Throw Back Thursday: "Sitting Back On Your Laurels Is A Sure Fire Way To Lose In The Long Run"

"Most employees think of their employer's budget as a bottomless pit and can be very careless spending money that's not theirs. But you should manage their budget as if it's your own wallet."

Good Morning Folks,

As I begin my third year blogging, we are looking back at some of my favorite posts. So for a Throw Back Thursday may I reprise a post from last year showcasing the autonomy every single FSO employee no matter rank or position, is empowered with to make a difference for you. We want our folks to be proactive always looking for new, better and more efficient ways of doing things. Here's the post from April 2014:

==> Shout Out Wednesday: Measurable results. Value add. I love it!

For years my brand has represented perfection. It has been synonymous with the best service and best people ever. 

Whether a salesperson, an experience associate, a records manager, an informationalist, or messenger, what makes our folks so special is their ability to think beyond their daily tasks and think like our clients. 

"What would the client want? What do they need? How could I be more proactive in their eyes? How could i really impress them?"

Today I wanted to salute one of our FSO rockstars who put this promise to practice. He put together the list cost savings initiatives and ideas that follows. 

They were all truly worth reviewing, reading and most importantly ACTING upon. Not only do they address cost savings, but they are also environmentally sound. I really appreciate that.

We know that productivity is about all about delivering quality and value and working smart. (With a smile!)  This list exemplifies the value of hiring a true STRATEGIC partner who never stops looking out for you, who always take that extra second to ask and then ACT! 

In his words, here are some things our star does day to day with keeping costs in mind:

==> Reuse Boxes for shipping. Boxes from Reprographics Dept or Boxes from Vendors and Staples reuse them for shipping INSTEAD OF ORDERING BOXES WHICH CAN BE COSTLY.

==> Ship via UPS Ground when possible. In most cases it is fast and cheaper!

==> A lot of time I use pens from vendors give us pens. I make good use of those pens and keep them until no longer good to use. Imagine where most employees take their employers pens home without a second thought, if everyone from FSO brought their own pen to work and used that pen. Money would be saved.

==> I try to use my cell phone when making personal calls. I want to be respectful of that.

==> I think when wanting to get something done and it may involve usage of the company the simple thing to do is ask your boss or supervisor instead of just doing it.

==> Using brown packing paper instead of bubble wrap.

==> Also reuse packing from incoming shipments.

==> I feel the less we have  around our desk areas the better I feel. Keep things simple and neat.

==> When setting people up with UPS Campus Ship, I set it up so that the option to ship via UPS can be defaulted to shipping UPS Ground but the other options are still there.

==>  find that since there is less to ship to the Tampa, Fla Office I will just mail it via USPS Mail instead of UPS.

==> We use to ship Tampa Mail via UPS 2nd Day Air. When I ship now I ship UPS Ground.

==> Something I should do is bring my own cup in for Tea instead of using the paper cups all the time. Something I should do!!!!

==> Use less printing and do more online. This is something I need to do. It is helpful to print things out for updating the shipping system but less printing would be helpful by all.

==> Turn lights off!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how many times I have walked by desks and cubes and work areas where no one is there but desk and cube lights are burning away. Shut lights off when not in use.

==>  Recycle. People should be more aware of what they throw in the trash. Is it trash??? Is it plastic, Metal, Batteries, Bottles, Cans, Paper??? Can these items go to recycling. Think Green!

==> Avoid future Healthcare Concerns. Think Organic!!!

These are excellent ideas, and very valid points. Most employees think of their employer's budget as a bottomless pit and can be very careless spending money that's not theirs. But you should manage their budget as if it's your own wallet.

Not only do these ideas address cost savings, but they are environmentally sound. I think the last point about Healthcare always deserves more attention then companies pay to it. As the expression goes, "if you don't have your health"….

Perhaps the real takeaway is this: "don’t romanticize the past of your business. Just because something worked 5 or 10 years ago doesn’t mean it will work in the future. You have to constantly change as the world changes, and sitting back on your laurels is a sure fire way to lose in the long run."

There is great merit in exploring the talents demonstrated here, developing them, encouraging them in every employee  and taking them to the next level. And bringing out the best in this often forgotten hourly demographic is where FSO stands apart.

With good leadership, as we prove every day, regular people can accomplish greatness when they work together as a team doing what they do best. 

Indeed - the mark of a true leader is getting others to perform beyond their own expectations. Parents and sports coaches alike can agree to this. 

Measurable results. Value add. I love it. 

Now lets put more ideas into action that I'll look forward to sharing right here.

Inspire a Nation, Fulfill Dreams and Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

......................................................................

"No matter what happens today, I will make a difference, 
in whatever I do."
......................................................................

