upon are so important in business. ‘Uncertainty’ is often said to be the only ‘Certainty’ when running a business. Market ups and downs, staff issues, competitors and changes in consumer demands force businesses to adapt their offering and focus in order to achieve success and often remain viable. Whilst Charlie was involved in a somewhat ‘dodgy’ business, you can relate some of the lessons he learnt to the many issues Australian business owners face regularly. The need for meticulous planning, a strong team, solid strategy and the ability to implement are key to business success. When running a small business, owners are often required to wear many hats in their day to day operations. But it does not usually mean that these functions are performed well. Most people do not envisage taking on the roles of book keeping, accounting, marketing, HR manager or receptionist, nor do they have the skills and experience in these areas. So what does a business owner do? Recruiting

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

the right team or outsourcing will usually be the best option but will require money to achieve. Although many feel that they can save money by doing it themselves, it may be okay for the short term but what is the actual cost to the business long term? The challenge for many businesses is deciding where to spend their precious and often scarce resources of time and money. Investment is usually imperative to take advantage of opportunities for growth and success. ‘As a busy family business, we sometimes feel that we have bitten off more than we can chew. Adam and the Skeggs team have been able to provide clarity, and help us focus our resources where they are most effective. They have encouraged us to spend money on research and advertising which in turn has helped our business grow’ – Linda Thomas, Buttsworth Industrial Supplies. As a small business ourselves, the Skeggs Goldstien team is well placed on the trials, tribulations and triumphs that come with running a business. As business advisors, the Skeggs Goldstien team is also well qualified to identify opportunities and work to overcome existing challenges facing business in any industry. ‘One thing that all business owners I have worked with have in common is their passion for ‘their’ business. Unfortunately, this passion can often blind them from obvious opportunities for change or growth. I enjoy working with our business clients to help them uncover information about their industry and organisation which has helped them move forward and achieve success.’ – Jonathan Reynolds, Skeggs Goldstien. The Skeggs Goldstien business advisory team can help businesses of varying size and stages of development. Below is brief list of our business services: BETTER BUSINESS PROGRAM – structured planning process that enables business owners to identify what is important about success and ultimately what they need to do to get the best results from their business and their business/life balance

SUCCESSION AND TRANSITION SERVICES - a structured planning process that enables business owners to transfer some or all of their Ownership interest and/or Management responsibilities to their existing staff or third party. BUSINESS PLANNING SERVICES – a planning process that enables the business to document and communicate their business strategy. BUSINESS VALUATION - a comprehensive analysis both quantitative and qualitative in nature to provide you with an indication of your business worth as well as understand key drivers that will improve your business value. STAFF VALUE PROGRAM – a program that fosters staff engagement in a way that employees will find appealing and which will make it easier for the employer to attract and retain staff. “I have often heard people say that the key to running a successful business is surrounding yourself with people who are better at particular tasks than you are, and then focusing your time and attention on what you do best. This is absolutely the case with Skeggs Goldstien who are an integral part of our business planning and have enabled me to focus my attention on not only what I am good at, but what I enjoy.” – Andrew Russell – 3 monkeez. So what did Charlie learn? Get the right team on board, plan and implement. If the first plan doesn’t work first time, try again until you succeed. If you are looking for partners you can trust to help your business succeed call the Skeggs Goldstien team. G

Skeggs Goldstien Associates p | 1300 753 447 e | admin@sgapl.com.au w | www.sgapl.com.au

skeggs golds ien

WEALTH MANAGEMENT | ACCOUNTING | BUSINESS ADVISORY

DIRECTION LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABILITY SPECIALIST SERVICES OFFERED BY OUR TEAM INCLUDE Business Succession Planning Business Valuations Self-Managed Superannuation Fund Advice Accounting and Taxation Financial Planning and Wealth Management Commercial and Home Loans Accredited by

Financial Planning

Skeggs Goldstien Associates Pty Ltd Authorised Representatives of AMP Financial Planning Pty Limited ABN 208 051 327 AFS Licence No. 232706 (“AMPFP”) Accounting and taxation services are provided by Skeggs Goldstien Accounting. AMP Financial Planning is not responsible for the provision of these services.

