13 things you wont find mentally strong people doing

13 things you wont find mentally strong people doing13 things you wont find mentally strong people doingWe all reach critical points in our lives where our mental strength is tested. It might be a toxic friend or colleague, a dead-end job, or a struggling relationship. Whatever the challenge, you have to binnensee things through a new lens, and take decisive action if you want to move through it successfully.It sounds easy, but it isnt.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIts fascinating how mentally strong people set themselves apart from the crowd. Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to overcome.Too many people succumb to the mistaken belief that mental strength comes from natural, unteachable traits that belong only to a lucky few. Its easy to fall prey to this misconception. In reality, mental strength is under your control, and its a matter of emotional i ntelligence (EQ).When it first appeared to the masses, emotional intelligence served as the missing link in a peculiar finding people with average IQs outperform those with the highest IQs 70% of the time. This anomaly threw a massive wrench into the broadly held assumption that IQ was the most important source of success.Decades of research now point to EQ being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. The connection is so strong that 90% of top performers have high EQ.Emotional intelligence is the something in each of us that is a bit intangible. It affects how we manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions to achieve positive results.Despite the significance of EQ, its intangible nature makes it very difficult to know how much you have and what you can do to improve it if you lack it. You can always take a scientifically validated test, such as the one that comes with the Emotional Intelligence 2.0 book.Unfortun ately, quality (scientifically valid) EQ tests arent free, so Ive analyzed the data from the million-plus people TalentSmart has tested in order to identify the behaviors that are the hallmarks of a high EQ. This data shows that what you dont do is just as important as what you do when it comes to EQ.The beauty of EQ is that its a flexible skill that you can easily improve with effort. Absolutely anyone can enhance their EQ by emulating the habits of emotionally mit niveau people. If youre up for it, start with these critical things that emotionally niveauvoll people are careful to avoid. They consciously avoid these behaviors because they are tempting and easy to fall into if one isnt careful.They dont stay in their comfort zoneSelf-awareness is the foundation of EQ, and increasing your self-awareness isnt comfortable. You cant increase your EQ without pushing yourself to discover what you need to work on and what you should be doing differently. This is hard because when you take a really good look at yourself, you arent going to like everything you see. Its more comfortable to keep the blinders on, but they make certain that youll never have a high EQ.They dont give in to fearThey say that bravery is being scared to death to do something and doing it anyway. Many times, thats true, even when it comes to your career. The fear doesnt have to come from something as extreme as rushing into a burning building it can be a fear of public speaking or going out on a limb to try for a promotion. If you use fear as an excuse not to do something, youve already lost. Its not that emotionally intelligent people arent afraid- they simply pick themselves up and fight on regardless of the fear.They dont stop believing in themselvesEmotionally intelligent people persevere. They dont give up in the face of failure, and they dont give up because theyre tired or uncomfortable. Theyre focused on their goals, not on momentary feelings, and that keeps them going even when things a re hard. They dont take failing to mean that theyre a failure. Likewise, they dont let the opinions of others keep them from chasing their dreams. When someone says, Youll never be able to do that, they regard it as one persons opinion, which is all it is.They dont beg for attentionPeople who are always begging for attention are needy. They rely on that attention from other people to form their self-identity. Emotionally intelligent people couldnt care less about attention. They do what they want to do and what needs to be done, regardless of whether anyone is stroking their ego.They dont act like jerksPeople who act like jerks are unhappy and insecure. They act like jerks because they dont have the emotional strength to be nice when they dont feel like it. Emotionally intelligent people place high value on their relationships, which means they treat everyone with respect, regardless of the kind of mood theyre in.They dont hold grudgesThe negative emotions that come with holding ont o a grudge are actually a stress response. holding-gesellschaft onto that stress wreaks havoc on your body and can have devastating health consequences over time. Researchers at Emory University have shown that holding onto stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means youre holding onto stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs.They dont hang around negative peopleNegative people are bad nachrichtensendung because they wallow in their problems and fail to focus on solutions. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better about themselves. People often feel pressure to listen to negative people because they dont want to be seen as callous or rude, but theres a fine line between lending a sympathetic ear to someone and getting sucked into their negative emotional spiral. Emotionally intelligent people avoid getting drawn in by setting limits and distancing themselves from negative peop le when necessary. Think of it this way If a person were smoking, would you sit there all afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? Youd distance yourself, and you should do the saatkorn with negative people.They dont feel sorry for themselvesHeres the worst thing about feeling sorry for yourself, other than it being annoying, of course it shifts your locus of control outside yourself. Feeling sorry for yourself is, in essence, declaring that youre a helpless victim of circumstance. Emotionally intelligent people never feel sorry for themselves because that would mean giving up their power.They dont feel entitledEmotionally intelligent people believe that the world is a meritocracy and that the only things that they deserve are those that they earn. People who lack EQ often feel entitled. They think that the world owes them something. Again, its about locus of control. Emotionally intelligent people know that they alone are responsible for their successes or failures.They dont close their mindsWhen people close their minds to new information or opinions, its typically because they find them threatening. They think that admitting that someone else is right means that theyre wrong, and thats very uncomfortable for people lacking EQ. Emotionally intelligent people arent threatened by new things theyre open to new information and new ideas, even if it means admitting that they are wrong.They dont let anyone limit their joyWhen your sense of pleasure and satisfaction are derived from comparing yourself with others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness. When emotionally intelligent people feel good about something theyve done, they dont let anyones opinions or accomplishments take that away from them. While its impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you dont have to compare yourself with others, and you can always take peoples opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your se lf-worth comes from within. Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain- youre never as good or bad as they say you are.They dont get eaten up by jealousy and envyEmotionally intelligent people understand that the happiness and success of others doesnt take away from their own, so jealousy and envy arent an issue for them. They see success as being in unlimited supply, so they can celebrate others successes.They dont live in the pastFailure can erode your self-confidence and make it hard to believe youll achieve a better outcome in the future. Most of the time, failure results from taking risks and trying to achieve things that arent easy. Emotionally intelligent people know that success lies in their ability to rise in the face of failure, and they cant do this if theyre living in the past. Anything worth achieving is going to require your taking some risks, and you cant allow failure to stop you from believing in your ability to succeed. W hen you live in the past, that is exactly what happens- your past becomes your present and prevents you from moving forward.Bringing it all togetherImproving your emotional intelligence is the single most important thing you can do to advance your career. The good news is that you can make it happen with a little determination, effort, and a good model to follow.This article first appeared on LinkedIn.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

