Rachid Sefrioui, Public Speaker

How to use Good Teamwork to Achieve Company Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:21:00 +0000

The importance of teamwork cannot be underestimated, especially in a business environment where a group of people are working together to achieve set goals. The successful outcome of their teamwork will reflect upon their individual abilities, their performance as a unit and on the company as a whole.

It is not always possible to choose the members of a team who will be working with you on a project. As this might be already done for you, the next best thing you can do is get the group together and work out a plan on how you all hope to achieve your goals. This will give you an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals in the team and the fields in which they specialise in or feel comfortable working. Having a range of different skills and personalities working together can be a bonus especially if each member of team is straight forward and honest about his abilities and is happy in the role that he will be assigned in the team.

Communication with one another is an important part of good teamwork and a group of people who share information and ideas freely with one another have a definite advantage in achieving what they have set out to do. Ideas should be communicated across all levels of the group so that a supervisor or team manager knows exactly what the others are feeling and their views are at every stage of their work. Coordinating and cooperating with each other are a direct result of good communication and the more easily information is shared the more responsive and proactive is the group.

Having respect for one another is a good foundation for any team as is encouragement, support and appreciation for each other’s efforts. Having favourites and ignoring some members of the team creates divisions and animosity and will bring about negativity; an attribute any good team can do without.

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3 Ways to Improve Your Public Speaking and Presentation Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:20:00 +0000

There are three components you must know in order to improve your presentation skills for better public speaking. When someone asks me how he can build effective communication skills and improve his public speaking, I quote to him the words of Elbert Hubbard, who said, “The only way to learn to speak is to speak and speak, and speak and speak, and speak and speak and speak.”

But while it’s true that the only way to become good at anything is by repetition, over and over, until it becomes second nature, there are many things that you can do to be more effective speaking in front of audiences.

The starting point in the art of public speaking is to pick a subject that you really care about. It is to think through the subjects that have had an extraordinary impact on you, the subjects that you would like to share with others because you intensely feel that others could benefit from your knowledge. With this, you have a springboard off which you can leap into your first public talk.

The second part of public speaking is preparation for effective communication. Preparing is more important than anything except caring about your subject. It’s not unusual for a person to spend many hours, days and even weeks preparing for a talk.

Planning for Effective Communication

To prepare for a talk, the first thing to do is to write out an objective statement of what you wish to accomplish as a result of your presentation. Whether it’s a 10-minute presentation or a 10-hour presentation, the statement of your objective is the same. It’s the answer to the question, “Who is my audience, and what effect do I want my talk to have upon them?”

So you need to ask, “What action do I want this audience to take as a result of the things I say to them?” Write out this action statement of your objective very clearly.

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11 Easy Ways to Finally Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:15:00 +0000

Knock your next presentation out of the park with these public speaking tips.

How successful we are at selling ourselves, our products and our services depends on our ability to stand up and be heard. What often prevents us from telling our story successfully is not our inability to articulate what we do, or how strongly we believe in the value of what we offer. Instead, it is simply the fear of speaking in front of an audience. Being nervous while presenting can put a dint in your credibility and have an adverse effect on achieving your business goals.

To manage the fear of speaking in public, you need to first understand the root cause of the fear.

Understanding that our brain can't tell the difference between a real threat (a pack of wolves about to attack you) and an imagined threat (a group of your peers watching you present) is the first step to overcoming the fear. This awareness can help you manage the "false alarm" that happens in the absence of real danger. How so? As you feel your heart racing when you first start your presentation, you can consciously and deliberately interrupt the fear response with a quick deep breath and a rational thought, "This is just a false alarm." The more you get into the habit of interrupting the fear response as soon as you feel it happening, the quicker you'll prevent it from being your default response every time you present in front of a group. You must ingrain in your mind the thought that the fear of public speaking is simply a misfiring of the caveman "fight or flight" fear response, and that you can overcome this.

Here are 11 practical tips to help you manage performanceanxiety so you can focus on your key messages:

1. Reframe the questions you ask yourself.

How to End a Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:10:00 +0000

Should You End a Speech by Asking for Questions?

I cringe every time I hear a speaker end with an unimpressive “Thank you” or “Are there any questions?” I think many speakers say these things because they’ve finished speaking and then suddenly realize that their audience hasn’t realized they’re done! So, in desperation, they blurt out one of these phrases, hopeful that those words will clue them in.

Unfortunately, that’s the worst possible way to end a talk! It just sort of fizzles out, instead of ending with a clear bang!

