What Lack of Leadership does to an Organization

The following is from a guest blogger –

My most recent experience with poor management and communication skills is with an individual who was promoted to a high level operations position coming from a career strictly with Loss Prevention.

Unfortunately this experience informs almost everything flowing from the position. Accountability is a good thing in an organization but like everything it can be taken to excess. Within the operations group and through the field organization, audits and accountability sign-offs have gone from a monthly occurrence to weekly and now nearly daily. The very culture of the organization has changed dramatically over the course of six months. Not only does this individual operate from an LP perspective but they do not take any kind of criticism or questioning of decisions well.

Employees quickly learned that if even a small mistake is made there will be serious consequences. Further, if a policy or decision is brought up for discussion, everyone learned in a hurry (at the unfortunate expense of a few employees) that you may be subjected to a humiliating public shout-down followed by a couple weeks of prodding.

This abrasive and unproductive leadership style has resulted in poor morale in the workplace, a lack of important feedback from employees, a reduction in productivity, increased turnover and the implementation of programs and initiatives that have led to reduced revenues for the company. Several strategies have been rolled out with bad results that most employees saw coming but there is no longer the dynamic communication a healthy organization needs to be competitive and strong.

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“Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…”

Jenson Crawford

Employers look to recruiting agencies to try to find the right candidate for a job opening.  Can recruiters accomplish this goal?   As a software development executive, I’ve found that a good recruiter can do this and produce real benefits for both the employer and candidate.

The Value of a Good Recruiting Firm

A good firm working to understand everything the employer and candidates are looking for, and then presenting the employer a handful of very qualified candidates to work with.  They will take the time to really sit down and get to understand your background, goals and needs, regardless of which side of the interview desk you’re sitting on.  A good recruiter increases the chances for both employer and candidates of a finding a successful match.

Unless the internal HR department has experienced professional recruiters, agency recruiters have a better network to draw on to find passive candidates.  They also generally have more knowledge than the HR department about the specialized skills needed for a position, as recruiters focus on specific professions.

Making the Right Match, or Looking for a Quick Buck?

Unfortunately, some recruiters and agencies only seem to be after the placement fee, rather than working together with the employer and candidate.  I’ve developed an easy way to determine whether recruiters and agencies are trying to build long term relationships or are simply focused on the next placement. I simply find out how they treated the receptionist when they called. Recruiters that are polite and treat the receptionist with respect are the ones who build long term relationships and make the right matches. Recruiters that are rude, pushy or dishonest are just looking for quick buck and don’t make the list of people that I work with.

I still shake my head about one recruiter’s attempt to contact me: did he really think that I wouldn’t find out he claimed to be an old friend of mine?

Finding a Good Recruiter

Whether you’re a candidate or a hiring manager, the best way to find a good recruiter is to talk to your friends, and ask for a short list of recruiters that they trust and like to work with.  As one of my favorite recruiters says, “the best people know the best people.”

As a candidate, look for a firm that will help you when you’re not just looking for a job.  Will they help you negotiate a better raise for yourself?  It’s important to find a recruiter that will be honest with you – if an interview didn’t go well, getting truthful feedback about how to do better next time is crucial to landing the job you want.

Do your homework.  You’ll find that working with a good recruiter is definitely worthwhile.

Jenson Crawford is Director of Engineering for Fetch Technologies in El Segundo, California. www.linkedin.com/in/jensoncrawford

Fetch Technologies has a singular, powerful and revolutionary mission: To get the best real-time data so that our clients can make high-caliber business decisions.  Major corporations, business intelligence companies and news organizations use Fetch to connect with millions of real-time data sources for a myriad of applications including competitive intelligence, news aggregation, data analysis and background screening. www.fetch.com

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Creating A Culture of Leadership By Dianne Durkin

Dianne Durkin

Most people are hesitant to develop their leadership skills believing that leaders are born with some magic leadership dust in their DNA and that they can’t be trained to become a leader.

While some people are more natural leaders than others, the best leaders are those who went beyond cultivating their own leadership skills, and instead created a culture of leadership in their organizations.  The reality is that leadership doesn’t belong to just one person.  Leadership inspires others much like a contagious force.

Let’s explore the vision, purpose and values that are all part of a leader’s role.

Great leaders use leadership like an engine of innovation that runs on change, truth, communication and vision.  Great leaders make a difference in the lives of their people, their organizations, and the processes that have cultivated the business.

