Legitimate Power: Their titles give them obvious power – subordinates believe this titleholder has a right to make decisions for the entire company.
Employees listen to this person not because of the individual, but because of the position he/she holds. Legitimate power comes from a successful rise to the top via respectable means that radiates an impression of competency and right to the position they hold. Subordinates follow orders because they believe it is their place to follow direction from those at a higher level.

Reward/Punishment Power: Possessing the power to hire, fire and promote ‘em.
These are the people that use their power to dole out rewards or punishments. A coercive leader uses threats and punishments to get employees to do tasks. Threats can include demotion, denied privileges, poor performance reviews, or termination. It works, but this type of leadership often results in fearful staff, low morale, and high turnover. On the other hand, a rewarding leader uses his ability to reward workers to encourage their performance. He may reward through gifts, or by praising employees. Rewarding favorable work tends to increase morale and retention.

Congeniality Power: Well-liked people have the power to get others to follow their lead.
You’ve heard the phrase “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Even without a leadership title, a friendly and well-liked employee might be the biggest power-holder in an office. They can easily influence others. If you get the support of an influencer like this, you can often get everybody on board with your idea or project. As a boss, the most popular managers tend to not only be charismatic and likeable, but they also grant employees the freedom to do their job, as long as the task gets accomplished. Being a popular boss means more power – plain and simple.

Expert Power: Possessing knowledge on a specific topic means authority in the workplace.
Knowing more than others about a topic puts you in a position of power that can sometimes tip the hierarchy upside down. For instance, technology in the workforce may lead an older employee to follow the directions of a younger employee who is more familiar with computers. Or, developing a skill set that’s outside your defined job duties but still complements them can put you way ahead of coworkers who simply do the required duties.

Wisdom Power: There is a certain amount of power that comes from having the longest tenure at a company, in any position.
Workers who have spent decades at a company don’t always hold high titles, but they have company knowledge unparalleled by their less-experienced “superior.” In addition, higher ranking titleholders often defer training to assistants or secretaries rather than teaching the new employees themselves. Once a new employee has been trained by someone, they will likely consult that person for guidance in the future – the basis for wisdom power.

Supply Power: Creature comforts and office luxuries are highly sought after; therefore, holding the power to distribute supplies yields power.
The value of supplies that office managers and secretaries are in charge of prioritizing and ordering is often overlooked. Workers really do value working with the best equipment and this gives the distributors power – when it’s time for a comfier chair, better computer or a cubicle farther away from the bathroom, office managers have the authority.

Relation-Based Power: Sometimes it is not just what you know, but who you know – and how you are related to them!
The most groan-worthy source of power frequently stems from nepotism. It is not unusual for family members at a company to help one another. Whether unspoken or broadcast to the entire company, individuals in business who are closely related are likely to hold more power than their less-connected counterparts.

In summary, in any company, leadership comes with some form of power. Knowing who has the power and how they use their power can be helpful in knowing how to survive – and thrive – in corporate culture. And if YOU are the leader, remember, many leaders use just one type of power, but the best way to be an effective leader is to use a balanced combination of the positive types of power.

When women take charge, business can change. In many cases, says Julie Weeks, American Express OPEN research advisor, women owners tend to be more flexible – such as in managing employee schedules. “In addition, women have a less hierarchical way of structuring their firms, seeing themselves at the center of a web rather than at the top of a pyramid.”

And growth for female business owners is sprouting in every sector. “Compared to 15 years ago, women are much more diverse in terms of their industry. Name an industry and you can find a woman-owned firm in that industry,” says Weeks. “These findings provide a beacon of energy and promise for women who are thinking about starting a business. Seeing the increasing numbers of women who are already doing it gives would-be women entrepreneurs more support, guidance, and a way forward.”

The upward trend will likely continue across the nation, says Weeks. Women are increasingly impacting the economy in other ways as well: they constitute the majority of college graduates, influence many household purchase decisions, and fill more and more managerial positions each year. “All of these lead to women being better equipped to start and grow their own businesses, and increasing numbers of women seeing business ownership as a next step in their career development,” says Weeks.

* State of Women-Owned Business Report, which analyzed data from the US Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners. The report was commissioned by American Express OPEN. (openforum.com)

Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard ($149) –
Set up wherever you go and instantly have a full-sized keyboard on any blue-tooth enabled device. The USB-chargeable cube uses lasers to project a keyboard onto any flat surface so you can work anywhere, at any time – perfect for your next business trip.