Need to know how to end a persuasive speech?
More on effective openings and closings (end of a speech)?

I’ve been doing this long enough to know that some of you are saying, but Lisa, what’s wrong with asking if there are any questions? To be clear, it’s not the phrase that I object to, it’s when and how the phrase is used. If it is used as the ONLY signal that the talk had ended, then that’s a problem.

End a Speech with a Strong Summary

All good presenters use rhetorical signals to indicate that a presentation has come to an end. The first and most obvious signal is the conclusion. When the speaker reviews the main ideas in summary form, of course, this is an indication that the presentation is coming to an end.

However, to be an effective signal, the conclusion needs to be proportional to the entire talk--about 10-15% of the entire talk. So if your talk is 15 minutes, then your conclusion should be about 2 minutes. For a 40-minute talk it should be about 4 minutes.

If the conclusion is missing or is too short, which are very common mistakes, then the conclusion is not effective. Always include enough time to fully summarize your main points.

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5 simple public speaking tips for beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:06:00 +0000

Unless you work in a cave banging sticks together, odds are, part of your job involves talking to other people. Heck, you might even need to run a meeting or two. Those of us who are really lucky get to do "public speaking", which has been known to produce sweating and weak knees in certain people. To combat this, and to work on other communication and leadership skills, I joined Toastmasters about a year ago. It has been an invaluable experience. Here are the top five public speaking tips that beginners can start applying immediately. They are simple, obvious, easy to remember, and practical.

1. Lose the notes (do I really need to say this?)

It may seem obvious, but your dependence on your speaking notes is dragging you down. Having to refer to notes about what you are going to say decreases your credibility, prevents you from making eye contact with your audience, and limits your charisma and body language. Remember, you are speaking because you are the expert. Know the topic, know what you are going to say, and say it. The only exception to this rule is if you are reporting on specific facts and numbers.

2. Lose the crutch words (“uhm”, "uh", "like", "you know")

“Uhm”, and other crutch words, are verbal garbage. They serve absolutely no purpose other than to make you sound dumb. Prevent these crutch words from exiting your mouth and you’ll start sounding smarter immediately. The smarter you sound, the more people will pay attention to what you have to say. If you're unsure about what to say, be silent, collect your thoughts, breath, and continue. It might take practice but it is well worth it.

3. Speak louder

The more power you give to your voice, the more authority you will have, the clearer your words will be, and the easier you will be to understand – all of which combine to make you more engaging and memorable.

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9 Easy Ways to Remember Your Presentation Material

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:59:00 +0000

Crush your anxiety with these methods that will help you thoroughly remember all of your slides before you get to them.

One of the most common reasons we experience presentation anxiety is the fear that we will forget what we have to say and risk losing credibility. A method many use to address this fear is to create PowerPoint slides as a memory aid. However, this is short-sighted because nothing erodes your credibility as a speaker faster than signaling to the audience that you are dependent on your slides.

Seasoned presenters are able to announce a slide before showing it. At a minimum, they know their material so well that all they need to do is briefly glance at the slide to know what's coming next. You can achieve this by doing simple memory boosting practices to remember your presentation material and, in turn, reduce your anxiety.

Here are nine tips to help you remember what you have to say.

1. Use the Palace Method

Research into brain science has proven that there is a very deep connection between the way we remember an event and the space in which it occurred. The brain system that is important for memory is also important for space; in other words, we remember things on the basis of spatial locations or "spatial scaffolds." This is an ancient memory technique, commonly referred to as The Palace Method or Mind Palace. To learn how to use the method, watch Joshua Foer's video, “To Remember Better, Build a Mansion in Your Mind", or read his book, Moonlighting with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything.

2. Use mind maps

Mind maps are diagrams that allow you to lay out all of your presentation material in a visual shape rather than in list form.

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6 Things Happy People Never Do

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:56:00 +0000

Happy people do a lot of things. They spend time expressing gratitude, cultivating optimism, practicing kindness, nurturing loving relationships, committing to meaningful goals, savoring life’s little

pleasures, and so on and so forth.

But they NEVER…

1. Mind other people’s business.

Forget about what others are doing. Stop looking at where they are and what they have. Nobody is doing better than you because nobody can do better than you. YOU are walking your own path. Sometimes the reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel. We listen to the noise of the world, instead of ourselves. So stop the comparisons! Ignore the distractions. Listen to your own inner voice. Mind your own business.

