11 Feb 2008

Slightly overcast greetings, Reader,

I’ve had a very interesting weekend watching two visiting Japanese friends trying to interact with businesses in Port Macquarie. Responses ranged across the full gamut, from Rock Motorcycles, where Margaret and Peter Rock are very visitor-friendly, welcoming and accommodating, to a couple of other businesses which found visitors with limited English “just too much trouble”. It’s amazing to me that any business would be less than welcoming to a gentleman with a fist full of $100 dollar notes, but it happened.

This week, however, I am not carrying on about tourism, but rather about a beaut initiative being launched by BEC Member Quality Sails Resort. At Spinnakers Restaurant, every Friday afternoon between 5.00 and 7.00 pm business-people will be welcomed to the “Spinnakers Club” – a “low-key” social club for business people. Offering, as it does, a beautiful waterfront setting, Spinnakers will be a perfect venue to wind down after a strenuous business week. There is no membership procedure or fee – nor any obligation. Every business person is welcome.

Sails marketers John Carroll and Alex Newman can be congratulated for this initiative, and it’s nice to see a local business trying something new (or, maybe new again) to provide a win-win for the business and its patrons. Drinks will be at discounted prices from 5.00 till 7.00 and snacks will be served. I wish the folks at Sails luck, and it will be interesting to see how the venture progresses.

While one initiative is launched, another sadly is abandoned. Chrissy McGinn and Richard Hewitt are a British couple who provide pretty high-level corporate training and management support in Britain for most of each year. Then they bring their considerable skills and experience here for our summer. They have recently offered a three-session manager development workshop in Port Macquarie, under the title of Positive and Powerful Leadership. I have promoted the workshop in this weekly email, and Chamber has also promoted it. Sadly, only a single participant nominated.

There are, obviously, any number of reasons why the workshop was not better patronised. Three sessions is a significant time commitment. Nine hundred bucks is a significant financial commitment. But I wonder whether there may not be a more fundamental issue. I have noticed a very obvious difference between business attitudes in Canberra and Port Macquarie. In Canberra, continuous improvement is the prevailing creed. Change is constant, and is accepted as a matter of fact. Continuous skills development and re-skilling is a big part of the business picture.

Here in Port Macquarie the same imperative appears to be lacking. There appears to be a much greater disposition to avoid change, and to rely on existing knowledge and skills. It will take a very much smarter person than me to decide what longer-term impact such a different attitude may hold for local businesses. Perhaps it’s not negative at all. I wonder? I’m happy to receive and communicate feedback.

Finally, for this week, congratulations to Telstra for launching its Broadband ADSL2+ service across more than 900 additional exchanges – including Transit Hill (which services much of southern Port Macquarie and Wauchope). ADSL2+ permits very high speed broadband, and will facilitate business communications and open up some pretty amazing business opportunities. I’m sure Michael Sharpe and his team at Telstra Country Wide Port Macquarie would be delighted to tell you all about the benefits.

On with this week’s events:

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Port Macquarie Community College

802W012 - Leadership Development - Tuesday February 19^th – 1 session $98

802C031 - Computer Skills for the Office

Five units of competency:

BSBCMN107A Operate a personal computer,

BSBCMN108A Develop keyboard skills,

BSBCMN213A Produce simple word processed documents,

BSBCMN214A Create and use simple spreadsheets and

ICAU1133A Send and Receive Information using web browsers and email.

Statement of Attainment from Certificate II in Business BSB20101. Starts Tues 12^th Feb 9:30am-12:30pm - $520 (Two Places Available)

802W014 - Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) available on-line

Free Information Session 20^th Feb 6:30pm-7:30pm

802W006 OH & S for Construction – Friday 22^nd Feb – 1 session 9am-4pm $120

and

A couple of vacancies still exist for Aged Care Training. You must be over 40 years of age and looking for work. Contact the College for details.

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Valentine’s Day Business Breakfast with Hastings BEC

This Thursday, 14^th February, 7.00 am till 8.30 am at Panthers Port Macquarie Pier One Restaurant.

Special Guest speaker will be Ms Belinda Novicky from Mid North Coast Tourism.

We will also have three members providing “A Minute (and only ONE MINUTE!) On My Business”

Plus a few prizes and surprises. Plus announcement of a beaut new Sponsor Member.