Cobra Electronic Tag ($60) –
Say goodbye to scrambling to find your phone or keys. The Cobra electronic tag is a keychain that has a tracking device through an app on your phone. Press the button on your key tag and your phone will make noise. Click on the app through your phone and your key ring will make noise. (Note: Lose both at once and you’re out of luck!)

Livescribe Sky ($170) –
It’s possible to go paperless without ditching your penmanship. With the Livescribe “smart pen,” you can write, draw, record audio and digitally reproduce your notes on your computer. The pen and digitally sensitive paper sync to programs like Evernote and will soon have PDF file capabilities and sync with other sites like Google Drive, Facebook and Dropbox. Never go unprepared for another meeting, lecture or interview!

Mitch Peterson, a partnering attorney with Davenport Evans in Sioux Falls, believes persuasion and critical thinking are the new look for success in any field. “We live in a society where information is the strongest asset and currency. People are busier now with activities, extra jobs, and children’s activities – all the while they are bombarded with constant information. Attention spans are lower and competing ideas are more abundant. The ability to persuade quickly and effectively is more important in today’s society than in the past, and I would expect this trend to continue.”

Today persuasion is useful beyond sales and marketing. Forget the outdated caricature of slick salesmen as the ultimate manipulators who rely on deceit and emotional appeals. Instead, businesspeople should focus on persuasion techniques that use critical thinking strategies.

Here are some tips to help sell your argument to a boss, client or coworker:

Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. “Repeating key concepts, critical facts, or important testimony is helpful in persuading anyone to accept a point of view,” says Peterson. “Research has shown that the public accepts as fact what many politicians and pundits say if it is said often enough, regardless of what the truth is. This is strong evidence of the persuasive force of repetition.”

Build effective relationships. Business is built upon the idea of exchange, so is persuasion. Listen to those you want to persuade and learn a bit about them. This will help you to make a stronger, more personal argument.

Show. Don’t tell. Peterson says this tactic is effective in and out of the courtroom. “Telling a jury what to think has little persuasive impact; however, showing and discussing facts that lead to the same conclusion can be a very effective persuasive technique. When someone draws his own conclusion, he is much more likely to stick to it than when he is told what to think.”

Cover likely objections before they come up. Ultimately, responding to potential objections on your own initiative will prove you have thought about the topic in depth, it also builds valuable trust.

Use Stories. “Appealing to common sense or well-known metaphors or stories is another persuasive technique. The key to persuasion is to connect a new concept with a familiar context,” says Peterson.

Highlight similarities between yourself and the person you wish to persuade. Find common ground. Reminding people of what you have agreed on in the past is an easy way to build support. Your argument or idea will sound like something they have supported in the past and would be willing to again.

Finally, remember persuasion is often a slow process. Overambitious persuasion efforts generally fail. If you are dealing with a boss who is not receptive to new technology, don’t describe your goal of the most technologically advanced office in the country. Instead focus on smaller, more benign efforts to incorporate technology and its benefits.

Strong Coffee, Strong Client Focus

Located in the CNA building across from the 8th & Railroad Center, Josiah’s Coffeeshop & Café is busy, even after the lunch rush. Owner Steve Hildebrand is off and running, busy chatting with guests, asking about their lunch and retelling the story of Josiah Phillips, Sioux Falls’ first surveyor and the city’s founding father. The coffee they serve is hot, strong, and as Hildebrand wants you to know, never bitter.

Every aspect of the coffee shop—from its namesake and location to its menu hours and coffee—was designed with a great customer experience in mind. With a love for good food and a spectacular cup of coffee, Hildebrand is the mental muscle plating up top notch customer service at Josiah’s. “The customers here at Josiah’s keep me energized. I wasn’t sure at first how I would feel about customer service, but it’s my favorite part.”

His successful business strategy is based on giving guests the very best. Here are his best strategies for great customer service:

Start with quality. Hildebrand once asked to be taken for the best cup of coffee in Seattle. He ended up with a cup from Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co., a Seattle artisan roaster that uses the highest quality coffee and espresso from sustainable farms. Now Josiah’s serves up fresh cups of Caffe Vita roasts shipped directly from the coast.

Share your secret ingredient with customers. One of Josiah’s not-so-secret specialties is pie – it’s so good, Hildebrand says, he doesn’t have to brag about it, satisfied customers rave about it better than he can. Their other signatures include homemade coconut cupcakes, Caffe Vita coffee, and fresh scones, but the secret ingredient is not the food, it’s getting customers engaged. “At the beginning, I had a huge fear of posting on Facebook every day, but the feedback was positive.”

