Books To Read Before Starting A Business 16inShare53 Are you a current or prospective MBA student? Our MBA Corner is just for you. If you have the drive to start a business all on you own, you know research beforehand is crucial. The best managers and business owners also know that running a successful organization requires continuous learning and reexamination of ideas. If you’re already an entrepreneur or plan to start your own business soon, add these books to your reading list. On business fundamentals and productivity hacks 1. Godin has written a whole library of business-oriented books. Godin’s ideas are simple but elegantly explained: Your business and product must be a purple cow. 2. Covey was one of the key players in making “proactive” a business buzzword. The author’s son Stephen M.R. “More than ever we need to be able to understand how to effectively work with people. 3. This book might challenge you to stop reading this article. On how to develop better people skills 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. But it doesn’t always work.
Poised for a Promotion? Consider This First Feeling ready to move up before your manager taps you for a new role is a common workplace frustration. Often an employee’s view of what constitutes readiness for a promotion is very different from her manager’s perspective. Before asking for a move up, consider these four things. 1. 2. 3. 4. If you have accomplished steps one through four, it is time to go after a promotion. No one should care more about your professional development than you.
Why You Stink At Networking I attend a lot of networking events--so many that I can now spot a disingenuous, disinterested, unsuccessful networker from across the room. And I'm not alone in my avoidance of those people. Here are four common networking mistakes, and strategies for making more meaningful connections moving forward. 1. You're not really there. You walk into a crowded room and immediately get caught in a conversation. This is a horrible practice, yet so many of us do it. Remember, the person across from you might not have a VP title or work for a large organization, but he is connected to a universe of people. To help manage your anxiety, set a five-minute limit on all conversations. 2. You stopped networking when you got your last job three years ago. Desperate job hunters are too keyed up and needy to truly connect. To avoid this, keep up with your contacts even when you don't need them. Notice that these last two suggestions require giving something to your contact. 3. 4.
Things That Make People Happier BrainSpade.com Number Twins Training Area: Math calculations Description: Put your mental math and speed skills to the test. Keeps your math skills sharp and helps to boost your logical reasoning skills. Think Outside the Flock Training Area: Flexibility Description: Put your creative thinking skills to the test. Letter Drop Training Area: Verbal Fluency Description: A real brain workout. The Key Game Description: You'll love critical thinking without a net in this brain exercise. A Spoon Full of Sugar Description: Grab a spoon and your spatial skills in this brain challenge. Factory Balls Training Area: Problem Solving Description: Grab your goggles and head to the workshop. Ball Slicer Training Area: Concentration Description: Slice and dice your way to better concentration skills. Marble Jar Training Area: Pattern Recognition Description: Relax and focus in this favorite brain game. Matchmaker Description: Takes your concentration skills to a whole new level. Skyscraper Sea of Faces Training Area: Memory Jewel Thief
Why MANY Smart People Don’t Get the Support They Deserve You may have experienced this (or might have seen someone go through this situation) – you are on to something big and need a LOT of help but even people who have known you for a while are not actively supporting you in your quest. They seem to listen to everything and say encouraging words about your adventure but when it comes to doing something, they shy away from it. It bothers you because you have known these people for a LONG time and these are some people that you would totally expect 100% support from. What could be wrong? As part of my mini-research, I talked to dozens of people who have been through this situation. While I could find a number of reasons, none of them could be as strong as the burden of the story gap. There is a difference between a) Your true potential b) Your potential as perceived by your core group Pick a time a few years ago when both (a) and (b) were approximately at the same level. BUT, there was a limitation. You know it and you can feel it. There is a gap.
Your Weakness May Be Your Competitive Advantage - Dorie Clark by Dorie Clark | 9:00 AM February 5, 2014 Midway through the workshop I was teaching on professional reinvention, I gave participants an assignment: create a narrative citing your professional strengths. After the break, a woman named Alison raised her hand. “This one was difficult for me,” she said. “I thought about what was special about me: I’m a strategic thinker, and I can get things done. But other people can do that, too. As Phyllis Stein, the former head of Radcliffe College Career Services, told me when I was researching my book Reinventing You, many of her highest-achieving clients are also the most self-critical. “What job are you applying for? “I used to sell medical equipment,” she said, “and now I want to do project management for medical equipment companies.” But her background was actually perfect, if only she’d tweak her perspective. When you’re trying to understand your unique abilities, it helps to think about scarcity.
