11 Things Managers Should Never Say

11 Things Managers Should Never Say Did you see the recent news story about the Manchester, UK restaurant waiter who accidentally served a £4500 bottle of wine to customers who had ordered one worth £260? The nicest thing about this story is the way the Hawksmoor restaurant’s management responded to this honest mistake and the comments of support that have appeared online. To the customer who accidentally got given a bottle of Chateau le Pin Pomerol 2001, which is £4500 on our menu, last night hope you enjoyed your evening! To the member of staff who accidentally gave it away, chin up! One-off mistakes happen and we love you anyway ? â€" Hawksmoor Manchester (@HawksmoorMCR) May 16, 2019 Nobody knows exactly what the manager said to their staff member, but the latter kept their job and the restaurant’s owners made light of the issue on social media. Commentators praised the Hawksmoor management for remaining level-headed about the incident. After all, as one Twitter user put it: “why would I fire you, I just spent thousands of dollars training you.” Nobody makes that mistake twice! The fact is, the way a leader treats their employees in the bad times says much more than what they do when things are rosy. And businesses are beginning to figure out that the ‘coaching’-style method of management leads to a team that is engaged, productive, and communicative â€" and has a lower rate of employee turnover. Employees that need a guiding hand It takes a while to get good at your job. It takes some people longer than others. A healthy work culture is one where employees feel confident that if they ask for help or instruction, they won’t be ignored or looked down upon. Everybody is busy. But if a crew member asks for help or a meeting, a leader should let them know that they’ve been heard even if the matter can’t be immediately addressed. Booking in a training session or even just five minutes to go over something shows that the employee is valued. Employees that mess up Like the incident with the very expensive bottle of wine shows, mistakes happen. And if a business has gone to the trouble and expense of recruiting and training a member of staff, jeopardizing that relationship by making them feel terrible after a mistake or canning them all together is childish more than anything else. A boss should never talk about an employee’s wages or job security outside official discussions about these matters. Statements like “I don’t pay you to do x” or “there are a million people queuing up for your job” just reinforce the idea that the employee is a hand-for-hire and not a contributing member of the company family. Even if they begin to toe the line, they are unlikely to commit their full energy to a job that’s spoken about in these terms. And if they believe themselves to be constantly hanging on to their job by a thread, they’ll always have one foot out the door, ready to scarper to the next opportunity that comes up. Valuing reliable employees The coaching style of management should also be extended to those who are regularly fulfilling or exceeding expectations at work. And that requires more than empty compliments or a pat on the back: it means constructive criticism even when targets are being hit. “Keep doing what you’re doing” is a common refrain in performance appraisals. But an employee who is comfortable doing what they’re doing is a ball of potential just waiting to be realized. They may appreciate a greater challenge or even be sitting on great ideas that nobody ever thought to ask them about. Without proactive development from above, a crew member like this at best plods along as before, a part-wasted resource for the business; at worst, they’ll seek that challenge elsewhere, and either quit or lose their workplace energy as it is diverted into a hobby, a home business, or just the serious work of being bored. Figuring out how to use that potential, whether the employee is struggling, disinterested, or coasting along, requires the engaged empathy of a coach, not a boss. This guide to common phrases managers need to avoid (and their more productive alternatives) is an excellent route into the mindset of the coaching-style leader. About the author:  John Cole  writes on behalf of NeoMam Studios. A digital nomad specializing in leadership, digital media, and personal growth topics, his passions include world cinema and biscuits. A native Englishman, he is always on the move, but can most commonly be spotted in the UK, Norway, and the Balkans.

