How to Build a Strong Team Spirit

How to Build a Strong Team Spirit No man is an island, especially in a business organization. Everyone in the organization needs someone elses help sometime or another, either as part of the regular work flow or during emergencies. Whether its the CEO or the cleaning lady, every person in an organization has to consider himself or herself as part of a team in order for a business to function smoothly. The moment a “Thats not my job!” attitude appears, you have the makings of a dysfunctional organization. Team Spirit is Essential Most modern businesses are structured around teams. Even those with highly individualized jobs like graphic design and publishing need active co-operation among various members of the organization for a final product to emerge. It is critical then for every member of the organization to understand the concept of teamwork and to consider his or her job as part of a team effort. What Creates a Team Environment? Creating a team environment in a company does not come easy. To effectively build teams, it is important to remember that: Teamwork is based on a companys culture. Companies that encourage open, honest communication and foster employee interaction are in a better position to have good teamwork among employees. Team spirit comes from the top. Building effective teams with the right attitude emanates from the highest levels of an organization. Only by flattening the traditional organizational pyramid can one expect to instill the right team culture. People must fit the culture. Some people are team players and some arent. Its partly a question of personality and partly a matter of training. One person in the team with the wrong attitude can undermine the effort of the entire team. Hiring only people with the right traits for teamwork is crucial in building effective teams. How to Get Everybody on Board Teams are not born, theyre built. Heres how to go about building an effective team where everyone considers it his or her job to pitch in and contribute to the overall team effort. Start at the beginning â€" Hire people who fit into the companys team culture. Use interviews and pre-employment assessments well to determine a persons personality and traits. Look for cooperation and a willingness to listen in order to determine whether an applicant can work well in a team environment. Let everyone know where youre going â€" This means making employees part of the strategic planning process and making sure they understand the goals. Its important that every team member buys into the plan. Hold the team accountable for results â€" Establish clear team and individual expectations. Make sure everyone understands that its the result of the teams work that counts. Base your reward system on the teams ability to achieve its goals. Provide individual recognition based on contribution to the team effort. Keep communication lines open â€" Encourage frank and open communication among team members and management. Solicit ideas and suggestions from team members on ways to better achieve the teams goals. Resolve team conflicts immediately â€" Work to correct performance, attitude or ethics problems of individual team members when it is possible. If the person just doesnt fit into the team mold, replace him or her with one who does in order to protect the integrity of the team. Keep morale high â€" Team members function best when their individual contributions to the team are recognized. This, in turn, leads to a strengthening of the team spirit among its individual members. Making employees realize that they are part of one team is the best antidote to an insular, narrow-minded work attitude. This will engender a willingness on the part of everyone to pull in one direction, regardless of the job or task at hand. Author: Lewis Edward is one of the owners of TheOfficeProviders. He is a real estate investor and entrepreneur with many interests in other sectors.

Your Guide To Being Single During The Holidays (And Loving it!) -

Your Guide To Being Single During The Holidays (And Loving it!) - While you don’t need to be in a relationship to enjoy the holiday season, parents, friends and co-workers may think you do, which means they’re either pestering you about why you’re still single or worrying about how lonely you must be. Here’s how to respond to them, along with other pro tips for not just ‘getting through the holidays’ when you’re single, but actually enjoying them! Navigating the holidays as a single person can be liberating, and even fun, because you get to enjoy the season on your own terms. Yes, you can actually love being single during the holidays! Don’t Wait for Invites. Rather than waiting to get invitations to holiday parties from others, get out and socialize on your own terms. Consider hosting a holiday happy hour or inviting your friends over for appetizers and gift exchanges. And yes, take yourself out on a date or search for local events for singles on Meetup, etc. Do things on your own that you intend to do with your partner once they come into your life. Bring Backup. When youre single, events are often more enjoyable when you attend them with someone else who speaks your language and has your back. Bring another single along with you to any family/social events to avoid feeling like a 5th wheel, and to ensure that you have a good time. Do Good. If you’re feeling melancholy about being single this time of year the best way to shift your attention away from your own life is to focus on helping someone else in theirs. For example, you can volunteer over the holidays with those less fortunate, and the bonus is that you may make friends (or even prospective dates) while doing so. Expect The Expected. Family and friends can be downright intrusive when were single, but rather than getting defensive about being asked for the millionth time why youre still single, create responses in advance so you dont feel put on the spot. Try Im happy in my life right now, and I know that my happiness is important to you.” Or “Im happily married to my career, if that changes, Ill let you know!” Change the subject quickly to something neutral, like a new show youre watching or a new author you discovered. Turn The Tables. When someone pesters you about why you’re single, you can turn the tables and ask them to tell you about their relationship. A lot of times, when people are fixated on you being single, theyre really fantasizing about what it would be like to be single again too! Above all, remember, youre the prize not the project! This guest post was authored by Jennifer Longmore A  former Forensic Social Worker, Jennifer Longmore studied human behavior for many years before getting more in touch with spiritual side of human motivation and consciousness. In addition to having a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a Master’s in Education, Jennifer is also a Reiki Master, a Past Life Regressionist, and an Integrated Energy Therapist.  