SOX Compliance Training for Your Finance Staff Management Resources

SOX befolgung Training for Your Finance Staff Management ResourcesSOX Compliance Training for Your Finance Staff Management ResourcesProviding thorough SOX einhaltung training for your entire finance staff is one strategy for helping to keep compliance costs in check. While this type of training requires an investment of resources, it can help the business to avoid mistakes that can lead to much costlier penalties - and enable your entire finance team to be mora effective overall.Its been 13 years since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was passed, ushering in significant changes to the regulation of financial practices and corporate governance and upending the routines of countless finance teams and internal audit departments.While some organizations are finally hitting their stride with SOX compliance activities, others still struggle. As Protivitis newly released 2015 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey report notes, due to the dynamic nature of the legislation, many organizations still have much work to do before they achieve adherence to SOX.Meanwhile, external audit firms are placing more focus on internal control over financial reporting (ICFR), and fees are increasing as a result. According to the Protiviti report, 58 percent of large company respondents said that their organizations spent more than $1 million on SOX compliance in their fruchtwein recent fiscal year.A worthwhile investmentSOX compliance training for your team is important not only for helping employees understand the basic requirements of the act, but also the small details that, if overlooked, could potentially have a big impact on the business.Also, as more companies adopt the 2013 Internal Control Integrated Framework from the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO), finance leaders should confirm that their teams are knowledgeable about how the SOX compliance process should be aligned with the new framework.Resources for SOX compliance trainingSOX compliance training resources are ab undant, so finding the most appropriate options for your staff should require only a minor investment of your time.Some options to consider include formal in-house training programs, engaging consultants who are SOX compliance experts, or tapping outside resources for education.For example, the BAI, a financial services association, offers courses led by Certified Regulatory Compliance Managers (CRCMs), who are former regulatory examiners and certified risk managementprofessionals.A value-adding exerciseIn todays evolving regulatory environment, managing compliance issues is becoming only more challenging for finance leaders. However, doing what it takes to ensure all of your staff members are up to date with SOX and other critical mandates can translate to real value for the business.When your staff have strong knowledge of both the basics - and the finer details - of the SOX mandate, they can help your organization to drive continuous improvement of business processes related to financial reporting. According to the 2015 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey report from Protiviti, many companies have reached the point where they are actually starting to generate value from their SOX compliance activities.A final note Be sure not to overlook new hires when arranging SOX compliance training. Even if these employees wont have direct involvement in helping the business meet its SOX compliance requirements, knowledge of the legislation likely will help to inform their work in other ways. SOX compliance training can also prove important for their professional development.DownloadProtivitis survey report, SOX Compliance Changes Abound Amid Drive for Stability and Long-Term Value, to read more highlights from the 2015 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Survey.Related resourcesRegulatory Compliance How to Help Your Finance Team Stay Up to DateWhy Regulatory Compliance Training Is a Must-Have for Your TeamTips for an Effective Regulatory Compliance Training Program5 Key but Less er-Known Requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance

Visualizing the best and worst paid jobs in the tech sector

Visualizing the best and worst paid jobs in the tech sectorVisualizing the best and worst paid jobs in the tech sectorMost people think getting into the upper middle class is straightforward go to school, study technology, and get a job somewhere in the tech sector. But is it really that simple? We did some research and discovered that there are plenty of great high-paying gigs out there, but there are also several positions with relatively low pay.Our data come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks a wide variety of metrics on jobs and the American economy. We took a subset of figures from the technology sector and placed the 15 highest and lowest paying jobs in a unique visualization. Think of our graphic as a two-sided pyramid, illustrating in a vivid way the highest and lowest rungs of the tech ladder. We included average base salary expressed both as an overall number and on a per hour basis. This lets you easily see which jobs are worth going after (and which ones a re probably a dead end).As you might expect, managers generally sit at the top of the food chain. Computer and Information Systems Managers take home the best money on average, pulling in just under $72/hour. Compare that with lowly technical rckendeckung representatives at the bottom, who make roughly 75% less at $16.70/hour. Remember to be nice to the guy who helps you the next time you have a technical problemOur two-sided pyramid also reveals a few key insights about the tech sector. First off, things arent actually so bad at the low end. Keep in mind all the jobs in our visualization pay above average compared to the rest of the economy. Median household income in the U.S. is about $59,000. Two spouses who both earn $16.70/hour would pull in over $69,000 a year. Thats great work if you can get it.The visualization also suggests that slight changes in a job title can directly impact compensation even if the on-the-job duties are very similar. Look at all the positions with repre sentative, specialist and administrator in the title. They come with lower pay as opposed to analyst, developer and architect. But whats the difference between a specialist and an analyst?This makes us believe that changing your job title might be worth it in the long run even if it doesnt mean getting an immediate raise.Data Table 1.1This article first appeared on HowMuch.

