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Lessons learnt as a Google intern (1)

2013-03-06T12:55:00.002-08:00

With three previous internships prior to joining Google and one more right after, I’m convinced that Google is in a world of its own.

Little wonder the company has achieved such remarkable success over a short time. I stand to be corrected, but never in history has a company grown so huge and powerful.

It has remained one of the most sought after companies by job seekers (ranking number 1 on Forbes Best Companies to work in 2007 & 2008) and is currently one of the top brands in the world.

Please, join me as I journey through some Googley lessons:

Lesson 1 – Build a unique culture

If I were to describe the company in one word it would be UNCONVENTIONAL. It is definitely one of the few places where you can truly be yourself.

No dress code, no fixed working hours, no unnecessary monitoring of how you carry out your work. Even Interns like me are treated like full timers.

Although it is not the highest paying tech company, it is arguably the most sought after. This is because of the knowledge of the unique way that the company is run.

Just like a recent study shows what truly motivates people, the Google culture allows for independent thinking, mastery of work and provides a sense of purpose.

You can take time to read about how they undertook their IPO. Never had such been approach been taken by a company to the US stock market.

Lesson 2 – Innovate or die

At Google, a great deal of emphasis is placed on innovation so there is just no time for competition. For me, innovation really never has to be from scratch.

It is more about having a different approach to solving a problem or improving an existing solution. Google was not the first search engine, but it has taken that idea and made it the best in the world.

Google Goggles (an app for Android phones) and the Pacman game embedded in the Google Home Page are a few example of the company’s knack for creative solutions.

Lesson 3 – Be more value oriented than revenue oriented

Google never really seeks out immediate ways to monetise their products and services. Instead emphasis is placed on making the product the best possible, getting people to use it and then later figuring out how to generate revenue.They understand the simple law that when you create value, money will follow.

Lesson 4 – Focus on the customer (user)

One of the popular phrases by Google is – Focus on the user and all else will follow. This is very true.

Many people and firms choose instead to focus on the revenue or profit.

I’m not sure if some business managers and owners have ever heard about customer service let alone know what it means. Another issue is developing products without involving the end-user in the development process.

I once asked someone who had two similar mobile apps on his phone which he preferred.

He answered: “The one that allows me search through easily”. User experience is a big deal at Google and we should learn to provide solutions and services that will satisfy the customer or end-user.

People aren’t stupid. They know what they want and will flock to where they can get it.

Source:Punch newspaper

What makes a brand social? (1)

2013-03-06T12:32:00.004-08:00

A few months ago, I was on a study tour of one of the world’s most successful direct banks in Madrid, Spain. Over the course of a week, I learnt two fundamental lessons that continue to shape my work. These lessons speak to the issues around “what makes a social brand” (see my last week’s article).

Fired up and ready to burn

The bank’s executive team shared with me an intriguing story. The management decided to involve its employees in the process of redefining its brand values. Employees were asked to send in their individual suggestions of what the brand values should be.

Thousands of entries were received. Employees voted and the preferred choices became the new brand values of the bank. The real story here is not about the unconventional approach adopted by the executive management team.

The story lies in what they did with the rest of the “community generated brand values” that were not selected. The brand engraved all the suggested brand values on a statue of the brand’s logo. Copies of this statue were displayed prominently in all departments. They sure made interesting reading.

The brand clearly demonstrated the importance of everyone’s opinion. During meetings with various members of the organisation, I realised just how significant that exercise was to the employees. It renewed their passion, drive, commitment and zeal to do more. I recall Javier (not his real name) one of the product managers proudly taking me to a statue and showing me the brand value he had suggested. These guys were truly “fired up and ready to burn”. This was lesson number one of “what can make a brand social”. “How fired up is your team?”

Team work, not tim work

The second lesson was how teams could work seamlessly to consistently create superior products for the customer. Each product had a multi-disciplinary team consisting of at least individual specialists in product development, IT, marketing, business intelligence/strategy and operations – a minimum number of four team members. The strategy was to ensure that right from the ideation stage, all critical stakeholders are involved in shaping the ideas so that the best possible outcome is achieved. The collective wisdom of the team is harnessed at the very points where they are needed.

Sadly, this is not the case in many organisations. Frequently, teams work in silos often duplicating projects, products and efforts. Take a familiar culprit – the product team. They sometimes create seemingly “winning products/services” with minimal input from other critical stakeholders. The result – a significant number of the target audience literally go through the proverbial eye of a needle in order to find the unique selling proposition of such products or services. Stop trying to outwit the other departments. In the midst of all these fiefdoms, there lie the lost opportunities. We need a single view of the customer.

A social brand and its work place

A decision maker in a leading global fast-moving consumer goods company proudly told me that his brand had over 30 million fans on Facebook. Sadly his organisation has no active internal channels for engaging its employees. How can a brand be social when it has not created and nurtured the structures that enable socialisation in the workplace?

A growing number of employees do not believe that their opinions are valued. There seems to be a pervading atmosphere of “de-innovation”.

