Don't move the deck chairs, focus on getting to shore

By Jack Burke
I read a short piece at the Harvard Business Review that really hit home and reminded me about trap common to many businesses. Too often we focus on everything exept the end goal. Have you ever spent 30 minutes in a project meeting debating when to send an e-blast instead of using that time to focus on the content of the message? Has a problem with an insignificant part of a project ever made the whole process grind to a halt? That's because we're not focusing on the main goal. Drop what's unimportant. Ask yourself "What am I trying to really accomplish?"
Then do it.

The learning value in networking

By Kris Matz
Are you on LinkedIn? Probably. Do you pay attention to the postings and lists of the people you’re linked to?  If not, you should.
I’m a bit addicted to LinkedIn. I’ve found that the people that I am linked to have an enormous amount of knowledge and insight. Recently, some of the best business books I’ve read have come from the Amazon reading lists of others on LinkedIn. I’ve also found some great online articles this way, including the article referenced in my last blog about hiring the right person (thank you Amanda!)
Check it out, you might learn something really useful!

Are you hiring? Consider this!

By Kris Matz
In business school we’re taught all about job specifications, job analysis and job descriptions.  This is great for making sure that a person has the required skills and abilities to perform the work.  But what about a person’s attitude?  Consider this when you’re looking for perfect person for your company. 

Global magazine Paving News is out

 By Pete Kennedy

Another issue of Paving News has just printed. It's the third and final issue of 2011.

Paving News is a truly global magazine. It prints in eight languages, with more regularly added, and is distributed in North and South America, Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Putting the magazine together is a logistical challenge, to be sure, and we’ve learned some lessons along the way. But now we’re going into year three of the global content approach and the lessons don’t come quite as frequently.

We take pride in developing content for a worldwide audience. It’s impressive when all the magazines are lined up, next to each other in all the different languages.

On the Job is out the door

By Pete Kennedy

The Caterpillar BCP/CCE dealer magazine, On the Job, has more small business tips in the winter issue, which just mailed.

The magazine is more about business success stories than providing testimonials for Cat machines. Yes, those featured use Cat equipment. But we’re more interested in their road to success—and how they continued to flourish even when the recession hit.

There are some success stories out there, to be sure, and we’re more than glad to find and share them with others. Contractors, meanwhile, appreciate the effort Cat Dealers make to pass along the stories and peer advice that can make a difference.

Intelligent Power in the mail

By Barry Gantenbein

Truckers know their business like no one else. That’s why we interview successful trucking firms and owner/operators to provide you with the information that you need to take your rigs to the million-mile mark and beyond in each issue of Intelligent Power.

The Winter issue contains hard-earned lessons from truckers who are profitable in today’s competitive marketplace. Truck lovers will also enjoy a photo spread highlighting the chrome-plated beauty of a fully restored 2000 Peterbilt 379 long nose powered by a 550-hp Cat® C-15 diesel.