Be personal, sincere and interesting – in everything. Whether Josiah’s is cooking up new and inventive sandwiches or deserts (like Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Cream with Chocolate Ganache & Salted Caramel Pie – that’s a mouthful!) or interacting with customers on social media sites, Hildebrand strives to put personality into Josiah’s brand. And it’s paid off. In under a year, their Facebook page has 2,700 followers!

Stay fresh and friendly – and always look for hidden opportunities, opportunities others may miss! Hildebrand says that one of the biggest surprises has been the traffic he’s seen on weekends and after hours when business isn’t open for the rest of the building. To accommodate the trend, they’ve opened a Sunday brunch option. “I developed the concept with the hopes that people would come and hang out for an extended time if they want.”

The POWER of INNOVATION:

From the Research Lab to the Business Table

From boardrooms to break rooms in large corporations and single-person start ups, today’s business world is focused on innovation. Making bold moves and breaking out of convention are the tools you need to create a niche that only your business can fill. Innovation means new solutions to problems you already think you know how to solve – or problems you didn’t think you had! Dr. Bill Harris, medical entrepreneur, encounters the power of innovation every day in the research lab and at the business table. He is an internationally recognized expert on omega-3 fatty acids and owner of OmegaQuant, a Sioux-Falls-based bio-research lab.

“Omega Quant was born on a very innovative idea,” says Harris. The idea that “there’s information in our blood about our health” has helped fuel over 30 years of research on omega-3 fatty acids and their link to major health concerns like heart disease. In 2009, Harris launched OmegaQuant, LLC to offer his “HS Omega-3 Index,” a blood test that measures omega-3 fatty acids and other substances in the blood, to researchers, clinicians and the public. The technology was acquired by Health Diagnostics Laboratory, Inc. in 2011 when Harris recognized how more people could benefit from his work. “My goal is to get this research out to the public, that goal is achievable if I partner with Health Diagnostics,” he says. “I wanted to keep my hand in research.”

As a Senior Scientist at Health Diagnostic Laboratory, a Professor at the Sanford School of Medicine through the University of South Dakota, Harris’ is researching the impact omega-3 fatty acids levels have on other health concerns ranging from mascular degeneration to Alzheimers. He also collaborates on international research projects – like one that
measures how diet and omega-3 levels can affect breastfeeding women in Africa and Asia.

The second simple and innovative idea behind OmegaQuant deals with how people can use their index results. He says, “and two, if levels are low, there’s something you can do about it.” Along with research projects, Harris tours the country and globe presenting and promoting his omega-3 discoveries for a healthier world.

The POWER of LEADERSHIP:

Executive Coach Shares Strategies for Success

Sit in John Beranek’s office chair and look around. His most precious necessities are within arm’s reach; photos of a rambunctious family gathering, Native American artwork, a forgotten Arnold Palmer whose ice has long since melted and piles of scribbled ideas on sticky notes. Exactly as this Executive Coach would have it.

It’s Beranek’s job to help YOU become a powerhouse leader. He helps professionals navigate communication challenges, motivate employees, and maintain balance between home and the workplace. It’s what executive coaching and building leaders is all about.

“A lot of people I work with are really dreading a meeting with someone or are afraid of a pending confrontation. I always tell them if you can predict how someone is going to react, you can prepare for how to respond to it. And we start there.”

For an hour a week, Beranek sits down with a client and helps create a road map for the challenges ahead. He helps people set priorities, problem-solve and focus on achieving their goals. His tips are simple but effective.

“I help a lot with developing simple tangible goals that people can set for a week, even a day. When they’ve had some success dealing with the little things, they find it easier to start applying their talents to the big picture.”

Although Beranek’s life is a tornado of phone calls, meetings and early mornings, he keeps razor focus with his executive clients. And turning passion into focus is one of the strengths he works to build into leaders.

“Some people are highly successful because of a certain strength they’ve developed. However, it’s very common that they need some training and buildup in other areas they haven’t paid as much attention to. If I can help someone avoid their old habits or emotional triggers, I’ve coached them well.”

With that, Beranek’s phone rings again and he apologizesfor a call he must take. He is offand running to his next project,balancing the phone with hisshoulder as he scrambles for a sticky note. If only that phone could make Arnold Palmers.

The POWER of COLLABORATION:

Combining Form & Fashion

The 19th century architects helped coin the phrase ‘‘form follows function.’’ Or is it function follows form? This is the question students at the Institute of Design and Technology of South Dakota and Creative Director, Anita Kealey, are pondering as they prepare for their annual spring showcase Form + Fashion.

