3 Proven Strategies That Will Supercharge Your Team

3 Proven Strategies That Will Supercharge Your Team There are two ways to create a top-performing team. You can try to transfer, fire, and hire your way to a team that, on paper, looks great. Or you can be a leader. High-performance teams aren’t clobbered and pieced together; they are forged. And if you’re doing your job effectively, any human soul can be properly forged in your furnaceâ€"if you follow three proven strategies. Consider this example: Say there’s a member of your sales team who’s underperforming and threatening a project’s success. Sound familiar? This is where you make your first choice. You can judge this person on his numbers and throw him into a performance review (and an eventual frustrated exit), or you can think of him as an emotionally driven human being and talk to him. You decide to talk to him. Good choice. Strategy #1: Talk Firstâ€"and Ask Questions. When you talk to him, you ask why he’s struggling. This is important: always ask questions first. Your job is not to force success; it’s to find that something greaterâ€"that spark that lights a fireâ€"which will leverage people into pursuing success whether you ask them to or not. During your talk, you discover this employee just found out his wife is pregnant, and he’s terrified about the prospect of providing for a growing family. Here you make your second choice. Strategy #2: Provide a Path. The average HR manager might listen, nod, empathize and encourage the teammate to keep his head up because losing his job or missing a bonus will only make things harder. But kindness is not enough to give this person leverage. Being nice is not enough to unlock high performance. Instead, you look him in the eye and make him a promise. You tell him you’re going to make him a plan. This plan will include performance milestones, intense goals, and regular performance reviews. If he hits those goals, you promise him you’ll do everything possible to secure a raise and plenty of paternity leave to take care of his new child. That teammate is going to leave the office ready to run through a wall for you. Now, instead of just feeling heard, he feels empowered. You haven’t solved his problem for him. You’ve offered him a path to the life he wants for himself and the people he cares about. Strategy #3: Leverage Human Emotion. Leveraging human emotion is the most powerful thing a leader can do to forge a high-performance team. To do this, though, you need to understand that humans, at their core, are far more emotional than they are practical. It sounds counterintuitive, but your time is better spent engaging the emotions of your team than appealing to their sense of strategy or professional intuition. This ability is what makes the difference between a team that can hit a goal and a team that can pull off the impossible. If all you can leverage is your team’s minds, time, or bank accounts, their objectives at that level will always be out of your reach. It all boils down to this: you sit your team members down, you ask them who they want to be, and then you create the opportunity for them to be what they want. That’s what leveraging emotion is all about. Give people not money, time off, nor a kind shoulder to lean on. Give them purpose. Your job, despite your title, is not to manage people. It’s to discover, champion, and maintain that fire that keeps all members of a team leveraged and managing themselves. High-performance teams are made up exclusively of emotionally leveraged people who are determined to achieve the “something greater” offered to them by a high-performance leader. And that leader can be you. About the author:  Jason Caldwell  is the founder of Latitude 35, a leadership training firm that operates around the globe. He works with top organizationsâ€"including Nike, Booking.com, Columbia Business School, and the Haas School of Businessâ€"and delivers speaking programs to packed crowds at Fortune 500 companies and universities worldwide. A professional adventure racer, Caldwell currently holds over a dozen world records across five continents. His new book is  Navigating the Impossible: Build Extraordinary Teams and Shatter Expectations.  