Any organisation that neglects the internal harmony of its employees while actively promoting a caring external image is simply living a lie.

From fans to cash – the missing link

At the end of the day, all the great stuff that happens on social media would come down to the wire – “We need to convert some of these virtual love into hard earned cash. Yes, we love the fact that you have liked and followed us all this while but now its time you gave us some of your money”.

Every member of the value chain is key to making service happen. They must be actively involved if we must achieve the expected return on effort (ROE).

Do you have adequate service recovery plans? How empowered are your employees to create “wow” moments for the customer?

Start the co-creation process within your organisation before you involve the external customer. “How social is your organisation? How social can you afford to be? Can you build a physical and/or virtual atmosphere where employees can connect, create and share in an atmosphere that is not simply another platform for company speak?”

“To lead people, first touch their heart before you reach for their hands”.

The making of a social brand

A social brand is not about its level of activity in the various technology platforms, products or events. Its perception as a social brand is reinforced or diminished with every interaction the customer has with its employees.

A social brand demonstrates its sociality in its corporate behaviour (internally and externally).

Is a social brand possible?

Yes it is. It can be formed gradually in line with a strong executive commitment to putting its internal customers first. This means deliberately creating and nurturing listening channels where employees can engage with executives without fear. It is a place where executives are demystified, chords are broken, bonds are formed, and alliances forged. It is place where a brand’s employees are its most ardent social media fans. It is a journey.

The take out for this article is simple: If we honestly believe in “People First” then it is time for some housekeeping. Charity must begin at home. Social media should not be an exception.

Source: punch newspaper

WE SEE THINGS NOT THE WAY THEY ARE BUT THE WAY WE ARE

2012-11-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

WE SEE THINGS NOT THE WAY THEY ARE BUT THE WAY WE ARE

There is a legend about a wise man who was sitting outside his village. A traveler came up and asked him, "What kind of people live in this village, because I am looking to move from my present one?" The wise man asked, "What kind of people live where you want to move from?" The man said, "They are mean, cruel, rude." The wise man replied, "The same kind of people live in this village too." After some time another traveler came by and asked the same question and the wise man asked him, "What kind of people live where you want to move from?" And the traveler replied, "The people are very kind, courteous, polite and good." The wise man said, "You will find the same kind of people here too."

What is the moral of the story?

Generally we see the world not the way it is but the way we are. Most of the time, other people's behavior is a reaction to our own.

LIFE IS A BOOMERANG

Whether it is our thoughts, actions or behavior, sooner or later they return and with great accuracy. Treat people with respect on your way up because you will be meeting them on your way down. The following story is taken from The Best of Bits & Pieces.

Many years ago two boys were working their way through Stanford University. Their funds got desperately low, and the idea came to them to engage Ignacy Paderewski for a piano recital. They would use the funds to help pay their board and tuition.

The great pianist's manager asked for a guarantee ofÄ$2,000. The guarantee was a lot of money in those days, but the boys agreed and proceeded to promote the concert. They worked hard, only to find that they had grossed only $1,600. After the concert the two boys told the great artist the bad news. They gave him the entire $1,600, along with a promissory note for $400, explaining that they would earn the amount at the earliest possible moment and send the money to him. It looked like the end of their college careers. "No, boys," replied Paderewski, "that won't do." Then, tearing the note in two, he returned the money to them as well. "Now," he told them, "take out of this $1,600 all of your expenses and keep for each of you 10 percent of the balance for your work. Let me have the rest."

The years rolled by. World War I came and went. Paderewski, now premier of Poland, was striving to feed thousands of starving people in his native land. The only person in the world who could help him was Herbert Hoover, who was in charge of the US Food and Relief Bureau. Hoover responded and soon thousands of tons of food were sent to Poland. After the starving people were fed, Paderewski journeyed to Paris to thank Hoover for the relief sent him. "That's all right, Mr. Paderewski ," was Hoover's reply. "Besides, you don't remember it, but you helped me once when I was a student at college, and I was in trouble." It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.

Goodness has a way of coming back; that is the nature of the beast. One doesn't have to do good with a desire to get back. It just happens automatically.

LIFE IS AN ECHO....YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR WEAKNESS

2012-09-23T14:54:00.001-07:00

‎

A little boy got angry with his mother and shouted at her, "I hate you, I hate you." Because of fear of reprimand, he ran out of the house. He went up to the valley and shouted, "I hate you, I hate you," and back came the echo, "I hate you, I hate you." This was the first time in his life he had heard an echo. He got scared, went to his mother for protection and said there was a bad boy in the valley who shouted "I hate you, I hate you." The mother understood and she asked her son to go back and shout, "I love you, I love you." The little boy went and shouted, "I love you, I love you," and back came the echo.

That taught the little boy a lesson that our life is like an echo: We get back what we give. Benjamin Franklin said, "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself.”

YOUR STRENGTHS AND YOUR WEAKNESSES

Take Inventory: Make a List of All Your Strengths and Weaknesses. Write it on a Piece of paper and make an action plan accordingly.

