The 5 Basics to Being a Better Leader

The 5 Basics to Being a Better Leader Some of us are natural-born leaders; the rest of us have to figure it out along the way. If  your goal is to become a better leader in your office or your field,  but  you’re finding it a struggle, then  maybe it’s because you’re focusing on the wrong things.  It’s important to understand the process of actively developing leadership qualities and skills  over time. Leadership isn’t something that randomly pops up due to genes or suddenly appears  when it’s needed. Great leaders arent made overnight; you’re better off developing a plan on how to  get there and taking it day by day. Here’s some advice that might help: 1. Learn how to listen Unfortunately too many people make the false assumption that good leaders are proficient at  talking and barking out orders. This is not the case.  The best leaders are people that have recognized the value of listening. They try not to speak without first  thinking carefully. If you want to be a stronger leader, you’ll need to hone your listening skills.  The problem with most conversations is that too many of us spend most of the time either talking  or thinking about what we’re going to say next when the other person is speaking. So even  though the other individual may carry half of the conversation, that doesn’t necessarily mean  you’re listening during that half.  Dr. Ar Markman, a psychology and marketing professor at The University of Texas, frequently points out, “When you focus on your next contribution, you may miss the emotion behind what is being  said You need to  listen fully to what the other person is saying and respond accordingly.  If you don’t have the answer, tell the truth. The other person will respect you much more if you  avoid dishing out poor advice just for the sake of having something to say. 2. Become a good storyteller If you want to be an effective leader, you must be a good communicator. But remember that  communication is more than just talking at people. Effective communication involves strategic  storytelling.  â€œA good story is compelling, has a beginning, middle and end, and is relevant to its audience,”  says leadership development firm Esprit de Corps. “Whether you’re telling your brand story or  simply explaining an important concept, people are hardwired to seek out the narrative in what  you’re saying. Make sure they can find it.”  The sooner you learn how to communicate as a storyteller, the quicker you’ll be able to influence  people and shift them in the right direction. 3. Lead by action and example An effective leader never orders anyone to do anything he wouldnt be  willing to do himself. If you’re  going to expect certain things of your followers, then it’s imperative that you lead by action and  example.  You don’t actually have to do everything on your own, but if you occasionally reach down and  contribute to mundane tasks and entry-level work, you’ll gain the respect of your employees and  possibly even learn a thing or two in the process. 4. Really get to know people If there’s one thing that separates an average leader from a great one, it’s the ability of the latter  to build meaningful relationships with their colleagues and followers. Average leaders know  little more than people’s names and positions, but great leaders dig beneath the surface and forge  personal relationships. If you want people to respect you, then you have to care about them as individuals. Stop seeing  employees as names on the payroll sheet and start seeing them as mothers, fathers, artist, and  skilled professionals. This will change your entire outlook, and the way they look at you too. 5. Commit to being  better Leadership isn’t something that can thrive independent of effort. If you want to become a strong  leader and maximize the talents and abilities of your followers, then you have to make a  concerted effort to mold yourself into the person you want to be.  Keep these tips in mind as you grow. It may take some time and plenty of patience, but you’ll  eventually see the results of your hard work. Author:  Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on Twitter  and LinkedIn. Image: Shutterstock