Great leaders want workers to bring their brains to work. The fastest way to lower an organization’s IQ is to create a culture of followers.  Employees who follow the rules and never think outside their job descriptions are not contributing to the success of an organization.

Great leaders appreciate and acknowledge their employees. It has been proven gain and again that employees want and need more than money to be motivated.  What people want is a basic emotional human need — to feel appreciated.

Great leaders create loyalty. Leadership is not an ego game but rather it is purpose driven. In a recent presentation, Frances Hesselbein (President/CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit management, lauded for her role as the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of America from 1976-1990) addressing the Women President’s Organization told the audience that great leaders always put their purpose first – never their own egos.

Great leaders know that leadership impacts the bottom line. Leadership is not “a nice to have.” It is a necessity. It requires adapting to changing forces in the marketplace, managing generational differences and embracing social responsibility and philanthropy. In summary it creates a healthy environment that is a powerful force that impacts productivity and profitability.

Great leaders own an authentic personal brand. In the age of social media, personal brands grow and spread like wildfire on Twitter, Facebook and in the Blogosphere. Every leader needs to preserve their honesty, integrity and personal image.

Great leaders hold themselves accountable. Leadership doesn’t just happen. It’s a personal and organizational muscle that needs to be worked.  One of the ways to help organize the information both in mind and in organization is the Get Real approach to leadership.

• Recruitment to not only attract the right people but ways to retain them.
• Engaging, empowering and enriching employees by providing the right environment for success.  This is one of the most crucial aspects that rocks an organization in the most powerful of ways.
• Appreciating people with not just money but recognizing their efforts for the organization that may be above and beyond their job description.
• Leadership leads to loyalty.  Leadership is not about ego – on the contrary it’s about purpose first.  When leadership attracts the right people, engages, empowers and appreciates them, it fosters loyal, productive employees which in turn help increase profitability and the overall success of a company.

An excerpt from upcoming book Magnetic Leadership – by Dianne Durkin founder and president of Loyalty Factor – a consulting and training firm focused on increasing corporate profitability by providing individually tailored consulting and training services that enhance employee, customer and brand loyalty – that has helped small and large organizations as IBM, Fidelity Investment, IKEA among others, by engaging all constituencies to drive improved customer  relationship and management skills.

A visionary entrepreneur, author of “The Loyalty Advantage”, Durkin is a thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in the field having held top executive positions at Gulf Oil, Digital Equipment Corp. and Corporate Branding Partnership.

Connect with her on http://www.linkedin.com/in/queenofloyalty, Read her Blog http://loyaltyfactor.wordpress.com/ – follow her on Twitter — @loyaltyfactor and LoyaltyFactor on Facebook.

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Choosing a Career: 5 Ways to Find the “Coolest Industries”

Oshana Himot

When planning a career, some people find the “coolest industries” by doing research to locate the industries which have the largest projected growth for the future. However, there are other parts to career research which can help you find the industries which bring you financial rewards as well as personal  and job satisfaction.

This article offers five ways to research the “coolest industries” to create new career, income and job fulfillment.

1. Listen to What the Marketplace Tells You

People are sharing what they desire and require to improve the quality of their life and work all the time.  When we listen carefully, we can often discover new ways to offer services and products that help them achieve their goals and that create income at the same time.

2. Look for Ways to Make Life Easier for People

Many people will pay for a service or product that makes their life easier.

For example, airport shuttle services offer an easy and efficient way to get to the airport without having to drive and park a car or rely on a friend or business colleague for a ride.

3. Survey People to Discover What they will Buy

It is easy to find out what will help people and what they will buy by asking them questions.  You will receive the most helpful answers when they are open-ended. This means asking questions in a way which enables the other person to explore and express their thoughts and feelings deeply.

For example, “What are your thoughts and feelings about ___?” is an open-ended question.  This is a question which cannot be answered by ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

When you discover something that people would like to have and will pay for, you can then ask them more specific questions about pricing and other aspects of your offer to them.

4. Know Well Your Skills and Expertise and the Benefits they Provide

It is as important to understand the benefits of your unique combination of skills as it is to know what they are.  People often respond more when they hear about the benefits rather than the skills themselves.

Knowing how to communicate what you do and its benefits will help you uncover new career opportunities that provide great service to people.