Successful people realize their limitations and build on their strengths. Focus on what you want to do and be, rather than what you don't.

Motivational Stories!-Must Read -Forgive and Forget,Spoken Words can't be retrieved

2012-09-01T07:22:00.002-07:00

See More pics

When a person refuses to forgive, he is locking doors that some day he might need to open. When we hold grudges and harbor resentment, who are we hurting the most? Ourselves.

Jim and Jerry were childhood friends but for whatever reasons, the relationship fell apart and they hadn't spoken for 25 years. Jerry was on his deathbed and didn't want to enter eternity with a heavy heart. So he called Jim, apologized and said, "Let's forgive each other and be done for the past." Jim thought it was a good idea and decided to visit Jerry at the hospital. They caught up on 25 years, patched up their differences and spent a couple of hours together. As Jim was leaving, Jerry shouted from behind, "Jim, just in case I don't die; remember, this forgiveness doesn't count." Life is too short to hold grudges. It is not worth it.

While it is not worth holding grudges, it doesn't make sense to be bitten time and again. It is well said, "You cheat me once, shame on you; you cheat me twice, shame on me."

John Kennedy once said, "Forgive the other person but don't forget their name." I am sure that his message was that one should not get cheated twice.

SPOKEN WORDS CAN'T BE RETRIEVED

A farmer insulted his neighbor. Realizing his mistake, he went to the preacher to ask for forgiveness. The preacher told him to take a bag of feathers and drop them in the center of town. The farmer did as he was told. Then the preacher asked him to go and collect the feathers and put them back in the bag. The farmer tried but couldn't as the feathers had all blown away. When he returned with the empty bag, the preacher said, "The same thing is true about your words. You dropped them rather easily but you cannot retrieve them, so be very careful in choosing your words."

Motivational Stories- Meaningless Goals? or Smart Goals...

2012-08-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

MEANINGLESS GOALS

A farmer had a dog who used to sit by the roadside waiting for vehicles to come around. As soon as one came he would run down the road, barking and trying to overtake it. One day a neighbor asked the farmer "Do you think your dog is ever going to catch a car?" The farmer replied, "That is not what bothers me. What bothers me is what he would do if he ever caught one." Many people in life behave like that dog who is pursuing meaningless goals.

Life is hard by the yard,

but by the inch,

it's a cinch.

--Gean Gordon

SMART Goals

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as, "I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living," and that is it. They are all wishes and none of them are clear goals.

Goals must be SMART:

1. S--specific. For example, "I want to lose weight." This is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when I pin myself down to "I will lose 10 pounds in 90 days."

2. M--must be measurable. If we cannot measure it, we cannot accomplish it. Measurement is a way of monitoring our progress.

3. A--must be achievable. Achievable means that it should be out of reach enough to be challenging but it should not be out of sight, otherwise it becomes disheartening.

4. R--realistic. A person who wants to lose 50 pounds in~30 days is being unrealistic.

5. T--time-bound. There should be a starting date and a finishing date.

Motivational Stories-Why are Goals important?...Keep Your Eyes...

2012-08-23T21:57:00.001-07:00

Why are Goals Important? - Must read

‎On the best sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not light paper if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus and hold it, the paper will light up. That is the power of concentration.

A man was traveling and stopped at an intersection. He asked an elderly man, "Where does this road take me?" The elderly person asked, "Where do you want to go?" The man replied, "I don't know." The elderly person said, "Then take any road. What difference does it make?"

How true. When we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.

Suppose you have all the football eleven players, enthusiastically ready to play the game, all charged up, and then someone took the goal post away. What would happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you keep score? How do you know you have arrived?

Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. Would you sit in a train or a plane without knowing where it was going? The obvious answer is no. Then why do people go through life without having any goals?

KEEP YOUR EYES UPON THE GOAL

‎On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick was on her way to becoming the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. She had already conquered the English Channel. The world was watching. Chadwick fought the dense fog, bone-chilling cold and many times, the sharks. She was striving to reach the shore but every time she looked through her goggles, all she could see was the dense fog. Unable to see the shore, she gave up. Chadwick was disappointed when she found out that she was only half a mile from the coast. She quit, not because she was a quitter but because her goal was not in sight anywhere. The elements didn't stop her. She said, "I'm not making excuses. If only I had seen the land, I could have made it." Two months later, she went back and swam the Catalina Channel. This time, in spite of the bad weather, she had her goal in mind and not only accomplished it but beat the men's record by two hours.

Motivational Story-THE MIDAS TOUCH

2012-08-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

We all know the story of the greedy king named Midas. He had a lot of gold and the more he had the more he wanted. He stored all the gold in his vaults and used to spend time every day counting it.

