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12 Must-Have Virtual Tools for the Busy Manager

April 20, 2012 By 1 Comment

Vitual Tools

Managing a workforce is difficult enough, but doing it virtually can be downright challenging.

Luckily, technology has made the virtual manager’s job a lot easier. Combine the Internet with the collaborative qualities of the cloud and you wind up with a plethora of productivity and community tools to choose from.

Here are 12 virtual tools you’ll want to check out and add to your own management toolbox:

1. Skype 

A virtual communication tool that lets you make both voice and video calls for free online, Skype is a popular too for managers who are on the road, or whose workforces are out of the office a lot. Upgrade your account to Skype Premium and you can run video conference calls with up to 10 people (compared to 2 with the free service); have your own phone numbers; and use tools like group screen sharing. Connecting with employees and managers is also easier with Skype, which allows you to “see” if someone is online and ping them to ask if they can chat. You can also use Skype to record calls and send large files to one another. As an added bonus, Skype offers an IM service that helps you communicate with employees without having to call or email them.

2. Dropbox 

There’s nothing more exasperating than getting that “file too large to send” error message when sending important documents, graphics, and video files to your co-workers, bosses, clients, or business partners. Dropbox is a good solution to this never-ending problem. The free (for up to 3GB of storage space) online file storage service allows you to collaborate with anyone you choose to via the cloud. You can give people access on a folder-by-folder basis, allowing you to share documents with the team members who need to see them. For $99-per-year, you can upgrade to 50GB of storage space.

3. Basecamp 

If your online information sharing needs go beyond simple file sending, Basecamp may be an even more robust alternative. Basecamp is a web-based project management and collaboration virtual tool that allows users to mange to-dos, files, messages, schedules, and milestones. Pricing starts at $20 per month and the company offers a 45-day free trial.

4. Google Calendar 

If you haven’t signed up for your free Google account yet, do it now for at least one main reason: the calendar. It allows users to share virtual online calendars with specific people and groups. Set up one calendar for company and project deadlines (so that everyone knows when tasks must be completed) and then set one up for your own personal use (to create some work-life balance).  Attach files or docs to your event so you have the right materials when your meeting starts. Calendar sharing makes it easy to find time with the people you work with and the smart scheduling feature suggests meeting times that work for everyone. Create an event calendar and embed it on your website or set up appointment slots so customers can choose the best time for them.

5. ShoeBoxed 

When you work virtually, those receipts, notes, and collected business cards can stack up quickly. Use the ShoeBoxed online receipt management virtual tool to upload your receipts by mailing or e-mailing them to the designated recipients. The company offers free and paid plans (the latter starts at $9.95 per month), and also includes a feature that allows for business card scanning. Your data is secured by SSL encryption (used by online banks), backed up on multiple servers and available on a 24/7 basis online. Compatible with QuickBooks, ShoeBoxed is a great paperless solution for managing important slips of paper.

6. Yammer 

Ever wish your company had its own social networking platform? Yammer can help fill that gap. A Twitter-like utility that companies use to communicate securely online, Yammer is a communication tool, motivational tool, and social network dedicated to your own firm. Use it to connect people across your company; share status updates, ideas, announcements, links, files, photos, polls, events, and praise; create dedicated team workspaces for a project, department or cross-functional group; brainstorm ideas; and develop and share content.

7. HootSuite

HootSuite is a social media dashboard with more than two million users that helps you manage and measure your social networks. You can update all your social profiles, schedule future messages and tweets, track your brand via mentions, and analyze your social media traffic. Launch marketing campaigns, identify and grow audiences, and distribute targeted messages using HootSuite’s unique social media dashboard. Streamline team workflow with scheduling and assignment tools and reach target markets with geo-targeting functionality. Invite multiple collaborators to manage social profiles securely, plus provide custom reports using the comprehensive social analytics tools for measurements. HootSuite can be used with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and new Google+ Pages, plus a suite of social content apps for YouTube, Flickr, Tumblr and more.

8. Evernote

Collaborating online in an efficient and cost-effective way got easier when Evernote came on the scene. With Evernote, all of your notes, web clips, files and images are made available on every device and computer you use. Save everything cool and exciting you see online and in the real world to an Evernote page. Snap a photo, record some audio and add it. Save entire web pages to your Evernote account with nifty browser extensions. Keep all of your itineraries, confirmations, scanned travel documents, maps, and plans in Evernote, so you’ll have them when you need them. Consolidate information from anywhere into a single Evernote file and then share it with colleagues or employees.

