Silent Night has been nominated for “Best Under-the-Radar College Basketball Atmosphere”

The winning school will be featured on CBS on March 25 at 3 p.m. during March Madness.

At last count Taylor was 2^nd among 10 schools, behind only University of Dayton, so we need your help!!

YOUR vote will help determine the winner, so here’s how you can help:

1. Click here for the “Geico Best of College Basketball” Facebook page
2. Log in to your Facebook account
3. “Like” the “Geico Best of College Basketball” Facebook page
4. Scroll down and vote for Taylor University – Silent Night (2^nd video from the bottom on the left)
5. Forward this email to your friends and family, and VOTE once a day through Monday, Feb. 13 at noon EST

Fans can also sign up to receive email reminders to make their vote count daily through Feb. 13 by sending an email to sportsinfo@taylor.edu with “Vote” in the subject line. 

For more information and to help spread the word, visit http://athletics.taylor.edu/vote

Check out some of our latest radio ads!  Visit the “On The Radio!” tab.

The second book that we will be using for the Taylor MBA Book Club is Influencer: The Power to Change Anything by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.

Our second book dicussion will begin this month with the first discussion topic to be posted the week of January 23, 2012.  New discussion topics will be posted approximately every other week.  It isn’t too late to buy your book and join the dicussion!  Visit the Join the Discussion! page on this webiste to find a link on where to buy the book and to find an overview of the book!

We hope you will be able to join the discussion!

A little over 2 years ago, I wrote a blog entry about Packard’s Law. It has been one of our most frequently viewed posts on this website. For those that are not familiar with Packard’s Law, it basically states “no company can become or remain great if it allows its growth rate in revenues to exceed its growth in getting the right people in a sustainable way.”

It is like a scientific law, much like the Law of Gravity, that transcend technology, economics, and social issues. A local Indianapolis company states it this way: “Companies don’t grow, people do.”

I am currently reading a new book, Beyond HR: The New Science of Human Capital. In this book, it makes the compelling case that well-established disciplines have a practice and a decision science. For instance, accounting is the “practice” of finances and finance is the “decision science.” The authors make the case that HR is in development of the “practice, ” but needs to create the “decision science,” which they call Talentship.

This is an interesting concept that calls companies to focus on the human capital needs necessary to gain and keep competitive advantage. It is about identifying the critical competencies that set your company apart and developing an approach to attract and develop that talent. It is only with this approach that a company can sustainably grow.

Are you one that makes New Year’s Resolutions? I never have been one to do that, personally or professionally. However, I do find New Years (and the month of January) is a great time to do a few annual items. Here is a brief list of January activities I encourage for all business people and their businesses:

1. Complete a self-assessment (new one each year) – it is important to continually learn and continually learn about yourself. I recommend completing one or two self-assessments annually. This might be the DiSC, Team Dimensions, or a myriad of other great assessments. These provide insight into nuances of you prefer to operate and how your style can better interact with others. Don’t just read these and say “yeah, that is me,” but read these as an improvement tool to get better results for yourself and those around you.
2. Make a reading plan. I tend to be a little over the top, reading 3 to 4 books per month. That is a bit aggressive for some, but I believe every business person should be reading. Maybe start with 1 book every 2 months. Or, a subscription to a great publication like the Harvard Business Review can be great. Reading helps you develop perspective and see the “bigger picture” that is sometimes clouded in the midst of the day to day. You can always join the Taylor MBA “Join the Discussion” book club.
3. Conduct a personal SWOT. Ask yourself what strengths you can put to better use?
4. Conduct a SWOT for your business. Really focus on the opportunities and threats you have for the new year.
5. Identify a few individuals you should reconnect with. Who have you failed to keep in touch with. Our networks are quickly becoming (if they aren’t already) the way business gets conducted. If you are a Taylor MBA alum, we are happy to help connect with our other 240+ alumni.
6. Finally, for you personally and your business, re-assess your values and priorities. Are you still committed to the same values? Do your current activities align with your greatest priorities?

This is a short list. There are many other good things to do, but I find these 6 items make for a profitable January and are a great way to start of the New Year.

Happy New Year!