One day while he was counting a stranger came from nowhere and said he would grant him a wish. The king was delighted and said, "I would like everything I touch to turn to gold." The stranger asked the king, Are you sure?" The king replied, "Yes." So the stranger said, "Starting tomorrow morning with the sun rays you will get the golden touch." The king thought he must be dreaming, this couldn't be true. But the next day when he woke up, he touched the bed, his clothes, and everything turned to gold. He looked out of the window and saw his daughter playing in the garden. He decided to give her a surprise and thought she would be happy. But before he went to the garden he decided to read a book. The moment he touched it, it turned into gold and he couldn't read it. Then he sat to have breakfast and the moment he touched the fruit and the glass of water, they turned to gold. He was getting hungry and he said to himself, "I can't eat and drink gold." Just about that time his daughter came running and he hugged her and she turned into a gold statue. There were no more smiles left.

The king bowed his head and started crying. The stranger who gave the wish came again and asked the king if he was happy with his golden touch. The king said he was the most miserable man. The stranger asked, "What would you rather have, your food and loving daughter or lumps of gold and her golden statue?" The king cried and asked for forgiveness. He said, "I will give up all my gold. Please give me my daughter back because without her I have lost everything wo rth having." The stranger said to the king, "You have become wiser than before" and he reversed the spell. He got his daughter back in his arms and the king learned a lesson that he never forget for the rest of his life.

What is the moral of the story?

1. Distorted values lead to tragedy.

2. Sometimes getting what you want may be a bigger tragedy than not getting what you want.

3. Unlike the game of soccer where players can be substituted, the game of life allows no substitutions or replays. We may not get a second chance to reverse our tragedies, as the king did.

Motivational Stories For Everyone!!!

2012-08-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

IT IS THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

There was a man taking a morning walk at the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind and with the morning sun rays, they would die. The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there was another person who couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?" This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one."

What difference are we making? Big or small, it does not matter. If everyone made a small difference, we'd end up with a big difference, wouldn't we?

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED?

About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The news papers had reported the death of the wrong person by mistake. His first response was shock. Am I here or there? When he regained his composure, his second thought was to find out what people had said about him. The obituary read, "Dynamite King Dies." And also "He was the merchant of death." This man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words "merchant of death," he asked himself a question, "Is this how I am going to be remembered?" He got in touch with his feelings and decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered. From that day on, he started working toward peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prize.

Just as Alfred Nobel got in touch with his feelings and redefined his values, we should step back and do the same.

What is your legacy?

How would you like to be remembered?

Will you be spoken well of?

Will you be remembered with love and respect?

Will you be missed?

INSPIRATION STORY TO LIFT YOU-BILL GATES

2012-08-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Bill gates success story

Bill Gates

William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, computer programmer and philanthropist

Early life

Gates began to show an interest in computer programming at the age of 13. He maintained a very close relationship with his mother, Mary.
Bill was known to be a voracious reader as a child, spending many hours pouring over books.

Challenge He seemed bored and withdrawn, His parents worried he might become a loner.

supports
His Mother used proceeds from the school'srummage sale to purchase a teletype terminal for students to use to support him

Rejection!!!
Do you know that his idea of creating a computer that has a graphical interface and a mouse was rejected when he first submitted it to another company?
some people even say that the papers of the project were thrown in his face!! Now he became bill gates!!

His quotes"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."
"Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."

The most precious lessons you should come up with from these inspirational success story are:

Rejection should never stop you!
People who reject you know nothing!!
Believing in yourself is the key to success in life!!!

INSPIRATIONAL STORY TO LIFT YOU- Operah Winfrey

2012-08-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Operah winfrey's success story:

She is a Director, producer, actress, and was and currently is a talk show host.

EARLY DAYS

In 1983, Oprah took over AM Chicago, a low-rated morning talk show. Her first episode aired on January 2, 1984 and the show became the highest rated talk show in Chicago. it was then renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and broadcast nationally on September 8, 1986.Somewhere

HER CHALLENGES

Winfrey was raped at age 9 and at 14-years-old gave birth to a son, who died in infancy.

She doesn't have any kids. she does not have a brother or a sister.

Operah was fired from her job and was told that she was not fit for TV earlier in her life?

Operah is one of the most popular TV icons nowadays and she is also one of the richest women on our planet!

One of her good deeds is helping peoples dreams come true.

Her Word: Never fail without trying.

MORALS

Your Past cannot stop you from being successul!!!
Help People fulfil their dreams and yours will equally be fulfilled.
You only fail when you stop trying.

Oral interview: Having Confidence before the Panel-By Ogunbiyi A.A

2012-08-06T13:49:00.001-07:00

If your knees always shaky, or you are always nervous or you always lose your voice right before you're about to start being interview by the panel then its time for change. Speaking with confidence before panel comes from practice, improvement of speech patterns and having passion for your subject matter. You can gain confidence by following a few simple techniques that you can practice to improve your comportment .
Tips

Interviewee before the Panel

1.Read more. The quality of your speech is in direct proportion to the breadth of your vocabulary. Read books, plays and poetry, so you are familiar with the written word in all its forms. Read famous speeches to understand how words are used to evoke emotion.

2.Breathe deeply. The more room in your diaphragm, the easier it will be for you to push quality sounds past your vocal cords. Breathing properly will help you to pronounce, enunciate and project your words. Always breathe deeply before speaking, and take breaths while speaking. Pace yourself. Do not rush.