Tel 1300 753 447 Email admin@sgapl.com.au Web www.sgapl.com.au Bella Vista Chatswood Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Business Advice

Planning for Success

Andrew de Wynter, Senior Consultant - The HR Department

It’s been wonderful to see the success of the Western Sydney Wanderers. Who could have imagined that such a new club would achieve so much so quickly? They did!

The Wanderers had a plan for success and their strategy can be replicated in business. Sport today is a business and whilst the challenges of managing a sporting team are played out in the public arena at the end of the day the business needs to be sustainable. The same formula for success applies to your business. First of all you have to have a plan or a goal that you would like the business to achieve. What is important for your business in this plan – sales, services, customer numbers or even employee training? Do you need to start from scratch or is there a culture which can be further developed? Do you have negative images to address? Some or all of these issues might resonate with your business. You need to decide where you are going. After all, to paraphrase an old saying, if you don’t know where you are going how will you know when you get there? You have to establish the culture of your business and the image you want to portray. For the Wanderers they wanted to establish a family culture to which players, management and fans would belong. They wanted a club for the people of Western Sydney bringing history, geography and people together united by football. What do you want the culture of your business to be? Do you have a culture and if so is it what you would like it to be? You need to take your team on the same journey that you are on by leading culture through the modelling of the values you want your employees to have. Structure is paramount. You need people to know where they fit into the organisation and what they will be doing. Job descriptions establish the guidelines for the role each employee will undertake. Use the Job Description as a tool in recruitment. Select the right person on their ability to meet the criteria set out in the Job Description. Part of the Job Description should ascertain your business values. This allows you to confirm that a possible candidate has the right attitude and values to fit your team. In the bigger

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

picture you can always help someone gain skills it is very difficult to change attitude.

our experienced consultants would be happy to assist.

What do you want the culture of your business to be? You need to take your team on the same journey that you are on by leading culture through the modelling of the values you want your employees to have. The Wanderers know the role each player has in their team and that the team is more important than one person. Even in the recruitment of their marquee player the person had to suit their team. Does your business want a champion team or a team of champions?

Plan for success

Once you have a team of people on board you want to manage them effectively. Set clear expectations and communicate them consistently to the whole team. Adding performance measures to an employee’s Job Description allows you to monitor their performance. Let employees know what standard of performance is acceptable and what the consequences of not performing are. You should reward employees as appropriate or provide education and support to help them achieve better performance if that is what is required.

• Job Descriptions

Getting all of these things in place puts you in control. Your team will know what is expected of them. Strong, authentic leaderships encourages trust, commitment and motivation and that’s what you need to provide to get the very best from your team. G

If you have resolved to make a difference to your business or are experiencing challenges call the HR Department 02 88506124. One of

• Goals • Culture • Recruit accordingly • Manage Performance The HR Department p | 02 8850 6124 e | elly@thehrdepartment.com.au w | www.theHRdepartment.com.au

You can focus on your core business HR SUPPORT AND ADVICE WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST

· HR Framework · HR Helpline · HR Consultants · HR Education

BENEFITS: access to skills and expertise when you need it

cost effective

The HR Department was born out of the realisation that there are thousands of small to medium business without dedicated human resources professionals to help. Statements kept arising which made it clear businesses needed help. “I spend so much time on staff problems I don’t seem to have any time for my own work” “I go home every day feeling like I’ll never catch up” “I need to reduce my costs but I can’t see how” “ I want to go back to my core business”

The answer was not to put on a permanent staff member for many reasons · fear of increasing risks in employing permanent staff · not getting the broad experience needed in the budget you can afford to employ a permanent employee

OUTSOURCING IS A PROVEN STRATEGY TO MAXIMISE BUSINESS EFFECTIVENESS

It helps: save money improve process limit exposure to risk access high level expertise ensure compliance with employment legislation

Feature

Businesses Can Do More for Future Workers Cathy Krimmer - TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute (WSI)

They say it takes a community to raise a child and the same could be said of producing a well-rounded employee.

