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Improve Your Organization Starting Today – with The Organizational Change Framework

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This guide is made for teams who are looking to transform the way they work together and for the organizations who want to their vision, mission, values, and goals fully enacted.

Here at MyOutDesk, we use a comprehensive approach so that our core values become rooted in the organization and the people that it impacts. Get the leverage you need by scheduling your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

Introducing the Organizational Change Framework for real people and teams working together on creating REAL, impactful work and growth.

The Organizational Change Model

The Organizational Change Model is a great framework to bring change into effect and to breathe life into any idea, any concept, any organizational culture change, and procedural change.

Here is the framework we use at MyOutDesk:

Example mockup: (Needs design work)

Let’s turn your list of ideas into existence. Pass them through this Organizational Change Model framework:

  1. Name it
  2. Brand it
  3. Wear it
  4. Teach it
  5. Institutionalize it
  6. Recognize it

 

The Organizational Change Model is a helpful guide especially for businesses looking to scale at any stage of the 7-Figure Business Roadmap.

We’ll guide you through each stage and give our own examples of how we brought our philosophy of service into existence, called the MOD Movement.

 

A Guide: Our Approach for Each Step in the Organizational Change Model

 

  • Name it

 

In this first step, you will need to name what you’re trying to change in your organization.

Be specific with what you are articulating in your idea. Complete this quick exercise to find out what you’re naming, below.

Complete this phrase: I want to create a(n) product/service/idea characterized by _______.

Then, give the idea a name!

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Example: Here at MyOutDesk, we wanted to evolve our organizational culture by extending the movement of the company’s core values through charitable work. We named this the MOD Movement.

We are big believers in the core values of MyOutDesk — Family Table, Healthy Soil, and Servant Heart. Through the MOD Movement, employees are empowered to carry these values beyond the office, so that they can make the furthest impact as possible.

Through the Organizational Change Model, MOD Movement has evolved into a nonprofit charity founded as a result of the kindness and generosity of wonderful clients and individuals working for MyOutDesk.

You can learn more and also join the MOD Movement, here.

 

 

 

 

  • Brand it

 

After you “name” your idea, the next step is to package it nicely. Brand it!

Place the brand everywhere and on anywhere you possibly can. On t-shirts, on banners, in email signatures, and any place else. Brand presence tells your networks the organizational change is present and is prioritized.

You can also let the team or leaders decide on a creative phrase to express the idea. This new phrase will be your brand, and it will need to stick. The brand can include a phrase, a term, an image, a sentence, or a mantra – it needs a good ring to it.

With a brand, your idea is now a memorable and conversational concept.

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Example: MyOutDesk’s slogan is Find Talent, Match Talent, and Extend the Movement. We find the talent to match your company’s needs — so that all businesses we serve can also extend the movement! 

As the MOD Movement brand focuses on #extendthemovement, we bring the brand to all our charity work. And, by taking plenty of photos, employees of the organization and our partners can see the value of the work and find inspiration to become involved.

 

  • Wear it

 

Next, all participants in the work should embody and characterize the idea or change.

You should figuratively and LITERALLY wear your brand. Update your website and social media. Make t-shirts and other swag to distribute. Plus, freebies turn any situation more exciting!

For it to succeed, the idea must be expressed regularly and outwardly. By wearing and personifying the concept, you are modeling the idea to reach as far as possible.

Legendary CEO of General Electric in the 1980s and 1990s, Jack Welch, is a famous advocate of repeating key messages. He once shared, “I realized the message was always new to someone. And so, you keep on repeating it.”

Your idea is now tangible and can be seen.

—

Example: 

MyOutDesk employees and clients volunteer to identify, create, and lead service projects and charity work through the MOD Movement.

The MOD Movement has been doing charitable work since 2013. One project of the MOD Movement is an annual day of giving at the Boystown Orphanage. In the photo, below, a Boystown child is wearing an #extendthemovement backpack!

 

  • Teach it

 

Your idea begins to spread tremendously in this stage. You must teach it.

When you talk about the idea for enough time, and when you teach it intentionally and consistently, you will allow all questions answered and get everybody on the same page.

Realize that this is a slow process, but a generative one. In this time, you will learn to give concrete feedback, backed with your best intentions. This learning stage might present mixed emotions, and these experiences are always best supported when leaders are bringing positive praise and fostering two-way communication.