3.Exercise your mouth to improve enunciation and pronunciation. Exaggerate the vowel sounds daily. Stretch your mouth wide with each sound.

4.Practice. Read out loud a consistent amount of time per day. Recite poetry, read passages from novels, say the alphabet, recite multiplication tables. Read the back of the cereal box during breakfast. When you are alone, speak your thoughts out loud. Sing to develop the timbre and tone in your voice. Call friends and family members for the sole purpose of practicing how you will speak.

5.Do not get discouraged. Improving your speech will not happen over night; famous actors, politicians and orators have stuttered or had serious speech impediments. Whatever talent they were not born with, they worked for. Believe in yourself. Know that, with a sincere will and daily effort, you can speak clearly and eloquently.

6.Improve your writing skills. Study punctuation, grammar and spelling, as well as expository and narrative writing. Give yourself assignments and work on them until you are satisfied you have done your best. Your English teachers will tell you to "write the way you speak"; by improving your writing, the quality of your speaking will inevitably improve.

This article has show tips on how to have confidence while attempting the oral interview. The tips are Read more, breathe deeply, exercise your mouth to improve enunciation and pronunciation, practice, do not be discouraged and improve your writing skills

All the best!!!

INSPIRING STORY TO LIFT YOU-Mark Zuckerberg by Ogunbiyi Abiola.A

2012-08-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

Mark Zuckerberg is the founder and CEO of Facebook, which he started in his college dorm room in 2004 with roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.

Zuckerberg is responsible for setting the overall direction and product strategy for facebook. He leads the design of Facebook’s service and development of its core technology and infrastructure.

Mark Zuckerberg (Founder & CEO of Facebook)

Earlier in life, Zuckerberg developed a music recommendation system called synapse and a peer-to-peer client called Wirehog. However, he abandoned both to pursue new projects.
Zuckerberg attended Harvard University and studied computer science before founding facebook.

While at Harvard Zuckerberg created Facemash, a website that compared students’dorm photos side-by-side in a fashion similar to HOT or NOT. Havard Administration was not amused, and Zuckerberg faced subsequent disciplinary action.

Less than three months later, he launched Facebook!!!!!!!!!.

Summary: keep trying, keeping moving,never be discouraged and you will get there!

Tips for Answering Written promotion Interview Questions. by Ogunbiyi Abiola

2012-07-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

Written interview questions are basically designed to test our written skills, grammatical accuracy, sentence formation, clarity of thought and expression among other things. Our interviewers use written tests as a first step in the interview process. So, to answer these written questions i want to share few tips on how to go about it. Really, some people may have already familiar with these tips. But, for the benefit of people who may not have known these tips, i decided to write them

While preparing for written interview questions, it is best to practice by writing answers to typical or sample interview question (like the one i earlier posted). Writing gives you the ability to gather your thoughts and put them forth in an articulate and structured manner.

While composting answers remember not to use slang or colloquial terms. The written language is always much more formal than the spoken one. It is also best to refrain from using flowery/vague language and abbreviations. Use simple language and short sentences, as they make for better reading.

Give structured responses, where each paragraph may elaborate on one particular facet. It is good to have an introduction, body and conclusion while attempting the written question answers.

Clarity of thought and expression are very important, so make sure to re-read your answers once you have written them. It is also advisable to proof-read your answers, as many a time, one overlooks grammatical and spelling mistakes. Looking into these specific details can be the clincher, when all else is equal.

I think these tips will be helpful as well. I wish you all the best!!!!!!

7 TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING FOR YOUR PROMOTION INTERVIEW - Written by Ogunbiyi Abiola A,Edited by Mr Uzo Clement

2012-07-02T16:16:00.001-07:00

Whenever there is a Promotion Interview, one among many questions that first come to our mind is how to prepare for the interview? Other ones are;

1. What material do i study?
2. What are the likely questions that would be asked?
3. How do i answer the written questions in other to score the maximum point?
4. When should i start?

The list of how(s) and what(s) to do questions when preparing for promotion interview are inexhaustible.

This article attempts to offer tips and guidelines to handle these questions. Mind you, it is for people that are hesitant on what to do when the interview is fast approaching. Here are seven tips you should keep in mind when preparing for promotion interview.

1. PRACTICE ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

It is unfortunate that we have no or scanty materials to study for the interview, but we can anticipate the likely questions that the interviewer will ask. You can do this by familiarizing yourself with all the sections/Units in your department. For example say

New service section;You can ask yourself:
I. what is meter?
ii. What is CRMD?
iii. What are the advantages of prepayment metering over analogue metering?
Iv.what is Nepa 74 form?
V. How can i set-up a customer to receive a bill?
Vi. What are the processes for treating an Application for New Supply? And so on...

Customer care unit:What is customer care?
Who is a Customer?
How can Customer Care Personnel show they care for customer?
How do they handle case of overbilling and Credit Adjustment?
What is the procedure to migrate a customer whose Prepayment meter has just been installed? And so on…..