The way you prepare for the worst reveals a bit of who you are

The way you prepare for the worst reveals a bit of who you are Now that the war is official, the workday will change a little bit for everyone. Furtive looks to CNN will be more frequent. Travel will be less frequent. And many people will be nervous for themselves or for loved ones. Depending on where we think danger lies, each of us will do a few quirky things to prepare our work selves for war. As a New Yorker who was at the World Trade Center on September 11, I probably worry more than most people. I have started working closer to home so that in the event of emergency, I dont have to cross a bridge to get back to my son. (Bridges and tunnels closed in New York City on September 11.) You might think this precaution is extreme, but here in New York, you can feel the tension over terrorism, and most of it focuses on work. After all, thats where most people were the last time terror struck. My friend who escaped the World Financial Center on September 11 focuses his worrying on the logistics of escape. He warns everyone to know where exits are in your office and to have a good computer backup system. This way you wont have to think about what youre leaving in the office if you have to run. (To some this planning might sound extreme, but New Yorkers remember that at least one person died in the last terrorist attack because he took time to finish up his office work before he left the building.) The war makes my brother Mike worry about money. (Not surprising since he works in finance.) He worries that if his New York office is blown up, he will not have life insurance. He explains that while most companies offer employees life insurance, most companies do not actually hold a large enough policy to cover all employees if their building blows up. Usually the rules of coverage dictate that the highest up in the company receive insurance coverage first. So, to prepare for possible violence, Mike is taking out a separate life insurance policy for himself. Workplace war preparedness goes beyond New York. My moms office, in Illinois, now has departure drills. They practice for a crisis where they cannot leave the building, and they practice a plan for evacuating the building. This is not a bad idea; the success of the World Trade Center evacuation is largely attributed to the earlier drills. And, my mom says her co-workers feel more calm in the face of war because their company is thinking about the safety of employees. My friend Liz, in Los Angeles, has a stash of canned food and a flashlight in her desk drawer. You never know about terrorism, she said. And if I get stuck at work, I dont want to be hungry. I asked her if her co-workers are taking precautions and she said, in general, no. But she lives in LA, and she pointed out that people already have supplies in their offices in case of an earthquake. At this point, we live in a country that associates terrorism with the workplace. And now that we are officially at war, the threat feels more palpable. You probably wont keep canned food at your desk. But maybe you will take a tour of your office building stairwells. The most important thing is to recognize your own level of anxiety, and take actions to calm yourself down. Whatever action you take will reflect the type of things you worry about, and the type of person you are.

Personal Brands Did You Trick or Treat - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brands Did You Trick or Treat - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Inhibitions are gone when the costume is on. Last Sunday night, you may have taken on a new identity in search of a pillowcase filled with candy. Or, perhaps like 52 million adults, you dressed up in search of a romantic partner in a bar filled with Lady Gagas and Jersey Shore’s Snooki. Those were number one and number two, among the most popular costumes this year.   Given that those two look like it’s Halloween every day of the year, and the endless celebration of their characters (not character) we endure, how could they not be top of mind as you exchange your identity for something bigger, better, or perhaps radically different than you are? Getting into character My parents took my sister and me to the theater often, starting way back when they were a young married couple in Manhattan. It was the Mad Men era, or more accurately the time of The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit as author Sloan Wilson sketched the lives of discontented businessmen and their cinched-waist wives. As their children, we were dressed up in miniature versions of that era’s women, with tiny white gloves, small hats and shirtwaist dresses over crinoline slips. Despite the fact that we were just barely getting by financially, or perhaps because of it: we literally dressed up for an evening of theater. Nothing about being poor then or its stepsister “broke,” ever, has undermined that legacy of a not minor amount of glamour being de rigueur on occasions. Up until June this year when my mother died, there was never a meeting, presentation, seminar, brunch or evening out where we failed to have the “dress up” QA. She would ask, “What did you wear?” And, with all the hopefulness of a person who did everything she could when she was still in charge, came her follow-up query, “Did you put lipstick on?” My DNA often shows itself when you see me during the occasions where I am on-purpose. I dress in “costume” for keynotes, seminars, and meetings and just about anytime it would serve my standing to look smart. Because it is smart to get into character â€" which shows your character â€" when you are creating and taking full advantage of opportunities that make the difference between your getting the gig or applause, or not. I put on a smart-looking suit or dress, and I put on make-up. Recently, I spurge on getting my hair done, since my audiences are increasing larger and so are their expectations, plus there are cameras that record my every word and wrinkle. As a career coach, I am meeting way too many people who haven’t yet leveraged everything they have, to get everything they want. Now is the time to expand on your brand. Personal Brands: dress the part. That will help you “get over yourself.” That will get you beyond being self-conscious about promoting yourself, and doing it relentlessly. Are you one of the amazing and worthy people who can’t stand talking about your own brand? With nearly every new coaching client I am compelled to say: “Okay, if you can’t bear to promote yourself to people who are the gatekeepers to what you want: stop thinking this is about YOU. Think of YOU as a product, something you must package attractively, since you are the ‘product specialist.’ Deal with being a personal brand, because you are also the brand manager.” Some people have an awfully debilitating “aw shucks” attitude, preventing themselves from presenting a highly polished image, gleaming with strengths and achievements. They don’t see themselves as a proud and hopeful inventor and investor, who birthed and reared this brand â€" and now deserve the riches that come from other people “buying it.” Dress the part Personal brands: if you do only one thing differently as Q4 2010 reels toward its end, dress up for the role you want to play in business. Get a jacket and tie on (it looks cute on women, too), get a good haircut, and gender appropriately wear lipstick or lip balm. As my grandfather once said, “First they look, then they listen.” Staging yourself to “look the part” may feel like a trick, but you will love the way you get treated. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