—

Example: 

We showcase and teach about the MOD Movement through both internal and external communications channels and through social media.

Check out one of the videos produced during one of our visits to the Boystown Orphanage:

 

 

  • Institutionalize it

 

Ideas at this stage are ready to become incorporated into the rhythm of the organization. Like a regular heartbeat, the idea should be integrated into the daily business as an organizational habit.

By embedding the idea into the business, everyone understands what is expected to complete in all processes and fully equipped to carry the tasks out.

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Example:

We made our non-profit website, modmovement.org, for both MyOutDesk employees and clients to learn more and contribute to the MOD Movement. Internally, our employees are actively sharing their photos, stories, and inspiration involving their charity work. 

We put systems in place to encourage donations and service. The MOD Movement is now also institutionalized as a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

 

  • Recognize it

 

When you notice the change happening, it’s time to recognize it!

As you see new actions and behaviors from the change in effect, speak on it or write about it. Give voice to actions worth praising and give continual acknowledgement. Express your gratitude in both public and private settings. Recognition motivates individuals in your organization to self-initiate and act upon the idea.

Recognition goes a long way. Improved morale and productivity work can shine throughout the organization, unified with a deeper sense of purpose. This is a symbolic way of saying you’re getting it right.

—

Example: We give shoutouts and recognize our employees for their involvement with the MOD Movement. We also hand out awards and have an annual banquet to celebrate all the meaningful work produced. 

We take pride in MyOutDesk Virtual Assistants — and so do the colleagues who share and praise MyOutDesk’s services within their professional networks such as real estate, healthcare, and more. Over 5,000 clients trust MyOutDesk as a strategic partner offering virtual assistant services. Check out our five-star reviews and connect with us today!

Summary

When you apply the Organizational Change Model, you are able to revisit any stage of the process and make adjustments as you adapt to a more perfect solution. When applied alongside the 7-Figure Business Roadmap, business leaders can learn to effectively scale, increase profits, and lead a talented workforce.

MyOutDesk proudly provides free business growth business guides, books, and strategy calls. See what we are about, and schedule a free consultation with us. We’ll take the time to learn more about your business and offer solutions to foster top talent and lower operational costs for your company.

The 5 (Practical) Cs for Leading in a Crisis/Downturn

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True leadership is invaluable in a time of crisis – but being a leader doesn’t automatically mean you know always what to do. To help, we wanted to share with you some valuable words of wisdom from Verne Harnish – and as you read through these, keep in mind that the first point is the most important. Do the rest in whatever order makes sense.

Communicate Daily

Send out a DAILY communication – email, 2-minute video, voice message – to all of your employees. You must overcommunicate during a time like this. And it can be brief – a few sentences or 90-seconds is all that’s needed. If you think you need to communicate more than this, you won’t do it, and that’s worse than doing nothing at all.

Your team wants to know that you’re at the helm of the ship (or flying the plane – pick your favorite analogy) – and that you’re working and acting. The key is to stick to the facts – no time for rants, theories, or using phrases like “I bet you’re feeling…” – this isn’t a time for guessing. Present what is happening, don’t sugarcoat, but balance one negative with several positives over the next several days and weeks.

And if you have a negative to share, mention it first in the communication – then note what is being done to address it. Doing this, according to Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence, makes you more believable and trustworthy.

Communicate something NOW and send it out – don’t give it too much angst – just do it! Your team will be thankful.

Customer/Community Support

There is a tendency to turn inward when something like this happens – but consider “how might we support our customers and community.” Gather teams of employees to brainstorm, then act. The key is giving, giving, giving with no expectation of return. Your customers will remember this when all of this clears up – and it will clear up!

Research shows that one way to combat depression, sadness, etc. is to help someone else.

Clean Up and Catch Up

Organizations have been running hard for years during this decade+ of unprecedented global expansion. Use this slowdown to clean up and catch up. Download Paul Akers’ book Banish Sloppiness – https://paulakers.net/books/banish-sloppiness (it’s free), and then focus on the handful of processes that drive the customer and employee experience and improve them.