Note:

Prepare the best answers for these likely questions MENTALLY i.e. commit it to your memory NOT to your jotter.

2. PRACTICE IN FRONT OF A MIRROR OR WITH ANOTHER PERSON.

Hearing and seeing yourself responding is an effective tool in improving your communication skills. It also gives you confidence.

3. TECHNIQUES FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION

i. Use marketing Keywords (otherwise called terminologies) click here for marketing terminologies.

Whenever a question is asked, first, write out all the terminologies associated with that question. Then include it in your answer. This makes it easier for the examiner to understand your point.

ii. Give examples to buttress your points. If you cannot explain to convince the examiner, the examples will do better

iii. Use sub-Heading or subtitle: Use it to summarize your point, then define or explain it and give examples to drive home your points

Iv.Write as if you are discussing or chatting with the examiner
v.Read, Re-Read your answers: Check for spelling sentence construction and so on.
vi. Let your writing flow not haphazard and straight to the point

4. GROUP DISCUSSION

There is this saying that two good heads are better than one. So, meet with other colleagues preparing for the interview also. You can even meet with your superior for their insights in the interview

5. DRESS PROFESSIONALLY. Wear a suit, feeling professional will make you sound professional

6. ARRIVE EARLY: At least 10 minutes early

7. PRAY

Above all commit everything into the hands of God. Promotion Comes from above.

In this article you have learnt tips for preparing for interview which are practicing answer questions, practice in from of mirror or with another person, techniques for answering the questions and the need for group discussion. Always remember to pray.
There is a common saying that Practice Makes perfect.So practice as many times as possible before attempting the interview.

Your Thoughts

If this article is helpful, kindly leave comments below.

10 Habits Bosses Love

2012-05-24T00:22:00.000-07:00

Every boss wants employees who do their jobs well. But even among highly competent employees, practicing certain habits can really make you distinguish yourself. Here are 10 tips for making sure you're on the boss's A-list:

1.Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Especially at the beginning of your relationship -- that is, when either you or the boss is new to the job -- err on the side of giving your boss too much information and asking too many questions.

"There's no such thing as a dumb question," says Marianne Adoradio, a Silicon Valley recruiter and career counselor. "Look at it as information gathering."

Don't keep up the constant stream of communication unless your boss likes it, though. It's best to ask directly whether you're giving the boss enough information or too much.

2.Acknowledge What the Boss Says Bosses appreciate "responsive listening," says John Farner, principal of Russell Employee Management Consulting. When your boss asks you to do something or suggests ways for you to improve your work, let her know you heard.

3.Collaborate When your boss has a new idea, respond to it in a constructive way instead of throwing up roadblocks.

"Be willing to brainstorm ways to get something done," says Michael Beasley, principal of Career-Crossings and a leadership and career development coach.

4.Build Relationships You'll make your boss look good if you establish a good rapport with your department's customers, whether they're inside the company or outside. Bring back what you learn -- about ways to offer better customer service, for example -- to your boss. This is also helpful for your own career development.

"Everybody wins in the long run," Adoradio says.

5.Understand How You Fit In Is your boss detail-oriented, or someone who keeps his head in the clouds?

"The boss's personality is just incredibly important," says Norm Meshriy, a career counselor and principal of Career Insights.

Equally important is understanding what your boss wants in an employee. It may be, for example, that a boss who is detail-oriented will expect his employees to be as well. But a boss who has no time for details may actually appreciate an employee who does.

6.Learn the Boss's Pet Peeves If your manager has said repeatedly that she hates being interrupted first thing in the morning, don't run to her office to give her a project update when you first get in.

7.Anticipate the Boss's Needs Once you have worked with your boss for a while, you should be able to guess what information he will want before approving your purchase order, for example.

If you provide it ahead of time, "that's a gold star," Farner adds.

8.Think One Level Up You still need to do your own job, of course. But when managers consider who deserves a promotion, they look for people who understand the issues that their bosses face.

9.Open Yourself to New Ways of Doing Things When your boss comes to you with a new idea, don't simply dismiss it. If you don't think it will work, offer to discuss it further in "a mature, responsible, adult-like way," Beasley says.

10.Be Engaged in Your Work Arguing with your boss over every request is not a good strategy, but neither is simply shrugging your shoulders and agreeing with everything your boss says. "The manager would like to see an engaged individual," Beasley says. That means both showing enthusiasm for your work and speaking up when you see room for improvement

10 Tips To Help Your Business Grow And Prosper!

2012-04-17T08:31:00.001-07:00

No business can afford to rest on past performance. There must always be a Plan of Action for the future that will keep the business vibrant and growing. Customer memory is short and so, constant reinvention is the only way toward higher growth. Here are some guidelines that will help you expand your business.

