Good management begins with good people: The beauty of the acronym!

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As many of you know by now, I love acronyms. Not only are acronyms short and catchy, but they help me to quickly hone in on what's important and to set priorities. In a field that seems to bask in process, over-analysis, and repeated discussion, the acronym 'cuts to the chase' and keeps everyone on the same page.

The last Management Maxim column (Exchange, March/April 2010) centered around S.C.O.P.E. (Safe, Clean, Organized, Professional, and Educational), which are five quality priorities for any center and are consistent with a parent's priorities. SCOPE helps the entire staff to focus on what's important, regardless of the current crisis. SCOPE can be used as an operational foundation for the center's success, especially if the director uses it as a daily reminder.

Another acronym that is most useful for attaining and, more importantly, retaining enrollment is: CARE (Customer Attention Retains Enrollment). CARE, like most acronyms, was created ...