Yes, Education is The Way Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Yes, Education is The Way Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Updated October 15, 2019 No matter where you are in your career you know things. You actually know a lot more than you think. Sometimes we get down on ourselves for not knowing about X or Y or Z. The fact is  that we know so many things that if we wrote them all down we’d be writing for days. But, what can you do when you are expected to know something new? First, how do you know what you need to know? Second, how do you learn when you need to know something new? Good news … It’s easier than you think. And, you don’t need to spend 10,000 hours either. For the first one the answer is often one of two things. Plus my personal favorite. The first is … your manager, a company you want to work for, a team you want to join, etc. tell you or it’s clear you’ll need a skillset to be considered. The second is … it’s your passion. Your passion can carry you a long way. As I wrote about in Stoke Your Passion and Elevate Your Career. Quite often we learn a lot of ancillary things as we pursue our passions. (What have you learned by chasing your passions? Share your thoughts in the comments.) A third, and my personal favorite, is your curiosity got the best of you. Something piqued your interest and you decided to chase it down. On a very small note I used to always read with a dictionary next to me. Too often I’d end up reading the dictionary and forgetting about the book. Unlike the 10,000 Hour Rule introduced by Malcolm Gladwell there are shortcuts and faster ways to learn things. Sometimes you don’t need to be a master of whatever the task at hand might be. Sometimes you just need proficiency. As mentioned in the Stoke Your Passion and Elevate Your Career  post you can have Temporary Passions (even if they are imposed by others) and can commit to spending 20 hours instead of 10,000 hours. Oftentimes, these mini-passions can be accomplished in 20 hours or less. Pro Tip: Many recruiters often look for Passion Projects. They show what you are truly interested in doing. Commit Yourself to Life Long Learning You’ve heard it before. It’s not a new concept. Some of the greatest minds in history have been Life Long Learners. When you commit yourself to Life Long Learning you will stand out in your career. Some might groan that they “still” need to learn stuff. And, there are times I can completely agree with this. However, in my case, I’ll usually find something that sparks an idea or receive an invitation to do something that I’ve wanted to try or perhaps never even considered. Learning Experiences: Rock Climbing, Attending a TED Talk, Traveling to a Foreign Land I’ve done all three of these (and survived) and was better for it. Of course, your experiences will be unique to you. What If You Don’t Know Something? Simple. Block out 40 minutes a day for one month. When you do this after one month you will have spent  the requisite 20 hours as noted above to learn a Temporary Passion or a specific skill. Will you become an expert in 40 minutes a day? Not likely. However, you will have a keen understanding of whatever it is after one month. Then you can decide if you want to continue learning about it or move onto another topic. Things to Learn: Play the Guitar, Create Power BI Visualizations, Learn a new Language What’s on your list of Things to Learn? Share them here and give them power to help you achieve them. When you don’t know something  â€¦ put on your thinking cap … and commit yourself to being a life long learner. Everyone has a chance to learn something every day. If you are even marginally interested (or mandated) to learn about it take the initial few minutes and make a plan to learn more. If it’s important you may need to re-prioritize your other commitments. Being a Life Long Learner doesn’t mean you change your every day routine. However, you might find yourself waking up a little earlier or squeezing in time during breaks to soak up more information, do one more experiment, or build one more prototype. If it’s important … you’ll prioritize the time. As noted in No One Makes Time … ultimately it’s up to you to decide how you will prioritize your time. Are you taking advantage of these learning opportunities? No matter what they are, who they come from, or  what form they come in … make sure you take advantage of every opportunity to learn. As you educate yourself you will find more opportunities opening up and showing themselves to you. Education helps to you stand out in your career. Education is your way forward.

Volunteering at the Office Altruistic Self-Serving

Volunteering at the Office Altruistic Self-Serving Another year gone. Once again, we’re at the beginning of the holiday season. One aspect of the holiday season is the season of giving. That one time a year were the number of tellers asking for donations sky-rockets, retail workers are driven crazy by the Salvation Army constantly ringing their bell, and army personal stand guard over Toys For Tots bins. And just to ensure you’re bombarded by the season of giving on all fronts, work begins to urge their employees to give. The entire season makes me a feel a little like Scrooge McDuck or the Grinch. I can’t help but wonder, I get hit up for money all year round. I get hit up for money when I go to the store during the holidays? Do I really need to be hit up for money at work as well? It gets you wondering, with all the opportunity to give why are volunteer initiatives cultivated in the workplace? Why do people actually give to them? Genuinely Helping People in Need                             Some just genuinely enjoy giving. These individuals are rare. They’re the Captain America’s of the human population. They flit from one opportunity to give to another gleefully. Work is asking them to donate or volunteer. They just gave twenty dollars to charity last night, but Caps got this. Just tell them when, where, and how. No one puts the give in giving better than Captain America. Helping Fellow Co-workers Work volunteer opportunities can be great opportunities to strengthen bonds between co-workers. Rather than give to one of the nameless, faceless masses, work volunteer opportunities focus its volunteer efforts on ensuring all of their workers families are taken care of. This can strengthen the ties between co-workers and give more meaning to the act of giving. You may not know exactly who the donation will go to, but you do know that it will positively affect people you see every day. Harder Societal Pressure to Donate Not everyone love giving their hard earned money and time to the less fortunate. The Scrooge’s and Grinch’s of the world prefer to hoard their money. At stores, there is very little fallout from being a Scrooge. The teller might give you the stink eye, but you’ll never see her again. Not participating in a work food drive can lead to your co-workers labeling you a Grinch. And some people really need societal pressure to be super good people. Health Benefits Did you know volunteering and donating can improve mental and physical health? In a survey conducted by UnitedHealth Group and Optum Institute, 76% of participants reported feeling healthier and 78% reported lower stress. Yes, volunteering can transform you from an achy Debbie Downer to an energetic, physically enriched Debbie. Forget about volunteering for all of those needy kids, do it so you and everyone around you becomes less of a Debbie Downer. Peacocking There is a minor “look at how good I am” element to public, formal gift giving. Some givers live for the public accolades. They want individuals or a group to acknowledge and reaffirm their charitable action. They’ll bask in the accolades of their peers. It’s a thing apparently that some people like. Personally, I prefer to never, ever be acknowledged. Like Buffy, except with far less death. One-Up Man Ship Some people thrive on competition. Charitable giving is just another way to prove you’re superiority and claim a potential prize. You think you can beat me in giving until it hurts? Think again! Business Charity Matching Sometimes it’s just a way to maximize your gift giving efforts. Some companies in an effort to encourage their employees to volunteer will offer to match a certain percentage of their employees’ contributions. For every old, unwanted can of beans you bring in from the back of your pantry, we’ll contribute another can of food! This is what like to call a win-win situation. Needy people get more donations and you get to claim you gave twice as much to charity that holiday season on your Christmas Card. The best part? If you squint it’s technically true. With charity matching, you don’t need to give until it hurts. Business Marketing Charitable contributions and events look good for businesses. It’s a great networking and marketing technique that many companies leverage, especially smaller business owners. Why? It encourages the employees to form relationships with community leaders. And it allows members of your community to connect the company brand with civic duty. Businesses bank on their good deeds being rewarded indirectly down the line. By participating in this, you could potentially make contacts personally that could help you personally or professionally down the line. Volunteering at the office is a weird mix of altruism and self-serving. At the end of the day, don’t feel pressured to fall in line to give to a work charity. Give to who you want and when you want. If you do give at work, feel free to bask in any of the more self-serving reasons to give. No one says giving has to be a one-sided contribution.