5. Let Your Values and Goals Lead You in Choosing a New Industry

Rather than starting with the industries that receive the most publicity, start out first by knowing your values and goals.  Once you know what is most important to you, you can then research the industries that respond well to your values and choose a career to help them achieve their goals.

For example, let’s say that you are committed to helping abandoned animals.  First, make a list of your skills.   Then make a list of possible services you can provide distressed animals.  After this, create survey questions.

By knowing the benefits of your skills and being open to the information you receive during the surveys you take, you may discover a niche for which you are uniquely qualified.  It is possible   that this niche has never been filled before.  Therefore, you have no competition.

Practice using these five ways to find the “coolest industries” for your work.  This helps you discover new careers in which your skills, values and goals make a unique contribution to the industry you serve.   You may find that besides the financial rewards, you receive much personal and job satisfaction in a way that benefits everyone.

© 2010 Oshana Himot Consulting, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

Oshana Himot, MBA, CHT is an organizational and personal development coach and trainer.  She works with executives   and entrepreneurs to help them use their skills and knowledge in ways which create new businesses.  Her training   institute, The Business and Life Training Institute for Entrepreneurs, teaches live workshops and webcasts worldwide.

Oshana has two Masters of Business Administration degrees, in Corporate Finance and Arts Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California, and she is a member of the Institute of Executive Development.  She is the author of 5 digital books and is presently writing her second book on joy.   To reach the Institute, go to: www.businessandlifeinstitute.com or email: admin@businessandlifeinstitute.com.

Improve your career satisfaction with these 5 steps. Career research based on market needs, and your skills, values, and goals can reveal unique ways to contribute.

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MyBestBossEver.com Harnesses the Strategies of the Best Bosses

Rory Rowland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Press Contact:

Rory Rowland, President
JEM Business Media
Telephone Number: 816.478.3249

Email: RoryRowland@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.MyBestBossEver.com

MyBestBossEver.com Harnesses the Strategies of the Best Bosses

Kansas City, MO—My Best Boss Ever, a new book published by JEM Business Media explores the strategies of the best bosses from across the country to help better your leadership abilities.  Told through powerful stories, the recently printed book takes a new spin on leadership development, highlighting personalized stories as told to the author.

Rory Rowland, president and founder of Rowland Consulting is the author of this groundbreaking work.  After speaking with hundreds of employees across the country, Rory took the most powerful stories and molded them together for a guaranteed leadership jumpstart!

“I’m extremely excited about this venture,” says Rory.  “Over the years, I’d always hear people complain of the worst boss they’d had.  But who wants to listen to depressing stories?  So I decided to take a new spin on the process!  One of my favorite quotes that I heard was, ‘My boss was more interested in promoting me than himself.’  Think about the power behind that quote for a while, and then I think you’ll truly understand the message in My Best Boss Ever.”  Copies of the book can be purchased directly from the author, or on Amazon.com

About Rory Rowland

After serving as president of two financial institutions, Rory began using his communication skills and wealth of knowledge on various topics to empower others to succeed.  The president and founder of Rowland Consulting in Independence, Missouri, Rory is the author of “My Best Boss Ever,” “My Best Service Ever,” and “Think Huge.”

For more information about the services offered by Rory, please visit www.roryrowland.com or email him at RoryRowland@yahoo.com.

A sample story from “My Best Boss Ever”

Pick the Weeds

“We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction.”  Malcolm Gladwell

My best boss ever was J. Willard Marriott Jr.

I used to be a regional manager for the Marriott Corporation and on occasion, J. Willard Marriott Jr. would visit my region to survey his hotels.  He came to one of the hotels in the south, and it was a warm, beautiful day in spring.  It was the kind of day that makes you wish you were young again.

As we approached the hotel, the manager of the property came out to greet Mr. Marriott and myself.  After exchanging pleasantries, we walked into the hotel.  We passed by a flower patch that unfortunately had some weeds in it.   Mr. Marriott got on his hands and knees and began to pull the weeds.

I had worked with Mr. Marriott enough to know to get down and help.  Unfortunately, the manager stood there and simply watched us.  Noticing this, I got up, placed my hands on his shoulders, and applied a little pressure.  He caught on and got down on his hands and knees with us.  The three of us finished the job.

Mr. Marriott did not say anything that day, but he spoke volumes.  If you see weeds, pick them.  People will get the idea.