Whats Irritating About E-mail - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Whats Irritating About E-mail - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In recent years I’ve polled hundreds of people about their work in the digital age. Last week I wrote about what’s irritating to people about cellphones. This week, it’s what’s irritating about e-mail? When people: Give no greeting or sign-off Provide incomplete information Send messages that have typos and poor punctuation and sentence structures Put quotes or sayings in their signatures Expect a reply in five minutes Ask questions that can’t be answered in an e-mail and that require a phone call Sound cold or inhuman Write overly short, curt messages Send long e-mails or send long e-mail chains that I have to go back into to get context while they write, “What do you think?” Don’t reread their words to determine if the wrong unwritten message was sent Send e-mails with mixed topics Use subject lines that don’t reflect the e-mail’s content Repeatedly put in the subject line “Please read” or “Urgent” Don’t use the addressee’s name ?Forward e-mails without asking Don’t respond ?Send something important via e-mail that deserves a phone call instead Send an e-mail rather than having the courage to talk to me directly Type with bold, caps, wild fonts, or red text Sit close by but send an e-mail instead of getting up and stopping by my office to ask a question Give one-word answers to complicated e-mails Don’t bother to read the e-mail trail and respond blindly Send long e-mails without paragraphing Don’t include a phone number or any other optional contact information Lazily hit Reply all when individual, targeted responses are necessary Write in an emotional state Take a tone in written form they’d never take in person Write as if they were in an informal conversation instead of ?being engaged in business correspondence Use abbreviations and emoticons Now that you are reminded, refrain from doing the above!