Students from the fashion and the interior design programs are paired together and “given the assignment to create a companion piece from their chosen discipline to go with the other student’s chair or garment” according to Kealey. This is an opportunity for students to look at something from the view point of another; something important to learn in any career field. She originally came up with the idea from her own background as a designer.

“With over 25 years as an interior designer as well as a fashion designer, I’ve always been fascinated by how both interior design and fashion are so closely related, especially as it comes to colors trends, textures – and just which trends (or function) follows the other first,” says Kealey.

The power of collaboration is an important concept that these students are learning – and a concept that can apply to business in any field, not just design.

“In the business world of design it is essential for all creative people to learn to develop teamwork skills. The best design skill a future designer can develop is the ability to design with their ears; in other words, solutions come from the ability to really listen to what the client wants.”

Kealey stresses that creativity is an important skill to possess no matter what field you are pursuing, especially in this technological age. “Let’s face it, the most successful business people are those who can think on their feet and think creatively.”

The students at IDTSD will present their final projects during the annual showcase May 16th at the Icon Lounge in Sioux Falls. They will have a special guest designer, Laura Kathleen Planck, season 9 Project Runway finalist, there to close the finale of Form + Fashion event that evening.

Kealey offers any aspiring entrepreneur some words of wisdom: “Be open to new ideas. Most important do what you enjoy; all careers are hard work, if you do not have that passion, you will quit at the first obstacle and I can assure you there will be many!”

1. Smile.

It’s the beginning of a laugh and is contagious.

2. Laugh at your mistakes.

Don’t take yourself so seriously. Everyone makes mistakes. Learn to laugh about it instead of getting upset. You might even share these incidents with others; it might make a good story!

3. Remind yourself to “lighten up.”

Train yourself to seek out the fun or funny in life, and surround yourself with these things: a hilarious screensaver, a photo of you and your family having fun, a witty cartoon, even a toy on your desk. Decorate your work space with things that have meaning and bring you joy.

4. Perspective is everything.

Some things are completely out of your control. Do not stress about these things; laugh, share, and move past the situations that you could not change.

5. Watch kids play.

Remember when you were that carefree? It may have been awhile, but you did the same things little kids do now: smile, laugh, and play. Need more inspiration? Go to a park and watch kids swing or slide to feel lighthearted again!

6. Deal with the stress.

In many situations you can deal with your stressors by just saying “no” and avoiding the situation. Other times, it is as simple as better time management or controlling your environment. Whatever the case is, pinpoint the problem and take control.

Hagar the Horrible is a beloved character and famous worldwide! Is he real to you? And is there a part of you in him?

Wow, Char! There is a cosmic question, right out of the gate! There is a lot of me in Hagar. I’m grumpy, I sleep late, I’m overweight, so Hagar gets that from me. But I would say there is less of Hagar in me: I don’t drink booze, I hate fighting and I’m a vegetarian, all things Hagar would find abhorrent!

You have some really big news in the works: you’re in negotiations for a Hagar MOVIE!! Tells us about that.

King Features Syndicate acts as my agent on all things to do with Hagar. King Features is part of the Hearst Corporation, which I love, because William Randolph Hearst is greatly responsible for there even being an American comic strip industry. It’s pretty early in the negotiations so all I can say is that a major studio is interested in making feature films about Hagar using cutting edge animation and 3-D. I can’t wait to see what Hagar gets into once those high tech wizards breathe life into him! Are you developing a script? It’s pretty early still, but I will be happy to act as a consultant if asked; my main passion is drawing the comic strip so I won’t be brokenhearted if someone else writes the screenplay. I know many animators, Pete Docter at Pixar and David Silverman, director of The Simpsons TV shows and movies and I know there are a lot of smart and talented people penning screenplays today. My hopes are high… future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.

How will Hagar sound?

When my father first created Hagar 40 years ago, he said he always heard the voice of burly actor Wallace Beery in his head while he was writing Hagar’s dialogue. I think Danny Devito and Bette Midler would be great Hagar and Helga voices.

How do you come up with fresh ideas all the time; what’s the creative process you use?

Ah! I base a lot of what goes on in Hagar on my family and friends. My daughter inspires my drawings of Hagar’s warrior daughter Honi. My wife inspires my vision of Helga. And my mother-in-law, Luvy, inspires Hagar’s mother-inlaw (although my mother in law is much nicer!)