Even though Mr. Marriott never said anything else about it, on subsequent visits to this hotel, I never, ever saw weeds in the flowerbed again. Never.

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Cool Industry – User Experience Research

Amy Buckner

What does your company do?

AnswerLab is a User Experience Research firm based in San Francisco. Our team of talented researchers breaks down the barriers to technology so that humans can achieve more in their daily lives. We bridge the gap between end consumers and engineers, in order to make digital products more effective and delightful. My Co-Founder, Dan Clifford, and I started AnswerLab for one simple reason: the people who build digital products are not the same as the people who use those products. It’s impossible to fully understand the end users without talking with them.

How do you do it?

Researchers in our industry spend time watching what consumers see, do, and think while interacting with digital products. We use cool research techniques like usability testing, surveys, eye tracking and behavioral tracking to understand how our clients’ websites and apps can be better.

Why is it one of the coolest industries?

For  a couple of reasons:  first, researchers in this industry are on the cutting edge of testing new websites, mobile apps, mobile websites, and iPad apps before they become public.  Our clients are leading innovators: Microsoft, PayPal, eBay, Yahoo!, EA, and Cisco to name a few. We see their plans before the rest of the world does. And, our insights help these innovators drive customer acquisition and loyalty, thus improving their bottom line.

Secondly, User Experience Researchers have a breadth of research methods in our toolkits, such that no two studies are the same. Every client challenge is unique, making it nearly impossible to tire of the work.  Also, because digital products change so frequently, our research methods evolve rapidly.  At AnswerLab, our researchers are part of defining innovative new research techniques.

What kind of training and personality does your industry require?

User Experience Researchers often have a degree in Human Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Human Factors, or Cognitive Psychology. However, the degree isn’t the largest predictor of someone’s success in this field. (In fact, I have an English degree.) Ultimately, researchers must have excellent communication skills, be active listeners, and have a keen ability to uncover deep insights that lie between what users say and what they actually do.  Additionally, because our research methods involve software and our clients’ products involve complex prototypes, researchers benefit from having a knack for dealing with technology.  But, most importantly of all, you need a passion for research, a natural curiosity about human behavior, and a deep desire to help people achieve more with technology.

About Amy Buckner:

Amy Buckner is Co-Founder & Managing Partner of AnswerLab. For over 12 years, Amy has been providing insights to Fortune 500 companies who need to make critical product development decisions. She is an expert in eye tracking, quantitative user experience testing, remote usability testing, mobile and international research. Amy graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a degree in English and East Asian Studies. She is fluent in Japanese.

About AnswerLab:

AnswerLab conducts user experience research providing insight and recommendations about how people use websites, mobile and software applications.  AnswerLab partners with clients at any phase of product development, from concept testing through implementation, to ongoing benchmarking and tracking.  The company is a recognized leader in user experience research.  In 2009 AnswerLab was the only research firm named to Inc Magazine’s Inc 500 List of Fastest Growing Privately Held companies in America.  AnswerLab was also the only research firm named to The San Francisco Business Times’ list of 100 Fastest Growing Private companies in the Bay Area.  AnswerLab’s clients include industry-leaders such as FedEx, Yahoo!, eBay, Intuit, PayPal, Genentech, Cisco, Experian, ING direct and Microsoft.  Learn more at www.answerlab.com.

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Is The Retirement Age Going Up? by Ryan Himmel

There is, without question, a growing trend of people starting to recognize the need to consider retirement at a later age than previously thought.  The financial planning that was done five to ten years ago no longer makes sense since the economic environment is much different, and the life expectancy rate continues to climb at a rapid pace. 

Today the average 65 year old can expect to live to almost 84, versus a life expectancy of 77.9 in 2007 (CDC Aug ‘09).  In addition, the 65 year old plus population is expected to grow from 40M today to 71M, or 20% of the population in 2030 (US Census Bureau June ‘09).  In essence, this means that many are going to be living much past 84 and financial plans need to take that into account.

With that said, let’s review some ways in which you can better prepare for retirement with the hopes of getting there sooner than later.  It starts with cutting out expenses.