A Big Thank You To These Notable Readers of MitchWeiner.com:

Access Staffing, Adecco Usa, ADP, Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer, & Feld, Albert Einstein, College Of Medicine, Amazon Corporate, American Express Company, American Honda Motor Company, American University, Amgen, Amster Rothstein & Ebanstein, Anchor Associates Group Inc, Angelo, Gordon & Co., Anne Arundel County Govt, Aquantive, Arent Fox Llp, Arhus, Kobmandsskole, Arrowhead Aea, Ascena, Asrc Federal Holding Company, Atkina, Llc, Aurelius Capital Management, Automatic Data Processing, Automattic, Ball State University, Baltimore Technology Park, Bank Of America, Barclays Financial Corp., BDBO New York, Bechtel Corp, Bell Canada, Best Buy, Black Oak Computers Inc, Blackrock Financial Management, Bloomberg Bloomberg, Brandprotect, Brookfield Asset Management,Brown Advisory, Bsnl, BT (UK searching for Denise), Cahill Gordon & Reindel, California Department Of Justice, California Education And Research Federation Network, California State University, Long Beach, Canon Usa, Carolinas, Healthcare System, Cassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate Services, Cb Richard Ellis, Cbi Connect, Cdw - Cdw Llc, Ceasars Entertainment Group, Central Methodist University, Charles Schwab & Co., Choopa, Llc, City Of Los Angeles,  Citigroup, City Of Houston, Clyde & Co Llp, Colgate-palmolive Co., Colliers Abr, Inc - Cassidy Turley, Chubb, Colt Technology Services Group Limited, Cooley Llp, Columbia University, Completel, Comporium Communications, Commercial Bank Of Africa, Comstock Park Public Schools, Conagra Foods, Concordia College, Condenast Publications, Control Risks Group Llc, Coral Graphics, Cottage Hospital, County Of Marin, County Of Suffolk, New York, Credit Suisse Group, Credit Suisse Group / Canada, Cuddy & Feder Llp, Cwie, Llc, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc., Data Control And Systems, Datagram, Dell, Deloitte & Touche, Delta Dental Of California, Delta Dental Plan Of Michigan, Department Of Administrative Services (Ohio), Department Of The Interior, Office Of The Secretary, Department Of Veterans Affairs, Detroit Public Schools, Dewitt Stern Group, Inc., Dod Network Information Center, Dow Jones & Company, Devry, Depaul University, Dga Security Systems, Dickstein Shapiro Llp, Discover, Financial Services, Distributed Systems Services, Do It Best Corp, Duane Morris, Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway, United Kingdom,Edelman Pr, Emerge212, Equity Residential, Ernst & Young Llp, Esi International, Espn, Estee Lauder, European Police Office (europol), Evercore Partners Services East, Llc, Experian Revenue Assurance Test, Facebook Corporate, Factory Mutual Insurance Company, Family Dollar, Federal Aviation Administration, Federated Systems Group, Fedex Office & Print Services, Fenwick & West, Fidelity National Financial, Fifth & Pacific Cos, First American Equipment Financial, Fisher Scientific, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Llp, Fujitsu Limited, Florida Department Of Management Services, Florida International University, Ford Motor Company, Fort Hays State University, Fortressitx, Free Sas, Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu, P.c., GE, Genentech, Georgetown University, Gerson Lehrman Group, Godaddy.com, Llc, Gilead Sciences, Google Corporate, Goose Creek Consolidated Isd, Government Of Saskatchewan,Government Of Singapore, Graphnet Inc., Gravitas Technology, Greenberg Traurig P.a, Griffin Information Systems Limited, Group M Worldwide, Hachette Book Group, Hamilton-clermont Cooperative Assn., Harris Government Sector, Havas Worldwide Llc, Hccs - Houston Community College System, Hearst Corporation, Hewlett-packard Company, Higher Colleges Of Technology, Hill & Knowlton, Inc, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hma, Hotwire Communications, Hudson County Community College,  Hughes Hubbard & Reed Llp, Humber College, IBM Corporation, Ikon Office Solutions, Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Immedion, Llc, Ing Investment Management,, Intergrated Office, Internal Revenue Service, International Business Times, International Monetary Fund, Io Capital Princess, Llc, Jefferies International Limited, Jewish Board Of Family & Children 's Services, John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Johnson & Johnson, Jones Apparel Group, Jones, Day, jp Morgan Chase, Jw Michaels Co., J. Walter Thompson, Reavis & Pogue, Kabel Bw, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hayes, And Hudler, Hudson County Community College, Kddi Corporation, Kelley Drye & Warren Llp, King & Spalding Llp, Kirby Mcinerney Llp, Kirkland & Ellis Llp, Leaseweb Usa, Laughlin/constable, Inc, Latham Watkins, Legal Source Ls Llc, Leslie Digital Imaging Llc, Lexis-nexis, Linode Resources, Liquidnet Holdings, Lion Resources, Loeb & Troper, Cpa, Lombard Odier Asset Management, Los Angeles County Office Of Education, Loyola Marymount University, Macquarie Bank, Macquarie Holdings, Manufacturers And Traders Trust Company, Marriott International, Marsh, MasterCard, Mayer, Brown & Platt, Mcnc, Mckesson Technologies, Mdmb Law, Medex Pharmacy, Mediadata, Medimmune, Llc, Mellon Bank, Memorial