How to Use Tech Staffing Agencies in Your Job Hunt

How to Use Tech Staffing Agencies in Your Job HuntHow to Use Tech Staffing Agencies in Your Job HuntChief information officers continue finding skilled tech workersto bea challenge, which is a big plus for technology professionals seeking employment. Many candidates are looking to tech staffing agencies for help in finding technology jobs.Not exactly sure what a staffing agency is and what it offers? Fundamentally, a staffing agency - also known as a recruiter, staffing firm or employment agency - finds job candidates for client firms.Whether youre a developer, programmer, help desk technician or other technology professional looking for work, tech staffing agencies can help you find technology jobs that match your skill set, experience and career goals.Choose the right agencyTech staffing agencies are not all the same. Concentrate on reputable firms that specialize in placing IT professionals. These tech staffing agencies have a large enough client and geographic cousine to cast t he widest net for you.Youll be working with a whole team of experts focused on finding employment that is a good fit for you and the company that hires you.Look for agencies that offer career services and IT training, or can help connect you with Oracle, Cisco and other computer certification training programs.Know the agencys focusKeep in mind that different tech staffing agencies staff different schrifts of technology jobs. You need to know if a firm specializes in a specific field, such as web development, technical hilfestellung or multiple technology specialties. Do a little research before submitting your resume or application to determine whether their focus matches your qualifications and goals.Ask whether the agencies you contact place candidates in both full-time and contract positions. Many employers are taking the interim-to-hire route as a means of evaluating skilled technology workers on the job. Even if youre looking for full-time work, temporary engagements arranged by tech staffing agencies may lead to a long-term or full-time position once youve had a chance to impress the employer with your skills.Keep in touchKeeping the lines of communication open will go a long way toward helping tech staffing agencies find technology jobs that are right for you. Be honest and upfront with the agency about the type of work you are seeking. For example, are you interested in overseeing system implementation on a temporary basis, landing a part-time job at a support desk or working full time as a multimedia programmer?Consider the type of work environment youre most interested in and how far youre willing to commute.During your job search, keep your staffing representative apprised of any new professional developments. For example, if you speak at a technology conference orteach a series of workshops on web development at your local community college, your representative can add this information to your resume to boost your credentials.Finally, be sure to l et your staffing professional know about any progress you make seeking work independently. With this information, your tech staffing agency should be better equipped to find the position thats best suited for your skills and goals.Find your next technology jobSkilled technology professionals are in demand in cities across the United States. See our open jobs in these hot citiesFind systems engineer jobs in Austin, TexasFind network engineer jobs in Richmond, VirginiaFind help desk analyst jobs in Charlotte, N.C.Find desktop support jobs in Sacramento, Calif.Find database administrator jobs in Tucson, Ariz.This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

A Tech Checklist to Organize your Growing Business

A Tech Checklist to Organize your Growing BusinessA Tech Checklist to Organize your Growing BusinessA Tech Checklist to Organize your Growing Business ConlanEvery new and growing business needs a solid tech foundation to thrive. Yet in the excitement of running your business, its easy to forget about setting up some the basics to help your small business run.Every part of your enterprise communications, sales, marketing, operations will rely on technology to meet customer expectations and scale up. Heres how to make sure youve got everything you need.Get the Basics DownThere are several categories of technology to consider when establishing your business, says Jeff Kerr, founder of Casefleet software company. They includeCommunications. Email is the most common need, but you may also be interested in an informal messaging service, such as Slack. You may also need a phone system its complexity will depend on your needs and number of locations.Collaboration. Have a platform in place that employees can use to manage and collabotarif on documents and spreadsheets. GoogleDocs is one readily available solution.Project management. A good project managementprogram makes it easy to assign tasks and see whats been completed, Kerr says.Web management. Find a platform to handle your business web presence. Kerr recommends having a vendor handle it.Accounting. Finally, youll need a system to track sales, inventory and other bookkeeping tasks.Keep It MobileEven if you have a bricks-and-mortar storefront, mobile options will keep your business flexible, both for yourself and your customers. Small business owners should always look for technology that has mobile capabilities, says Michael Bremmer, CEO of Telecomquotes.com technology advisers. Keeping information in the cloud will also help you build a nimble, mobile business.Think About LeasingHardware as a service, or equipment leasing, can help control costs as your business gets off the ground. For example, you may need on -site computers.Your technology budget should reflect the reality of replacing equipment about every two years, Bremmer says. If the math makes sense, try to purchase the hardware as a service so you dont end up with outdated tech.Think Ahead About ScalingAutomating solutions can help prepare you to scale up when you start growing. Gary Waterfield, founder of WaterField Designs, uses software to automate operations and gain customer insight. Waterfield found that automating day-to-day processes saves time, minimizes errors and makes it easy to scale up without hiring. Find a balance between using software that does the basics of what you need versus the latest shiniest upgrade.Hiring for TechAs your business gets off the ground, youll need to hire people who are willing to learn new technologies and adapt, Bremmer says. The rate of technology change in our world isnt going to slow down anytime soon. Depending on your tech needs, you might be able to avoid hiring dedicated IT staff u ntil your company grows. Waterfield says he looks for people who can help with other parts of the operations, such as customer service, who are also capable of acting as cloud-thinking professsionals who can navigate their way around the Internet.