This can be a way of getting in touch with people who are eager to learn and willing to work their way up. An Australian study of work experience found that job offers came to over a third of work experience students as a direct result of their work experience.

for connecting with their local communities and local institutions, a fact which can boost their reputation strongly on the local scale. Education partnerships also provide professional development opportunities for existing

A training organisation can do everything within its resources to ensure that a person has the skills to match their desired employment. But experiencing a real workplace, with its nuances, intricacies, and navigating the jumble of coworkers, customers and superiors adds an extra dimension to a person’s employability. By taking up work experience and work placement opportunities, students are able to build an understanding of an industry and gauge their interest in it for a future career. They are also able to demonstrate what are termed ‘employability skills’. These skills, also referred to as ‘core skills’ include communication, teamwork, problem solving, initiative and enterprise, planning and organising, self-management, learning, and technology. When a person possesses these skills, hopefully in addition to specific vocational skills, they are employable. Without the opportunity to engage in work experience, it can be difficult for people to demonstrate their employability. It can also trap people into a cycle of not being able to find work because they are inexperienced, and not being able to gain experience because they don’t have access to a workplace to obtain it. I believe that businesses are the key to providing students opportunities to develop their employability skills, but that some businesses could do more to provide useful work experience opportunities. Although some businesses may not feel that time spent on students is justifiable, there are in fact many benefits to businesses which engage in education partnerships.

Aged care provider Summit Care has an innovative training program

The workers that come through this type of recruitment are often star performers who require less training, work more effectively and have better working relationships with their supervisors and teams. They also often bring fresh ideas and are willing to adapt to new technologies.

A literature summary published in 20101 into work experience benefits for employers demonstrates benefits under the categories of recruitment, reputation, staff development and social partnerships.

Work experience students can open up an entirely new and powerful market for your business. Connecting with work placement students and their networks provides businesses an opportunity to interact with new audiences, and to improve their reputations. Work experience and work placement can give students inside knowledge of working for your organisation, which can produce strong loyalty and the benefits of lay ambassadorship.

Through work placement, businesses are put in touch with people interested in their industry and are able to test their attitudes, aptitude and skills before investing in them as an employee.

Corporate Social Responsibility is cited as a major reason why businesses participate in work placement programs. Businesses see taking on students for work experience as an avenue

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

employees to ‘step up’ and develop their mentoring, planning and leadership skills with work experience or work placement students. One of the privileges of working for a vocational training institution is seeing people who are keen to learn gain the direct skills and networks that they need to succeed in their careers. We are also seeing some great examples of businesses that are doing their bit to ensure skill development in their future employees. We are keen to hear from other businesses who are willing to make this investment. Businesses play a vital role in the skills development of our workforce. With this in mind, this month WSI is presenting its inaugural Industry Awards for businesses that have stood out in their nurture of apprentices, trainees, vocational students and their own employees. Here are the stories of our three winners.

Feature Summit Care – Enterprise Training Program of the Year This award was for the enterprise training program which provided the most outstanding outcomes. Summit Care provides residential aged care in Sydney and Newcastle. It has a strong learning culture and a commitment to up-skilling its employees. In 2012 it undertook an innovative training program to meet the needs of kitchen and general service staff. Thirty-nine trainees were involved in training relevant to their areas, with language, literacy and numeracy training embedded in their training. WSI trainers filled roles as facilitators, mentors and teachers. The training has resulted in improved morale, enhanced compliance with standards, better communication between the trainees, staff and clients and a more productive workplace.