1. Location:
If you are a new business, setting up shop in a central area might be beyond your means. Offering internet solutions to customers’ requirements with the option of home delivery would then be a good idea. Otherwise as an existing business, it would help to move to a central location if the prospect of increasing business through the move outweighs the possible negative consequences the move would have on the existing market.
2. Stable Business Plan:
Define goals and objectives clearly. Take stock of where you are now and what the road ahead is for the business. Ensure that management is in regular and open communication with all levels right down to the bottom and that there is a good understanding of what the end purpose is across the organization. The business plan should have a clear organization set-up with a list of stakeholders, managers, employees, suppliers, buyers and all other prominent people with their roles stated explicitly. It is also important to determine what the sources of finance are.
3. Product Innovation Or Reinvention:
Bringing out newer versions of existing products and adding features that trigger customers’ curiosity and fascination would aid in keeping the product fresh in the mind of the customer. In the long run, adding new products that are either conglomerate or concentric to the existing line would ensure that customers think of you as a one-stop shop for their various needs.
4. Marketing Model
Be sure you are seen. Visibility is imperative in any business. Marketing could be done through business magazines, newspapers, trade fairs, TV advertisements, university programs and so on. High public memory recall is essential for growth in business.
5. Customer Surveys
It always pays to know your customers. Find out what their expectations and grievances are through surveys. It may not be feasible to cater to every individual wish list immediately but it would give a sense of what the business could grow into some day in the future. Moreover, customers feel like their voice is heard which is vital for the growth of any business.
6. Customer Testimonials
Credible customer testimonials on your website will add a personal touch to your site and make people believe your abilities have been favorably assessed by an independent unbiased party. Word of mouth is a great reference but the written word speaks volumes for itself. This would keep the business growing as more and more customers trust you.
7. Workspace Aspect:
Give sufficient thought to the interior design of your office as this will enhance the first impression new customers have and emphasize your sound business health and sincere long-term aspirations to existing customers. A healthy mix of functionality and aesthetics will go a long way in promoting business. Tastefully decorating your workspace with plants and art will give an air of culture to your business area. Given the diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the target market today, it would be best to steer clear of controversial or biased subject matter. Business should be a symbol of integrity and professionalism. To garner maximum interest, you would do well to keep personal affiliations away from it.
8. Licenses And Franchisees
Giving out licenses to franchisees to use your name would expand your network. For an income, you would get wide publicity that could help increase business from people who don’t use your product or service currently. Similarly obtaining licenses to enter new businesses would also help in the growth of business.
9. Distribution Network
You can increase the number of channels that connect you to the ultimate customer. This will in turn increase sales and subsequently the bottom line.
10. Gain Additional Recognition
Last but not the least, donating to a social cause, winning awards and involving celebrities would increase the visibility of the business and attract newer markets.
Remember you are only as good as your latest performance. Always ensure that you have one foot in the future of the industry and your business will flourish beyond expectations.

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES EXPECTED OF MANAGEMENT

2012-01-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

Qualities critical for a leader's relationship with his/her people are quite different to conventional skills and processes:

Examples of highly significant leadership qualities

integrity
honesty
humility
courage
commitment
sincerity
passion
confidence
positivity
wisdom
determination
compassion
sensitivity

leadership, What it entails

Prior to expecting anyone to follow, a leader first needs to demonstrate a vision and values worthy of a following.
A given type of leadership inevitably attracts the same type of followers. Put another way, a leadership cannot behave in any way that it asks its people not to.
In other words, for people to embrace and follow modern compassionate, honest, ethical, peaceful, and fair principles, they must see these qualities demonstrated by their leadership.
People are a lot cleverer than most leaders think.
People have a much keener sense of truth than most leaders think.
People quickly lose faith in a leader who behaves as if points 10 and 11 do not exist.
People generally have the answers which elude the leaders - they just have better things to do than help the leader to lead - like getting on with their own lives.
A leadership which screws up in a big way should come clean and admit their errors. People will generally forgive mistakes but they do not tolerate being treated like idiots by leaders.
And on the question of mistakes, a mistake is an opportunity to be better, and to show remorse and a lesson learned. This is how civilisation progresses.
A leader should be brave enough to talk when lesser people want to fight. Anyone can resort to threats and aggression. Being aggressive is not leading. It might have been a couple of thousand years ago, but it's not now. The nature of humankind and civilisation is to become more civilised. Leaders should enable not obstruct this process.

Fundamental Leadership Principles

Jack Welch, respected business leader and writer is quoted as proposing these fundamental leadership principles (notably these principles are expanded in his 2001 book 'Jack: Straight From The Gut'):

There is only one way - the straight way. It sets the tone of the organisation.
Be open to the best of what everyone, everywhere, has to offer; transfer learning across your organisation.
Get the right people in the right jobs - it is more important than developing a strategy.
An informal atmosphere is a competitive advantage.
Make sure everybody counts and everybody knows they count.
Legitimate self-confidence is a winner - the true test of self-confidence is the courage to be open.
Business has to be fun - celebrations energise and organisation.
Never underestimate the other guy.
Understand where real value is added and put your best people there.
Know when to meddle and when to let go - this is pure instinct.