9. BizPAD 

Having a hard time keeping track of your to-do list and delegated tasks? This applications helps you maximize your productivity, systemize your business, increase your business value, and streamline communication with your team. Create a project folder, identify tasks, assign them and then allow team members to see, update, and track progress all with BizPAD.

10.  Filocity 

Manage your documents more efficiently online with Filocity.com, a cloud storage application that allows you to organize and store all of your documents in one secure online file management system. Upload, edit, share and access anytime from anywhere in the world at any time. Filocity customers have complete organizational control over all their business files, email, and documents. They can get to everything to do with any client, case, patient, project or personal files instantly, and no longer have to waste precious time searching and hunting through cabinets or files, standing at copier or faxes or carrying flash drives.  All files are safely locked away encrypted and HIPAA compliant.

11.  GoToMeeting  

The days when teams sat around conference tables hashing out ideas are long gone. In today’s virtual work world, GoToMeeting fills the void by offering easy-to-use desktop sharing/web meeting space. Hold web conferences and conduct online meetings with anyone, anywhere. The company offers an “All You Can Meet®” flat-fee, subscription based model that enables individuals and businesses to use online meetings more often, resulting in increased productivity and a quicker ROI.

12. GoodToDo  

If you are worried that important tasks will be overlooked if they aren’t written down – and if you don’t have time to write all of them down – check out GoodToDo. After signing up for the service, all you have to do is send an email to them (or forward one from your inbox) using the date or day (such as “tomorrow”) as the “to” email address, and it will automatically appear on your to-do list. This is a particularly useful virtual tool for managers whose to-do lists stem from emails. Simply forward them over to GoodToDo. You can also receive a daily email reminder via the online application, or check out the mobile application, to manage your tasks.

With these virtual tools, you’ll never again be caught without a critical presentation, lose track of who was responsible for key tasks, misplace new product or service ideas, or lose touch with traveling team members. By centralizing idea sharing and tracking in cloud-based applications, your productivity and organization should dramatically improve.

What are your favorite virtual tools?

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10 Essential Lessons Successful CEOs Learned on Their Way to the Top

April 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

10 Success Lessons
CEOs earn their top spots through working smart (and hard), mentoring others, and focusing on results that matter. They’ve learned hard lessons and racked up their fair share of successes along the way.

Learning from the best is one of the most effective ways to infuse successful strategies into your career. Here are 10 lessons that successful CEOs can teach you about getting results:

  1. Put the customer first.  In PriceWaterHouseCoopers’ most recent Global CEO Survey, the accounting firm found that 85% of technology CEOs are confident in their ability to boost their firms’ revenues over the next 12 months.

    Despite the challenging economic conditions, these CEOs cite customer demand as the driving factor behind those increases. In fact, 84% of them say meeting customers is the activity on which they would most like to spend more time.

    Apple is an excellent example of a company that stays focused on its customers. They have created a working partnership with its customer base by letting them design applications through their App Store. Putting the customer first – determining what they want to buy – can significantly improve your company’s potential profitability in the short and long term.

  2. Develop a consistent leadership style.  Steve Jobs regularly delivered on what he promised. And, if he didn’t think he could achieve it, it didn’t get announced or shared publicly. That was his leadership style – underpromising and over-delivering.

    Being consistent in his actions and words helped to strengthen his CEO brand and build his reputation with key stakeholders. Over the decades this commitment evolved into a consistent leadership style, which shaped Apple’s strategy, marketing, and product development. This alignment further solidified Apple’s brand image as well as his own CEO brand.

    Decide what you want to be known for as a leader and then determine how that reputation can be transferred to your business.

  3. Open the door to your office.  You can’t get results as a CEO if you don’t have the support of the people around you – from the warehouse worker all the way up to the C-level executives. James Sinegal grew Costco into a discount powerhouse by maintaining an open door policy, inviting all employees to collaborate, share ideas, and offer up growth strategies.

    Keeping your office door open signals your personal openness to idea sharing and internal collaboration: something every employee values. The fact that you are willing to spend time talking with them makes them feel appreciated.