YOTS came in response to a critical community need to engage local disadvantaged and homeless young people in their own environment. Twelve trainees commenced in 2012/2013 with training provided by distance through the Open Training and Education Network (OTEN). YOTS managers closely monitored their trainees to ensure each had the support needed, with OTEN customising the training accordingly. YOTS is committed to best practice and ensuring that the trainees can continue in their employment following completion of their traineeships. OTEN Teacher Beth Evans said that the traineeship program has provided YOTS trainees with a number of benefits including one-on-one support, a high level of flexibility in their training and networking with trainees from different locations.

design students became involved in the project and had the opportunity to put their training into practice in this real-life project. Impressed with the results and keen to ensure an ongoing educational partnership, Penrith RSL engaged students in further projects and commenced an ongoing scholarship for a Nepean Arts and Design Centre interior design student. Teacher Joanna Nestoroski said that the work skills opportunities have meant her students are more highly skilled for working in the industry. “These projects provided students with excellent skills on how to handle real projects in a real workplace with a real client,” Joanna said. “The improved understanding of various design concepts and how the real industry operates has assisted students in improving further their

Penrith RSL has provided valuable work experience opportunities.

Training Consultant Roslynn Scheuch said that the challenge with this project was to provide a customised and flexible delivery program taking into account individual learning needs and operational imperatives.

“As the majority of trainees come from disadvantaged backgrounds, we have been able to provide additional support through classes and by teacher visits to the workplace.”

“The staff are noticeably happier and more engaged with each other and supervisors as a result of this training program. Employees have gained confidence in their ability to understand the legislative requirements of the organisation.”

Penrith RSL – Work Skills Provider of the Year This award was for the industry enterprise which provided the best opportunities for WSI students to develop their work skills through work placements, provision of resources or other work experience programs.

Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) – Apprentice/ Trainee Employer of the Year This award was for the organisation which provided the best apprentice/trainee program incorporating WSI training. Providing a supportive program is important for any business with trainees, but it was especially important for the Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) program. The traineeship program initiated by

Penrith RSL has discovered a way to involve their local community, provide opportunities for the development of skills and develop high quality interior designs on their premises at the same time. In need for newly designed interior spaces and keen to involve the community, the RSL Club approached WSI’s Nepean Arts and Design Centre to engage students in the process of planning the look of their restaurant. Interior

employability skills and bringing them closer to acquiring jobs in their chosen industry.” G 1. Shamash, J and Shoesmith, K, ‘Work Experience: What’s in it for employers?’, City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development, November 2010.

TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute (WSI) p | 02 9208 9104 e | catherine.krimmer@tafensw.edu.au w | wsi.tafensw.edu.au

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Feature

When Strategy Doesn’t Align with Election Cycles John Watters, Executive Officer – AusSIP

Recently I was standing below one of the most iconic Australian symbols and wondered if any government would build it today? The Harbour Bridge remains a testament to the Australian spirit that became synonymous with other engineering feats such as the Snowy Hydroelectric Dam and the Opera House. The entirety of these projects spanned multiple election periods, crossing state and federal areas of interest and required extensive capital investment.

In the past decade the political scene at all levels appears to reflect issues of the day rather than an overall long-term strategy. Regardless of which party dominates the political landscape, the common issues that unite us as citizens do not disappear nor can wait for whimsical hopes. Every so often at least one of current media ‘investigative shows’ will focus on investment shams that swindle Australians. The promise of getting rich quick from speculative and highly questionable propositions presented by highly engaging, energetic and almost mythical speakers, defies most logic. However, in the public sphere we to some extent expect similar results from longterm investments such as education to some how solve long-standing skills shortages. What is more annoying is when a new government, regulatory body or individual removes existing structures based not on performance, direction or strategy, but on the name association with predecessors. Meanwhile, ‘Joe Average Citizen’ is confronted with additional red tape and learning new procedures and forms whilst not progressing any further in their life. If something is objectively waning, then strategy should drive improvements. On the other hand, if ‘it aint broke, don’t fix it’. When you start a business or buy a house, most people need to borrow quite extensively to cover the capital required. Realistically, most people realise that repaying the loan will take years of hard work, determination and discipline. Overall, there generally is no magic formula in the equation. When looking in the public arena, a growing number of voters appear to disregard these principles that govern their personal lives. Advancements need