The Dirty Truth About Pediatric Nurse Resume

The Dirty Truth About Pediatric Nurse Resume Top Pediatric Nurse Resume Secrets At length, you may use the nursing resumes at any moment in your career. A career profile is a brief excerpt of your professional career for a nurse. Obtaining work experience for a student nurse may be an intimidating prospect. You may use the nursing resume template to compose yours since it consists of a comprehensive curriculum vitae and a cover letter. As a result of sample nurse resume templates, you dont have to compose your CV from scratch. Entry-level nurses make the error of listing each of their experiences in their resumes simply to boost the particulars of their professional experience. Frequently, absolutely free resumes end with a list of referees who might be called on to present some information about you. Creating a resume for the very first time can be challenging as its tricky to establish the most crucial information employers wish to see in a nurses resume. Studies show there are certain mistakes which are more likely to make recruiters reject a CV. You may also opt to design high-quality resumes for business purposes. Students can select from several choices for completing their studies. Up in Arms About Pediatric Nurse Resume? Furthermore, you may use the demand for your services to seek out a greater salary. When theres one particular fact about the health care business, its that it is dependent on nurses. In some places, the work market for nurses can be rather tough. If youre thinking of being a nurse, it could possibly be valuable to think about the roles that might be available to you once you finish your education and certification approach. Our MSN with a PNP specialty is intended to assist you promote lasting shift in the health care field by offering kids and caregivers the knowledge they should form healthful lifestyles at a youthful age. From that point, you are able to go into various specialty areas like pediatric nursing. Wh en it will be better to make a 4-year bachelors degree in nursing, aspiring nurses may decide to begin their career with a 3-year diploma program or 2-year associate level. Some nurses move into the industry side of healthcare. The precise duties and duties of a pediatric nurse are based on the sort of health care setting you work in. Among the biggest reasons nurses decide to be a pediatric nurse is due to the personal benefits you will gain. The very first step for becoming any nurse is to turn into an RN, or Registered Nurse. While nurses arent typically accountable for diagnosis, the physician may not be present when the change happens, or any time the patient shares the info. You may also opt to pursue an advanced degree or even go on to develop into a nurse practitioner that specializes in pediatrics. Many retire from their nursing career for a school nurse rather than working in another setting like a hospital or clinic. An impressive nurse resume is crucial in receivi ng your very first job after graduation. For instance, a school nurse in a modest private school will probably earn much under a pediatric nurse at a prestigious childrens hospital.The outlook for school nurse jobs are really promising and satisfying. For instance, the nursing profession is anticipated to require over 500,000 nurses over the subsequent 10 decades. There are several different kinds of nurses and many methods to categorize the many nursing roles. By specializing in pediatric nursing, youre going to be setting yourself aside from the many registered nurses across the usa. Decision-Making One of the chief functions of a telephone triage nurse is to decide whether or not a patient needs care and if this is the case, what type of care. As a nurse you may choose to work any number or variety of shifts. In many cases, the triage nurse might deal with a large spectrum of healthcare ailments. An oncology nurse ought to be a registered nurse, duly licensed by her or his state.

Spark Hire and iCIMS Video Interviewing Integration

Spark Hire and iCIMS Video Interviewing IntegrationSpark Hire is excited to announce its partnership with iCIMS, a leading provider of innovative Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) talent acquisition solutions. The use of video interviewing technology allows companies to shorten the amount of time it takes to fill a vacant position and improve the quality of candidates to which they connect. The video interviewing integration enables iCIMS customers to send their candidates invitations (from directly on the iCIMS Talent Platform) to one-way and live video interviews. Once the video interviews are completed, hiring professionals can review and share these recorded interviews with colleagues to achieve better, more efficient hiring team collaboration.With the war for best-fit talent raging on, we understand the need for companies to quickly connect with great candidates before they can be scooped up by competition, said Josh Tolan, CEO of Spark Hire. The combination of our video interviewing technology with iCIMS solutions will allow hiring professionals to enhance their strategies for talent acquisition and ensure theyre making the best hiring decision every time.If youre interested in checking out the Spark Hire and iCIMS integration or are an existing customer that wants to get tischset up, contact us today

