Jay Wren – Page 54 – Be in the Top 1% in Mindset – Leadership

4 Questions of a Successful Career Plan

4 Questions of a Successful Career

Here are four questions to ask yourself in planning your career and in adjusting your career plan over time.

What do you want to do?

Write down what you want to do on the job. Write down where you want to live. Write down whether you want to work from home or go to a place outside of your home to work. Write down whether you want to work for yourself or for someone else.

You should use this process or a similar process every time you evaluate the progress of your career.

These are your career goals. If you don’t know your goals, how can you possibly achieve your them?

What are you capable of doing?

Write down your experience in managing projects, managing people, creating innovation and change, processing data, writing software or publications, and using applications and tools. Make a list under each category. These are your abilities.

What jobs match your goals and your abilities?

You can research this information from job descriptions that you find on Internet job listing sites. There are also career aptitude tests. ” Take the Career Aptitude Test | Rasmussen College” and “Career Aptitude Test | What Career is Right for Me” are two popular tests.

For a video of the Fastest Growing Occupations 2014-24, click here.

Who is hiring for the jobs that match what your goals and your abilities?

Now you are getting to an actual job search. If you have narrowed down the industries you want to pursue, you can start to approach companies in these industries directly. Many companies list their jobs on their company website. If you know someone working at a company where you want to work, contact that person directly. Identify recruiters in the industry you want to pursue and contact those recruiters. Check newspapers for job listings in your preferred field. Check trade journals specific to your industry for jobs.

The best way to find jobs and jobs descriptions is in a search engine and not a job board or job search engine.

9 Steps to Greater Success by Working Less

Here are 9 steps to greater success by working less.

Value your time.

People who value their time more than money are happier, according to an article from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Interrupt people who are wasting your time.

Learn how tactfully to say, “This isn’t working.” In interviewing, for example, most hiring managers allow applicants thirty minutes to an hour to make their case. However, I could often tell how well a person’s interview went by knowing how long that person spent interviewing with a senior vice president or president of a company. These people would end interviews as soon as they decided that a candidate was not a fit.

Ask for help.

Success is a team sport. Successful people ask for help. I could do all the things that my secretary did. I could type, file cards, answer all the calls, but I made a lot more money when I let my secretary do these things and I focused on recruiting.

Get things done.

“It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?” asked Henry David Thoreau. I can work very hard. At the end of the day, I may be very tired. But I don’t make any money when I don’t get the things done that will make money.

Stay in the present moment.

Regrets, resentments, and guilt reside in the past. Fear exists in the future. Ruminating over the past or imaging the bad things that can happen in the future is a painful waste of time. The only moment anyone has is the present moment, the time when we can make decisions and take action.

Know your strengths and your weaknesses.

I can waste a lot of time trying to do things that I just can’t do well. I can use that same time being highly productive doing things that fit my skills and my purpose. Although developing new skills is important, building skills based on my strengths is the most effective and efficient way to find success.

Stick to the point.

I enjoy giving my point of view. I enjoy adding information to a discussion. But business meetings are not the time to be long winded. Extra information wastes time. Too much information can create confusion. Everyone benefits when people stick to the subject and get to the point.

Stop replying to every email and returning every phone call.

Unless I need someone to take action, I don’t need to acknowledge an email or a call I receive.

Be honest with yourself about yourself.

An article on Kellogg Insight discusses the dangers of faking it until you make it. If something doesn’t feel right, I need to check in with people I can trust and get their help in clearing my mind and getting back on track. If I don’t understand something, I need to be honest with myself. I can then ask questions to learn what I need to know.

8 Leadership Skills You Can Develop Now

Leadership skills: here are 8 leadership skills you can develop now.