Members and Guests welcome. $20 for members and $25 for guests.

RSVP to admin@hastingsbec.com.au so I can try to get your name tags correct.

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Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association Members Night.

GPMTA is holding a Members and Guests night on Wednesday 13^th February from 6.00 pm till 8.30 pm.

Venue is Panthers Port Macquarie, Pier One Restaurant

Guest speakers include Mayor of Tamworth, CEO of Tourism Tamworth and the Deputy Chairman.

Discussion will centre around possible tourism corporatisation models for Port Macquarie.

$10 donation at the door will cover a drink and nibbles.

Members and Guests welcome. RSVP: gregg@greggf.com

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Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce

Next meeting for Members and guests will be Tuesday evening 26^th February. Focus will be on the waterfront, with guest speakers Mr Craig Barnes, NSW Dept of Lands Regional Manager North Coast, speaking on the Department of Lands plans for the Port Macquarie Waterfront Developments

and

Mr David Mann, from Ariadne, with a presentation on Ariadne’s Expression of Interest Submission to Lands Department on Waterfront Site and plans for the Marina.

6.30 for 7.00 pm at Quality Sails Resort. $10 per person includes a drink and snack.

RSVP by 5:00pm Monday 25th February 2008, (02) 6583 4412 or Email: executive@portchamber.com.au

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Port Macquarie Masters Swimming Club Inc ANNUAL BUSINESS HOUSE CHARITY RELAY

Teams of 4 - each swimmer must swim 50 metres. You do not need to be a good swimmer

You nominate a time & the team that swims nearest to their nominated time wins

PORT MACQUARIE OLYMPIC POOL, Tuesday 11th March 2008

6.30pm for teams requiring time trials - 7.00 start

Nomination Fee $25 per team, includes $5 per team donation to Oncology Unit at PMBH, plus pool entry of $2.90 per person payable at the gate

Includes sausage sandwich after the event

Nominations must be in by 7pm on the night

Perpetual trophy & individual prizes for winning team, PLUS $100 voucher for the Blue Water Restaurant. 2nd place $50 cash & 3rd place $25 cash

Enquiries to: Reg McGlashan: AH: 6584 7376 Bus: 6584 5500 or Ross Cummins Ph: 0408 694 487

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FREE ASBESTOS SEMINARS

You are now required to have a bonded asbestos licence if you remove more than 10 square meters of bonded asbestos material (fibro)

A FREE seminar to explain the changes, and provide information about asbestos and what is needed to obtain a licence, will be held at:

Taree: on 20^th February 2008 at Taree RSL from 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm

To attend, please phone the Registration Hotline on: (1800 624 097)

A message from WorkCover NSW.

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On Wednesday February the 20th an exciting film will have its charity premiere at the Ritz Majestic Cinema in Port Macquarie.

Based on a true story, “End of the Spear” tells how in 1956 five missionaries, including Jim Elliott and Nate Saint, were slaughtered by the Waodani, a murderous tribe inhabiting a remote area in Ecuador. The missionaries’ only crime was to bring the love of the Lord to them, and to try to persuade them to give up their murderous ways.

But the story doesn’t end there; the widow and sister of one of the slaughtered men returned to live with the tribe. Their bravery and love culminated in the Waodani renouncing violence and beginning to care for the enemy tribes they had previously violently attacked. Meanwhile a friendship developed between the son of one of the murdered missionaries and a young tribal member named Mincayani, who had taken part in the murder. This new full–length feature charts this remarkable story from start to finish

7pm, Wednesday The 20th Of February At Ritz Majestic Cinema, Cnr Horton And Clarence Streets, Port Macquarie

Admission: $12. Proceeds To Kairos Prison Ministry

Phone Ron Polson 6582 3031 For Tickets, Or Call At The Cinema

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Management thought for the week: “The main challenge for managers is to demonstrate a strong belief in employees, help them achieve balance, and develop career plans with them – without favoring some employees over others, and without sacrificing business goals. This requires flexibility, one of the most important assets of today’s successful managers. By knowing your people as individuals and understanding what their needs and preferences are, you can adapt policies, schedules and work procedures to their diverse needs – demonstrating to them that you believe in them and value the work they’re doing.”

And that’s about it for another week.