Good And Bad Habits Of Smart People

Good And Bad Habits Of Smart People We all have habits. But nobody cares about me. Lets look at the good and bad habits of smart people.  Follow in the footsteps of smart people but try and only pick up the GOOD habits of smart people. Smart people are persistent Albert Einstein Had an IQ of 160, but did not speak until he was 4. Bill Gates IQ of 160, but failed his first business Thomas Edison IQ of 145, but this dude had 1000+ attempts at the light bulb Beethoven IQ of 160, but classic case. he was told he will fail in life Ben Franklin IQ of 160, school drop out at the age of 10 Smart people are avid readers Reading has its own benefits. It increases your verbal skills and helps to articulate thoughts. And you know, 15 mins of reading a day would expose you to 1,000,000 words a year. For more of this cool stats on good and bad habits of smart people heres an infographic from Wisebread.com. 6

Is Recruiting Sales Employees From Your Competitors Sound HR - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Is Recruiting Sales Employees From Your Competitors Sound HR - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career With relative frequency, our recruiters come across organizations that believe it to be an advantageous strategy to recruit from their competition. This is understandable. On the surface, the strategy appears to carry merit. Employers assume that those who have experience in a field will need less ramp-up time, less handholding from management and will have a greater likelihood of staying with the organization. Unfortunately, closer analysis of the seemingly advantageous recruiting approach will prove it all but illogical. Via using our common sense, we can illuminate the risks and disadvantages involved for organizations seeking to hire sales professionals directly from their competitors. Analyzing a Sales Representative’s Reason for Leaving When we analyze the reason for a competing business development representative wanting to leave their current organization, we run into several red lights that beg further analysis and questioning. Eventually, they will all but disprove the theory that recruiting sales reps from direct competitors has advantages. If a sales representative is doing well at a competitor, in the overwhelming majority of cases, there is no advantage for that individual to leave for a parallel position. Conversely, for those who are struggling, there are a multitude of advantages to consider direct competitors. Many sales representatives know that competitors are an easy way to get a bump in salary (whether it be from their new employer or via using a competing offer as leverage against their current hiring manager). Until a hiring manager can really dig at these issues during an interview process, there is little reason to believe that that new employee will prove to be an all-star. Experience has shown us the direct opposite. Over the past 10 years, our business development headhunters have seen little correlation between a sales employee’s ability to succeed and direct pertinent experience in a field. There are poor vendors in every industry just as there are a multitude of subpar sales representatives. Ethical and Legal Issues If a sales representative provides significant reasoning for their departure, there are more variables that need to be addressed. The next logical question is regarding whether the new prospective employee has a non-compete clause. Often, sales representatives who are effective are required to agree to a legal formality that prevents them from operating against their employer in the near future. Employers who understand HR law know that they are able to circumvent the non-competes because they are rarely enforceable against employees. While there may not be an ability for a past employer to take action, there still are ethical questions that need to be raised. Common sense will tell an employer that if a sales representative is willing to break an agreement with a past employer and attempt to convert clients, it is more than likely that the employee will repeat their actions. This behavior does not exist in a vacuum. If the employee does not plan on approaching old clients, this: 1. Immediately limits the amount of prospects they can approach. 2. Begs the question as to whether the individual has the resiliency and energy to start their book of business from scratch. Clients Rarely Follow Sales Representatives Unfortunately, the defiance of logic in this recruiting approach goes even further. Let’s say that a sales representative claims they have a large following of clients that they can bring over to their new company. That would, again beg the question as to why are they leaving? Regardless, an overwhelming majority of companies are hesitant to switch solutions based upon a sales representative moving companies. Even though the sales representative may claim that there are a multitude of unhappy clients at their current company (and their claims may be true) chances are those clients would have gone somewhere else if they weren’t locked into some form of contract. Moreover, people try to avoid making the same mistake twice. That means that unsatisfied clients are much less likely to consider or trust the sales representative a second time pending things didn’t go as planned during the initial run of doing business. If these clients were unhappy and were not locked into a contract, there are 15 other firms vying for their business. They would be long gone or in the process or moving on (again, with a negative viewpoint of the company and, more likely than not the sales rep). Pending they do still trust the sales rep., time is another factor working against that new business development employee. Odds are high that the former clients have already actively approached alternative solutions (most of the time, they are well into the sales process with other firms providing another significant hurdle). While there are exceptions to the rule, there are not enough to warrant substantial revenue generation via a new sales employees old book of business. The Most Successful Alternative to Recruiting From Direct Competitors Over the past decade, we’ve seen employers have significantly better luck recruiting sales employees from a similar industry, rather than a direct competitor. In most cases, the employer will receive the basic benefits that come with recruiting from direct competition (i.e. less ramp-up time, knowledge of and experience selling to the target market without the ethical or legal hurdles that exist). Moreover, individuals who come from parallel fields overcome in fresher than those with exact backgrounds providing the new employer with a fresh perspective on the business.