I am a natural born eavesdropper, like my father before me. When I am out browsing, I am always listening. If you keep your antennae up you will hear and see people saying and doing very funny things. I write those things down in a little black Moleskin pad I carry with me.

As a cartoonist, you offer people escape from their daily lives. Why is humor important?

I suppose it’s a coping mechanism. Often you’ll hear a person telling an awful story about something dreadful that’s happened to them, an accident, an illness… and they are laughing as they tell it. Mel Brooks said: “Tragedy is when I get a paper cut; Comedy is when you fall
into an open sewer and die.” He was joking, of course. I hope!

How involved are you in running the business side of Hagar? Should a cartoonist have a business degree such as an MBA?

I’m not a very good businessman. My lineage, on both sides of my family is Irish peasant stock. My ancestors were revolutionaries, troublemakers and convicts. If somebody pays me for drawing a silly cartoon I feel like I’m getting away with something. But I love cartooning and I will keep doing it as long as I can, or at least until they take my pencils away. In my family the only MBA was My Bad Attitude.

Hagar’s been around for 40 years. What’s the secret to his success?

Men love Hagar because he’s a regular guy. After he battles the French, rides out the hurricane and slays the dragon, he just wants to come home, collapse and drink a keg or two of beer. Women love Hagar because they are married to a Hagar, or they’re dating a Hagar, or their father is a Hagar!

How do you see technology changing things for cartoonists?

Frederic R. Coudert said in 1939, “May you live in interesting times”. We are living in those times right now. Newspapers, syndicates, journalists and cartoonists have not yet come up with a clear working model for how to get money from the reading public and into the hands of the creators of content and until they do, creators will suffer.

Hagar is online at DailyInk.com. But no matter how techy things become, I hope we will always have real books. I’m very proud of the series of Hagar collections that Titan Books is publishing: “Hagar The Horrible, The Epic Chonicles” and there are four volumes so far. The books (some autographed) are available at Zandbroz Variety on Philips Avenue.

What are Hagar’s favorite things to doon a Saturday?

EAT and SLEEP! Simultaneously, if he could figure out a way to pull that off!

And you, Chris, what are yours?

I am blessed to be able to work at my home here in Sioux Falls. With the help of the Internet and my friends at FedEx, my commute from the breakfast table to my studio is about 10 feet. So weekdays and Saturdays kind of all blur together for me. I love playing Scrabble with my wife Carroll, and hanging out with my fellow canines: Duncan, our famous Scottish terrier; Mabel, a 12-year-old Chihuahua; and Pikea, a tiny 6 pound Chihuahua with a Napoleon complex.

What advice do you have for aspiring cartoonists?

Love what you do. Set a goal, a mountain in the distance that you can clearly see and steadily moved towards. And if you do happen to make it to that mountain, pass on what you’ve learned. Help the next person before you leave the stage.

What would Hagar think about BizNOW?

Hagar would love BizNOW because of all the pretty pictures (In spite of the fact that Hagar is read by 135 million people every day in 45 countries and in 13 languages, he himself cannot read!)

Google seems to have a magic formula. Making a staggering $37.9 billion in 2011, they were also recently voted as number 1 in the “Best places to work in 2013” list! They’re making crazy money, AND keeping employees happy. How do they do it? Well, here are some of their strategies:

On top of being a huge internet search engine and top company, Google offers employees a playful atmosphere – with everything from a giant slide or a rock climbing wall!

They have creative work places with beanbag chairs or hammock in some locations. They want their employees to be in the creative mode all the time. Google even offers something called “20 percent time” where employees get to spend twenty percent of their work day working on projects they are passionate about. (That’s how Gmail and Google News both started!) On top of all that Google has offered free food, stocked pantries and free cafés in their headquarters plus over 100,000 hours subsidized massages for employees. Sign us up!

1. Break.com - Humor that toes the line every time – and is probably NSFW (Not Safe For Work).

2. Cracked.com - Quick and witty, it’s all the information you never knew you wanted to know.

3. Failblog.cheezburger.com - When it’s ‘one of those days,’ just keep scrolling, you’ll start to feel better about your failures.

4. Collegehumor.com - Satirical articles and dorm-worthy antics caught on tape - it’s like you never graduated.

5. The Oatmeal.com - Cartoonist Matthew Inman comments on everything from cats to Americans and turned his best work into #1 bestselling books. Check out his new book, How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You!

6. VideoBash.com - Quirks, pranks, animals and feats of human ingenuity and nonsense in the time it takes to schedule your next conference call.

7. PoorlyDrawnLines.com - More comics for your lunch break, email break or coffee break.