It’s time for spring cleaning all aspects of the business. A key focus is on how to make things easier – for customers and employees. When Gene Browne did this at his trash hauling business, The City Bin Co., with a theme of “Bin It,” he was able to strip out about 25% of needless activities and costs, making everyone’s jobs easier and saving money.

Cash, Cash, Cash

Related to “clean up” is a specific focus on the cash side of the business. Review all monthly recurring expenses (I found we were paying for two CRMs!) and eliminate redundancies. And involve your entire employee base in finding ways to save money. Again, when Gene Browne focused on cash for

one quarter, his team of 60 found €40,000/month savings, which netted the firm almost a half-million for the year.

In the US, pursue an SBA Loan. There is a simplified program where you can get a $350,000 10-year loan within four weeks and with the Feds dropping the rate to zero, these loans should be sub 6% with no pre-payment penalties. I’m pursuing one for Scaling Up as a pre-caution.

Calm and Considerate

At Tony Robbins’ “Date with Destiny” experience I adopted a new mantra – to approach everything in a “Peaceful, Playful, Passionful” way. It’s been helpful, especially during this crisis. You set the tone for the entire organization.

To help stay calm, breath! I remember my son Cameron (12 at the time) getting stuck inside the magician’s box while performing the famous Metamorphosis illusion. He told me later, having escaped in time, that he started to panic and then remembered to take a couple deep breaths and a solution came to him. Years later, when he was quarterbacking his Catalan team to a city and then country championship, his team was down 28 – 7 at halftime. I remember watching him during the second half take several deep breaths as he was readying the team to execute a play.

Right now take a few deep breaths – and give thanks for being able to take those breaths. Namaste and good luck.

Nora O’Brien: You Need A Risk Management Plan NOW!

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What’s your contingency plan for the coronavirus? If you have to close locations, have staff out sick, or you’re otherwise impacted by this, do you have a plan in place to deal with it & recover? The market will likely get worse before it gets better, so if you aren’t ready yet, now is the time to get prepared!

In this webinar with Nora O’Brien, the CEO of Connect Consulting Services, you’ll learn about how her organization takes a holistic approach to emergency management, business continuity, and disaster recovery. Watch this webinar now, and make MyOutDesk virtual assistants a key part of your strategy – schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

As a preparedness & disaster recovery coach, Nora’s team supports their clients to prepare for, learn the skills to respond to, and recover from disaster through customized and effective emergency preparedness planning, training and exercise services.

Creating a plan and having one in place is crucial to ensuring that you survive the challenging & turbulent market ahead. Be ready for unexpected challenges coming from unknown quarters as we deal with retail panics, stock market dips, staff illness, and other concerns.

Connect Consulting Services prepares organizations throughout the United States to be disaster resilient as they prepare, respond, and recover from an emergency. They are specialists in guiding our clients through an interactive planning process as they build EP program infrastructure, produce customized emergency operations and business continuity plans, and tailored training and exercise programs.

Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now, and drill down on doing your one thing to the absolute best of your abilities.

Spring Jump Sale: Get Our Exclusive, Limited Time $500 Discount NOW!

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Welcome to Spring! Longer days & warmer weather mean it’s time to put your business in high gear—and to help usher in the new season we’ll be turning up the heat with our amazing Spring Jump Sale!

Just mention the magic phrase “Spring Jump Sale” when you schedule your free, personal consultation, and we’ll give you a $500 discount, applied to your second invoice – so schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

Why now? Most business owners postpone hiring until sales pick up in early Spring. Guess what? That time is NOW, so if you’ve been waiting to expand your staff, this is the perfect opportunity to learn how MyOutDesk can save you 60% of what you’d spend on in-house staffing and make you a 4x return on every virtual assistant you hire.

This is the perfect time to staff up for the new year, and the perfect opportunity to do it. There are no gotchas, gimmicks, or games—this is our way of saying thank you for being a client, and when you bring on a VA we’ll apply a $500 directly to your 2nd invoice.

What are you waiting for? This is the best time of the year to ramp up your staff, and our new $500 discount just makes it that much better! Click here to schedule a free personal consultation now! Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session now!

Coronavirus Encourages Virtual Workspaces & Remote Working

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The threat of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is steadily growing in the United States and as a result, many companies have turned to ordering their employees to work remotely. As this continues many companies face the challenge of reframing their business protocols and processes. The increasing uncertainty and anxiety about the personal dangers from the potential pandemic and its impact on the economy will make the challenge of adjusting to these work changes even greater.