10 Best (And Worst) Answers to the Most Common Interview Questions

10 Best (And Worst) Answers to the Most Common Interview Questions Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comNot having an answer to common job interview questions can make a stressful experience worse.?The good news is that interviewers tend to draw their material from a well-established pool of reliable, tried, and tested questions.Don’t be fooled, however. There are still ways to drop the ball even when you have a pretty good idea of what’s going to be asked. Below is a list of the 10 best How Not to Answer:“I was fired last year and I’ve been desperately looking for a new job since then.”evalAvoid being too candid, especially if the reason isn’t flattering. Many candidates struggle with this question, in part because it seems simple at first. However, the last thing you want to do is come off as desperate, undesirable, or like you haven’t given it much thought.How To Answer:“I’ve been looking for an opportunity with a growing company. With my prior experience in client management, I believe I will be an asset during the upcoming expansion tha t I’ve read about.”It should go without saying that you’ve researched the company you’re interviewing with. Use this as an opportunity to cite one or two facts you’ve learned that drew you to the company, especially if they relate to the position.Everyone is going to say “it sounded like a good position in a good company.” Set yourself apart with a strong answer to a common question that sees its fair share of ho-hum answers.2. What Is Your Greatest Weakness?How Not to Answer:“I’m constantly late and I goof off at work too much”The bad part about this question is that if anyone answered it honestly, no one would ever get hired. The good part is that the interviewer doesn’t really expect an honest answer. They’re more interested in how you approach the question.evalAvoid giving yourself backhanded compliments such as “I’m a perfectionist,” “I work too hard,” or “I care too much about my clients.” These answers are bogus and everyone knows it. Als o, avoid the dreaded “I have none” response. You’ve just lied.How To Answer:No one expects you to reveal a deep, personal flaw. A better approach is to take a weakness, especially if it’s one you’ve conquered, and demonstrate how you’ve managed to overcome it.“I used to work much better on my own, and group projects were difficult for me. I knew I had to break out of this so in college I forced myself to take classes that focused on team building. I’ve even taken a few extra courses on the subject and attended a few seminars. I think there’s always more work to be done, but I don’t worry about working in a group setting anymore.”3. Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years?How Not to Answer:Whatever you do, do not say some form of “I don’t know.” It conveys the notion that you aren’t goal-oriented and haven’t thought about the future. You also want to avoid telling the interviewer that you envision yourself running the company, or worse, that you’ll h ave their job.How To Answer:evalIf you avoid the obvious pitfalls, this is a question that can be answered in several safe ways. Working hard and growing with the company, hopefully moving into a management role, taking on more responsibilities, etc.Be honest about your desire to advance your career, but frame it in a way that’s good for the company too. One “cute” answer I’ve heard is: “Celebrating the 5th anniversary of you asking me that question!” It’s a corny response, but can resonate with the right interviewer.4. Tell Me About YourselfHow Not to Answer:This is a dreaded question because it doesn’t have a direct answer and it forces you to give a short speech about yourself. Whatever you do, do not go on a long diatribe about your life. That’s not what they’re interested in.How To Answer:Realize that the interviewer is asking you to sell yourself to them. This is the verbal version of your cover letter. Give them a brief overview of your education, past emp loyment, and relevant skills. Keep your answer short, focused, and related to the position you are interviewing for. They will ask follow-up questions if they want more information.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.com5. Do You Have Any Questions?evalHow Not to Answer:“No.”The best interviews should be a conversation, with both sides asking questions and learning new information. If you have no questions, you’re either saying you aren’t interested or haven’t thought that far ahead. Either one is bad.This is also not the time to ask about money or job perks. You’ve just finished hearing about this exciting job opportunity. When asked if you have any questions, you want something better than “how much time off do I get?”How To Answer:This is an opportunity to show that you’ve been paying attention during the interview, are still interested in the position, and have done some research on the company as well. Don’t’ be afraid to put their questions back on them. Some example s:Where does the company see itself in five years?Describe your ideal candidate?If I were to start tomorrow, what are the short-term goals for this position, say over the next three months? Six months? And so on.6. Why Should I Hire You?How Not To Answer:“I’ll do a great job,” I’m the best person for the job,” I’m really passionate about this position.”evalThese are answers that interviewers hear all day. They expect you to feel this way.How To Answer:What the interviewer is really asking is “tell me what sets you apart.” This is an opportunity to go over your education, experience, and skillset and directly apply it to the position. Highlight relevant accomplishments, i.e. “in my previous role as director of sales I increased revenue 20% over my tenure.”The question isn’t “why should I hire you?” It’s “why should I hire YOU?” Don’t just tell them you’re the best candidate for the job, show them WHY.7. What Are Your Salary Expectations?How Not T o Answer:“I don’t know. What are you offering?”The dance around the compensation discussion can be a tenuous one. However, when it does come up; don’t be caught unaware. Not only does a response like this indicate that you’re unprepared for this discussion, it lacks assertiveness.evalHow To Answer:“Based on my experience, and the research available; I think my salary should fall into a range of between X and Y.”Generally, you don’t want to be the first person to start talking about money. However, it is going to come up eventually and you want to have a clear, reasonable number or range in mind. Don’t be afraid to cite statistics either.State it plainly. Be concise, respectful and knowledgeable. There’s no shame in having this conversation, so don’t feel embarrassed by talking about it.8. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?How Not To Answer:“That place was horrible! I couldn’t wait to get out of there!”Avoid bad-mouthing your former company, boss, or co-work ers. Everyone know that sometimes a job isn’t the right fit. What they don’t want is a glimpse at how you’ll be talking about them at your next stop.How to Answer:“It wasn’t the right fit for me. I enjoyed my time there, but I was looking for something with more opportunities for advancement.”Be honest, but tread carefully if you’ve left under poor circumstances. Speak about goals, readiness, or a desire for personal growth and development. The interviewer wants to know that you aren’t going to bail on them in a few months.9. Tell Me About Your Worst BossHow Not To Answer:“He was a jerk! I couldn’t wait to get out of there!”Like the job question, this is not an opportunity to rip on your former employer. Avoid personal details or complaints. Your old boss may have been a jerk, but this is not the time to bring it up.How to Answer:“I once had a manager who had a problem staying on a schedule. It made holding team meetings difficult and group projects suffered. However, we were able to motivate ourselves to stay on task and it really taught me the value to be had in organization and time management.”Speak in terms of the lessons you learned from the experience. If your boss was constantly late, mention that you learned the value of timeliness. If they were disorganized, you learned the importance of efficient workflow, etc.The interviewer is more interested in how you’ve dealt with adversity in the workplace than they are in hearing a list of personal attacks on someone’s flaws.10. The Random QuestionHow Not To Answer:It’s silly, but interviewers will often throw a curveball question into the mix. What kind of color, ice cream flavor, or animal would you be, etc.? The answer isn’t that important, but try not to fumble over your words or blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind.How to Answer:The good news is that there really is no wrong answer. The interviewer isn’t going to throw out your resume if you say “aardvar k” when they were looking for an “elephant.” Rather, these questions are meant to see how you think on your feet when presented with a scenario that you didn’t spend all yesterday thinking about.“I would be an apple. Tough on the outside but sweet on the inside”is a better response than“I kind of like oranges because they taste good.”“I would be a giraffe. Always reaching for the top of the tree,”is a better answer than“being a dog would be cool, I guess.”It’s perfectly okay to take a moment to consider your answer before responding. Truthfully, these questions may be some of the most important ones you answer. Interviewers will expect you to have ready-made answers to common interview questions. How you handle the ones that stick out can go a long way.Preparedness is KeyJob interviews take all kinds of twists and turns. The best ones wind up being more like a conversation than an interrogation.Be prepared for the questions above, research the company, and know a thing or two about why you’re there before you take a seat.If you study the responses above, you’ll be ahead of the game!