5 Tips for Budding Female IT Specialists From Successful Women

5 Tips for Budding Female IT Specialists From Successful Women Opportunities within the IT world continue to grow and morph. Women have a lot of choices, from 3D animation and web design to something like data entry. Still, starting a new career can feel overwhelming without some guidance. The following are five lessons from other women already making it big within the IT world. Build an Honest Support System There is a lot to consider after getting your Master of IT Leadership from a place like RMIT University, but one thing you cannot forget is building a support system or joining one wherever you go. Sandra Oh, a successful woman in IT, says that sticking with your fellow women makes you feel empowered. You are going to need these feelings to fuel your career, and you get to return the favor to your fellow womankind. Work With the Bias It would be nice to say that woman are going to be respected by every single client or coworker but that is not the case. You can use information this to your advantage. Knowing that some people are going to assume you are less technical than your male co-workers should inform the way you present your work. Sandra Oh suggests that you try to focus on the subjects you are comfortable with rather than something you still need to work on. Thankfully, those who went to RMIT online will be knowledgeable by the time you get a position though further education wont hurt. Be Assertive and Be You The IT world is definitely male-dominated. This makes it harder to feel comfortable within the industry. Of course, this should not deter you, but it is something you need to come to terms with. Many of the successful women in this industry say that one vital thing to learn is how to own your voice. Remember that you were hired for a reason, and you need to own that whenever you feel intimidated. Present your ideas cohesively, and do not be afraid to challenge the norm. One successful woman within the industry, Erica Peterson, says that you need to find a way to create your opportunities because the likelihood of these opportunities being handed to you are slim. Professional Female Guidance Matters Another thing that is quite important for women attempting to navigate the male-dominated IT industry is finding a good mentor. Melinda Gates, an experienced commentator for tech and IT industries, said that finding a good mentor had a huge impact on her career. A mentor can come from anywhere, even from schools you might have attended like RMIT. Keep in mind that what you are attempting to do here with this mentor is learn from them and how to properly face the hurdles within this career. Do not try to use this opportunity just to land a job, which could seem a little disingenuous, and that is not good for anyone. Be Sure to Open Doors A successful businesswoman, Alisha Ramos, says that having role models that are the same gender as you is pretty important. It can help you feel like you can make it no matter the obstacles, which is vital for a budding IT specialist like you, but it is important to remember to share. Youre going to be opening doors in this male-dominated world, but you cannot shut those doors as you pass them. You need to be willing to help other women who are just starting off. You have not gotten your degree just yet or landed a good position, but it is important to remember that what you are going to learn as you move forward in your career is going to be invaluable to others as long as you are willing to help. Hopefully, some of these lessons and advice from women in this field empowers you. There may be times when you feel intimidated, and you might even feel like your voice is betraying you, but try to fight through these feelings. You made it through your lessons. You are going to be hired, and it is all happening because youve earned it, no matter the IT area you decide to focus on.

