Never stop learning.  Not only in your field, but in others as well. The inventor of the ballpoint pen was a journalist. The man who created the mechanical adding machine was a philosopher. The creator of bubble gum was an accountant.

Next time you stop by a magazine stand, buy one you have never read before. You may find new ideas, processes and ways of thinking in areas that you would never have considered. Take courses and get your best people to take them as well.

Life-Long Learning is exactly that – a life longing to learn.
These are just a few ways to get your best people to come up with more and better ideas. There are hundreds of others you can discover for yourself.
Creativity and ideas are not an option for companies any more. They are must-haves.
Source: ST/ANN

Reach out to others by practicing these 10 communication principles!

You can significantly improve your communication ability by keeping these 10 principles in mind.

1. Express, not Impress

Many people tend to use big words to impress others because using these words is associated with intelligence. But wise people use simple language that anyone can understand. They realise that if the other person dos not understand their message, they have failed to communicate.

2. Seek to understand

Most of us are more interested in being understood by the other party than in understanding him. But if either person is not understood, the communication has failed. Lawyers sometimes describe an agreement as a “meeting of the minds”. Agreement or understanding occurs only when both parties are of the same mind. The same can be said for communication to occur, both parties must interpret the meaning of the message in the same way.

3. Learn with your ears

Listening is more than keeping quiet while someone else is talking. It is the art of interpreting the words of another and giving them meaning. It is an active process that requires thought and ideally an empathetic process that requires feeling and understanding. If an understanding is a meeting of the minds, then good emphatic listening is a meeting of the hearts. Listening is how you find out what others feel and want.

4. What others want.

People do things for their reasons, not yours, so it is important to find out what others want. But the problem is their intentions are sometimes indecipherable. Most people assume that because a reason sounds feasible, it is practical fro everyone else. To find out what people are thinking, you have to develop rapport, emphatise with them, ask questions and gain their trust.

5. What others tell you.

People have reasons for everything: the one they tell you and the one they hide from you. The former usually sounds good and high-minded. Or it could be what they think you want to hear. People obscure the truth because thay are afraid they would be put in a bad light. With open communication and trust, others are more likely to tell you what they truly think and feel.

6. Be emotion savvy

Everyone likes to believe that he is a logical creature and makes rational decisions. But people often act based on their emotions and justify their action with a reason later.

7. Perceive accurately

Perception is reality. People see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. Some people always see the glass as half-full; others see it as half-empty. We do not see the world as it is – we see the world according to what we are.

8. Question wisely

When ordering a proposal, the way you present alternatives or pose a question can make a difference. framing the question thoughtfully helps you get what you want. 

9. Make a good offer

Making it easy for people to say “yes” can increase the chances of getting what you want. Too often, people focus on winning, looking good and being right. Having things done your way may not always be as satisfying as getting others to accede to your request willingly. Look for alternatives to get cheerful cooperation rather than grudging compliance.

10. Be empathetic

In recent years, emotional quotient (EQ) is increasingly recognised as more important to success than traditional intelligence. EQ is a cluster of abilities such as empathy and the knack for recognising emotions in others. With empathy, you know how others feel and show them you are aware. It connects you with people and is the heart of communication.

Source: ST/ANN

Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton chain of Hotels, said: “Success is made to order.”

He was right. An achievement is a sum total of many things – talent, aptitude, knowledge and desire. If you analyse each of your achievements, you will soon discover that it all started with the GOAL that you wanted to achieve.

Well-defined goals, tackled with competence and confidence through a proper plan of action, are the building blocks of achievements. They are our escalators to tomorrow, a vehicle that takes you to success. What are some of the important points to remember when you go about setting goals and planning for them?

1. Set SMART Goals.

It is very important that your goals be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. It must more importantly be “stretched” to give you the necessary motivation to succeed.

2. Put your MIND to it.

Swami Vivekananda, the influential Indian spiritual leader is credited with introducing the philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta (quest for knowledge) to the west. Once when on a trip, he saw some kids standing on a bridge, shooting eggshells floating in the lake. The children were off target.