Keep your best wishes and your biggest goals close to your heart and dedicate time to them every day. Don’t be scared to walk alone, and don’t be scared to enjoy it. Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best you can be. Keep doing what you know in your heart is right, for YOU. Because when you are focused on meaningful work and at peace within yourself, almost nothing can shake you. (Angel and I discuss this in more detail in the “Passion and Growth” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

2. Seek validation of self-worth from others.

When you are content to simply be yourself, without comparing and competing to impress others, everyone worthwhile will respect you. And even more importantly, you will respect yourself.

How are you letting others define you? What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

Truth be told, no one has the right to judge you. People may have heard your stories, and they may think they know you, but they can’t feel what you are going through; they aren’t living YOUR life.

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When Self-Improvement Gets Boring, Try These 6 Motivational Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:52:00 +0000

As human beings, we're always striving to be better. The most common self-improvement goals people set, particularly this time of year, are things like losing weight, improving our cholesterol numbers or blood pressure, or getting in shape for a marathon. These are body goals. They are concrete and easy to understand. Because we have metrics to measure things like weight loss, for example, it's easy to track our progress and stay motivated.

Making "soul resolutions" is more challenging. These are the deeper aspects of self-growth. These would be things like trying to be less critical, more loving, more patient, or more optimistic. Soul resolutions are not so easy to measure.

And that can be a problem. Too often, when it comes to changing profound aspects of our attitudes, behavior, and character, we can get bored, uninspired, and discouraged after a while. We can't really tell sometimes if our efforts are "paying off."

To avoid the boredom of spirit that sometimes accompanies profound changes you're trying to make on yourself, here are some simple strategies for staying motivated.

Check in with your priorities.

What's really important in your life? This is a question that will get you back on track quickly. Make changes in how your spend your time so that you can keep strengthening the behaviors that will reinforce your resolutions.

Learn from the discomfort.

Trying to be a better person is challenging, difficult, and uncomfortable. It can even be painful and cause you to suffer -- particularly if you have to do things like apologize, change your friend group, or do a lot of self-examining. When things get hard to take, embrace the discomfort and ask yourself what it's teaching you.

Laugh and play more.

It can be boring and tedious to be always working on self-improvement. Add pleasurable, fun activities to your life.

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12 Ways to Attack Any Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:48:00 +0000

Stuck in a rut? Need to accomplish the impossible? Step right up. Here's how to get started.

Whenever I'm discussing a challenge—okay, fine, whenever I'm whining about a problem—my wife eventually interrupts and says, "Yeah, yeah. I get it. So what are you going to do differently?"

Her response would be fairly frustrating if she wasn't right. Discussing—okay, fine, whining—never helps. The only way to overcome a problem is to do something differently.

But there's no reason to wait until you're forced to make a bad situation better. There's a better approach. Why not be proactive and turn average into awesome?

Especially since it's easy: Just employ one of the Five As of Awesome. (Wait—did I just channel my inner Tony Robbins?)

All you have to do is pick one of the following things to do differently:

Accept

Be who you are. I would like to ride a motorcycle like this guy. Or climb like this guy. Or run a company like her. Or change the world like him.

I won't.

And, for the most part, I'm okay with that, since I can always be a better me. I can ride faster or climb better than I do now, and I can make a bigger difference in the lives of my family and friends.

Think about the people you admire and pick a few of their qualities to emulate, not their accomplishments.

You can't be them.

The cool thing is, they can't be you.

Let others be who they are. Your customers, your vendors, your suppliers... they aren't going to change. Don't expect them to.

Pick one source of frustration and decide what you will do differently, including, possibly, walking away.

When you stop focusing on negatives you may start to notice the positive qualities you missed.

10 Most Common Rookie Mistakes in Public Speaking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:43:00 +0000

1. Using small scale movements and gestures.

Most rookie presenters are afraid to take up too much space. This hesitance comes across like an apology to the audience.

2. Speaking with low energy.

Actually, this problem is not restricted solely to rookie presenters. 80 – 90% of the presenters that I observe do not expend enough energy. Hence, they come across as uninvolved, uninteresting, and unenthusiastic. Crank up the energy level! You will command more attention and project more confidence and charisma. I cannot stress this strongly enough.

3. Not preparing enough

Granted, many rookie presenters don’t know how to prepare effectively other than preparing their media. Experienced speakers do plenty of research so that they feel confident in their material and their ability to respond to any question the audience might throw at them. They daydream about their topic even during ‘down time’ and often find the most creative ideas when doing other activities. I often come up with great ideas while driving, shopping, or running. It’s important to go through multiple drafts or iterations of your material, revising and editing, to arrive at the most finished form of your talk.