The Advantages of Ghost Writing Resume Services

The Advantages of Ghost Writing Resume ServicesThere are times when you may think that ghost writing is an ideal option for you to help improve your resume. This option can also be used for those who are taking the job and still looking for clients, or those who want to add some personal touch to the resume. However, a bit of common sense and thinking about the process will go a long way in helping you decide whether this is the right choice for you.The most common mistake when it comes to writing resumes is that it tends to be very informal and unprofessional. This kind of writing style tends to make people feel uncomfortable and tends to turn off the potential employer rather than engaging and marketing their skills. When you are not well versed with the industry, it is best to write your resume in this style. This way, if someone does not take to your resume, they can just ignore it and move on.Ghost writing services will do the complete research for you. They will go through and study your resume, along with the others you submitted and understand the various areas where you could improve. They will then write a new and fresh resume, which will be tailored to your needs.This means that you have access to all of the information that you need in order to market yourself better, as well as being able to take an honest look at your previous clients. This is usually offered by most freelance writers. There is a cost associated with this, but it can be offset by the fees associated with your professional services.Of course, you need to be sure that you have a reason to be doing this as a new resume. By this, I mean that you have an idea for a change in your career path, or perhaps a line of work that you are considering entering, or maybe you are considering looking into becoming a consultant in your chosen field. This will help your resume stand out and attract attention.Start by trying to be concise and get to the point. Be sure to take advantage of the option to highlight any specific skills and qualifications you have. Also be sure to put all of the important points down on the resume and remember to put in all of the experiences you have had in this line of work.It will take time to find the good candidate for this position. Since you will be spending time working with the writer, you should not hesitate to ask for additional drafts. This is also one of the best ways to communicate with the writer and get your feedback on what you need to improve.In conclusion, there are several advantages to working with ghost writing services. You will be able to be updated on the latest trends in the industry, and you will get a high quality resume without all of the hassles of creating a resume yourself. Just remember that you should always look into this option first before doing anything else.

Leaders Never Stop Learning - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching

Leaders Never Stop Learning - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching Leaders set the tone for an organization. They must be agile in their responses to the ever-changing marketplace and business climate. Leaders are charged with growing organizations and should never stop learning because learning is an essential part of the growth process. Learning can take various shapes within an organization. It can be organic, formalized, personalized, or on-demand.  Whatever the shape, learning needs to be part of a leader’s commitment to improve both personally and professionally. There are two fundamental lessons for learning leaders who want to grow personally and help grow their organization: vulnerability and failure. Comfortable being vulnerable The first lesson in the commitment for leaders to be learners is becoming comfortable with vulnerability. Learning leaders do not have all the answers and admitting that with confidence makes the leader authentic. Leaders must go first! According to Patrick Lencioni, in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business: “The only way for a leader of a team to create a safe environment for his team members to be vulnerable is by stepping up and doing something that feels unsafe and uncomfortable first.” Being first means becoming comfortable with vulnerability. Never stop learning from failure The second lesson of learning closely tied to vulnerability is how to use failure. The old saying, “Failure is not an option”, is not realistic. Even though failure is not a strategic goal and we do not desire to fail, it is always a reality. Leaders who value the impact of learning on growth and talent retention drive an organization where learning is part of the organizational DNA. Those who set the example in their commitment to learning create organizations that are serious about learning. How a leader uses failure to learn can set a good example for how to use these important lessons for improvement. In the field of academic medicine MM (Morbidity and Mortality) Conferences are used to examine failures and medical errors. These are powerful in learning what went wrong and finding answers to correct problems and improve medical care.  The key objective of a well-run MM Conference is to identify adverse outcomes associated with medical error, to modify behavior and judgment based on previous experiences, and to prevent repetition of errors leading to complications. If Medicine finds value in learning from failures, should more organizations not do the same? Yes!Leaders who are learners set an example and establish the value of learning within an organization. The power of executive coaching for learning leaders Leadership and executive coaching is an important part of learning. It enhances the leader’s ability by helping them understand: their growth mindset their relation to failure the role vulnerability plays in their leadership how to be a better, active listener Like learning from failure and vulnerability, listening is a fundamental part of success as a learning leader.  In his bestselling book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, well-known Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith states: “80 percent of our success in learning from other people is based on how well we listen.” Are you hearing more than listening? Listening takes practice. It is a learned skill that successful leaders focus on to become better. Leadership executive coaching is part of sound leadership development. It can be incorporated to help leaders become more self-aware and learn to be more approachable and authentic in their influence. Another great resource on how learning makes a better leader is a book titled: Learn Like Leader: Today’s Top Leaders Share Their Learning Journeys. The value of investing in learning Learning leaders never stop learning! It is an investment in time and money. Many leaders give excuses of why they cannot take time to learn. Learning should be a priority and not an option. It is an investment that successful learning leaders embrace. According to Dr. Brad Staats, Associate Professor of Operations at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business: “Today’s fast-paced, ever-changing, global economy requires us to never stop learning or we risk becoming irrelevant. Savvy leaders recognize this means investing in their own learning journey, so they can develop the processes and behaviors required for ongoing success.” Dr. Staats recent publication, Never Stop Learning: Stay Relevant, Reinvent Yourself, and Thrive, illustrates the importance of making the lifelong investment of learning. When executive coaching is used with other learning initiatives, it helps develop a deeper purpose for the leader. Developing the complete leader involves being committed, setting an example, and making an investment in self and others. Learning leaders focus on learning as a strategic resource in personal and professional development. By Steve Graham|2018-07-14T19:10:52+00:00July 12th, 2018|Performance|0 Comments

What Your Application Needs to Get Right if You Want That Job - CareerAlley

What Your Application Needs to Get Right if You Want That Job - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If youre in the process of applying for a job, youre probably getting a little concerned about whether or not your application is good enough. If its not, you could rule yourself out of the process before theyve even had the chance to meet you. Many jobs have a lot of applicants, so its easy to lose out if you make even a small mistake. So, if you want to get that job, here are the things your application will need to get right. Spending a lot of time on getting your resume right will ultimately make a major difference to your employability. Tweet This TopResume Free Resume Review Price: TopResume writes and analyzes more resumes and LinkedIn profiles than any other service in the world. Let our resume experts provide you with objective feedback and personalized recommendations to improve your resume and land the right job sooner. Get a free, confidential resume review from TopResume Get Your Killer Resume We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. An Accurate and Complete Job History This is something that you should take seriously because many companies do look at your job history. If they decide to check your claims, they need to be accurate. You dont want them to see you as a liar because then there will be no chance of you getting that job. Make sure its complete as well; dont just leave gaps in your employment history just because the jobs werent relevant to the one youre applying for. source A Good Cover Letter Your cover letter is always going to be considered very important. It should cover all of the things that are mentioned in the job specification. You need to make it clear why you would be the best person for the job. Lots of people wonder about a cover letters length. Most of the time, you want to keep it relatively short while making all the important points. But dont go over the top or bore the reader. Image Source The Correct Contact Details Contact details are obviously vital because you want the company to be able to contact you to arrange an interview. Include as many ways of contacting you as possible because then it gives them options and you will have all the bases covered. These days, its wise to add an address, email address, a mobile phone number, and a landline number if you have one. If there are any mistakes, they could end up sending their response to the wrong person. Cover Letter Links Price: CareerAlley links to cover letter resources. cover letter resources We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. How many times have you heard of people filling out dozens or even hundreds of online applications without even getting one response back! Automated systems sort and process the applications. If your application isnt processed and brought to the top of the list of applications, it simply wont even be reviewed by human beings. Acing Your Online Job Application A Good Writing Style Your writing style also matters when youre applying for a job. If you want people to take you seriously, your words need to make sense. And if what you write is full of mistakes, its only going to create the wrong impression. Thats why you should take your time and consider every word and sentence. Ask someone else to read it and offer feedback if youre not sure about what youve written. Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash A Concise and Compact Form Its never a good thing to make your application longer than it needs to be. Many people mistakenly believe that if they spend a long time listing all their talents and achievements, they will be able to impress more. But thats not really the case. When they have a lot of applications, they want to be able to read all the information that matters quickly. So, keep your application concise and compact. 101 Best Cover Letters Price: $10.98 Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 Getting your application ready to send off to the company you want to work for is never easy. But if you get the above things right, you will be on the right track. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search