Swami took a gun, stood still for few minutes and then fired 12 shots. Each time it hit an eggshell. He turned around and told the awestruck boys: “Whatever you do, put your mind into it. If you are shooting, your mind should be on the target. If you are learning, think only of the lesson.”

3. Be ENTHUSIATIC

The worst bankrupt is the person who has lost enthusiasm. Lose everything but enthusiasm and you will come through your trials and find success. Of course there will be difficulties and obstacles in life. There are two possible attitudes to take at such times.

One (1) is to let the difficulties discourage you, making you fee helpless and hopeless. That attitude is disastrous. The other way (2) is to cultivate a positive attitude towards what you can do to solve the problem in the best manner possible.

4. Take effective ACTIONS. 

Most people have no idea how much stress they can create through indecision and inactions. If you are the kind of person who cannot decide between two courses of action, afraid that the course you choose might turn out to be a mistake, bear in mind that indecision is expensive and nearly always the worst mistakes you can make.

Some decisions require a great deal of thought and plenty of information. But once all the facts are available, the successful individual will reach a decision and stop thinking about the various pros and cons, so that he can devote all his energy and effort to making the decision work.

5. AVOID proscastination

Procrastination is the greatest disease that afflicts mankind. Although the disease is widespread, it is important that you do not ignore it. Successful people do not proscrastinate, especially in matters they know are important to them.

As someone has rightly said, “People don’t fail because they intend to fail. They fail because they fail to do what they intend to do.”

Source: AT/ANN

So simple, and true!

Pay attention to the facial expressions….

With practice, you can make new business contacts with confidence.

Networking is vital to your career and commercial success, but few people do it naturally. Being confident and effective networker will, therefore, set you apart from the crowd.

In 2005, a survey found that 60% of the reason why individuals rose to the topp in large companies was thatthey were seen more often by more people. Most people have to be pulled kicking and screaming into attending events that have the sole objective of winning new business.

The real problem usually stems from the following three factors:

• Fear of failure
• Fear of rejection, and
• Fear of leaving one’s comfort zone.

1. Overcome your fears

The way you think, feel and behave comes down to your self-esteem. The extent to which you like and value yourself often reflects the way others see you. When you attend social or business events, what are your thoughts as you walk into the room?

• Am i good enough?
• Will i be judged and found wanting?
• Will i fail?
• Will i be ignored?
• Will i be taken seriously?
• Will i do or say something that makesme look stupid?
• Will i be asked something and not know the answers?

2. How Nice Are You?

Most people enter social situations thinking bout their own imperfections and faults, rather than the fact that they are nice people. When you are attending events, being nice is more likely to mean that others will acknowledge and include you.

Walk into the room knowing that you are as good as anyone there, even if you are not the richest, more experienced or most senior person in attendance. Spend more time in a conversation being interested than interesting.

There are 3 fundamental steps to building relationships:

• Getting to know people.
• Creating mutual liking (at the very least, concealing dislike)., and
• In the longer term, progressing to building mutual trust.

When you have low self-esteem, you can’t like or trust yourself, and people will see this.

3. Basic Preparations

Consider the fundamentals:

• Who will be at the event?
• Where will it be held?
• What will you wear?
• What is the format?
• Have you got business cards to hand out?

This is only the start. Before you walk into the room, give yourself a pep talk. Think about your strength, your achievements and how you have achieved your present position. For example, you may have a service or product that is valuable to others, or you represent a business that is worth representing. If not, you need a new job – and what better time to make contacts!

Remember that everyone is there to create potential opportunities. They want to met you as much as you want to meet them. Most people will be as nervous as you are and most will be polite, courteous and respectful.

Follow Up

When you ask the right questions and listen carefully, you will often hear something useful. Whether this is a new business opportunity, new information or the possibility of a new job, you need to follow it up. Meeting someone at an event is the start of a relationship.

Ask the person for his business card and permission to contact him after the event to arrange further meeting. Where possible, agree on a date and write it down on the back of his card so that he will expect your call.

Networking takes practice. But, with a little preparation and perseverance, it can make a valuable contribution to your career and your business.