12 Things 2013 Taught Me

12 Things 2013 Taught Me Now that 2014  almost over  I thought I would share with you some thoughts that I bring into  the new year. These are my own personal experiences, and I hope by sharing them with you they help you get prepared for the year ahead. I would love to hear any reflections you might have please leave them in the comments below. My 12 reflections are (and not in any order!): 1) Procrastination is not a joke: It really can kill progress against my goals. There seems to be a light heartedness about procrastination as if it does not matter. Well, it does! It steals your energy, destroys your focus and everything gets moved to next week! It is a killer! 2) Have big dreams and don’t let go! No matter what anyone says! Big dreams energize and keep you alive. We started our lives as dreamers but were trained to dismiss them a daydreamer was not a role model! Ridiculous great achievements are enjoyed by big dreamers. They stood out from the masses. READ MORE:  How to Get Your  Dream  Job [6 Solid Tips] 3) When I push myself to where it is uncomfortable: that’s where I start growing. Everything worth learning is tough and uncomfortable at first if it wasnt, it would not be worth it! Growth only comes when we depart from what we know our comfort zone to a place where we start to learn. Now, that is uncomfortable but it is worth everything! 4) Make more time to get inspired: No-one will do it for me! Am I waiting for inspiration to hit me in the head, or will I go out and search for it? Waiting for inspiration is like waiting to see if you are going to have success. Make the time to read, to listen and to observe those things and those people that will inspire you to greatness. They do not need me, but I need them! READ MORE:  How to Find  Inspiration 5) Most TV is a complete waste of time: By: ?CoolMcFlash? I got into a bad habit of channel surfing what a complete waste of time! This year I will select what I want to watch and then switch off. It is chewing gum for the mind and does nothing for it, except for indigestion! 6) Getting out into nature really does enrich my soul and my body: I know this when I do it and then I forget about it how stupid is that! Connecting with nature is getting back in touch with the energy that I am made of. This will now be n integral part of my week! 7) When my major focus is to deliver brilliant service to my clients, they will find more clients for me: This was my experience in 2014 and made me realize that the focus is simply to serve my clients to the best of my ability and the new ones will just follow without any effort! 8) Spend more time with my family: They want you to, and probably need you to do so as well. I dont want to have regrets. 9) There is no wrong way to meditate: By: Sandra Mars Learned that in 2014. I was always anguishing over am I doing it right? Should I do it differently? Maybe I will take a course? Why cant I do it like it should? Guess what? Just by sitting there and focusing on my breathing and not getting irritated when my mind drifts is just fine! 10) Reviewing my top 6 goals every day works: It sounds so simple, but it works. It keeps what is important at the top of my mind every day! Cannot do better than that! READ MORE:  How to Set AND Achieve Your Personal  Goals 11) Focusing on delivering a small number of things at a time is more efficient: Take it in 90 day chunks have 3 priorities at a time and get those done first. Got a lot more important stuff done that way last year. 12) Don’t wait till it’s perfect: This is a form of procrastination I know as I used it! When I was saying Its not perfect yet, what I was really saying was I havent done the work. Be like Toyota get it out there, and improve it as you go if you must. You will get results quicker! Any resonate with you? Love to hear what your list would include.