4. Not practicing enough

Not practicing your talks and presentations on your feet is one of the single biggest mistakes you can make. Experienced speakers will often do a dry run of their material with a trusted audience of friends, family, or colleagues. They will simulate the environment of their presentation using a projector and slide remote. They’ll choreograph their movements and gestures which will dramatically increase your ability to remember your material. They recognize areas of challenge (weak segues, awkward media transitions, etc.) and come up with tricks and tactics to help them flow seamlessly through their material.

5. Data centric presentations.

If your talk is focused on data rather than the vivid human story the data tells, you are in trouble.

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5 Signs Self-Help Is Ruining Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 07:56:00 +0000

People seek self-help for a reason, to help themselves. But like all good things, self improvement has it’s disadvantages. Some people take it too far. Instead of improving their lives, they become delusional.

1. Tony the Tiger… err Robbins

Before I got into personal development, I always thought of people like Tony the Tiger.. I mean Tony Robbins and Richard Simmons as the epitome of self improvement. I guess like many people, I confused self improvement with motivational speakers.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Tony Robbins, I think he’s a great guy and I’m sure he’s helped a lot of people out. But it’s just not my style.

The whole chest pounding, firewalking thing always threw me off. I understand the idea is to get pumped up, but can’t you do that without burning your feet to a crisp? Also, is that really sustainable? If I have to walk on hot coals everyday just to find motivation, something is probably wrong with my life.

These are also the people that remain positive under any circumstances.

Volcano eruption? The heat will help you sweat and detoxify.

Hurricane? Now I don’t have to wash my car.

Earthquake caused a gaping hole in the middle of your house? We could make a swimming pool!

Denial Anyone?

2. Productivity is the opiate of the masses.

There are certain things you must do. This includes things you need to do to not die and stay out of prison.

Some people just have a problem with these things and turn to productivity gurus for help. But it can often be taken overboard. When you can’t enjoy yourself without doing something productive, you have a problem.

3. Self Improvement is your drug of choice

There’s nothing wrong with ferociously pursuing personal development and new contexts.

Why Self-Discipline Will Make You Unstoppable

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 06:01:00 +0000

Having and commanding the respect of others is a tremendous advantage in life. That edge comes from self-discipline. The highly disciplined individual does not have to point a gun at anyone to take what he wants; people “sense” his power and cheerfully give him everything they’ve got.

Take a look at how little self-discipline most people have. Ask an employer of any size, and you’ll hear how big the problems of tardiness and absenteeism are. People don't even have enough self-discipline to get up in the morning!

In my business dealings, I find more than half the people can't seem to get to appointments and meetings on time or keep preset telephone appointments. Clients miss prescheduled appointments. Vendors miss deadlines as often as they make them.

In the entrepreneurial environment, there’s a lot to be said just for showing up on time, ready to work. The meeting of deadlines and commitments alone causes a person to stand out from the crowd like an alien space ship parked in an Iowa cornfield. The ability to get things done and done right the first time will magnetically attract incredible contacts, opportunities and resources to you. All of this is a matter of self-discipline.

And self-discipline aimed and applied at a particular thing is quite literally a magic power. When you focus your self-discipline on a single purpose, like sunlight through a magnifying glass on a single object, look out! The whole world will scramble to get out of your way, hold the doors open for you, and salute as you walk by.

Successful achievement of most worthwhile objectives -- including being an infinitely more productive entrepreneur who makes the most of his time -- is rarely easy, but is often simple. In fact, it can be boiled down to three steps.

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Stuck at Work? 6 Things You Need to Do This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 05:51:00 +0000

Since a lot of people take the week between Christmas and New Year’s off, if you are working over the holidays, chances are it will be slow. Experts say this is what you should do with that time instead of playing Candy Crush:

Clean your desk. Office desks carry more bacteria than toilet seats. Take everything off the top of your desk and put it in a box. Dust and sanitize the surface once it’s clear — and don’t forget to de-germ your keyboard and phone, says Scott Roewer, who owns organizing company Solutions by Scott & Company. Put back only what you immediately need on your clean desk and keep the other stuff in the box, he says. ”If you need something, get it out of the box and find a home for it in the desk. After a few weeks, you’ll find the items that remain in the box are rarely needed,” he says. Chuck, recycle or re-home it.

Throw stuff out. “It’s a good time to clean your files and get rid of things you don’t need,” says Dale Winston, chairwoman and CEO of Battalia Winston. She says a good rule of thumb is to chuck anything you haven’t looked at in the past year, with the exception of tax paperwork.