1. Share your ideas with others.
  It takes time and patience to share ideas and train team members. Leaders who invest this time to show team members shortcuts and special skills increase the success of the individual members of the team and the success of the entire team.
2. Delegate responsibility.
  Caught in the daily cycle of handling routine responsibilities, managers can procrastinate working with team members to take on additional responsibility. However, as team members take on new responsibility, they increase their abilities to move up on the company and take on greater roles. Delegating responsibility is the first step in succession planning and in increasing employee value.
3. Become a big picture person.
  Good leaders know that a minor slight or small loss today has no significance in the big picture. In my relationships, I can remember that no one is perfect. I can view people for their overall value and not their occasional shortcomings. I don’t need to pole vault over cracks in the cement. I can keep things in perspective relative to the big picture.
4. Improve your communication skills.
  Everyone can work on this basic skill every day. For me, the single best way to improve this skill is to become a sponge and not a waterspout. I can read more than I write. I can listen more than I speak. When I read and listen to effective communicators, I pick up good communication skills from the imprinting that takes places. I have found that when I read great stylists like Faulkner and Hemingway, I have to resist writing in the same rhythm, sentence structure, and style they use. I also ask for feedback from well-read and well-spoken people. Discussing what I am writing with these people gives me ideas for polishing my skills. I remember that a local newscaster from Houston told me how they had listened to diction tapes to overcome their southern drawl.

Allow others to take go center stage.
I can encourage others to take the lead. It never ceases to amaze me to see how another person’s face can light up when I ask them lead to a meeting. Many wallflowers are quietly waiting to receive recognition.
Give credit to other people.
Saying, “Thank you” is easy to do. People appreciate it when I say, “You did a good job.” It is important to pass the credit on to the correct person when someone recognizes me for the work other people have done. Giving credit to the correct person quickly is easy and helps keep relationships solid.
Show concern for people who are struggling. I once became impatient with a secretary who was hesitant about helping me schedule a flight. When I pressed her on the matter, she confessed that she had never scheduled a flight. She had never been on an airplane. The fact was awkward for her. She was so bright and capable in so many ways. I apologized for my impatience. I explained the simple process to her. She booked the flights. A little bit of patience from me helped us both move on to the important things we needed to do that day.
Practice what you preach.
Boy does that sound preachy when it comes from someone else. It is very easy for me to criticize other people for their shortcomings and ignore my own. For the people around me to respect me, I can’t say one thing and do another.

10 Ways to Get Respect at Work

Getting Respect at Work affects your income, job security, and career progress. Here are 10 ways to get respect at work.

You Will Get Respect When You Give Credit.
People gain respect when they give credit to the correct person. Giving credit is a compliment with substance.

On the other hand, people who claim credit for the work of other people lose respect. People who know that these people are undeserving of that credit will resent the dishonesty.

“Getting the assignment of credit right is important to everyone. It is a driver of high performance.”

If you give credit, you will get respect and make your company stronger.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Admit Mistakes.
Everyone makes mistakes. Successful people admit them and do not repeat them. People will respect you if you correct your mistakes and move on.

Don’t make excuses for failing to do your work. Be honest. You just did not do the work. You regret it. When you admit your mistakes and not repeat them, you will get respect.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Do Your Job.
Get a copy of your job description. Read it with your boss. Discuss regularly with your boss what you are doing. When you are uncertain about what you are doing, ask your boss for information.

Be conscientious about the way you do your job.

“The only major personality trait that consistently leads to success is conscientiousness.”

Your boss will respect you for knowing and doing what you are supposed to do. Your co-workers will respect you.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Let Other People Do Their Job.
There are two parts to letting people do their job.

First, do not do let people take advantage of you. Being a team player and helping other people occasionally is one thing. Having people use you to do their work is not the way to get respect at work.

Second, do not interfere with other people by meddling in their job. People do not always want your advice. People certainly do not want you to do their job and take credit for what their job.

By respecting the job of other people, you will get respect.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Lighten Up.
If you don’t take yourself too seriously, people will respect you more. Your daily routine is a marathon, not a sprint. If you come to work everyday and load the workplace with pressure, you will create tension.

