How to Create Team Building on a Sports Team

Team chemistry is one of the most important factors in determining the success of your team. Having the most talented players does not matter if they refuse to get along, sacrifice and play as a team. Chemistry happens naturally over time with teammates, but you can help it along with successful team building activities.

Suggestions

1. Choose captains that are going to bring the team together. Teams often follow the attitude of their captains, so it is important that your captains are enthusiastic leaders and unselfish players. If they put themselves before the team, the team will follow.
2. Include some time in practice dedicated to team building. Conditioning athletes by using games and contests makes it more fun for them and helps them bring out the best in each other. When they push each other in practice, they will push each other in games.
3. Have a positive attitude. Remind players that they need to compliment and congratulate each other on their successes and support each other during their failures. A team whose members blame each other when things go wrong will never succeed through adversity.
4. Spending time together away from the field is an excellent way to build team chemistry. Go to a professional or college game together as a team. Have a barbeque or party at a teammate's house. Attending an early-season tournament is a good way for teams to bond. All the hours spent sitting together in the hotel pool and lobby helps build camaraderie.
5. Forbid hazing rituals. These so-called "team building" activities are harmful, dangerous and potentially illegal. Hazing causes animosity between younger and older players. Coaches and captains have a responsibility to make sure that younger players are safe and that hazing does not occur.

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How to Start Your Own Incense Company

Used for thousands of years for relaxation and spiritual purposes, incense is a popular product in many cultures. Starting your own incense company requires planning, financing and a lot of hard work. As part of the aromatherapy industry, making and selling incense is highly competitive. With motivation, you can start a successful small business in this field. Like starting any business, you must follow certain steps. Knowledge of the aromatherapy and incense industry will help you succeed in starting your own company.

Suggestions

1. Decide if you will make your own incense from scratch or will import ready-made incense to resell. This will determine what items you need from what supplier. In order to make the incense yourself, you will need fragrance or essential oils, unscented incense cones or sticks, resins, a binding ingredient, and, for combustible incense, a combustible ingredient such as makko powder. You will also need knowledge of incense making and your own original recipes. You may also want to sell or create incense burners and cones.
2. Locate suppliers for your business. The items you choose to sell and how you make them will determine the supply companies you need to contact. Buy in bulk to lower your investment costs and make a profit on your products. In addition, you must decide whether your company will specialize in selling organic and natural products. If so, this will impact your supply decision, reducing the number of places from which to choose.
3. Get your company licensed in your home state. According to the Small Business Association, or SBA, a state business license is the main document required for tax purposes and conducting other basic business functions. You also must register your company name with the state if you plan to do business locally. If planning to do business outside of your state, the SBA says you should register the name through state Secretary of State offices, and for wider marketplace protection, through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The license and your business name will enable you to obtain a sales tax license to do retail business or an employer identification number from your state Department of Revenue or Treasury Department, according to the SBA. You will not have to obtain a federal license for an incense business.
4. Obtain funding for your incense company by developing a business plan and contacting your local bank. Your local SBA office offers many programs to finance your business, especially for women and minority owners. According to their guidelines, the SBA considers an incense company a business eligible for financing. While the SBA itself does not offer small business loans, it guarantees these loans through your local bank. Contact your local SBA office to ask what financing your incense business may qualify for.
5. Determine your target buyers and how you will reach them. Many outlets exist for selling your incense, including eBay stores, your own online website, local flea markets, mall kiosks and brick-and-mortar stores. To sell via your website, purchase a domain name online and develop your site yourself or hire someone to do this for you. If you have the funding to do so, you can open your own brick-and-mortar store to sell your incense. Otherwise, target local aromatherapy, boutique and health-food stores, and inquire with them about selling your products. Have products available to demonstrate and give away as free samples. Make up business cards and brochures about your business to start marketing your products, says Internet Based Moms.
6. Join organizations related to an incense business. Organizations---including the American Herbalist Guild and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy---may help you obtain further resources to grow your business and network with other professionals in the field. Visit your local Chamber of Commerce and attend chapter meetings to network and promote your company. Doing this will also expose you to other financing options for your business, including possible grant opportunities.

Tips

• The SBA offers a list of resources for women-owned businesses, including WomenBiz.gov.
• For minority-owned businesses, look into the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency.
• If you wish to market organic incense, ask about the origins of all your supplies and ensure they are certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture.
• Check the Business.gov section on permits and licenses to see your state's requirements for a business license.
• Separate your business finances from your personal finances. Open a checking account under your business name to avoid using small business funding for personal expenses. This is also beneficial for tax purposes.
  
   

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How to Become a Certified Aromatherapist

An aromatherapist is someone that uses essential oils to help the well-being of their clients. In the United States, there is no official certifying agency for aromatherapy. There are many classes you can take that offer training certification followed by a registration test. If aromatherapy interest you, this may be the career field for you.