Shelve it. You’re probably not making the most effective use of any shelving space you have, Roewer says. “Deeper, reinforced shelves work well for boxes of files, cases of paper, or larger supplies,” he says. “Use smaller shelves that are not as deep for office supplies such as pens, staples, post-it notes, etc.” If you have lots of vertical space, use bins you can slide out to corral what you’re keeping there. Label containers so you can keep track of where everything is (which also comes in handy if you need to tell a colleague where to find something.)

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Characteristics of Effective Teamwork

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 05:40:00 +0000

Effective teamwork creates its own set of characteristics that makes it possible to see the cohesion in a group. When an efficient team gets to work, the structure that has been put into place helps the group obtain productive results. In order to create a productive team, you first need to be able to identify the characteristics of effective teamwork.

Unified Commitment to a Goal

A team is created to complete the goals it is given. An effective team is committed to completing its goal by using the team's resources. It does not mean that as individuals the people that make up the team share the same point of view or are all in agreement on what is best for the group. It means that when the team is presented with a goal, they can come together and work as a single unit to complete the task.

Participation

In order for a team to act as a team everyone must be participating in the creation of a solution. A team does not have extra members. Each member of a team is essential to the team's success, and when the group is given a task, each member knows what their job is and sets out to put in their fair share of the effort.

Open Communication

A team is able to communicate effectively and there is a feeling of open communication between all members of the group. Issues within a team are handled by face-to-face communication. Team members do not talk behind each other's back as there is a respect developed among team members that necessitates direct and open communication on all issues.

Decision-Making

A team has a hierarchy and a built-in decision-making system that helps it to react quickly and effectively to all situations. The members of the group are respected for their various areas of expertise, and the leader of the group has developed the ability to obtain the group members' opinions to formulate the group's response.

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Is There No “I” in “Teamwork”?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 05:31:00 +0000

“We need to work as a team.” “Let’s do it for the good of the team.” “You aren’t working as a team player.”

Those phrases can be heard around many offices, often during meetings, in the halls, or from the CEO. Another phrase with which everyone is familiar is “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’.” Teamwork is undoubtedly an important buzzword in the workplace today. As someone who has often had to be a “solo” presence in my work responsibilities, I have really relished the experiences I have had as a part of team atmosphere. My teamwork experiences have been instrumental in providing opportunities for innovation and growth. That said, I would have to dispute that there is no “I” in teamwork. Here is what I mean:

On a team, you cannot assume that everyone will leave their personalities behind and work as one. In fact, you do not want that to happen. Everyone has their own “I-ness” to offer, and will bring valuable perspective to the task at hand.

Each person on the team should contribute to the project to the best of his/her ability. Each individual should have a part for which they are responsible as an INDIVIDUAL, with an eye to collaboration, cooperation, and compromise. Each person should be held to a standard of how his/her part is accomplished and achieved. If you are not interested in the project, and don’t plan to truly contribute, you should not be part of the team. Teams thrive with open communication, candor, respect, and trust. Someone with a negative attitude with no plans to add in a positive way would be better off somewhere else.

Each person is responsible for his/her own part in the final outcome. For example, when a project is being presented or implemented, each team member should support the goal and be responsible for being positive about contributing to and promoting that goal (the teamwork part).

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Importance of Teamwork in Organizations

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 05:13:00 +0000

According to HR Bible, one of the most popular myths about teamwork is that the skills of team members are more important than their energy, interest and drive for the tasks. Another popular myth is that members are not individually responsible for the successes or failures of their teams. The truth is that individuals are the smallest units within their teams and that their personal abilities affect various outcomes in their teams. Teams often arise when employees come together to accomplish a common goal. Teamwork within the workplace not only benefits your workers but also significantly affects in your business.

Work Efficiency

Teamwork enables you to accomplish tasks faster and more efficiently than tackling projects individually. Cooperating together on various tasks reduces workloads for all employees by enabling them to share responsibilities or ideas. Teamwork also reduces the work pressure on every worker, which allows him to be thorough in the completion of the assigned roles. In sharing ideas or responsibilities, every employee should have a role that suits his specialization. You should also consider employees' levels of interest in the project at hand, which positively influences the efficiency or speed of their output in accomplishing the task.

Improved Employee Relations

Teamwork is important in an organization because it provides employees with an opportunity to bond with one another, which improves relations among them. Workers who constitute a team working on a project often feel valued upon the successful completion of such tasks. A situation in which all of them find a chance to contribute towards the tasks improves relations within the team and enhances their respect for each other. Improved employee relations also result from the fact that teamwork enhances cohesion among members, thanks to increased trust among them.