For example, the social media platform Twitter has encouraged its employees to work from home to do their part in preventing the spread of the virus. Other companies such as the tech giant Google and investment bank JP Morgan are also amongst the companies currently exercising remote working protocols for safety. While only a third of people in the U.S. currently work remotely, this sudden shift may be a taste to what experts predict that in the year 2025, 70% of workers will be working remotely. If you want to learn more about remote & virtual solutions, Schedule a Free Consultation Now.

A global poll from 2018 by data and insights company Kantar found that of 33,000 people, 32% valued a job where they could work from home.  Joe Hirsh, a leadership and communication expert, told CNBC that he believed the outbreak of the coronavirus has the potential to make working from home more common practice.  He argued that if more companies follow in the footsteps of Twitter and Google, this could “shift workplace dynamics.” Jon Addison, vice president of talent solutions EMEA at LinkedIn, agreed that businesses would inevitably find it more challenging to continue with “business as usual” under the current circumstances if they lack the technology infrastructure to work remotely or flexible working policies. For some, he said, the coronavirus outbreak could act as a “wake-up call” to enact this change.  He said that working from home could actually prove advantageous for certain tasks, such as those which require “deep focus or privacy due to the sensitive nature of what’s being worked on.”

As more and more companies are following suit in asking their employees to work from home, some may worry that they are not equipped to handle such a change despite the necessity. Fortunately, many systems and programs already exist and have been around, being utilized by those businesses and companies where remote, virtual and outsourced staff is not by any means new. Many platforms are offering free access in light of the Coronavirus outbreak while many others have free account options already available.

Cisco’s WebEx, for example, reported that traffic on its backbone connecting China-based Webex users has increased by 22 times since the outbreak began. At the same time, it’s seen four to five times as many users in Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with the average time spent on Webex video meetings doubling among users in those countries. Simultaneously, free signup rates in countries with infections have increased by 700% or more.

If you are setting up systems for your team and or business to prepare for the possibility of having to work remotely, here are some options you may want to look into:

Cisco WebEx

Long-time conferencing service WebEx’s default-free plan offers you conferencing for up to three users with HD video, screen sharing on desktop and mobile devices, and limited recording options. It supports up to 50 participants per meeting, with meeting times capped at 40 minutes and online storage limited to 1GB.

With its special, Webex is offering unlimited usage with no time restrictions, support for up to 100 participants, and toll-call dial-in in addition to existing VoIP capabilities. This offer is being made with a free 90-day license to businesses that are not already Webex customers.

 

Google Hangouts Meet

Google, with 8,000 employees in Ireland, has already put its remote working conferencing to the test when it asked for all staffers to work from home for fear of possible coronavirus infection. Google isn’t offering free conferencing services to new users, but it is rolling out free access to its advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities to all its G Suite and G Suite for Education customers. This includes larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain; and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive.

These features are typically available in the Enterprise edition of G Suite and in G Suite Enterprise for Education, but they will be available at no additional cost to all customers until July 1, 2020.

 

LogMeIn GoToMeeting

LogMeIn is another experienced video conferencing company that usually comes with a 14-day free trial. Now, according to the company, starting immediately, it will provide critical front-line service providers—including eligible healthcare providers, educational institutions, municipalities, and non-profit organizations—and current LogMeIn customer with free, organization-wide use of many LogMeIn products for three months through the availability of Emergency Remote Work Kits. This includes its flagship program, GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar.

 

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams, which is more of an Office 365 feature than a separate service these days. In response to the virus threat, Microsoft is offering a new six-month Office 365 E1 trial offer that includes full meetings, collaboration, and workflow capabilities and will enable all global customers—e.g., hospitals, schools, and businesses—to start using Teams immediately. In addition, beginning March 10, Microsoft is rolling out updates to the free version of Teams that will lift restrictions on user limits and make it possible for users to schedule meetings for video calling and conferencing. The free version of Microsoft Teams was already impressive in its own right. It supports up to 300 members, with guest access, one-on-one, and group video and audio calls, shared files (2GB per user and 10GB per team), screen sharing, and document collaboration using online Office apps.