Be sincere. Work hard. Be straightforward with your supervisors, co-workers, and people you manage. Take your work seriously. However, don’t take everything so seriously that you can’t accept mistakes and adjustments in the daily routine. People will enjoy working with you and you will get respect.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Keep Your Word.
Honor your commitments. If you know that you can’t do something or that you will not do something, be honest about it. Don’t make a commitment to do things that you can’t or will not do. Keeping your word is basic to getting respect.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Are Punctual.
People will quickly get weary of dealing with you if you are late all the time. Make your appointments on time. Complete your work on time.

You will get respect when people know they can trust you to complete your work on time.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Respect Your Personal Appearance.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Keep your hair groomed. Keep your shirt or blouse tucked in. Wear clean clothes.

Don’t overdress for the job. You just want to look professional. You want to look neat.

If your boss wears khakis and an open-collar shirt, don’t wear a three-piece suit. If your boss wears a blouse and a skirt, don’t wear expensive dresses.

You want to look like part of the team. Imagine the manager of a major league baseball team wearing a suit in the dugout during the baseball game instead of wearing a team uniform. Imagine a professional basketball coach wearing a basketball uniform instead of a suit.

You will get respect when you respect yourself in how you dress.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You When You Avoid Gossip and Confidences
A quick way to ruin relationships is to gossip. Avoid people who gossip. The only people who respect people who gossip are other people who gossip.

Keep confidences. When someone tells you something personal or private, keep it to yourself. Even if you do not make a commitment to keep the information private, respect the trust that people have given you. People do not respect people who break their confidences.

You will get respect as a person who is trustworthy.

You Will Get the Respect You Deserve When You Show Confidence.
Be confident in your body language, in what you say, and how you say it.

Stay calm. “Courage is grace under pressure,” to quote Ernest Hemingway. Confidence is grace under any circumstance.

Respect starts with you. Dress the part. Act the part. People will respect you for doing a good job and being a great asset.

8 Winning Tips for Telephone Meetings

8 Winning Tips for Telephone Meetings: Telephone meetings have increased in popularity. More people work from home. Face-to-face communication over the Internet is easier.

Before the telephone meeting, prepare as though someone is coming to meet you in your office.

Have these things on your desk:

A statement of the purpose of the meeting
Any correspondence or research you have that relates to the meeting
A list of key points you wish to make
A list of questions

Select your interview place carefully.

Pick a quiet room.
Have a glass of water immediately handy.
Pick a comfortable chair.

Even though you are on the phone, let your personality shine, especially if you are on a facetime call.

Smile. You will project warmth whether the other people can see you or not.
Listen to the questions. Make sure you understand the question before you answer it. Answer the questions people ask. Do not just respond with subjects that relate to the question.
Remember to take a quiet deep breath from time to time.
Say positive things about yourself and about the other people.

Remember to focus.

Check you notes as you go along.
Make notes about the things other people say during the call.
Don’t bring up new subjects until you have finished discussing the purpose of the call.

Ask questions to keep others involved.

If you are seeking a commitment, ask trial close questions: for example, ask the other people when the company will make a decision.
Emphasize that you are definitely interested in going forward with the opportunity.

Do not allow interruptions.

If you get another call, ignore it.
Make sure that people around you know not to disturb you.
Certainly do not multi-task.
Do not talk over other people.
Do not try to tell a joke.
Do not fake your answers. If you do not know that answer to a question, just say so.

Remember to close on an upbeat.

Thank the others for taking time to speak with you. Emphasize that you hope to have a chance to speak again.

8 Simple Steps for Successful Presentations

Here are 8 simple steps for successful presentations. Whether you are in an interview, business meeting, or sales call, these steps will make your meetings more successful.