Increased Accountability

Teamwork increases the accountability of every member of the team, especially when working under people who command a lot of respect within the business.

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I want it now! How to motivate Gen Y employees

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:49:00 +0000

The generation raised on gizmos and social media need very different handling to their predecessors.

Generation Y, the iPod generation, echo boomers – however you describe them, this new wave of employees is steadily filtering into the workplace. Born to baby boomers, many are recent graduates and students aged around 18-30 years old and it is this generation that will soon be at the heart of a company, leading it forward into the future.

So how can you get the most out of this generation?

1. Know its defining characteristics

Compared to Generation X, people in this group are more likely to put their careers first, postponing marriage and children. They are the social media generation who like to be connected at all times. Socialising, both actual and virtual, is a top priority.

Instant gratification and a hunger for immediate information mean they often resent waiting, something applicable to both their professional and personal life. They often choose to find jobs on a short-term basis, are keen to always remain aware of new opportunities that will help to improve their skill set, and will happily change jobs in order to achieve this. These factors combined mean that retention rates are likely to be lower in this generation and that employers may find they need to work harder to keep them.

2. Adopt a tailored approach

To motivate, engage and inspire people it is naturally important to apply different techniques and approaches depending on various aspects, such as age, sex, geographic location, likes and interests.

Reward and recognition schemes should be tailored to include the needs of Generation Y. But what is it that will have the desired effect in terms of motivating them, and how can employers strive to ensure they get it right?

3. Provide ongoing communication and feedback

Why Talented People Underperform And How To Stop It

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:09:00 +0000

One of the most frustrating things for a manager or small-business owner is to see a smart, talented employee underperforming.

Often, this happens because people faced with tough challenges tend to revert to a primitive mindset, which bestselling author Christine Comaford calls "the critter state." They react to problems by fighting, running, or freezing, rather than intelligently responding.

They become scared or uncertain and use just a fraction of their brains and abilities as they regress to the low-risk, uncreative behavior they see as "safe."

Ask questions instead of making statements.

"Most leaders give orders all of the time, and then they complain that they have a culture of order-takers," Comaford says. "Well, they created that."

When leaders are asked a question, their impulse is to give an immediate answer. That trains employees to constantly ask questions instead of trying to solve problems and find solutions.

Instead of just answering a question, she suggests asking employees what they would try, who could be looped in, and what could go right or wrong. That puts their brains into problem-solving mode rather than a state in which they're more inclined to freeze or fight back, or ignore the problem entirely.

Be extremely clear. Don't leave people to "figure it out."

It's extremely easy to think that employees know everything that you know, and that they can figure out what you want. Often, that's not the case. Uncertainty leads people to waste time, get nervous, and revert to that critter state, says Comaford.

The more detail you put into a request, the better. Say exactly what you want — in which format, on what terms, and by when — instead of being vague.

Make accountability central to your culture.

"The problem with accountability is two-fold," Comaford says. Oftentimes, businesses don't have clear structures. People may not know exactly what they're accountable for or the consequences of underperforming.

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Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: What Works Best to Motivate Employees?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 03:42:00 +0000

When it comes to motivating, engaging and retaining employees, there’s no one-size-fits all strategy that small business owners can rely on.

Key Finding to Motivate Employees

One key finding that might make cash-strapped small business owners nervous: Job rewards (that is, monetary or non-monetary compensation).

It is the most important factor in employee engagement overall. Nearly half (47 percent) of respondents rank job rewards first, above job recognition (42 percent) and job motivation (11 percent).

Keep in mind, however, that “job rewards” include both monetary and non-monetary compensation. So if you can’t offer raises or bonuses, you can offer non-monetary rewards (something 60 percent of companies in the survey do). In fact, the survey found that younger employees are driving a shift toward non-monetary rewards.

Sixty-four per cent of employees surveyed say they would like to see their companies offer non-monetary rewards, but among Generation Y, the percentage jumped to 70 percent.

The most popular non-monetary rewards:

Comp time off

Free food or meals

Event tickets (to shows, sporting events and concerts)

While these do cost money, they cost less than offering raises since they’re given on an occasional, not ongoing, basis.

That said, tangible rewards like raises, bonuses and promotions still matter to Gen Y. In fact, possibly more than they do to other age groups. While 31 percent of respondents overall say they’d start job-hunting if an expected raise, bonus or promotion didn’t materialize, among Gen Y that figure jumps to 48 percent.