 

Zoom

Zoom is offering, for its Basic (free) users in China, unlimited meeting time for conferences with more than two participants. Like Microsoft Teams, its default-free offering is good enough for many small-to-medium businesses (SMB). Its free tier allows unlimited 1-to-1 meetings group sessions of up to 40 minutes and 100 participants.

Other major conferencing services, such as Slack and Zoho Meetings, haven’t announced any special deals although it is safe to assume that they and all other conferencing services will be offering new deals soon. The demand for remote-meeting software is spreading faster than the virus as worry infects the business world. You may also want to look into project management software such as Monday or Basecamp.

For those who are new to the world of virtual and remote work, these are just a few programs and tools you can utilize to make sure that everything is business as usual, despite the change in location. Next week we’ll share tips on how to manage your new work situation, in the meantime check out our other awesome articles about remote teams and remote work.

We hope everyone is safe and doing well. In times like these, the best thing to do is stay informed, keep calm and hope and pray for the best. Learn more about MyOutDesk remote & virtual solutions:  Schedule a Free Consultation Now.

 

 

Kick Off Spring With These Brand New Green Building Trends

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With global warming awareness and green movements becoming more of an actual issue that many people are taking action on, residential green building movements are no longer for the hippie-dippy granola heads but a more mainstream demand. From coast to coast, many new developments are going green.  While we love what green buildings are going to mean to the polar bears, real estate agents can get lost or confused in a sea of new amenities and features that buyers may be looking for. While the green movement may not be a “thing’ in your area just yet, it is important to keep yourself updated on these innovations so you can remain an expert or at the very least know when the inevitable millennial comes in and makes inquiries about it.

Stay on top of things, regardless of fads and trends that may come around, with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how!

Here are some things you may want to keep yourself informed about when it comes to green buildings:

 App-based Energy-efficient Technologies

Our smartphones have taken-over so many aspects of our lives, and with other gadgets and software like Alexa to augment that experience, it is only a matter time before every single one of us use them to control our home thermostats or lighting as well, in fact many homeowners are already beginning to do this already.  According to developers, many of them have seen a rise in specifications for these kinds of features in new or re-furbished constructions. Voice activation allows for more intuitive integration and use.

Green or Living Roofs

A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems. Container gardens on roofs, where plants are maintained in pots, are not generally considered to be true green roofs, although this is debated. Rooftop ponds are another form of green roofs which are used to treat greywater. Vegetation, soil, drainage layer, roof barrier and irrigation system constitute green roof. Green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, increasing benevolence and decreasing stress of the people around the roof by providing a more aesthetically pleasing landscape, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat island effect.

IAQ Devices

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) devices, installed in home heating and air conditioning systems, not only provides a healthier indoor air environment by eliminating germs, dust particles, mold, odors, mildew, and bacteria that can cause illness, but are also eco-friendly since they reduce home emissions and improve the value of a house by reducing monthly energy electric/gas costs, in some cases, as much as 25 percent.

LEED Certification

 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods that aims to help building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently. LEED certification is granted by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), which handles the third-party verification of a project’s compliance with the LEED requirements. The certification process for design teams is made up of two consecutive applications: one including design credits, and one including construction credits. All of the LEED credits in each rating system are assigned to either the design application or the construction application. The design credits include those that are the purview of the architect and the engineer, and are documented in the official construction drawings. The construction credits include those that are predominantly under the purview of the contractor, and are documented during the construction and commissioning of the building.

Energy Modeling

Energy modeling or energy system modeling is the process of building computer models of energy systems in order to analyze them. Such models often employ scenario analysis to investigate different assumptions about the technical and economic conditions at play. Outputs may include the system feasibility, greenhouse gas emissions, cumulative financial costs, natural resource use, and energy efficiency of the system under investigation. In a building, this system can be extremely important to its being and staying “green”. This impacts a building’s energy consumption because, already in the planning stage, smart decisions can be made in terms of lighting, airflow, and more.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

What could be better than harnessing the power of the earth itself? Especially when it comes to powering an entire residential building? Geothermal energy is a great resource that has been used for heating and cooling for ages but is now slowly and steadily making its way to the US as green-conscious developers and consumers are consciously asking for such options.   Boston MA, for example, has seen a rise in usage and planned implementations not just for residential buildings bit commercial and other city structures as well. Tenants will save on energy costs and will benefit from an environmentally friendly system that heats and cools using the same mechanisms.

