Are you on track to accomplish the goals that you set at the beginning of the year? If so, you are doing great! If not, you still have time to regain focus and get back on track. As time passes, there are factors (economic, social, political, etc.) that can cause someone to fall behind and sometimes not be able to reach their goals. Let’s look at a few things that you have control over that will assist putting you back on track.
You’ve been selected as a guest on the Donnie Deutsch show to pitch “The Big Idea.” You have thirty seconds to describe your business and how it can benefit others.
What will you say? What do you want people to walk away with? How many people are watching the show and can benefit from your “Big Idea” or even provide funding?
Things have changed throughout the economy and in the workplace. With more employees doing more for the same salary or reduced salary, it is important to get yourself organized so you become more efficient, reduce your level of stress and spend more time doing things outside of work.
Here are some common problems and solutions that can help in getting organized in the New Year:
Reconnecting with contacts is like taking your car in for routine maintenance. It’s good to make it a part of your routine plan whether it’s monthly, quarterly or yearly, but it’s something you need to do. With the current conditions of the economy, some individuals have relied heavily on their existing network and others had to start from scratch.
Reconnecting with your network can bring many benefits to your professional relationship. Let’s focus on the Why, How and When:
“Recognizing employees is not simply a nice thing to do. It is an effective way to communicate your appreciation for the efforts and successes of others, while also reinforcing those actions and behaviors that make a difference in your organization” . . . a point made by Mallary Tytel – President and Founder of Healthy Workplaces.
Let’s face it, we all like to be recognized for our efforts. Some like a “BIG to do” and others like a simple “Thank you.” Whatever the case, employees like to be acknowledged and shown they are appreciated.
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, with a downturn in the economy, there has been an increase in the amount of admission applications to business schools for advanced degrees. Why wait for a slow down in the economy, loss of job, or even wait until the kid’s graduate college in order to advance your learning?
Recent studies conducted by the International Listening Association illustrated we retain half of what we hear and forget about half of that within 48 hours. We listen at 125-250 words per minute, but think at 1,000-3,000 words per minute. Truly, what kind of impact does effective listening have on your customers, employees and business associates?
Business professionals spend a reasonable amount of time giving presentations communicating new and existing ideas, proposals for investors, clients, etc. PowerPoint presentations have become a ubiquitous tool for these varying types of business presentations. At times though, I find that the technical aspect of the tool gets overused, misused, and the audience tends to walk away with an unclear message of the presentation. Here are some solutions to assist with getting your message to land with your audience when using PowerPoint:
At the beginning of the year, people typically set goals as a new year’s resolution (i.e. lose weight, spend more time with friends, run a marathon, etc.). At the end of the year, people find that they only reach some or none of their goals. Anatole France said “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” You must dream and believe in reaching your goals. Let’s focus on a plan of action to help you set goals.
Most people fear speaking in front of a large group of people thinking they look foolish. Public speaking is not an easy task! It takes time and practice to get comfortable in front of an audience.
When you are speaking before an audience, you should be talking with your audience (having a conversation), not talking at them. The structure of your talk is like the research papers you did in school. You have your thesis statement followed by the introduction, body and conclusion. The only difference is you are delivering the information verbally.
Keeping your resume up to date is a pivotal step in the success of your career. Much like going to the dentist or doctor, reviewing and updating your resume should be a regularly scheduled activity that you perform.
When confronted with searching for a new job, whether you are simply looking for a new job or you are out of work, your resume needs to be able to jump off the hiring recruiter’s desktop and scream, “HIRE ME”.