Suggestions

1. Find a reputable certified school. There is much confusion of what a certified school is. Research the schools in which you are interested. Check their reputation. Talk with past graduates. See who their certifying agency is. Research that as well.
2. Attend the classes. Many schools offer distance learning for aromatherapy. Classes usually are a year long. You will study essential oils and their properties, administration, essential oil chemistry, blending and aromatherapy research.
3. Complete your class. Most classes have a final exam that will test your knowledge on all that you have learned.
4. Register to take the Aromatherapy Registration test. Exams are held twice a year at various locations around the United States. Requirements to take the exam are that you have completed a one year Level 2 program in aromatherapy from a school that is in compliance with the current NAHA Educational Guidelines or can provide proof of equivalent training.
5. Take your ultimate, in-depth exam. Ensure you have studied and are prepared.

Tips

• If you are in the health care industry, look into classes that offer continuing education credits.
• Taking the Aromatherapy Registration Exam will register you with them. This benefits the aromatherapist, as graduates are in a database and can have clients referred to them. It also lends credibility to their education.
• The Aromatherapy Registration Exam is a paid exam. Be sure you are ready to take it. If you have to take it a second time, you will need to pay the fee again.

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How to Write a Non-Profit Strategic Plan

According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the United States. If you are creating a non-profit, your first step is to create a strategic plan. A strategic plan is your road map to starting and expanding your non-profit organization.

Things You'll Need

• mission statement
• organizational description
• executive summary
• organizational goals and strategies

Suggestions

1. Create an outline that details the different sections of your strategic plan. Most strategic plans, whether they are being written for a non-profit or for-profit corporation, contain an executive summary, financial statement, organizational description, mission statement, goals and strategies.
2. Write a mission statement. Most mission statements are one or two sentences and concisely state the mission of the non-profit organization.
3. Write an organizational description. In three paragraphs or less, describe what your non-profit organization is about and what it does.
4. Write a financial statement. This is the section of your non-profit strategic plan where you detail how much money your non-profit has received and how it was distributed. Get an accountant or financial advisor if you need help.
5. Write down your goals. Describe what you hope to achieve with your non-profit organization. Outline your fundraising, hiring and marketing goals. Outline goals that you want your board members to achieve on behalf of your non-profit organization. Decide how the non-profit will distribute the charitable donations it receives.
6. Write an executive summary. This section of your non-profit strategic plan should summarize the other sections of the plan. Keep your executive summary to one or two pages. Be sure to address your non-profit organizations plans for the future and any proposed initiatives you plan to undertake in the upcoming fiscal year.

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How to Set Team Building Goals

Setting goals in any context, including team building, needs to follow the SMART mnemonic, which was first created by George Doran in 1981. This mnemonic is used in a variety of project management contexts. Essentially any project that has goals can follow the SMART criteria. This includes, but is certainly not limited to team building.

Your team building exercise's goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-sensitive. By setting your goals in accordance with this mnemonic device, you can ensure that they are reasonable. Otherwise, they could be too vague and subjective to define if they've been achieved or not, or too lofty and ambitious to achieve at all.

Suggestions

1. Establish specific goals. This means that "we will function better as a team" is not acceptable; it is too vague and subjective. Rather, it should be "we will show that our teamwork has improved by quickly navigating a ropes course by pooling our efforts."
2. Make the goal measurable. This can refine it more, into "we will show that our teamwork has improved by navigating a ropes course in 10 minutes or less.
3. Make the goal achievable. This is why the goal above is 10 minutes, not 30 seconds.
4. Make the goal realistic. For example, the above goal is not realistic if some on the team use wheelchairs and are unable to use a ropes course.
5. Make the goal time-sensitive. So, "we will show that our teamwork has improved by navigating a ropes course in 10 minutes or less" becomes "in three days, we will show that our teamwork has improved by navigating a ropes course in 10 minutes or less." This forces the team members to work at achieving it in the time frame; otherwise, there is no pressure to achieve as long as they achieve at some point, which is not realistic.

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How to Write a Team-Building Strategy

Most business managers agree that all employees benefit when working in a team-based environment. Yet few managers know exactly how to create such an environment. Human-resource personnel should assist managers by writing a team-building strategy for each department within the company. Consider using the following key concepts designed to promote effective team building.

Suggestions

1. Create a new document in a word-processing program. Add the title, "Team-Building Strategy." Put the company's logo on the cover along with the author's name.
2. Add an introduction to the second page. Explain the advantages of working in a team-based environment. Specify that managers must strive to create a successful, alert work team.
3. Explain how managers must effectively communicate expected outcomes and required performance to their staff. Ask managers to explain to staffers why and how they can contribute to the team.
4. Insert a section devoted to team competence and goals. Instruct managers to seek their subordinates' opinions on the abilities of team members. Have managers define the team's specific mission, responsibility and plans to achieve its goals.
5. Define managers' responsibilities to determine appropriate boundaries for team members. For example, some members need more freedom while others may need more limitations. Help managers define the team's problem-solving abilities and rules of conduct.
6. Require managers to ask employees to prioritize tasks. Have managers describe a method for the team to provide constructive feedback.
7. Conclude the strategy with a section on creativity. Encourage managers to inspire their subordinates to think creatively about improving the quality and quantity of their work. Establish a reward system for employees who contribute to meaningful innovation.

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