Have you seen other green building systems and technology that we didn’t mention? What are your thoughts on green buildings and their future implications? Stay on top of things, regardless of fads and trends that may come around, with a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant. Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how!

Winning Qualities You MUST Look for in Every Virtual Assistant!

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Hiring the perfect person to fill a position in your business can be a challenge. It does not begin and end with a simple job description. Once you’ve narrowed down what kind of expertise you need from an applicant, you also have to find someone who has the right attitude and the kind of personality that will fit in with your team and business culture. Now add another layer to that, a virtual hire. This complicates things even further. However, if you know the qualities to look for in a Virtual Assistant, you will have a relatively easier time finding the right one for you and your business.

Delegate the guess work and time it takes to hire your ideal Virtual Assistant with MyOutDesk. Book a consultation today and find the perfect fit for your business.

While every applicant will be different, just as every applicant need to have similar areas of expertise, there are also qualities you need to absolutely look for in a potential Virtual Assistant.

  1. Communication – The ability to communicate goes well beyond one’s proficiency in speaking and writing a language. It is also the manner in which one speaks, are they polite, pleasant, too soft spoken, etc. How do they respond to stressful situations? These are all important in considering an applicant. While only time will really tell, there are ways to test this during an interview or during initial conversations. This also includes how they comprehend and process information in order to be able to respond appropriately in any situation.
  2. Time Conscious. – Working from home means that one must be able to work independently. This means that they must have the drive to be able to meet deadlines. This may seem like a no-brainer but it is a HUGE factor in what makes a good and bad Virtual Assistant. Time management and the ability to perform and deliver as needed is an important trait for any remote employee. Furthermore they should be able to focus on their tasks at hand without getting distracted by their environment. Based on surveys, many remote workers say that they are able to be more productive at home because there are less distractions, but this must be a conscious effort.
  3. Attention to Detail. – “The devil is in the details” as the old saying goes. Often times missing a detail or small errors can throw a whole process out of whack. This is why being detail oriented is another important quality to look for in a Virtual Assistant. Ask them what their process is when performing a task. Do they make lists, do they ask for a checklist etc.? People will make errors, that is inevitable, but look for those who are careful to ensure that there are few to none when they do their work.
  4. Resourceful – While you want your Virtual Assistant to ask questions, you don’t want to constantly have to hold their hand and monitor everything they do as that defeats their purpose. You want someone who will be resourceful and take the initiative to gather what they need, on their own and only reach out when they have exhausted every avenue or need very specific details that can really only come from you.
  5. Open – You want someone who is open to hear areas for improvement and suggestions. It will take some time for you all to get used to working together and cohesion will only occur if all parties are flexible and open to taking assessment.

A Virtual Assistant can be a huge asset to your business, if you are willing to embrace the process and if you find the right person. You will only ever be limited by your own hesitation, but if you shift your perspectives you will find that the only real difference is that you can’t pop-in their cubicle to say hello, rather, you can fire-off a quick message or email. Finding someone can be tough, and time-consuming but well worth it in the end.

Scale The Series: 6 Stages to a 7 Figure Business, Part 6 – Leadership Success Factors

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MyOutDesk (MOD) has 10 years of market leadership, serving more than 5000 clients and placing over 4000 Virtual Professionals; MOD is the trusted Virtual Solutions Platform used by the most innovative companies.

We are the market leader and experts in providing a blended growth solutions to small and medium business. By blended we mean engineering a blended org chart with part of your organization being in-house and part of your organization working virtually. We partner with customers based on mutually agreed ’Business Outcome Statements’ that measure and quantify the impact of the Virtual Professionals.

Utilizing Business Outcome Statements is big reason our ‘Blended Org Chart’ model works with our customers. The other part of the ‘secret sauce’ is we flat out hire the best people.
As you can see by the chart on the next page we do FBI Grade Background Checks, Employment and Education Checks, Market Force Style Indicator, and adhere to the 3Es of Employed, Experience and Expertise. Only 2.2% that apply to MOD get endorsed to clients. Pretty awesome!