Sloan-kettering Cancer Center, Mercury Radio Arts, Merck And Co, Methodist Hospital Of Memphis,Miami University, Michaels Stores, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, Micro Graphic Info Svcs, Microsoft Corp, Middle Country Public Library, Milbank - Milbank Tweed Hadley Mccloy, Ministry Of Education Computer Center, Miox Corporation, Montclair State University, Moody's Investors Service, Morgan Stanley Group, Moses & Singer Llp, Motorola, Mount Sinai School Of Medicine, Multiverse, Munsch Hardt Kopf Harr, Museum of the City of New York, Namesco Limited, Museum Of The City Of New York, Nassau County Board Of Cooperative Education Services, Nassau County Boces, National Board Of Medical Examiners, National Chiao Tung University, Navy Network Information Center, NBC Universal, Nbs, Nbty, Nco Group, Ncs Pearson, Neuberger Berman, New Jersey Institute Of Technology, New Mexico State University, New York City Public Schools, New York Power Authority, New York Public Library, New York University, Next Jump, Nomura International Plc, Northern Michigan University, Northern Ohio Educational Computer Association, Northwood University, Nyedc, Off Campus Telecommunications, Old Republic, Onewest Bank Fsb, Openband Multimedia, Llc, Ohiohealth Corporation, Orange, Orange County - Telecommunications Department, Orange Israel, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, Oshean, Oxford Networks, Paramount Pictures, Partners Healthcare System, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker Llp, Pavlov Njencom Colo, Perfect Building Maintenance, Peter-paul_verduin Pfizer, Phonoscope, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, Pitney Bowes Plc, Plum Creek Marketing, Pluk Pluk,  Plus One Health Management, Polaris Project, Polytechnic University, Powerspace & Services, Preferred Office Products, Privax Limited, Procter & Gamble, PwC (50 locations!); Queens Public Library, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges Llp, Qitx; R.r. Donnelley & Sons Company; r.sea; Readers Digest; Reed Smith Llp (PA); Regus Business Centers, Research In Motion; Revenue Assurance Test; Richards Kibbe & Orbe Llp; Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Cire; Robert Bosch Gmbh, Robins, Kaplan, Miller, & Cire, Rockefeller Group Technology Solutions; Rothschild, Row 44; Royal Bank Of Canada; Rutgers University; Safra National Bank Of New York; Salesforce.com; San Diego City Schools; San Francisco Marriott Marquis; Santa Clara County Office Of Education; Sarah Lawrence College; Scholastic; Sfr; Sedwick Llp, Sharp Electronics Corporation; Shearman & Sterling; Sidley Austin Brown & Wood; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Llp; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Llp; Social Law Library; Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, Sify Limited, Smoothstone, Societe Generale; Socorro Independent School District; Softbank Bb Corp; Social Security Administration, Sony Pictures Entertainment; Soros Fund Management Llc, Spherion Corporation; src Federal Holding Company, Llc; Standard Motor Products; Starwood Hotels; State Of Minnesota , State Of Montana; Stinson Morrison Hecker Llp; Straub Clinic & Hospital; Sungard Availability Services Usa; Syracuse University; Systems Research And Applications Corp; Talktalk; Tadlock Law Firm Pllc, Target Corporation , Teco Energy; Tesoro; Companies; Texas Blending & Warehousing Corp; Texas Instruments; Texas Medical Center; The Chubb Corporation; The City Of New York; The Coca-cola Company; The Heritage Foundation; The Interpublic Group Of Companies; The Jnt Association; The Limited, The Metrohealth System; The Municipal Communications Utility Of The City O (Iowa); The New York Times Company; The Richard Stockton College Of New Jersey, Tiaa-cref , Time; Toronto District School Board; Tower Group Companies; Trlg – Hq, Ttx Company; Turner Broadcasting System,  U.s. Bancorp; U.s. Bancorp, U.s. Center For Disease Control And Prevention; U.s. Environmental Protection Agency, Ungaretti & Harris, United Business Technologies, United Stationers Supply Co., University Of Arkansas, University Of Connecticut, University Of Dayton, University Of Florida, University Of Maryland, University Of New Mexico, University Of Notre Dame, University Of Texas At San Antonio, University Of Virginia, Urs Corporation, Us Department Of Defense Net, U.s. Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations, Varian Medical Systems, Viacom, Virgin, Virgin Media, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State Univ, Virgo Penn Business Centers L, Viacom, Vivo, Virgin Media, Virginia Community College System, Volumedrive, W.w.grainger, Warrenville, Illinois, United States, Weill Cornell Medical College, Weitz & Luxenberg, Wellington Management Company, Llp, Wells Fargo & Company, West Corporation, West Publishing Corporation, White & Case Llp, Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, Widnes, Halton,, Wisdom Tree Investments, Inc., Workforce Software, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, X--ray Optical Systems, Inc., Xerox Corporation, Xerox Corporation, Xilinx Incorporated, Yamaguchi Cable Vision Co.,ltd, Yaquinto Printing, Yon Lew, Zuckerman Spaede