What to Consider When Starting Your New Enterprise

What to Consider When Starting Your New Enterprise photo credit: Julian Partridge Deciding to start a new enterprise is exciting but the process can be overwhelming. From Product development and target market, to businesses planning and funding all the way through to security, legal, and marketing, its easy to see why todays entrepreneur is cut from a different cloth indeed. Here are a few things to consider to help you build a profitable business from the ground up. Product The first thing you’ll want to establish is your unique selling point. Is your product or service unique, and what differentiates it from similar or competing products? What can you do to make your service faster, cheaper or better than your competitors? Target audience Decide in definitive terms your intended target audience and conduct, through appropriate market research. Use surveys and social media to discover what your customer base really wants. Involve your customers in the development process of your business in order to breed brand loyalty from the outset. Business Plan Writing a business plan will help to clarify your business idea and allow you to measure your progress. A good business plan will define objectives and strategies within a set time frame, and make financial forecasts based on thorough research. Furthermore, it will identify potential risks and define contingency plans. Funding How are you going to fund your new start-up? If you’re borrowing from a bank, providing detailed financial forecasts and copies of contracts drawn up between you and industry professionals will strengthen your case. Alternatively, crowd sourcing is proving successful for funding innovative products and services. You may also wish to check if you are eligible for a New Enterprise Allowance. Security How are you going to ensure the security of your business? Indeed, every year it seems there are still more security factors to weigh in. Ultimately, your business needs to consider every risk and develop a set of contingency plans. From fire hazards to data theft, there is a wealth of dangers to guard against. Email Security from Mimecast provides high levels of protection from a wide range of email threats. As the only unified email management system on the market, Mimecast provides complete email security, giving you peace of mind without adding to the load of your IT or development team.  It’s also a good idea to look into getting a data protection officer for your company. Legal matters Are you setting up as a Sole Trader, a Partnership or a Private Limited Company? The type of business you choose to establish will affect the surrounding legal structure. Youll have to register your new enterprise with HMRC and arrange tax and National Insurance contributions. If you’re going to hire some staff, you’ll need to get Employer’s Liability insurance. You’ll also need to ensure your business premises comply with Health and Safety regulations. Marketing A strong marketing strategy is essential to the success of any new start up. When drawing up a marketing strategy, consider the following: what is current the market situation? What trends in the marketplace affect your product? Who has the largest market share currently? What demographic are you selling to? What territories are you selling in? What budget do you have? Be sure to track the effectiveness of your market strategy over time and reallocate resources where necessary. Whatever your new business idea, it’s essential to plan ahead. You can’t predict the future, but you can give your business the best chance with effective preparation. A realistic and confident business strategy will attract customers and investors alike. This post was featured by  Mimecast 3

Free Creative Resume Design - Smart and Professional

Free Creative Resume Design - Smart and Professional Free Creative Resume Design Smart and Professional You could open up Word or some other tool and create yet another boring, linear resume. It’s the safe choice after all. Then your resume will look just like 99% of the other resumes sent out to the employer.That’s fine if you want a job that 99% of people can do. What’s that? You don’t want that at all?  You’re a creative professional with loads of talent and experience, you say?In that case, ditch that boring resume and use our free, creative, resume design template. The geographical design element draws attention to your profile picture. The columns allow you to logically divide your resume for the ideal balance of readability and creativity.Got a bit of a long career history that you cannot fit into one page? Check out the premium version of this template then! It includes a two-page design, plus some extra bonuses!This is the kind of resume that hiring managers notice. Combine this with an amazing cover letter, and you will catch the eye of your next employer. You k now that making a great first impression is key. This template is the tool you need to make that happen. File size: 132 KB Format: .doc Downloaded 73,982 times License: Free, personal use only. Please read the license terms for resources. Download previous article How to be confident with your body language at interview (Or at least fake it) next article Creatively Smart â€" A Stylish Resume Template Freebie you might also likeFine Balance â€" A Creative and Professional Resume Template