Sample Absence Excuse Letters for Work

Sample Absence Excuse Letters for WorkSample Absence Excuse Letters for WorkThere are many excuses for missing work. Some are legitimate, and others are not quite. Some companies require all absences to be documented in writing, in which case you will need to write an absence excuse letter anytime you miss work.Whether it is company policy to require an absence excuse letter or not, its always a good idea to document missed work days, for your records as well as for the companysrecords. In some cases, you can call in sick or send a quick emailstating that you wont be in. In others, youll need to provide documentation for your absence. That way, should a question ever arise about your time off, your file will show that your absences were all legitimate. How to Write a Work Absence schmelzglas or Letter Your work excuse letter can be sent via paper or email. If you send an intra-office letter, you need to include the date and the contact information of your supervisorin or HR mana ger at the beginning. Your email subject line should contain your name and Absence Excuse.Always begin your letter formally Dear Ms. Jones or Dear Phyllis.The body of your letter should be brief and specific, mentioning the reason for your absence, the date, duration, and if you are including any explanatory documentation such as doctor or ER paperwork.Use a polite and professional close, such as Sincerely or Regards. Remember that any business correspondence should look professional. Even in a casual office, use the appropriate format for your letter, and proofread it before sending. Careless errors reflect negatively on your professional reputation. You dont want a poorly written absence excuse to become part of your employment file. Sample Work Absence Letters Here are sample absence excuse letters to review when you need to provide a written excuse for missing work. Its fine to keep the letter short and simple- just be sure to state the exact date of the absence and the prim ary reason behind it. Sample Work Absence Letter 1 DateFirstname LastnameTitleOrganizationAddress City, State Zip CodeDear Mr. LastnamePlease accept this letter as written notification that I was unable to attend work on August 1, 2018, due to family illness.Please let me know if I can provide any further information or documentation from our physicians office.Sincerely,Your Signature (hard copy letter)Your Typed Name ExpandSample Absence Excuse Letter 2 DateFirstname LastnameTitle?OrganizationAddress City,State Zip CodeDear Ms. Lastname,I am writing to document my absence on July 15, 2018. I needed to take my son to have his leg platzdeckchen after an injury in his baseball game the previous night.Please see attached documentation from the pediatric orthopedist. If you need any additional information, please let me know.Sincerely,Your Signature (hard copy letter)Your Typed Name ExpandSample Absence Email Message 1 Subject Firstname Lastname - Absence ExcuseDear Manager,Please accep t this letter as documentation of my absence on August 9, 2018. I was traveling to and attending my grandmothers funeral.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your understanding.Regards,Firstname Lastnameemailemail.com555-555-5555 ExpandSample Absence Excuse Email Message 2 Subject Roger Bledsoe - Absence ExcuseDear Mr. Garner,Please accept this letter as written documentation of my absence on October 30, 2018. As you know, I am in the process of divorce, and I had meetings with my lawyer and financial planner.I appreciate your support and understanding. If I can provide additional details or documentation, please let me know.Regards,Roger Bledsoerogerbemail.com555-555-5555 ExpandSample Absence Email Message 3 Subject Janet Nathan - Absence ExcuseDear Ms. Blevens,Please accept this email as written documentation of my absence yesterday on November 14, 2018. A tree fell on our house during the windstorm the previous evening, and I had to meet with o ur insurance agent, an arborist, and a roofer.I appreciate your support and understanding. If I can provide additional details or documentation such as photographs of the damage, please let me know.Regards,Janet Nathanjanetemail.com555-555-5555 Expand