Over the last 10 years we have successfully evolved our methodology and processes to focus on client success. Because our approach is blended, the first 90 days is critical to successfully integrating the Virtual Professional with your team. The three primary areas to focus on are:
Vision & Leadership. Your organization needs to provide executive sponsorship to the onboarding process and the long-term integration of the VP.

Onboarding Support. MOD provides a 90 day onboarding coach but also need availability of key staff, clear training, communication, and assimilation plan for your new Virtual Professional team member.
Systems & Processes. We believe if we help you tech enable your Virtual Professionals that this will increase the probability of success and business growth.

Stephanie Masterson – Our Virtual Assistant Is A Lifesaver!

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Stephanie Masterson is the President & Chief Sales Consultant for Central Ohio’s #1 Top-Producing Team – and relies on MyOutDesk VA’s to support the daily demands of her fast-paced residential real estate brokerage. Stephanie runs The Raines Group / HER Realtors, and uses her virtual assistant to support her client service managers to expedite paperwork, listings, MLS entries, and much more!

“We have a virtual assistant with MyOutDesk – she’s awesome, and helps our client service managers run their day to day business. So whether that’s data entry or calendar invites – you name it and she does it. We absolutely love her: she supports for our client service managers, so they can return support the agents.”

In the Raines Group, virtual assistants play a solid support role, focused on keeping the repetitive, non-dollar-productive tasks under control while her in-house staff focuses on  maximizing luxury sales in the high-commission New Albany market. Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session today and find our how a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant can support your team like they’re helping the Raines Group!

The Raines Group is on The Wall Street Journal’s Top 100 List and REALTOR Magazine’s top 100 Realtors list for their work in luxury real estate. In addition to Ron and Sandy Raines’ selection as members of Star Power, they’ve been awarded “Best Overall Marketing” by Institute of Luxury Home Marketing. These prestigious honors are a tribute to the hard work & expertise of everyone on Stephanie’s team – including her VA:

“Once she learns the task you know that it’s done. You don’t have to think about it twice. It’s just been a lifesaver for us, especially for the data entry portion of what we do with with transactions, inputting data, setting up our MLS sheets and helping us be proactive about getting stuff done.”

In her current role as President, Stephanie most enjoys helping people meet their dreams by exceeding expectations, delivering world class service, and providing operational excellence. In working with her virtual assistant, she focused initially on training, followed by setting achievable goals and expectations, and gradually adding new tasks over time as her VA mastered their in-house systems. This made her virtual assistant an intrinsic asset & let Stephanie’s team focus on what truly matters.

“Our VA is amazing at what she does. I think the hardest part is when she goes on vacation and we’re like, oh my gosh, we have to do this and that, or it doesn’t get done. That’s the biggest thing is when she’s gone. We really feel it but we like for her to have her time off and we figure it out. When she’s not here, we definitely feel it.”

The Raines Group is one of hundreds of industry-leading organizations leveraging the power of MyOutDesk virtual assistants to save money & boost productivity. You should be doing the same! Schedule your Double My Business Strategy Session today and find our how a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant can support you to boost your business.

8 Shocking Outsourcing Statistics You Absolutely Must Know NOW!

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Starting back in 1989, outsourcing has become an integral part of corporate practice for major companies across the USA, and over the last four decades, it has percolated down to become part of small to mid-size businesses as well. Despite the rise in outsourcing within the U.S., there are still many who debate for and against it with no clear result as to which side is legitimate.

Outsourcing remains to be a hot button topic with strong arguments for each side. If you’re considering outsourcing, it is important to educate yourself in order to make the best decision for you and your business – and don’t forget to book a Double My Business Strategy Session today to find out how a MyOutDesk Virtual Assistant can bring value to your business!

According to the Population Reference Bureau, Offshoring is the movement of jobs and tasks from one country to another, usually from high-cost countries, such as the United States, to low-cost countries where wages are significantly lower. Offshoring is often confused with outsourcing, which is instead the movement of jobs and tasks from within a company to a supplier firm. The offshoring of manufacturing jobs has been occurring for decades, but the offshoring of service-sector jobs is an incipient phenomenon, emerging in substantial numbers since 2002 and growing rapidly.