The Importance of Preparing a Strong Resume

The Importance of Preparing a Strong ResumeIf you are thinking about applying for an accounting or finance job, one of the most important things you need to learn how to do is how to write a strong resume. A lot of applicants apply for a job and are turned down because the job posting doesn't meet their qualifications. That's just not fair. So what can you do to ensure you get that dream job?Writing your resume is no different than writing a letter. You have to explain why you're good at what you're applying for. In this case, you're applying for a job as an accountant. Make sure to tell them you're qualified to do the job. They will definitely be impressed if you show them that you're prepared to show what you can do.Now that you know the importance of preparing a quality paper, let's go into what you can do to prepare your resume. First of all, let's take a look at the content of your resume. Do you want to highlight your achievements, strengths, or skills?One important part of the resume is to highlight your skills. How much experience does your company require from you? If you've been in the same company for a long time, then perhaps you have enough experience to show. But if you haven't had a chance to move up, you may want to consider focusing on those things that you have done recently.Something else you should be thinking about are your previous positions. What were the responsibilities of each position? You can also mention any awards you may have received in your previous jobs.Describe your accomplishments. Don't say that you have done 'too many' things, just state that you have accomplished a great deal. The best way to do this is to put a timeline on it. Make sure to include both your accomplishments and the times you worked on them.What was your previous job? Let your interviewer know what you have done in the past. The more detail you give about your past employment, the more likely you are to get the job. If you have done something in the past th at will help you do your current job, be sure to highlight that information.When you know how to write a strong resume, you will see that your resume has a chance to show your capabilities and what you have accomplished. If you follow these simple tips, you should be able to get your dream job.

Executive Job Seekers Alert Its A New Era of Job Search

Executive Job Seekers Alert Its A New Era of Job Search Executive Job Seekers Alert: Its A New Era of Job Search News flash: It’s a new era of job search and those least prepared to compete are those with the most experience and skills. You! Yes, executive job seekers. While your job searches in the past were a success, the world has changed around you. What does today’s new era look like? Fewer Jobs, More Applicants: There ARE jobs out there so I won’t let you off with the excuse that “there are no jobs”. There are just fewer than pre-2000. The dot com bust and the global economic woes have slowed the hiring pace. Simultaneously, there are more applicants per position so it’s more competitive to “win” a job. You simply must stand out. Hiring Managers and Companies are Using Hiring Technology: Many of you may be unaware of the new applicant screening technology on the company and side. Small, medium and large companies, including recruiters, are investing in software that enables them to do key word search to screen, reject, or call back the right candidate for the right position. In addition, companies are using social media engines such as LinkedIn to find the right candidates or to view your profile online once you apply. If you cannot be found, you don’t exist. Hiring Managers and Recruiters are Younger: Understanding generational differences can make or break your success during the job search competition. Don’t judge, be condescending, or get frustrated with someone half your age. They can determine if you proceed any further in the recruitment process and if you ultimately will get the job. The Hiring Manager’s Requirements Trump Your Desire to Sell Your Experience: It’s no longer about you. In the old days we used to come in with our resume, talk about everything we did, and hope the hiring manager would be so wow’d that they hired us. I call that the magician card trick approach. “Interviewer, I’m going to deal a bunch of cards and just tell me when to stop when you see a card you like.” Watch how often you say “I” vs. “you”. If you don’t position yourself as the best fit for their job description, you will lose. Schmoozing Alone will Not Work: Do you remember saying any of these? “Hey, Bill, if you hear of a job over there, give me a call.” “Hey, Patricia, I’m on the hunt for a new sales gig…got anything over there?” Better, when I coach executives, I hear “I’ve never had to look for a job; they’ve just came to me.” While I still believe face-to-face networking must be part of your job search process, the formal approach and follow-up is entirely different. Much more rigor and professionalism is needed. Join my newsletter for more on the tips and tricks and process you need to win a job in today’s new era of job search.

Proven Resume Guidelines to Get Noticed FAST! (part 1)

Proven Resume Guidelines to Get Noticed FAST! (part 1) Proven Resume Guidelines to Get Noticed FAST! (part 1) Proven Resume Guidelines to Get Noticed FAST! (part 1) October 29, 2009 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment Your resume can do a lot more than land you a job interview. It can also help position you as the top candidate going into interviews, and even help you get a higher starting salary which could add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your career. So how do you know if youve written your resume correctly so it gives you a leading edge over other job candidates? Below are some resume strategies to help you write your resume and put yourself in high demand in todays job market. * Feature key words. Key words are those skills listed as the job requirements in the job postings. Key words are different for every job so you need to look closely at the job description. Then, showcase all of those requirements that you meet in a section called Key Strengths, right underneath the Objective section. * Show results. This is the single biggest difference in making your resume stand out from all the other thousands of resumes. I do this myself, and I know this is why I get the interviews. Underneath your Key Strengths section, I list 4-5 career highlights that are results focused. Quantify each of your career highlights in terms of dollars, percentages, or numbers. For example, lets say that youre in sales and youve brought in an average of 10 new clients per month. Thats 120 clients a year, and if youve been doing that for the past 3 years, thats 360 new clients! So one of your career highlights could be, Gained approximately 360 new clients which generated $360,000 in new revenue in three years. Also, try to quantify each of your accomplishments for every job that you list in the Experience section. For more juicy tips and help from our resume writing pro(!) to make your resume stand out from your competition, visit our resume tips page!