Creating a Company Culture that Rocks

Creating a Company Culture that RocksCreating a Company Culture that RocksCreating a Company Culture that Rocks GalloEven in the best of economic times, employee engagement surveys show that only 10 percent of employees look forward to their jobs. Today your employees might look forward to going to work because, well, they have jobs. But are they truly inspired and engaged? Legendary General Electric CEO, Jack Welch, doesnt think so. In a recent BusinessWeek column, Welch wrote that many people dont want to work for the man anymore, having grown distrustful and skeptical as they watch millions of others lose jobs and careers. Welch believes the impact of this growing attitude will be profound as the economy recovers and employers are left with employees who are elend especially excited to work for them.As an author and communication skills coach for some of the worlds most admired brands, Ive personally witnessed the influence that inspiring leaders have on corporate culture. The key word is inspiring. Most anyone can study management or human resources and zustrom a department or division but few people can create an engaged workforce where employees cant wait to jump out of bed Monday morning to get to the office. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has the ability to energize his employees, as do extraordinary leaders who run companies like The Ritz-Carlton, Starbucks, and Google. Heres how.Sell dreams. In an inspired culture, employees see their jobs as more than a paycheck. Steve Jobs doesnt sell computers. He and his team create tools to unleash human potential. Jobs has a passion for Apple products and hes not afraid of sharing that passion and enthusiasm with his team. Its part of the reality distortion field that some observers say surrounds Jobsthe ability to convince people of almost anything.Jobs is persuasive because he genuinely believes Apple products are making the world a better place. When PepsiCo CEO John Sculley was debating whether or not to accept the CE O position at Apple, Steve Jobs turned to him and said, Do you want to sell sugared water all your life or do you want to change the world? Sculley said those words hit him like a punch to the gut. Inspiring leaders dont offer jobs. They offer opportunities to live a meaningful life.Create vision. Inspiring leaders craft and deliver a specific, consistent and memorable vision. A goal such as we intend to double our sales by this time next year, is not inspiring. Neither is a long, convoluted mission statement destined to be tucked away and forgotten in a desk somewhere. A vision is a vivid description of what the world will look like if your product or service succeeds. And it can fit within the 140 characters of a Twitter post Microsofts Steve Ballmer once said that shortly after he joined the company, he was having second thoughts. Bill Gates and Gates father took Ballmer out to dinner and said he had it all wrong. They said Ballmer was looking at his role as bean counter for a st artup. Instead, they had a vision of putting a computer on every desk, in every home. Ballmer said that vision a computer on every desk, in every home convinced him to stay.Tell stories. Inspiring leaders call on effective communication skills to weave stories into the cultural fabric of the workplace. Each day at every Ritz-Carlton hotel in the world, every department gathers for a staff meeting in which they share wow stories. These are true stories of employees who go above and beyond a guests expectations. Ritz-Carlton President Simon Cooper told me that these corporate stories give people local fame. People want to be famous in front of their peers. Local fame is a powerful motivator and, as a bonus, it helps inspire, educate and motivate others to offer the same exceptional service.Invite participation. Inspiring cultures empower employees to participate in the growth of the company. Google Vice President Marissa Mayer has office hours. Every day at 400 p.m., anyone on her te am can sign up for a fifteen minute discussion to talk about anything feedback on existing products, introducing new ideas, etc. She says some of Googles best products have been born in these office hours. This is especially important with younger employees who value participation. The command and control way of managing is over.Encourage potential. An inspired company culture motivates employees by recognizing the power of praise and incorporates praise into the workplace.Virgin founder Richard Branson has said that when you praise people, they flourish. Criticize, and they shrivel up. When people receive genuine praise, their doubt diminishes and their spirits soar. Great leaders nurture a culture where teams praise each other. Disneys Teacher of the Year, Ron Clark, became famous for taking a class of underachieving fifth graders in Harlem, New York, and turned them into a class of winners the kids in his class outperformed the gifted classes by the end of the school year. Clark told me that he praised his students often, but he also encouraged the students to praise each others accomplishments. Together, they lifted each other to higher levels of achievement.Regardless of your title, you have the potential to be the chief inspiration officer in your workplace, helping to create a company culture that rocks Encourage people to be their best selves and they will walk through walls for you.Author BioCarmine Gallo is a communications coach and author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience (October, 2009, McGraw-Hill) and Fire Them Up 7 Simple Secrets of Inspiring Leaders(Wiley, October 2007).