1. Before you go to a meeting, do your homework on the person and the organization of the people in your meeting. Use this research to show how what you are presenting fits the needs to of your audience or buyers.
2. Know what types of information will interest the people you are meeting. If they hate a lot of facts and figures, don’t burden them with graphs and charts that will turn them off. Keep your presentation to what, when, and where.
3. Know the goals of the people you are meeting. Do they want to increase sales, even at the expense of low margins? Create an advertising campaign with a reduced sales price that will draw customers into their stores. Do they want a sales campaign that shows how their store sells quality products? Create a sales campaign that associates their store brand and your product with images of quality and integrity.
4. Know how the buying process works. If you are selling to a buyer who will need to present your information to a committee for decision, prepare a presentation that is simple, compelling, and easy to understand. If you are in a business meeting where you simply need to give people an update, focus your presentation on the key facts that these people need to know.

Prepare your presentation for the size of your meeting. If you audience is small, you can hand everyone a copy of your information. If your meeting is large, use a screen to show the key points of your presentation.
Keep your presentation simple. Have a key phrase that will deliver the benefits of your message. In presenting the iPod presentation, Steve Jobs focused on the ease and convenience of the iPod by saying, “A thousand tunes in your pocket.”
Stay positive. Don’t trash your competitor or the ideas of other people in your meeting. Focus on what is right about what you are presenting and not what is wrong with the ideas of other people. If you do need to contrast your ideas with those of others, do so in a positive way.
End with a call to action. For example, ask this type of question. “Should we begin on the first or second week of the month?”

The First 90 Days in Your New Job

Do you want to have a successful start in the first 90 days in your new job? Here are some ideas to help you achieve success during that critical time in working for a new company.

In the book “The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter,” Michael Watkins writes about the situations an executive should focus on when beginning a new job.

“Transitions are a critical time for leaders. In fact, most agree that moving into a new role is the biggest challenge a manager will face. While transitions offer a chance to start fresh and make needed changes in an organization, they also place leaders in a position of acute vulnerability. Missteps made during the crucial first three months in a new role can jeopardize or even derail your success.”

The 30-60-90-Day Plan for Jobs and Job Interviews

6 Steps to Success in the First 90 Days

My Personal Experience

When I went from Procter & Gamble to Polaroid, I made similar adaptations. The products I sold at Procter & Gamble had different sales cycles than the products I sold and at Polaroid. Procter & Gamble’s products are fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG): toothpaste, laundry detergent, facial tissue, beauty aids, etc. At Procter & Gamble, one month was similar to the next month. Consumer buys these products at the same rate year round.

At Polaroid, I was selling seasonal products. Summer travel season was an important period for sales. The winter holiday season was the largest sales period for Polaroid.
The sales team sold seasonal film orders in the spring for shipment in the summer. They sold cameras and film in July for shipment from August through November. As the holiday season approached, the sales team would make additional rounds through their territory to sell film.

Retailers sold as much Polaroid film in one day in December as they sold the entire month of January. The transition for me required adapting to different selling cycles and new methods of projecting sales.

Are You Interviewing with The Wrong Company?

Are you interviewing with the wrong company? Use these follow tips to avoid your time to avoid wasting your time.

As the owner of a recruiting firm, I worked with applicants who dealt with troubling issues during the interview process. Here are some of the things I learned from my experience in helping these applicants

The company location is unsafe.

In major metropolitan areas, office and factory spaces are expensive. In an attempt to keep costs in line, some companies locate their offices in inexpensive locations. In major metropolitan areas, the less expensive locations are often in high crime locations. I have had three clients whose offices were inside chain link fences that had barbed wire on the top. Even though these companies had highly recognizable brands, the companies were small and the cost of safe locations was a challenge to their bottom line.

If you do not believe that the location is safe, you need to ask yourself whether you are interviewing with the right company.

The interviewers fail to keep their commitments.

In some cases, interviewers have valid reasons for cancelling an appointment, and they explain those reasons to you. An easy way to handle the situation is to show understanding and simply reschedule.

However, sometimes failing to keep commitments is a red flag.

The interviewers cancel appointments without attempting to reschedule.
The interviewers cancel appointments more than once.
The interviewers completely fail to call you or to meet with you without calling to cancel or reschedule.

Interviewers take calls during your interview, or they allow people to come into their office to interrupt your interview.

