Rural Telecommunications articles from September 2006

Rural Telecommunications archives from September 2006

Transcendent leadership.(FROMthe Editor)
September 1, 2006... Recently I watched a video profile of Costco CEO Jim Sinegal. The story stuck a cord with me, mainly because the retail chain operates completely opposite of the conventional business wisdom that was espoused in my business school curriculum....

Do your employees understand you?(SHORTTakes)
September 1, 2006... E-mail has quickly become the primary form of communication in many offices, large and small alike. Accordingly, managers should compose messages that are easily understood by all employees. The average American reads at a ninth grade level,...

eBay improves customer service with Skype technology.(SHORTTakes)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... EBay, one of the most popular bidding sites on the Internet, is adding a new option to ease communication strains between buyers and sellers. Currently, the main method of communication is e-mail, monitored by the eBay site to guarantee...

When lightning strikes.(how to prevent power failures)
September 1, 2006... An average of 20 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes occurs each year, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. Many of these strikes can cause power outages or power anomalies that can damage valuable electronic...

Can somebody answer the phone?(ringtones)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The first evolution in cell phone ring tones occurred a few years ago when phones played snippets of popular songs to denote an incoming call. Cell phone users of all ages rushed to purchase the latest ring tones, and the market raked in $600...

Living leadership.(Perspective)
September 1, 2006... It's a little intimidating to write a column on leadership with only a few years of management experience under my belt. However, I have worked with men and women in our industry who have taught me a lot about the subject. Leading a...

"Who inspired you on your way up the professional ladder?".(leadership)
September 1, 2006... Leadership can turn a good company into an extraordinary one. The same goes for people; those who work under great leaders early in their lives are influenced by it in every job that follows. First-rate leaders show up in all facets of life...

The new faces of rural leadership in Congress.(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... The process of passing substantial legislation through Congress is long and selective. Major legislation often is years in the making. To influence legislation, you must generally sit on the committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter....

General managers the freshman class: in the past, the telephone business was fairly straightforward. Rural telcos delivered voice services to customers. In some cases, they even had monopolies on their customers, but as technology changed, so did the marketplace.
September 1, 2006... Today, every telco general manager must be up-to-date on every aspect of the business, from legislation and regulations, to infrastructure support, technology, competition, marketing, accounting and even customer demands. There is a lot to...

Embracing diversity: the foundation of organizational success.
September 1, 2006... "We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." --Jimmy Carter Everyone is born with their own view on life. Most people have an...

Preventing workplace sexual harassment.(Interview)
September 1, 2006... Ask your employees if they know what sexual harassment is, and the majority may say "yes." Ask the same employees--or their managers--to define sexual harassment, and many may find themselves at a loss for words. Unfortunately, some employees...

Is everyone on the bus? Do telecom employees know the company's mission and vision for the future?(BUSINESSMatters)
September 1, 2006... Many people remember what it was like riding a school bus. They knew where they would end up when they got on the bus in the morning, and they knew when they got on the bus at the end of the day it would deliver them home. [ILLUSTRATION...

Smart mentoring: when skilled employees share their knowledge.(WORKForce)
September 1, 2006... If you're like most employers, you spend lots of time training people in product knowledge and customer service skills. And why not? A talented staff can boost sales and fatten the bottom line. Sooner or later, though, even your best employees...

Correction.(Correction notice)
September 1, 2006... In the July/August 2006 issue of "Rural Telecommunications," Penasco Valley Telecommunications' (Artesia, N.M.) winning entry in the 2006 TeleChoice Awards complete marketing campaign category appeared incorrectly. The correct photo is shown...

The 'road men' of telecom.(EXECUTIVEViewpoint)(Universal Service Fund for telecoms)
September 1, 2006... If he was alive today, I believe Henry Ford would be an advocate for rural telephony, and for universal service. A rural native himself, Ford recognized the value of local commerce: doing business with someone you trust, in a town you know,...