From the early research on offshoring, a primary motivation was to explain the inequality in the earnings of labor. Evidence from the United States and other countries showed that during the 1980s the relative wages shifted towards more-skilled workers, so that a “wage gap” developed between those with higher and lower skills. The story for the 1990s and later is quite different. There has continued to be an increase in the relative wage of skilled workers in U.S. manufacturing, but the relative employment of these workers has sometimes fallen. That finding is strongly suggestive of the offshoring of service activities, whereby the more routine service activities are sent overseas.

Outsourcing is the business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed in-house by the company’s own employees and staff. Outsourcing is a practice usually undertaken by companies as a cost-cutting measure. As such, it can affect a wide range of jobs, ranging from customer support to manufacturing to the back office.

Here are some surprising statistics about outsourcing that you should know:
  1. 29% of businesses with fewer than 50 employees outsource, compared to 66% with 50 or more employees. – Larger scale businesses tend to outsource more than mid-lower scale businesses. This is because smaller businesses are less inclined to spend money on outsourcing fue to the fact that they traditionally hold on to the belief system that it is better to keep their money “within the organization.”
  2. Approximately 24% of small businesses outsource to improve efficiency. – Efficiency is extremely important for all businesses but is the highest in priority for smaller scale businesses. What could be a small error to a larger company could be devastating for a smaller one. United States outsourcing statistics show that another common reason (18%) that a small business turns to outsourcing is to increase available expertise and seek expert assistance.
  3. The global outsourced customer experience market in 2018 was estimated at $75.1 billion. – Outsourcing statistics by year demonstrate that customer service is among the most outsourced processes among large companies and financial organizations. Since most businesses believe that improving customer experience is a top priority, it is not surprising that growth is projected to continue throughout 2020. By then, the value of the market is projected to increase to $82.6 billion.
  4. 71% of financial service executives outsource or offshore some of their services. – One of the top industries that outsource the most is finance. About 70% of retail and transportation firms do the same, while job outsourcing statistics show that the top spot remains reserved for pharmaceutical companies. Roughly 82% outsource services.
  5. Saving money is a major motivation for outsourcing. – One of the most core reasons for outsourcing is to free-up resources such as money and most especially time. Saving money is secondary, but still a top priority. About 45% of companies outsourcing business functions say that their business process outsource projects are meant to save money. About 46% say outsourcing lets them access skillsets that aren’t available in-house.
  6. Over 44% of chief intelligence officers say that they are more likely to use outsourcing suppliers than they were just five years ago. – Offshoring statistics from 2018 show that the IT sector is moving toward outsourced suppliers most quickly. In fact, about 64% of outsourced offshore technology functions have to do with software application development. About 51% of technology executives say they outsource application and software maintenance, and 40% outsource their data centers.
  7. About 300,000 jobs get outsourced out of the US each year. – US outsourcing statistics like this one make it easy to understand why so many people view outsourcing negatively. Negative sentiments are especially strong when there is a big economic crisis, and we’ve just lived through the second largest recession in history. It is not surprising, then, that during the height of the Global Recession, 86% of Americans blamed outsourcing for exacerbating the crisis.
  8. According to studies, approximately 50% of the US workforce will be remote or outsourced by the year 2025. – The rise in the need to cut down costs and the changing face of the traditional workplace has brought a majority of companies to look at their hiring processes and requirements in terms of geographical location. Being open to options such as outsourcing or remote workers opens up possibilities of a wider talent pool and offers job seekers more convenient and approachable opportunities. A special analysis done by FlexJobs and Global Workplace Analytics found that there has been a major upward trend in the amount of people working remotely in the U.S. In the span of one year, from 2016 to 2017, remote work grew 7.9%. Over the last five years it grew 44% and over the previous 10 years it grew 91%. Between 2005 to 2017, there was a 159% increase in remote work. In 2015, 3.9 million U.S. workers were working remotely. Today that number is at 4.7 million, or 3.4% of the population. This is predicted to grow even more exponentially in the coming years.

As the face of the business world constantly and rapidly changes, the reality of the practicality of outsourcing is becoming more and more evident to business owners, regardless of the size of their business. What are your thoughts on outsourcing? Would you ever consider it or if you currently are outsourcing, what advice can you give to anyone who is considering it? Let us know in the comments!

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