Time to Move (Savings: $10,000+)
Before you even start analyzing your budget, seriously consider moving to a lower cost location.  Moving from a city such as New York to a more affordable location like Fort Lauderdale, Florida can save you tens of thousands now and into the hundreds of thousands in the future.   Here’s an example – if your income was $50,000 a year in New York City and you moved to Fort Lauderdale, your standard of living would NOT change if your income was 47.34% less or $26,330 in Fort Lauderdale.  This is just one example – you can go to bankrate.com to check out another city.

Remove High Maintenance Items (Savings: $1,000+)
Sometimes we don’t realize it, but having an extra car can really be an unnecessary expense.  You would be cutting out the high gas costs of $2.50 to $3.25 per gallon, toll fees, and then yearly maintenance charges.

Get Rid of High Fee Investment Products (Savings: Variable)
Scope your portfolio and look at the fee structure for the investments you made with your retirement savings.  A lot of investment products carry high administrative/management fees that can be avoided by shifting to lower fee Mutual Funds and CDs.

Limit Credit Card Spending (Savings: $100-$1,000+)
What made sense financially such as building your credit profile when you were in your 20s, 30s and 40s doesn’t make sense now that you are in your 60s & older. Credit cards are just for convenience and they come with high interest charges (i.e. 15-20%).

Ryan Himmel is a CPA, registered securities analyst and the founder and CEO of BIDaWIZ.com.  BIDaWIZ is a leading online marketplace where business owners and consumers alike can obtain trusted answers to tough finance and tax questions from licensed business experts. Ryan has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fox Business, Crain’s New York, among other notable publications.  Ryan regularly contributes to the community with his finance and tax blog. Contact Ryan at ryan@bidawiz.com or on Twitter @BIDaWIZ.

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MyBestBossEver.com Harnesses the Strategies of the Best Bosses

Press Contact:

Rory Rowland, President
JEM Business Media
Telephone Number: 816.478.3249

Email: RoryRowland@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.MyBestBossEver.com

MyBestBossEver.com Harnesses the Strategies of the Best Bosses

Kansas City, MO—My Best Boss Ever, a new book published by JEM Business Media explores the strategies of the best bosses from across the country to help better your leadership abilities.  Told through powerful stories, the recently printed book takes a new spin on leadership development, highlighting personalized stories as told to the author.

Rory Rowland, president and founder of Rowland Consulting is the author of this groundbreaking work.  After speaking with hundreds of employees across the country, Rory took the most powerful stories and molded them together for a guaranteed leadership jumpstart!

“I’m extremely excited about this venture,” says Rory.  “Over the years, I’d always hear people complain of the worst boss they’d had.  But who wants to listen to depressing stories?  So I decided to take a new spin on the process!  One of my favorite quotes that I heard was, ‘My boss was more interested in promoting me than himself.’  Think about the power behind that quote for a while, and then I think you’ll truly understand the message in My Best Boss Ever.”  Copies of the book can be purchased directly from the author, or on Amazon.com

About Rory Rowland

After serving as president of two financial institutions, Rory began using his communication skills and wealth of knowledge on various topics to empower others to succeed.  The president and founder of Rowland Consulting in Independence, Missouri, Rory is the author of “My Best Boss Ever,” “My Best Service Ever,” and “Think Huge.”

For more information about the services offered by Rory, please visit www.roryrowland.com or email him at RoryRowland@yahoo.com.

A sample story from “My Best Boss Ever”

Pick the Weeds

“We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction.”  Malcolm Gladwell

My best boss ever was J. Willard Marriott Jr.  I used to be a regional manager for the Marriott Corporation and on occasion, J. Willard Marriott Jr. would visit my region to survey his hotels.  He came to one of the hotels in the south, and it was a warm, beautiful day in spring.  It was the kind of day that makes you wish you were young again.

As we approached the hotel, the manager of the property came out to greet Mr. Marriott and myself.  After exchanging pleasantries, we walked into the hotel.  We passed by a flower patch that unfortunately had some weeds in it.   Mr. Marriott got on his hands and knees and began to pull the weeds.

I had worked with Mr. Marriott enough to know to get down and help.  Unfortunately, the manager stood there and simply watched us.  Noticing this, I got up, placed my hands on his shoulders, and applied a little pressure.  He caught on and got down on his hands and knees with us.  The three of us finished the job.

Mr. Marriott did not say anything that day, but he spoke volumes.  If you see weeds, pick them.  People will get the idea.