Everyone deserves a happy career. Heres how to get it. - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Everyone deserves a happy career. Heres how to get it. - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Time and again, we see a bell-curve response to surveys on workplace happiness ? 20% engaged and happy, 20% disengaged, 60% in the ?so-so? zone. Why don?t people pay a little more attention (and a whole lot more respect!) to their own happiness ? and what happens when they do? In this hilarious talk from the 2017 International Conference on Happiness at Work in Copenhagen Irish career expert Rowan Manahan will show you how to use happiness at work as a career advantage. Because the science is clear: While success is no guarantee of happiness, people who love their jobs are more productive, innovative and motivated and ultimately more successful in their careers and in life. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

State of NH Resume Writing - How to Get The Best

State of NH Resume Writing - How to Get The BestIf you are looking for a state of NH resume writing service, there are a few things you should know about. Not all the services in the market are providing a quality service. With these tips, you can get the best out of your resume writing service and turn out to be a highly proficient, qualified, professional individual.First, do not hire a company that is well-known for its quality in the state of NH resume writing. Such companies will charge you exorbitant rates as they will have to pay their own marketing costs in order to reach potential clients. They might even be using other persons' resumes to create theirs.Second, do not pick a company that does not have a good history of meeting the deadlines they set. This could cost you a lot of time in the long run. There are plenty of people who try to rush the job in order to get an immediate result.Third, do not be daunted by the thought of the very complex state of NH resume writing. Yo u can get away with just a simple one-page letter. The short information that you want to place in your letter will include your contact details and the full name of the company that you are working for. Make sure you indicate what position you are looking for.Fourth, you should be able to get any details of the state of NH from your resume. This means that you should make sure that the requirements are listed and that you are not left out of anything. You should also make sure that your name is included in the entire job description. Do not forget to mention your training, education and previous work experience.Fifth, you should know that your state of NH resume writing needs to be specific. State the date when you graduated from the college, when you went into business and when you are trying to find a new job. All these details will help the state to know if you have the right knowledge to write a state of NH resume. Make sure you also mention the position that you are looking fo r.Sixth, you should learn that a state of NH resume is not enough. There are other methods of sending a resume, such as by mail, fax and email. You should be able to mention these ways in your resume as well.Last, do not ever hire a state of NH resume writing service because they are more expensive than your competitors. Your goal should be to find the best service possible, not to spend more. Get the most out of your resources and write a state of NH resume in no time.