Why You Should Consider a Freelance Career in the Tech Industry CareerMetis.com

Why You Should Consider a Freelance Career in the Tech Industry Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comIf you work as a freelancer or independent contractor, you know how important it is to stay in tune with marketplace needs and meet new demands.If you don’t, here are seven compelling reasons why you should consider broadening your skills and getting ready for a freelance career in the tech sector. Many of them also apply if you’re already working in tech full time but are pondering freelance jobs.1) More Fortune 500 Companies Are Finding Talent on Freelancer PlatformsevalFinding reliable clients is an ongoing challenge for many freelancers. Some of them spend almost as much time vetting job prospects as applying for open positions. However, freelance platforms are often excellent places to source work.evalA study from OxfordUniversity’s Oxford Internet Institutesuggests freelancers â€" with tech skills or otherwise â€" can expect better-than-average prospects on those platforms.That’s because there’s an increase in Fortune 500 companies using th em to locate freelancer workers to fit business needs.The researchers clarified that freelance platforms appeal to representatives of those enterprises because they remove conventional hiring barriers, cut down on costs and give companies access to a scalable and skilled labor pool.The research also showed that software development and other tech-related freelancer roles are in high demand throughout the world, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom.As such, you could find that you get more leads on freelancer sites â€" whether you’re a long-time freelance worker or someone who recently got into that way of earning income.2) The Tech Industry Is Becoming More Freelance-DrivenYou’re probably familiar with services like Uber that get people interested in gig economy work, but you may not have thought about how there’s a much broader transition to freelancing.By noticing the trend and responding to it, you could get ahead of the curve as a freelance tech worker. A Porch.com survey looked at the future of workby querying almost 300 employers and more than 1,000 employees about anticipated changes.The results showed that in a decade, there would be a 13.5 percent increase in the number of people in freelance tech roles, totaling 45 percent. Also, 64 percent of people currently working in tech though they’re part of what the survey termed a “movable industry.”evalThey believe they can do their work anywhere. If you’ve been thinking the same thing and wondering if you’re alone, this survey puts you in the majority.3) Enjoy a Better Work/Life BalancePeople explore the possibility of freelancing for numerous reasons, but many do so because they find their traditional workplaces don’t allow them to strike an all-important work/life balance.They may also have obligations that make it prohibitively challenging for them to work typical hours. Maybe you can relate if you’re caring for a young child or want to give more support to your spo use who’s following a dream of launching a startup.The 2018 Freelancing in America studyhas some statistics to note if you want a break from the daily grind for whatever reason. A press release about the researchconfirms that 77 percent of full-time freelancers reported an improved work/life balance. Similarly, 42 percent of respondents said freelance work gave them crucial flexibility when traditional employment was not feasible.evalThose findings don’t relate specifically to the tech sector, but you can feel confident the research included perspectives from many people working in tech. It polled more than 6,000 U.S.-based freelancers.4) You May Already Have Desirable SkillsAs mentioned earlier, you may be reading this as a tech employee thinking about transitioning to freelance work. Depending on your background, the skills you already have may make you an exceptionally good fit for freelancing.An analysis of the most sought-after freelancing skillson Freelancer.com found that , during 2018, the job category on that site that grew the most was for developers to create and integrate application program interfaces 5) You Could Help Address a Known Skills ShortageEmployers struggle to meet current and future needs when their workers don’t have the necessary skills. There’s an exceptionally severe problem with today’s workers not having the digital skills needed to succeed.A report from Gartnerfound 67 percent of company leaders believed the lack of digital skills from their workforces would hinder competitiveness if not solved by 2020. Furthermore, 70 percent of employees polled responded that they did not have the abilities needed for their current roles.Many company representatives turn to measures that likely seemed drastic before skills shortages existed. The skills shortage is so prominent that it’s common to solve it by hiring workers from other countries or depending on freelancers.6) You Could Have More Control Over Your Workday’s Structure Many clients who hire tech freelancers don’t mind when they get the work done as long as the freelancers meet deadlines. So, no matter if you’re a night owl or a morning person, a freelance tech career could help you find a schedule that’s a better match for your natural rhythm.evalSetting your hours doesn’t automatically cause a drop in productivity. There’s a pervasive myth that freelancers are more likely than traditional workers to slack off, but research indicates otherwise.A Stanford University researcherstudied a Chinese travel company with 20,000 employees. There were two groups of people taking part in the research. The first worked from home for nine months and only came into the office once a week, and the other segment worked on-site with no remote work time. Those who worked at home most of the time performed 13 percent better than those who didn’t.The findings concluded that happened because the at-home group worked their full shifts, whereas people in the office were more likely to take long lunch breaks or leave early. Moreover, they had better focus than those in an office environment that could be full of distractions.Think about whether selecting when you work could be a source of anxiety rather than empowerment. One excellent way is to remember that succeeding as a tech freelancerlikely means shaking up what you know and becoming a businessperson ready to sell yourself and your abilities.When you’re starting out and clients ask how long you need to complete a tech job, it’s smart to estimate conservatively at first.eval7) You Won’t Necessarily Take a Pay CutMuch like the impressions people have of freelancers getting lazy at home â€" debunked in the previous section â€" they often think of people in contract roles coping with drastically reduced schedules.Although it’s true some people find freelance jobs that pay less than traditional work and decide they’re still worthwhile due to the lifestyle differences provided, tech skills make it more likely you could keep earning a lot as a freelancer.Many of the most profitable freelance careersare in the tech sector, some of them even generating six-figure incomes. Many freelance clients offer trial assignments to potential freelancers, so it’s ideal to brush up on your capabilities and also look into getting relevant certifications. Those things could help you earn even more than expected.As you assess matters related to your pay as a freelance tech person, remember that independent contractors have to pay estimated taxes every quarter. Being aware of that could help you set more suitable rates.The Potential for a Brighter FutureEven if you don’t go into freelancing full time, the content on this list shows why so many people who have tech skills or want to learn them could be well-equipped for freelance careers.Being an independent contractor isn’t for everyone, but you could find it offers you flexibility and options that traditional types of work don’t. Tech skills also help you respond to changing needs and stay marketable.