It Depends on the Life Stage of the Employee

Other key motivators for employees vary depending on their ages and life-stages, too. For example:

Gen Y and Boomer respondents are more motivated by interesting work.

Gen X was more motivated by good benefits and good pay/salary.

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7 tips to become a better public speaker

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 05:39:00 +0000

Did you know that there are four versions of a presentation?

The one you planned to do

The one you actually did

The one you wished you did

The one the audience perceived

You can never judge which one of these four that is the best, because it differs from time to time and who you ask. This “theory” helps me to understand that a presentation depends on your performance at that exact moment. And, the more prepared you are, the better you will deliver.

Tip 1: START & END – Create a first impression that lasts

“A presentation has a start, an end and something in between.”

- Martin Gunnarsson

Your first two minutes in any presentation are the most important. The audience will analyze your personality, your clothes, your accent, your hair, how you walk, your slides—everything. They do so to decide whether it’s worth the investment to listen to you or not. During these two minutes, it’s difficult to digest detailed information. Instead, use this time to build trust, let the audience get to know you and build a relationship with them.

The START of your presentation should be something that is easy to understand and something everyone can relate to. Preferably a story or a topic that is unexpected so as to surprise the listener. This sends a signal that you feel safe in this situation. You build trust. The listener will also open up his/her senses to new influences as you do something unexpected and, therefore, the brain will be more open to receive new information.

At the END of your presentation, you have to tie together your presentation and messages. You have to clearly tell the audience what to remember after the session.

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15 Team Building Activities for the Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 04:28:00 +0000

Are you interested in holding team building events in your workplace? You don’t have to spend a lot of money nor do they need to be ostentatious or complicated. You just need to create structured opportunities for employees to mingle. You can schedule team building activities in the workplace and in your local community for your employees. Here are 15 team building activities that fit the bill.

Lunch discussion and team building groups: Provide lunch for the whole company, a department or a work team. Assign employees to various work groups of up to ten people to thoughtfully discuss and respond to work related questions. One fun way to divide employees, when you don’t care who is in which group, is to put numbers on the bottom of plates. All employees who have a number 1 on their plate take their lunch and meet in the library or conference room B, for example.

--Additional ways to divide employees into discussion groups.

--Thoughtful questions for ice breakers that you can use as samples, although you will want the discussion topics to reflect the interests and happenings in your workplace.

Take an employee to work day: Schedule employees to visit another department for take an employee to work day. Employees are always curious about what other employees do. Satisfy their interest and introduce the employees to a whole new work group in the process. The opportunity to observe in another department allows employees to participate in team building that enhances cross department cooperation and understanding. It also offers employees the chance to explore another career path. Here’s how one company put together their take an employee to work day.

Provide comfortable collaboration spaces with couches, snacks and beverages. Ask employees to schedule the space as they might reserve a conference room. Require that all food and beverages must be consumed in the collaboration area in a group experience.

Hold work book clubs:

5 Tips for Successful Public Speaking Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 03:38:00 +0000

It’s October, and that means there are certain things to look forward to again. There’s pumpkin pie, seasonal beers, Halloween and, if you’re in high-tech public relations, many prominent events opening up their calls for presentations (CFPs).

Securing speaking slots for clients is one of the hardest things PR pros do, mainly because of how fierce the competition is. However, when a speaking proposal is accepted, it goes a long way toward establishing the company spokesperson as a thought leader. This serves as a PR and lead generation tool, building trust between the presenter and the audience and increasing the likelihood of customers selecting their brand over the competition. To put it simply, presentations at well-respected industry events are a very big deal, and as such, they warrant proper preparation.

Even the most seasoned speakers can experience some pre-speech jitters. When nerves are high just before taking center stage, what’s a speaker to do? Joan Detz, a nationally recognized speech coach and writer, and one of my favorite public speaking authors, has some excellent suggestions for handling this situation:

1. Make the opening lines of the speech clear and crisp. Know them by heart. Sounding confident, even if you’re not, establishes credibility with the audience and can boost your actual confidence level.

2. Speak a bit louder than usual. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of nervous energy. In fact, it can convey your excitement. Detz recommends speaking to a few specific individuals toward the back of the room.

3. Make strategic eye contact. The key word in the previous tip was individuals. Speaking to the back wall tends to make nerves worse. Instead, make strategic eye contact with a few individuals, even if it’s just for brief periods of time. This makes it feel like you’re having a regular conversation and alleviates a lot of the tension you might be feeling.