This type of behavior is a sign that the interviewer is not interested in you or, perhaps, simply does not respect your time.

Remember that the way an interviewer handles an interview is a sign of how a company deals with its employees. This behavior is uncommon, but when it has happened, applicants have often complained to me about it and rightfully so.

The company withholds details on benefits and salary range during the interview process.

The company benefits and compensation are confidential information. For competitive security issues, companies must protect the details of their operations. However, to avoid wasting their own time and the applicant’s time, the best interviewers provide general information on benefits and compensation. Often, companies include information on benefits and compensation on the job description.

Why Friends Don’t Post Politics on Social Media

When politicians offend you, they are not talking to you.

They are talking to the people who will likely vote for them. Everything that Politicians say offends someone.

When politicians are on the campaign stump, the best politicians say things that draw headlines. The media people pick these things from political speeches and write their headlines. Conservative, liberal, and progressive media use headlines to draw subscribers. They select political statements from politicians that can show how terrible stupid, ludicrous, and offensive a politician can be, and they post political statements that show how appealing an opposition politician can be. They select the statements that appeal to the way that their readers want to view the news.

When the people in the media offend you, they are not speaking to you.

People enjoy reading and listening to media that says things that they like. People do not enjoy reading or listening to things they don’t like. Political media is more about what people giving people what they like to read hear than what they want to learn.

The rules for social media are the same as the rules for a dinner party.

For most people, social media is not a political forum. It is like a dinner party. Most people want to read things they enjoy and things that teach things. They are there to enjoy each other’s company.

When people create social media profiles that are not political and then take political positions, they can affect their personal relationships and their careers.

Social Media

The best practice is to follow not only the social guidelines but to stay in character. Elise Abbott stepped out of character when, as a reporter, she tweeted a politically based opinion instead of what people expect from journalist who report the news, but do not comment on the news.

There are politicians on social media who create support for their careers through political statements on Facebook or Twitter. These people are politicians. Their profile says that they are political figures. Their posts support their political views. When people become friends with politicians on social media, these know what to expect from the relationship. They expect and they get the politics that is consistent with the views of the politicians.

There are people on Facebook and Twitter whose profile shows them as friends connecting with friends or as business people who are seeking to promote their business. They step out of character when their posts only support their political views: Do these people only want friends, clients, or customers who are either Republicans or Democrats? If they do, they are missing half of their potential customers. I suspect that either these people do not understand the conflict between business marketing and political positioning or they just can’t resist the urge to say what they believe politically with the belief that they must take a stand.

A better approach would be to keep their personal profile built on their business just that, a personal profile built on their business by posting updates on either themselves or their business. If they want a forum for their politics, I recommend that they create a page that represents their political views.

A way to demonstrate best practices in social media is to view the Facebook business pages of major companies.

Go to the Facebook pages of the largest companies in America. They are no political views on these Facebook pages. But there is information on their company developments and products.

How Successful People Manage the Future

How do successful people manage the future? They don’t. Even when they are planning, they are not managing the future. They are managing their plans for the future.

The future doesn’t exists. There is a sign that hangs above some bars: “Free beer tomorrow.” Of course, the same sign will be hanging above the bar tomorrow and carry the same message. People who are coming back for free beer tomorrow will just have to keep coming back forever.

But what about times when life hands us bad hands? Don’t bad hands affect the future? No one really knows how today’s hands will affect the hands that we get tomorrow. Life deals everyone bad hands. Just ask poker players. They all get bad hands. Great poker players know that over the long-term, bad hands and good hands even out. Whether or not they make money depends on how they play the hand they hold in the present moment. They focus on each hand with three questions. Do I call raise with the present hand? Do I call with the present hand? Do I fold the present hand?
When I became a recruiter, I went through a training period. The trainer emphasized the importance of treating all calls, whether good new or bad news, as having the same value. Some calls have positive results. Other calls have negative results. But both calls have equal value over the course of a career in recruiting. The key to managing the future of my success was (a) to keep making calls and (b) to become better at learning with each call.