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

to be made within election cycles, without any significant borrowing and be repaid without any alterations to either current spending allocations or sources of revenue. Our collective strategic fortitude must be strengthened. We need leaders at all levels to have both the courage and honesty to tell it how it is and how it will be over periods that exceed their tenure as public servants. If the park needs better lighting to reduce crime, do it. If the highway needs upgrading, saving lives and travel time, do it. If the education standards across states needs aligning to improve attainment, do it.

Working with Partnership Brokers across schools, we help find those differences and increase strengths. We can identify young and emerging talent through a variety of avenues such as work experience, work shadowing and twoway partnerships. Those opportunities to find differences may even demonstrate that our own strengths may lie in areas that we didn’t think even existed. For more information on Partnership Brokers, please contact your local office listed below.

We need leaders at all levels to have both the courage and honesty to tell it how it is and how it will be over periods that exceed their tenure as public servants. If the park needs better lighting to reduce crime, do it. If the highway needs upgrading, saving lives and travel time, do it. If the education standards across states needs aligning to improve attainment, do it. As voters, we must increase our evaluation of strategy and lessen our opinions on day-to-day operations. Politicians will follow and move with opinion polls. They need to be given room to make minor mistakes and take corrective action as required. If errors are not contextualised within a greater strategy, then learning or progress will be limited. Investments should not be aligned with election cycles but with the greater good of the represented citizens. If we don’t start taking a longer-term, strategic approach we will forever be expecting a different outcome and yet undertaking the same activities every time. I hope my children can look back later on and be glad that we built it, rather than questioning with disbelief why we didn’t. G

Members

Blacktown www.breed.org..au p | 9853 3200

Parramatta www.aussip.com.au p | 9633 7100

Aus SIP

explore.inspire.engage

Penrith www.schoolsindustry.com.au p | 4725 0310

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Business Advice

Credit Card Payments by Daniel Moisyeyev – GWP Media

Collecting payments by credit card via your website is often very convenient for your clients. In this article I will explain some of the methods available.

Just ten years ago, the average internet user would have been very paranoid about giving out credit card details online. There were a lot of unfounded theories about vendors charging your credit card to the limit and running off with your money. Some thought hackers could gain access to your credit card details and make unauthorised charges. We now know this is no longer the case and a lot of steps have been taken by developers, banks and payment gateways to prevent this from occuring.

is called SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). It allows any data sent between two endpoints to be encrypted using a cryptographic protocol. The data collected from the user will generally be immediately validated before getting sent to the application on the vendor’s web server. Generate a request with the credit card to a payment gateway via a secure connection Once the credit card details are validated and received by the application on the vendor’s web server, the credit card data is prepared into a transaction request ready to be sent to the payment gateway via a secure connection.

You may have noticed that a web page with a form asking for your credit card details will have a little padlock displayed in your web browser and the URL in the address bar begins with “https” instead of “http”. What this means is that you are now talking to the vendor’s web server over a secure connection. The standard for secure connections over the Internet

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Store credit card details in a database Storing credit card details in a database located on the vendors web server offers convenience to repeat customers - it saves the need to re-enter credit card details every time a transaction is made.

What could potentially happen if your business has 500 sets of credit card details stored in a database in Cleartext (unencrypted format)? If a hacker or rogue employee gains access to this information, there could be a disaster on your hands.

Times have changed a lot since those days. And it may be time for you to start thinking about how online credit card payments can help your business grow further.

Collect credit card payment details via a secure connection from a client The first step is to collect the credit card details. This is the part of the process where you need to fill out a form that includes a credit card number, security code, expiry date and cardholder name.

The vendor’s application labels which transactions have failed or succeeded for the website administrator.