Source: ST/ANN

1. Before attending an event, think: You are about to give up three precious hours, unpaid, so get the most of it.
2. Enjoy iy and have some fun.
3. Walk in, hold your head high, pull your shoulders back and smile. Remember that 99% of the people there are as nervous as you.
4. Think that you are a decent and likable person. Believe in yourself and your expertise.
5. Plan to talk to three new people and gain three items of information. Find people on the guest list you would like to meet and introduce yourself to them.
6. Remember that every person there wants to network. The chances of rejection are extremely slim.
7. If you meet someone who is rude and unpleassant, ove away as soon as possible. Focus on people who are pleasant and welcoming.
8. It is better to be interested rather than interesting. Let the other person do most of the talking. Be a good listener and encourage other people to talk about themselves.
9. Small talk – about family, lifestyle, occopcation and passion eg travel, sports or hobbies – is the foundation of the relationship.
10. Ask for the other person’s business card and for permission to contact him a few days later. Write down the agreed date on the back of the card. As soon as you get home, write down all teh useful informtion o the card so that you are well prepared when making that vital follow-up call.

Here are 12 Tips to be more competent!

As part of your career success strategy, always be professional at work. Professionalism in any field involves strong work ethics and a commitment to a standard of performance far above the ordinary. Moreover, good service, fair dealings and courteous treatment of customers, peers, subordinates, fellow professionals and bosses are key to being a true professional of the highest calibre.

Professionalism rests on a few basic key principles:

1. Start your workday early.

Always be punctual for work. Ensure you budget time for delays ad traffic hold-ups. Being early gives you time to mentally organise your thoughts and priorities, It gives you the professional energy boost and reassuarance that you are not “late” or “behind”.

2. Be Organised.

Never let your table and bookcase become cluttered and untidy. If you must have voluminous papers, files and books handy, then you should label them properly and place them in neat row-rise stacks. Also, have a checklist for the day’s tasks on your table. Tick them off as you complete them.

3. Be willing to work shifts.

In today’s high demanding and fast-paced world, be prepared to work shifts. Due to globalisation of business, more professionals are now working in teams across several countries. Accept that you may have to coincide your working hours with those of fellow workers or clients from other cities.

4. Be willing to stay late to finish a project.

Employers are increasingly asking employees to stay late occassionally to finish projects on time. Be willing to help the job get done. Demonstrate flexibilitywhen required, but ensure it does not become a norm.

5. Continue to grow professionally.

Ensure you keep up-to-date with your profession. Sign up for at least a couple of upgrading or refresher courses annually even if you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. Be on the cutting edge of knowledge in your profession.

6. Do more than your fair share of the work.

Be the examplary employee at work. Put in more than your fair share of work. Be willing to Go The Extra Mile (GEM). You will then be the professional GEM at work.

7. Read all you can about the industry.

Spend some time every week to read professional and trade magazines and the business pages of newspapers. Watch videos on issues that may be related to your profession.

8. Grow your professional Network.

Make it a point to attend networking events and functions regularly to meet fellow professionals in your industry and related business. Be willing to be the guest speaker at events where you can share insights about your industry with professionals from other industries.

9. Be resourceful but wise.

No matter how challenging your task are, apply your analytical and critical thinking skills to generate new and creative solutions. Research not just from the Internet, but also from books and magazines at the library. Listen to discussion programmes on radio and watch documentaries on television to source for ideas.

10. Manage your performance.

Ensure the quality of your work is consistently high. Make it a point to review your personal performance standards every six months. Part of your personal development strategy must include self assessment and self appraisal relative to peers in your profession. Most omportatly, be prepared to raise your own performance standards.

11. Exhibit financial prudence.

Good professionals are able to exhibit thrift and foresight in their financial judgement. They have the financial and business acumen to ensure money is spent wisely irrespective of their profession. Explore the possibilities of minimising cost and optimising profitability. In making financial decisions, try to balance the interests of all concerned parties.

12. Exhibit emotional intelligence.

Being professional also means applying emotional intelligence appropriately to respond to situations and the personalities of those you are dealing with. You should also use more possitive emotions like cheerfulness, enthusiasm and responsiveness.

source: ST/ANN