Can College Prepare Students for the Uncertainties of the 21st Century Economy

Can College Prepare Students for the Uncertainties of the 21st Century Economy Can College Prepare Students for the Uncertainties of the 21st Century Economy These people have been saying for years now that colleges especiallycertain (usually liberal arts) degree programs dont adequately prepare students for the working world. In Career Preparedness and Lifelong Learning,Instructure seems to support that argument. According to the study, which surveyed roughly 8,000 current students and college graduate from around the world, only 1 in 12 students feels that college has fully prepared them for their careers.Victory for the naysayers? Not so fast, says Jared Stein, Instructures vice president of research and education.Only 1 in 12 say they were fully prepared, but there welches generally more satisfaction than dissatisfaction, Stein explains.Overall, students felt 67.7 percent prepared for their careers by their college experiences. So, its not complete satisfaction, but its hardl y a sign that college is worthless. Id rather be two-third prepared than not prepared at all.But thats not to say that everything is prefect in college world. No, theres definitely some room for improvement, Stein says.I think this study reveals that college is not doing a bad job, but its not perfect, either, he explains.Many students especially in the U.S. attend college with the specific aim of preparing themselves for certain career paths, and many colleges invest extensively in such career preparedness programs.But investing more resources in career preparedness isnt exactly the best way for colleges to better serve students, according to Stein. Rather, he thinks colleges should be doing more to prepare students for the uncertainty theyll face once they enter the workforce.The Job-for-Life Is Deadur own Kazim Ladimeji has written extensivelyabout the fact that, in todays economy, very few if any of us can expect to stay with one company for our entire lives. Furthermore, he s gone on to explore why few of us can even expect to stay with onecareeruntil we hit retirement.For workers today, the reality is that job- and career-hopping are the new normal, which may parteially explain why 29.8 percent of graduates of four-year degree programs dont end up working in their chosen fields of study.It doesnt make a ton of sense, then, for colleges to focus on preparing students for one specific career path. This kind of education can be useful, sure, but it wont be terribly helpful when a former engineer decides, for whatever reason, that its time to become a middle school teacher instead.The rapidly advancing pace of technology plays a role in all of this, too. Every few years, it seems, some piece of technology comes along that either totally redefines an existing career or opens up doorsinto brand new career paths. How can colleges help students navigate these dramatic shifts when its impossible to predict what these shifts will actually look like when they ar rive?Even if career preparedness is what students go to college for, the uncertainty of todays economy is kind of a bigger factor, Stein says. What were suggesting is that colleges need to look beyond career preparedness and think more about the skills students will need to adapt, whether thats to the changes they will encounter within their careers or as they have to shift their expectations to a different career focus.Teaching Students to Prepare for Unpredictable Futures Through Lifelong LearningOn the surface, lifelong learning may sound like a vague, squishy kind of idea, but Stein and Instructure concretely define the concept for the purpose of the study as any kind of learning that happens throughout your lifetime that supports your personal goals.Lifelonglearning can happen in formal classrooms, or it can happen informally, during ones day-to-day life. It can even happen non-formally (that is, through organized or semi-organized learning outside of a formal program).Regardle ss of how or whereit occurs, Stein says, lifelong learning is about having the skills so that you can go and accomplish your goals by learning on your own and finding the experiences and resources that you need to get there.By teaching students how to become lifelong learners how to seek out the experiences and resources they need to accomplish their goals colleges can go a long way toward preparing students to cope successfully with the volatile economy theyre destined (doomed?) to enter.Stein says that Instructure isnt quite ready to present a broad vision to guide higher education toward betterequipping students for uncertainty, but he does have two common sense, straightforward recommendations he can make right now.First, colleges can start by ensuring that students have the proper expectations for what life after college will be like.My college experience didnt ask me to consider the strategies Id need to make career shifts throughout my life, Stein says. Those shifts arepart of the 21st century, and I think thats where colleges and universities can start to help students be more prepared.Second, colleges can focus on teaching students the skills necessary for self-directed learning.That way, every student who leaves college not only has the knowledge and skills that will be helpful in their chosen career fields, but also, the skills they need to keep learning effectively on their own in any career, even if they have to shift from one to another, Stein says.So, no, it doesnt seem that colleges are tremendous wastes of time. (Nor, would I wager, are liberal arts degrees but thats a fight Ill have to have another time with anyone who wants to pick it.) They do a pretty decent job of preparing students for their careers. What higher educationreallyneeds to work on is preparing students for what happens when they dont (or cant) get the career they wanted.