However, there are a lot of considerations that need to be addressed in terms of security. A method to encrypt credit card data stored in the database is needed, as this feature creates a situation for a possible breach of security.

I have also noticed that unlike back when nobody wanted to do business online, quite a number of my clients today are only too happy to send credit card details by email. This is truly unsafe, as email does not offer any sort of encryption and your data can be very easily retrieved by third parties.

How does it work? These are the steps a regular online credit card payment system has to grow through: 1. Collect credit card payment details via a secure connection from a client 2. Generate and send a request with the credit card details to a payment gateway via a secure connection 3. Collect transaction result from the payment gateway 4. Present the result to the client 5. Store credit card details in a database (optional).

Present the result to the client Once the result is received by the vendor’s application, it is presented to the client. If the transaction has failed, the client is then given an option to correct the error by supplying different details or abort the transaction.

Paypal Buttons The system explained above is complicated and expensive to implement. There a lot of payment gateways available, including the widely known Paypal, NAB Transact and many others. They all offer their unique interaction protocols known as API’s (Application Programming Interface) and offer different methods of communication. A very common method to communicate with payment gateways is using XML messages sent over secure HTTP connection. The job of the payment gateway is to process the transaction and send the result back to the vendor’s application. Collect transaction result from the payment gateway The result from a payment gateway will generally be a successful or failed transaction. Codes are provided on the reason why a transaction has failed. There are a multitude of reasons for example: * Invalid expiry date * Invalid credit card number * Credit card declined * Internal payment gateway errors

There is a shortcut to payment collection offered by Paypal, a widely known and established provider of a worldwide system that could only be best described as an “internet wallet”. Paypal account holders can generate what is known as “Paypal Buttons” for collecting payments on your website. “Paypal Buttons” can not be properly integrated into shopping carts, but they can give small business owners the opportunity to easily collect fixed amount credit card payments. G If your business needs a credit card transaction system implemented on your website, please do not hesitate to contact GWP Media. GWP Media p | 02 8090 1730 e | daniel@gwpmagazine.com.au w | www.gwpmedia.com.au

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

Society & Life

Work, Working and the Work Ethic Angry Anderson

Our friend the Dictionary defines Work as ‘the application of mental or physical effort to a purpose; the use of energy, the result of an action; an achievement’. It defines Working as ‘engaged in work; functioning or able to function’.

I read recently and then, some days later, heard it discussed on talk back radio that we have a growing problem within our service industry which in turn is impacting our tourist industry. The problem is that we are just not up to scratch in terms of customer service in those jobs which require constant exposure to, and interaction with members of the public. More pointedly a growing number of young people in the service industry have a strange idea or no idea about the meaning of the word ‘service.’ Tourism, it was pointed out, suffers when people from overseas come here expecting a level of service that they encounter in other countries, only to find, all too often, that the same levels are lacking here. Therefore, our tourism industry is suffering. People are much more liable to spend when they are treated well, whether in restaurants or retail shops. My daughter worked in retail until recently and I have long heard the stories of just how bad it can be in regard to having lousy staff. Since leaving school she has worked hard and been rewarded for her efforts with promotion and therefore responsibility so she has seen the problems from both sides. She has employed a strong work ethic instilled in her by myself and reinforced, gratefully by her teachers. She was lucky enough to go to a state school where the teachers were still interested in trying to prepare their kids for life by urging them to excel in all their efforts and not to only achieve what was required. This in itself was instrumental in forging her attitude towards work and her work ethic. Too often these days I believe kids are left believing, until the shock of the Real World hits, that you only have to do the very least that is required to get through; get through school and

Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

therefore get through life itself. The rest of us know, usually through tough life experience and coupled with the fact that we were brought up in a different era, that the world did not owe us a living. In fact it did not owe us anything and that the only way to get anywhere in life was to work hard at school, get the best results we possibly could and that once we went out into the workforce if we worked hard, saved our money and kept ourselves tidy, we may just get somewhere in life and have the kind of life that would see us being happy in our labour.

by even acknowledging us, let alone offering us any enthusiasm in their welcome and attention to our needs, the needs of the paying customer. Imagine how bad that looks to visitors from other countries! My daughter, among others, has furnished me with tales of having to hire applicants that have difficulty in filling out the application form for the job. I’ve been told that some resumes are illegible and some are written in the hand you would expect from a child in primary school.