As a leader, your main priority is to get the job done, whatever the job is. Leaders make things happen by:

knowing your objectives and having a plan how to achieve them
building a team committed to achieving the objectives
helping each team member to give their best efforts

As a leader you must know yourself. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, so that you can build the best team around you.

However - always remember the philosophical platform - this ethical platform is not a technique or a process - it's the foundation on which all the techniques and methodologies are based.

Plan carefully, with your people where appropriate, how you will achieve your aims. You may have to redefine or develop your own new aims and priorities. Leadership can be daunting for many people simply because no-one else is issuing the aims - leadership often means you have to create your own from a blank sheet of paper. Set and agree clear standards. Keep the right balance between 'doing' yourself and managing others 'to do'.

Build teams. Ensure you look after people and that communications and relationships are good. Select good people and help them to develop. Develop people via training and experience, particularly by agreeing objectives and responsibilities that will interest and stretch them, and always support people while they strive to improve and take on extra tasks. Follow the rules about delegation closely - this process is crucial. Ensure that your managers are applying the same principles. Good leadership principles must cascade down through the whole organisation. This means that if you are leading a large organisation you must check that the processes for managing, communicating and developing people are in place and working properly.

Communication is critical. Listen, consult, involve, explain why as well as what needs to be done.
Some leaders lead by example and are very 'hands on'; others are more distanced and let their people do it. Whatever - your example is paramount - the way you work and conduct yourself will be the most you can possibly expect from your people. If you set low standards you are to blame for low standards in your people.

"... Praise loudly, blame softly." (Catherine the Great). Follow this maxim.
If you seek one singlemost important behaviour that will rapidly earn you respect and trust among your people, this is it: Always give your people the credit for your achievements and successes.

Never take the credit yourself - even if it's all down to you, which would be unlikely anyway. You must however take the blame and accept responsibility for any failings or mistakes that your people make. Never never never publicly blame another person for a failing. Their failing is your responsibility - true leadership offers is no hiding place for a true leader.

Take time to listen to and really understand people. Walk the job. Ask and learn about what people do and think, and how they think improvements can be made.

Accentuate the positive. Express things in terms of what should be done, not what should not be done. If you accentuate the negative, people are more likely to veer towards it. Like the mother who left her five-year-old for a minute unsupervised in the kitchen, saying as she left the room, "...don't you go putting those beans up your nose..."

Have faith in people to do great things - given space and air and time, everyone can achieve more than they hope for. Provide people with relevant interesting opportunities, with proper measures and rewards and they will more than repay your faith.

Take difficult decisions bravely, and be truthful and sensitive when you implement them.

Constantly seek to learn from the people around you - they will teach you more about yourself than anything else. They will also tell you 90% of what you need to know to achieve your business goals.

Embrace change, but not for change's sake. Begin to plan your own succession as soon as you take up your new post, and in this regard, ensure that the only promises you ever make are those that you can guarantee to deliver.

If it's not clear already, leadership is without doubt mostly about behaviour, especially towards others. People who strive for these things generally come to be regarded and respected as a leader by their people:

Integrity - the most important requirement; without it everything else is for nothing.
Having an effective appreciation and approach towards corporate responsibility, (Triple Bottom Line, Fair Trade, etc), so that the need to make profit is balanced with wider social and environmental responsibilities.
Being very grown-up - never getting emotionally negative with people - no shouting or ranting, even if you feel very upset or angry.
Leading by example - always be seen to be working harder and more determinedly than anyone else.
Helping alongside your people when they need it.
Fairness - treating everyone equally and on merit.
Being firm and clear in dealing with bad or unethical behaviour.
Listening to and really understanding people, and show them that you understand (this doesn't mean you have to agree with everyone - understanding is different to agreeing).
Always taking the responsibility and blame for your people's mistakes.
Always giving your people the credit for your successes.
Never self-promoting.
Backing-up and supporting your people.
Being decisive - even if the decision is to delegate or do nothing if appropriate - but be seen to be making fair and balanced decisions.
Asking for people's views, but remain neutral and objective.
Being honest but sensitive in the way that you give bad news or criticism.
Always doing what you say you will do - keeping your promises.
Working hard to become expert at what you do technically, and at understanding your people's technical abilities and challenges.
Encouraging your people to grow, to learn and to take on as much as they want to, at a pace they can handle.
Always accentuating the positive (say 'do it like this', not 'don't do it like that').
Smiling and encouraging others to be happy and enjoy themselves.
Relaxing - breaking down the barriers and the leadership awe - and giving your people and yourself time to get to know and respect each other.
Taking notes and keeping good records.
Planning and prioritising.
Managing your time well and helping others to do so too.
Involving your people in your thinking and especially in managing change.
Reading good books, and taking advice from good people, to help develop your own understanding of yourself, and particularly of other people's weaknesses (some of the best books for leadership are not about business at all - they are about people who triumph over adversity).
Achieve the company tasks and objectives, while maintaining your integrity, the trust of your people, are a balancing the corporate aims with the needs of the world beyond.