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What Is the Difference Between Leadership & Teamwork?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 10:48:00 +0000

While leadership and teamwork are different virtues, they are strongly related in business, sports, the military and volunteerism. It is easy to state that leaders lead, while teams follow leaders to reach goals and objectives.Yet, great teams have superior leaders as members. To paraphrase a common definition of solid leadership, "Leaders are people that other people want to follow." However, most outstanding leaders are also equally accomplished team players.

Good Leaders

It is simple to explain leaders with one word: "charisma." But, superior leaders offer much more than that. Noteworthy leaders also deliver some combination of expertise, commitment, dedication, motivation, focus and concern for others. This combination can also create charisma for those that do not generate it naturally. Leaders are naturally goal-oriented and understand the need -- and the best way -- to communicate the objective to the team.

Good Teams

High performing teams buy into a "shared agenda" philosophy. By adopting the objectives of the leader and melding them with the individual goals of team members, the group becomes a stronger force than the individual strengths of the group members. Effective team members also feel a strong sense of empathy, allowing them to better understand the individuals in their group. This factor works to bring the team together to attack their common objective.

Business: A Team Sport

Except for those successful one-person proprietorships, business achievement is always a "team sport." Success requires a superior leader (coach) and outstanding teams (players). Just as top business leaders need not be "born," as they can be "made," high performing teams can be coached to success, regardless of how diversified they may be. It is possible for great teams to achieve without strong leadership. However, success comes only situationally -- or through lady luck -- under these circumstances.

Corporate Culture Influence

5 Public Speaking Tips That'll Prepare You for Any Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 10:26:00 +0000

Landing a job interview is incredibly exciting –- and often terrifying. But fear not. There are clever ways to transform your angst into nerves of steel. After all, a good interview should feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. Here are five essential key tips from the world of public speaking that’ll help you look just as awesome in person as you do on paper.

1. Know Yourself

Most people dread the moment when their interviewer utters the words - “So, tell me about yourself.” But it’s actually the simplest question to navigate once you get down to the root of what’s being asked. "Tell me about yourself" really translates to: “What can you tell me about how your personality, interests, work habits and background will help you rock this position?”

Before you answer, rewind back to when you applied for the job -– the moment you decided that you and the position would be a solid match. Usually, the reasons that ran through your mind before you chose to apply are the answers the interviewer is looking for. Since you’re the most well-versed on the subject of you, this is your moment to paint the picture of what you bring to the table and why you’re the most dynamic and capable person for the job.

2. Bridge the Gap Between Confidence and Enthusiasm (Then Marry the Two)

How many times have you been confident in your ability to perform a task but not necessarily enthused about doing it (or vice versa)? Confidence speaks to the way you perceive you, while enthusiasm is more indicative of your feelings about something or someone other than yourself — in this case, the gig.

To make sure there’s a healthy balance between the two, draft a list of reasons you’re confident about your ability to perform the job, and pair each one with a reason why you’re enthusiastic about showing up. Youshould be able to clearly communicate these reasons during your interview.

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Tips for Staying Motivated in Your Small Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 10:09:00 +0000

As an observer by nature, I am always amazed at how individuals operate within a variety of settings and circumstances. One of the most fascinating topics to me has been motivation. I have seen people, who were driven by success or responsibility, push themselves and their families to the point of exhaustion, and wondered if they felt the results were worth it.

Naturally, if you live long enough, you get the chance to see just about everything. I know that I am old enough to have witnessed how my, my daughter’s, and now my grandchildren’s generations, differ in their motivation. Naturally, we are motivated differently. In my youth, our life styles were not the same as my grand children’s. I was more motivated by money and what it could buy, simply because my parents grew up during the Depression and were conservative in spending.

I hear employers complain about their workforce not being motivated and I naturally ask what motivates their workers. Usually, the clients look at me blankly; answering glibly, “nothing”; they shrug; or make assumptions. Their reactions cause me to offer my “free” speech about self-worth and how it is important to know what motivates others so they, the business owner, can be a better manager. It is not always well received, but the facts are true. If an employer dangles a 25-cent- to a dollar-an-hour raise over someone’s head who is not motivated by money, but instead by “time off,” the effort is wasted.

Since I feel motivation is something of great value, I am interested in finding out what motivates business owners and how they stay motivated.

Over the past 17 years, many women-owned businesses have especially intrigued me regarding “What motivates them.” I have watched women arrive at 4 a.m. to bake bread and stay until 11:30 p.m. to clean floors (small business owners wear many hats).

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