A growing number of young people in the service industry have a strange idea or no idea about the meaning of the word ‘service.’ Tourism, it was pointed out, suffers when people from overseas come here expecting a level of service that they encounter in other countries, only to find, all too often, that the same levels are lacking here. At school we learnt discipline and structure. We were taught the value of good manners. We were taught that to treat people well had its own rewards but also the treating of others well would come back to us twofold. We were taught to respect others, especially our elders, parents, teachers and others in the community that deserved our respect because they were our ‘elders’. In other words we were being given, taught, the basic rules or lessons that would see us through as we encountered the Big Bad World.

My boys resisted every effort on my part for them to write properly with the excuse that they weren’t required to write that well for school. ‘As long as you can understand what is meant’ was the instruction they were given, not that their writing should be neat and tidy or that their spelling be correct. The only requirement was that you could understand what their writing meant.

How often these days do we see the results of parents and a teaching method that no longer teaches these basic principles?

Off course the ‘answer’ to this dilemma is solved by making it virtually impossible to sack anyone, who cannot do the job or does it unsatisfactorily. So employers are hamstrung and the ‘illiterate’ are reinforced with a work ethic that says you don’t have to excel, just do enough to get by.

How often do we go into a clothes store and have to stand and wait for one of the young disinterested staff to finally recognise that we are waiting for some service? As often as not the attitude is that they are doing us a favour

Now we have kids struggling to compete in the work place without the proper tools.

Unions have traditionally cast the employer, the boss, as the bad guy, someone you must distrust

and fear that will exploit you whenever and however they can. Because of that, it’s ok and accepted that you can bludge and rort the boss whenever and however you can. This creates a lousy work ethic and serves only to pit the worker against the boss. This practice serves no-one but the unions which, of course, is the way they want it to be, so they can stay in control.

enslaving them with sloth; our friend defines ‘Sloth’ as “idleness, inactivity ,indolence ,inertia laziness, slackness, sluggishness and torpor.” I will always support an idea that encourages us to achieve our best, not one that assumes our least. Until next time, go with your God. Your friend Angry.

his dedication as ambassador, to spreading awareness regarding Prostate Cancer. Angry is also available for corporate or public and private engagements, musical entertainment – acoustic performance detailing the history in song and story of Rose Tattoo; electric performance with cover band playing a selection of rollicking rock and roll and assorted R+B favourites.

Imagine the principle of having to allow your employees time off every hour so they can smoke cigarettes... or have a cup of coffee... at whose expense? Possibly these considerations have been negotiated between the boss and their staff but to insist that the boss allows this at their expense is ridiculous. What this sort of practice fosters is, again, a lousy work ethic and encourages the worker to believe that a ‘habit’ that they decided to adopt is somehow someone else’s responsibility to accommodate. What sort of negative attitude is this encouraging? Instead of appealing to that which makes a person stronger, a robust work ethic, they reinforce that which weakens an individual’s opportunity to excel by the strength of their own efforts thus

Angry Anderson AM is available for the following public speaking. Subjects covered: • personal life journey experience, overcoming obstacles along the way like his battle with alcohol and drugs, humorous anecdotal stories about his life on the international stage with his band the legendary Rose Tattoo; • inspirational messages on his ability to deal with surviving all his tribulations; • stories about his involvement in Television which introduced him to his dedication to helping others in need; • his commitment to Men’s Health; • his life long battle with depression and

e | angrytat@gmail.com w | www.angryanderson.com

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Business Resource & Lifestyle | Issue 54 | May 2013

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