Saving Center demolition begins

We had been watching the Saving Center lot at Memorial and A Street all weekend, waiting for action to begin. By the time we got to the scene Monday afternoon, the work was well underway. This is going to open things up considerably. There has been no word about possible buyers, but the according to Bob Everhardt of the Downtown Development Corp. the owners felt the property would have more appeal without the building than with it.

What Can Businesses Learn From Professional Sports

Professional sports have a major impact in our society, don’t they? As I write this, I am one of millions of people across the nation patiently waiting for the Super Bowl. In a few short hours, I will be cheering on my favorite team, watching professional athletes who earn millions in salaries and endorsements, and choosing my favorite $4 million commercial for the year.  Halftime will come and all of us will talk about how we did or didn’t like this year’s show.  The game will end and life will go on as the nation looks forward to the Winter Olympics.

What do professional sports have to do with the way my company does business? 

Whether you are a fan of any of professional sports organization or not, professional sports organizations can teach us a lot about business management.

Last week we focused on the challenge of finding the best fit for the job – not necessarily the right fit. Imagine how hard that is organizationally for professional sports organizations. Recruiting efforts involve thousands of coaches, business professionals (i.e., agents, managers, consultants) and marketing executives. One player, or even head coach, being recruited and/or traded on a team is a precise calculation of what is needed for the organization based on budgetary restraints, statistical analysis, talent, experience, cultural fit, strategic planning, marketability and risk analysis. There are countless hours, and sometimes years, put into the process of on-boarding one player or coach. The recruiting and retaining doesn’t end with the on-boarding process either, due to the fluid nature of the industry. Organization, team performance, injuries – an organization’s structure can change early season or even mid-season. It is incredible in itself for these organizations to operate seamlessly despite the factors that are working against them at all times. So how do professional sports organizations do it – besides finding the best fit of professionals, coaches and players for the team?

Pretty easy answer – teamwork.  As coaches and players band together in a supportive manner to accomplish common goals, their organizations in turn benefit through increased efficiency and productivity, improved employee relations, increased accountability and responsibility, and opportunities for coaches and players to increase their knowledge and skill set from learning through others.

In turn when any organization or business does not encompass an environment of teamwork the results can be disastrous. I am a true believer that every organization is only as strong and successful as its poorest performing employee. When an organization encompasses an environment that is every man or woman for themselves. morale is low, productivity is low and efficiencies are thrown out the door. Think of how poor the quality of work completed is as well. Think of sports teams that have had all-star players without the teamwork environment – on the outside it seems as though they may have a dream team for success – but in reality they perform poorly and likely don’t make it in post-season playoffs (think L.A. Lakers a few years back with Kobe Bryant).

It is easy to see that through professional sports organizations it is important to find the best fit employees for the right job. In turn, recruiting and hiring these people is only half the battle in long-term sustainable success with an organization. Ensuring that the work environment encompasses teams that work together to accomplish goals is crucial in the long-term success of any business.  While I am not encouraging mid-day tackle football in the break room for any organization, I am saying that there is a lot we can learn in how to manage our own businesses and organizations from professional sporting organizations.

Countdown to destruction

With the lot fenced off and the equipment in place Friday afternoon, it's only a matter of time before the old Saving Center building on Memorial Drive is razed. The parking lot was closed at the end of October after the Downtown Development Corp., which had been managing it, announced the property owner, Vern Kelsch, would be tearing the building down this winter.

Center for Aesthetics honored

The Center for Aesthetics has been awarded Coolsculpting’s Premier Crystal Award, the highest level for Coolsculpting practices. The award goes to the Center's two board certified providers, Dr. Catherine Durboraw and Kierstin Nebeker.

 

Procedures that use lasers, sonic waves and surgery to remove fat can actually destroy other tissue in the process, requiring downtime for your body to heal. Developed by Harvard scientists, Coolsculpting is an FDA-cleared, patented procedure that uses a targeting cooling process to kill fat cells underneath the skin, literally freezing them to the point of elimination. Only fat cells are frozen.

 

Here's a YouTube video.

 

 

The Center for Aesthetics is at 2375 E Sunnyside Road. Call (208) 529-8232 for more information.

TEDxAmmon plans first event Feb. 21

You've probably heard of TED and TED Talks, but you will have a chance to find out on a more local level as TEDxAmmon rolls out its first event Feb. 21 at Eastern Idaho Technical College.

For those of you who don't know, TED stands for "Technology, Entertainment, Design" and is a non-profit organization that started out with a conference in 1984. Since then its scope has become worldwide. Along with two annual conferences -- the TED Conference and TEDGlobal -- TED includes the award-winning TED Talks video site, the Open Translation Project and TED Conversations, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize.

TEDx is about local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At TEDxAmmon, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark discussion and connection in small groups. Presentations will be given from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and the event will include a light dinner at 7 p.m. Seating is limited to 100 people, who will be selected through an application process.

“We are so excited to be hosting a slate of presenters with very exciting and innovative ideas,” said Brad Christensen, the organizer. “I think everyone who attends and tunes into the live broadcast on the web will be absolutely stunned by the caliber of people we have in this area and the captivating concepts they present.”

The speaker list will be released Feb. 3. For updates, information may be found at www.TEDxAmmon.com, on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/TEDxAmmon and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TEDxAmmon.

Who's feeling dread today?

Reporting is going to have to wait until later this afternoon. Meanwhile, here's a link from the Wall Street Journal to tide you over:
http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/BL-MBB-15597

Developer to submit Ammon plats to planners for review Feb. 5

The ground at the corner of Hitt and Sunnyside Road.

It looks like things are beginning to move with the ground at the southeast corner of Hitt and Sunnyside Road, which is being offered by Ball Ventures and Woodbury Corp.

Ammon City Administrator Ron Folsom said that developer Ball Ventures will be asking the city's planning commission to review two plat proposals at its Feb. 5 meeting. After review, the commission votes on whether the plats should or should not be approved by the City Council, which meets the following night.

Folsom said he no information about who might be planning to build on the land, but said one of the lots being platted has already been sold. He said he has been told that three operators are ready to build as soon as the ground changes hands and the infrastructure is ready.

"I don't know if we're going to see anything going up this fall, but we're going to see things start to happen there this year," he said.