How to Write a Cover Letter - Amy Gallo No one likes job hunting. Scouring through online jobs boards, spiffing up your résumé, prepping for grueling interviews — none of it’s fun. But perhaps the most challenging part of the process is writing an effective cover letter. There’s so much conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Indeed, in an age of digital communication, many might question whether you even need a cover letter anymore. What the Experts SayThe answer is yes. Do your research firstBefore you start writing, find out more about the company and the specific job you want. Open strong“People typically write themselves into the letter with ‘I’m applying for X job that I saw in Y place.’ If you have a personal connection with the company or someone who works there, also mention it in the first sentence or two. Emphasize your personal valueHiring managers are looking for people who can help them solve problems. Convey enthusiasmMake it clear why you want the position. Principles to Remember Do:
:: Authentic Happiness :: Using the new Positive Psychology WATCH: 6 Insanely Popular TED Talks to Make 2014 the Best Year of Your Life | TEDTalks Posted: Updated: To kick off the new year, TEDWeekends is proud to present a compilation of six insanely popular TED talks from the past year. These talks inspired a tremendous amount of engagement from our community, and each one provides valuable insight that will help you get the most out of life in 2014. We thought this would be the perfect way to say "Thank You" to our thoughtful, curious and inspired readers and bloggers who have helped make this program such a success. Enjoy! Angela Lee Duckworth: This will be the key to your success this year Alexander Tsiaras: This will make you appreciate the wonder of life this year Amy Cuddy: This is why your body language will matter this year David Pogue: This is how to save time and make room for what really matters this year David Gallo: This will force you to explore more this year Jane McGonigal: This will help you play more.. and change the world this year Ideas are not set in stone.
Be Seen as a Leader You’ve been assigned to a new cross-divisional task force, and the first meeting is today. Managers from across the company are gathered in a conference room at headquarters; colleagues from international offices are participating via conference call and Skype. The CEO, there just to oversee the group’s kickoff, opens with a pep talk. Social scientists have spent decades studying how individuals achieve status within organizational groups—that is, how they gain respect, prominence, and influence in the eyes of others. Thankfully, we also use more legitimate measures to size up new teammates. Initial perceptions, of course, are subject to change as people work together and prove their merit. All these findings suggest—rather dishearteningly—that the influence you’ll have on a group is largely predetermined by factors beyond your control. A Push Toward Proactivity We start with the two motivation systems that underlie much of our behavior.
Ways To Be Irreplaceable At Work 13inShare117 If your boss doesn’t think you’re getting the job done, there are plenty of people who can replace you. Everyone wants to gain an advantage by making themselves irreplaceable. But how do you become so valuable at work your boss won’t want lose you? Here are five tips on how to become that smart guy your boss can’t do without: 1. Even though you may think you’re bright, don’t get a swelled head. Be a leader. 2. Many companies offer incentivized continued learning programs to increase employee value and ensure loyalty. Don’t be the last to embrace logistical changes in your office. 3. There’s a big difference between being smart and being knowledgeable. Learn the inner workings of your office. 4. Know how to interact effectively and positively with your coworkers. Another way is to avoid office politics. 5. Many careers use terminology or language unique to the industry. Be conscientious.
6 Skills For Your Resume 105inShare101 So you picked a degree in a career field you thought you’d love, but a few years into the daily grind, you’re no longer feeling it. What can you do when all your education and experience is in one field, but you know in your gut it’s time to move on? Don’t despair — you’re not the first person to find yourself in this pickle. Believe it or not, you can transfer plenty of skills from your field to your next dream job. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) Here are six of the top transferable skills all employers want and how you can mine them from your experience, no matter how distant your ideal job seems from your current career: 1. Whether your experience has been arguing criminal cases in front of a jury or fielding customer complaints at a call center, your communication skills will serve you well as a career changer. Being able to clearly communicate your thoughts, ideas and suggestions is valued in every workplace. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Life with a narcissistic manager ©Rex All about me: Meryl Streep as the domineering magazine editor Miranda Priestly in the film The Devil Wears Prada Narcissism has received a bad business press over the years. The self-obsessed chief executive with a volatile temper who both charms and intimidates staff, takes all the credit for success while shifting the blame for failure on to others, has been a recurring character in corporate dramas. Compelling, charismatic, colourful, such people can initially draw people under their spell until difficulties and discord arise, when their deeper, darker personality begins to emerge. Such individuals tend to be at the extreme end of narcissism, which is best understood as a personality trait along a wide continuum, rather than a pathological state. But it is also true that such people bring qualities that are essential to the growth and success of a business. Prof Stein explains how this comes about. It is difficult to change such leaders. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2014.