Even though Mr. Marriott never said anything else about it, on subsequent visits to this hotel, I never, ever saw weeds in the flowerbed again. Never.

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Teaching Compassion to Children ~ Life Changing for the Teacher

I own Karuna Yoga studio in Los Angeles, CA and teach both adults and children.  For nine years, I have been going into public and private schools and teaching kids yoga classes.  The classes are once a week for twenty minutes each.  I have taught over seventy five thousand children of diverse cultural backgrounds from ages two to twelve.

To experience how so many children consistently enjoy yoga and meditation confirms by belief that inherently, we all want to learn and grow in positive ways.  My themes for kids yoga classes range from how happy our hearts feel from helping others, to being patient to show care for others, to sharing our hearts with ourselves and those around us.

Teaching children how to regulate their attention and their emotions through the practice of yoga and meditation greatly inspires my belief that collectively we can create a positive future for our communities.  Children will be our innovators, teachers, artists and caretakers of tomorrow.  Teaching children practical ways to ground themselves to remain confident and calm will undoubtedly be used in our quickly changing world – giving a child the means the find a creative and caring solution to challenging events in life.

To give time each week and help children understand how to focus and stay connected with compassion has been life changing for me. The hearts of all the children I have taught has motivated me to be a more caring adult.

Kelly Wood

About the author:  Kelly Wood is the owner and director of Karuna Yoga, a successful yoga studio in Los Angeles, CA.  She offers her specialty Karuna Yoga Teacher Training courses which are designed for finding one’s authentic voice and teaching style.  Kelly’s teaching style is influenced by her in-depth study of Hatha and Kundalini Yoga, dance, philosophy and art history.

Kelly has created  Hi Yoga, yoga for parents and kids.  Hi Yoga includes a fifteen minute yoga sequence for children to practice on their own and a second fifteen minute yoga sequence for parents and children to practice together for secure bonding and quality time together.

Kelly is currently working with Jane Tavyev, MD, Pediatric Neurology/ Neurodevelopmental Disabilities at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA to research the benefits of yoga in children with autism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlozligNL5Y

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Working into Retirement Age by Spencer Hill

A greater number of individuals are working into their late 60’s, 70’s and even into their 80’s. A couple of weeks ago on TV, there was a report on an OB/GYN who was still seeing patients and teaching at a medical school at age 100. This will become more common as life expectancy increases. Other reasons are people want to maintain their lifestyle as they age. By using retirement savings to supplement other earnings, one can work less, maintain a retirement nest egg, and have time and resources to enjoy life better.

The people I have met that continue to work after normal retirement age enjoy what they do. These individuals are engaged in their community and church. Sitting on a rocking chair on the porch just doesn’t interest them. They believe being active in business and community keeps them healthier and mentally stronger than their peers.

A fellow in my community worked for a national restaurant franchisor turning around weak franchises. He retired, took his 401k monies and bought a franchise. After doing the due diligence looking for the one with the most problems, which had great traffic, and the most potential to be turned around; he settled on one. For the next five years, he and his wife worked in that restaurant seven days a week. Eventually finding a young man that could be trained to be the manager, then found assistant managers to work nights and weekends. Now 12 years later, he works about 4 days a month doing maintenance and checking on the money.

Sometimes that career in retirement is completely different than your original career. Another gentleman I know worked construction during the college summers. After leaving the military, becoming a teacher he found himself working construction in the summer to make more money. His career advanced being a principal and a district administrator.  Seven years from retirement he took the general contractors license test and formed a construction company. Over the next few years his company did remodeling on residences and some new construction. Now fully retired with a state pension, he still does construction, but only jobs he wants to do that have an above average profit.

These are but a few examples of the people I see working into their retirement years. The two motivating factors are 1) they love what they are doing and 2) their quality of life is better than just living off their retirement nest egg. 

Anyone can accomplish this if they plan to pursue their passion in retirement. Some take a hobby and create a business, for example a female lawyer who enjoys doing parliamentarian work that pays for her travel and makes a profit at it. As for me, I am planning to work and enjoy life for the next 50 plus years into my 90’s. I have my office with an 85 year old accountant who comes into work in the morning singing. He maintains two offices and works 6 days a week. The other day he told me he would consider retiring in 15 years.

Spencer Hill

University Retirement Specialists

Kingstree, SC

843-355-6024

spencerhill@hillassetmanagement.com

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