Two Strategies for Combating Ageism on Your LinkedIn Profile Photo - CareerEnlightenment.com

Strategy 2: Youth by AssociationThe second strategy is to take another look at your photo and use a marketing strategy called Brand Association.Brand Association is leveraging the brand message of something else, and through proximity, making those characteristics apply to you. Marketing people do this all the time.Notice how some websites have a featured on and then a logo of some news network? They are associating the authority of a news network with their brand.You can use a similar approach for your profile photo. If you want to stay authentic and not Photoshop 20 years off your image, just to get stares when you show up for the interview, then this is the best approach.Think of some activities or images that have youth associated with them. Perhaps you have a hobby that is youthful, like hiking, biking, or indoor soccer. Perhaps there is a place you like to visit that has youth associated with it, like Disneyland, water parks, a sporting event. The brainstorm will be unique to e veryone.Now you should find a way of incorporating those images into your profile photo.Make a SplashBy the way, this advice isnt just for the older generations combatting ageism. The same strategies can be employed by the younger generations facing similar challenges. The irony for me at the engineering symposium was that just after my two conversations with two baby-boomers, I had a Gen Y engineer come up to me and ask about the very same issue. Im younger than the others, he said, but Im just as qualified. What can I do to combat Ageism?As always, your comments are welcome.(A climate mangles a rush myth.)

ESL Writing Resume

ESL Writing ResumeWhen looking for a job in the IT field, it is necessary to have an ESL writing resume. In order to avoid being rejected, you should have a professional written English resume that makes it stand out from the other resumes out there. Here are some tips to get you started.Your resume should contain many positives about you. If you do not include something positive in your resume, then you will only disappoint. It would be best if you can include at least two or three relevant skills and achievements. This is how your resume can be customized. While it may seem more difficult than it really is, make sure that you know how to customize a resume properly.You need to write an ESL writing resume that shows your expertise in the English language. To this end, you need to provide all the necessary information to get a first impression. Provide as much information as possible and in the right places. This can also help you avoid any transcription errors in your resume. The mo re information you provide, the better it will look like. This will help you to overcome any disadvantages that you have been facing.Your resume should also provide examples of the things you have done for ESL training. This helps you gain credibility in the business community and will put you at an advantage for future business opportunities. Also, you have to include an example sentence in your resume that shows that you have completed the requirements for the job.You should have a website and free paper work in order to ensure the authenticity of your resume. This will help you to check the validity of your CV even before it is sent to the employers. You will also be able to see the free sample. This will also help you get an idea of the type of writing style that you need to use.You can hire an ESL writing resume editor to write the resume that you need. This editor can help you get the job that you have been waiting for. The editor can also edit your resume according to your ne eds and your style. This will help you save time and money.Having an ESL writing resume helps you get the best job. This is why it is recommended that you get this type of resume in order to stand out from the other candidates who are applying for the same job. Using a well-designed resume will definitely make you stand out and show off your talents in an appropriate manner.