There are two types of technology typically used in smoke detectors to help detect the presence of smoke in your home. The first of these is ionization smoke alarms. These types of smoke alarms use a small amount of radioactive materials to ionize the air between two electrically charged plates. If smoke enters the chamber it changes the flow of this electrical current which then activates the alarm and alerts you to the presence of smoke in your home.
The second type of smoke alarm is the photoelectric smoke alarm. These use a light source that is aimed away from a sensor within a chamber. If smoke fills the chamber then it reflects light onto the sensor which then activates the alarm. These alarms are less prone to going off during cooking activities than an ionization smoke alarm. No matter which of these two smoke alarms you choose to install in your home it is important that you properly maintain them to protect your family.
In order to benefit from the safety of a smoke alarm you need to them to work properly. In order to keep your smoke alarm in good working order you need to perform some simple maintenance tips. These maintenance steps will make sure you alarm keeps working like it should so that you will be protected when you need them the most.
The first key step is to test your battery operated smoke alarms at least once a month. Use the test button on the alarm to ensure it is still working properly. When you press the button the alarm should sound. If the alarm does not sound when you test it then you should first make sure the battery is installed properly or try replacing the battery. If the alarm still does not sound after replacing the battery then you want to consider getting a new smoke alarm.
At least once a year you want to change the batteries on your smoke alarm. Although be sure to check the manufacturer recommendations. Sometimes it may be recommended that you change the batteries more often, so be sure to read all information that comes with your smoke detector. You also want to replace the batteries whenever the low-battery warning sounds or if the alarm does not sound while testing the smoke detector unit.
Be aware that all battery operated smoke alarms come with a warning sound to tell you when the battery power is getting low. Even if your smoke detector does not mention a low battery alarm on the packaging, your smoke detector still has this feature. Often smoke detectors will make an intermittent chirp sound to tell you when battery power is getting low. Whenever you hear this sound you want to replace your batteries. Even when the unit is chirping it will continue to work so be sure you do not remove the battery until you can replace it with a new one. If you are gone for an extended period then you should automatically change your batteries when you first get home since the warning signal will stop after a few days even if you do not replace the batteries.
1. Opportunities, Threats and Risks
As a starting point, focus on the external factors facing the business or part of the business you are working with ' that is, what are the opportunities, threats and risks to the business. An example might be a change in mortgage lending which presents an opportunity for your business as a property developer. Or it could be a major home builder moving into your geography which directly threatens your business. This should be done as a brainstorm exercise to generate as much contribution and engagement as possible.
After this, prioritise each issue using a 2 x 2 matrix with "What is potential likelihood" on the vertical axis (low to high) and "How relevant is it?" (low to high) on the horizontal axis.
Once the highly relevant issues which have a high potential of occurring (that is, the top right hand corner of the matrix) have been prioritized by the group, discuss each in terms of:
What is it?
How relevant is it? Why is it relevant?
What is the potential likelihood?
2. Strengths, Weaknesses and Gaps
Now move to the internal factors impacting the business. Brainstorm the major internal factors facing the business or part of the business. An internal strength might be the technical skills of your team or your well established sales processes.
Next, prioritise each factor again using a 2 x 2 matrix with the "How strong or weak" (low to high) on the vertical axis and "How important is it?" (low to high) on the horizontal axis.
Once the important, 'strong' factors have been identified discuss each in terms of:
What is it?
Why is it relevant?
What is its' potential impact?
The first two steps are very like a SWOT analysis except that each factor is prioritized and each of the top priority factors discussed. This discussion encourages the team to share concerns and hopes for the future, things which are often missed by brainstorming.
3. Critical Success Factors
After the prioritized SWOT focus on the critical success factors, that is, what must we as a business get right over the next 2 to 3 years to be successful. At this stage, to ensure that the focus is still a strategic one, it is important to address the external threats and opportunities (that is, step 1) when thinking about the CSFs.
After brainstorming, discuss each CSF ' why people see it as important and the implications to the business of each. After the discussion undertake some prioritization exercise such as nominal group technique (NGT). NGT usually consists of allocating 3 votes to each individual and they are free to allocate those votes as they see fit. They can allocate 3 to one factor or distribute one vote for to each of three factors.
4. Values
A critical component of a strategy workshop must also address 'how' people will work together, not just what they will work on. Where the CSF's are aligned to the external factors, the Values tend to be aligned to the internal factors (no. 2). These values are what unites top teams during difficult or stressful times.
To do this, brainstorm the following: "in your opinion, what must we value (believe in) as a business to achieve this success?"
Discuss each value:
What does this mean?
Why is it important?
What does it look like? ' how would you role model this to others
Agree and prioritise the top half dozen or so values using a prioritization technique such as NGT.
Ask the group, how do these values match current values? What do we need to do differently to achieve these values?
5. Key Organisation Design Criteria
As part of a strategy workshop it is important to think through how resources should be organized to exploit opportunities, fight off threats from competitors and make best use of our strengths. Although designing an organization usually requires technical expertise in job design, the responsibility for defining what type of organization we want to create and work within belongs with the top team.
Brainstorm the following question: "in your opinion, what are critical organization design issues re structure, processes, roles, performance management, reporting etc?"
At this stage it is important to think about the ideal future organization and not the existing organisation. Think about the major work processes and how this work should be organized ' eg if we need to be more customer focused should we organize our teams around our major customers and their concerns.
Discuss each criterion:
Why?
Implications?
Prioritise if needed, identifying the major enablers.
6. Key Strategic Drivers
As a summary, ask the following question: "What are the 2 to 4 key strategic drivers for the organization over the next 2 to 3 years?"
This is best done in silence as it gives individuals a chance to reflect over what has been before ' the SWOT, the CSFs, the Values, the Organisation Design criteria.
List everyone's first driver, then discuss implications
List everyone's second driver, then discuss.
Generate a summary statement: shared view of objectives (goals) over next 2 to 3 years by the individual or as a group.
Both Robert D. Thomson & Pam Kennett are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robert D. Thomson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dog Care, Real Estate and Dental Practice. Resculite, Inc works hard to help keep your family safe. We carry a large selection of ,. Robert D. Thomson's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.
Pam Kennett has sinced written about articles on various topics from Psychology, Computers and The Internet and Online Security. Pam Kennett is Director of Chiswick Consulting Limited a management consultancy which provides advice and direction to clients in marketing and human resources. For more information on how to run this workshop contact her at pam@chiswickconsulting.com or. Pam Kennett's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.