    You build a stronger company with a steady stream of new ideas.

  4. Have vision.  Steve Jobs was a true visionary. He was also focused on results. He wanted to change the world and how people lived, and he achieved that goal with every product he introduced. His vision became the beacon of his CEO brand and where people turned when they wanted something new. Steve Jobs used his vision to be a game changer.

    What would you like your business to change about how people live or work? Being a breakthrough thinker is a valuable attribute for all CEOs who are striving to get results.

  5. Focus on both short-term and long-term objectives.  Daily tasks are a must-have for all leaders, but it’s also important to develop – and share with your team – long-term objectives for your company.

    What are those short-term tasks building toward? Become preoccupied with the short-term consequences or tactics and you will lose sight of what the company’s future could become. If you’re going to build the company, you have to have a long-term view five, ten, or even 15 years out.

  6. Empower leaders.  Don’t just take the company by the reigns and expect to be able to lead it to greatness on your own.

    Empower those around you to become excellent leaders, too, and you’ll wind up with a team that’s not only focused on results, but that also is capable of achieving them on a daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.

    You want people in your company influencing others, from customers, to clients, to the community. The more leaders your company has, the greater your impact on the company.

  7. Learn from your mistakes.  Costco’s Sinegal says his philosophy in running Costco was “not to make the same mistake five times.” Borrowing a page from his book, remember that mistakes are both relative and inevitable. Your business will never grow or become successful if you aren’t innovative about how to expand its reach or boost your bottom line.

    You’ve got to take risks, and with risks come investments or efforts that don’t work out. Use mistakes as learning tools instead of simply adding them to your “failure” pile.

    Convey that message to your team as well. They need to feel comfortable taking risks and proposing unconventional ideas knowing that they won’t be penalized if the results aren’t what they had hoped for.

  8. Know your tolerance levels.  Know where you stand on issues and make sure those around you are aware of those tolerance levels. This will help your team ferret out the areas where they can innovate and excel while steering clear of those opportunities that will waste your time … and theirs.

    Communicate to your managers and staff on where you stand on certain issues that are particularly important to you – don’t just leave them guessing. If you’re committed to becoming a greener organization, be clear about how green. Setting expectations and limits will help your company move forward in a targeted way that has a better chance of success.

  9. Hire smart.  It’s been said that you are only as good as the people around you and nowhere is this statement more true than in the business world – and in particular, at the highest ranks. As a leader you must recruit top talent.

    Have the self-confidence not to worry about whether they will pursue your job. To get those individuals to stick around, you have to cultivate your team to success, stoke innovation, invite collaboration, and reward individuals for their efforts.

  10. Execute your plan.  Having a headful of great ideas isn’t enough. You have to select the best of the best ideas, create plans around them, and then execute on those plans.

    “All too often we confuse great strategy with a plan that isn’t well executed,” says Virtual Instrument’s Thompson. “I would take a well-executed plan any day over a well-developed strategy. Even if the strategy isn’t perfect, a well-executed strategy is better than a perfect strategy poorly executed. Leaders need to focus on the execution side.”

No matter what your current position is within your company, you can apply what top CEOs have learned to improve your performance.

How do you succeed within your organization?

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12 Smart Ways to Get Your Work Done Without Multitasking

April 4, 2012 By 2 Comments

Multitasking

Contrary to popular belief, multitasking does not save time.

In fact, it actually hinders your ability to get your work done. Doing more in less time is a failed business strategy that doesn’t produce the kind of results we expected.

Multitasking is Counterproductive

Turns out, multitasking can be counterproductive.

According to a Stanford University study, individuals attempting to complete several tech-oriented tasks at once (watching online videos, sending email, IMing, etc.) didn’t actually get any of the tasks done better or more efficiently.

Using 100 students as a testing pool, the researchers found that those who identified themselves as “multitaskers” didn’t pay attention as well, didn’t switch from task-to-task as well as the mono-taskers, and had weaker memories.

Another study, from the University of California at Irvine, monitored interruptions among office personnel. Researchers found that it took an average of 25 minutes for workers to recover from interruptions such as phone calls and emails and return to their original tasks.

Multitasking is Inefficient

The inefficiency of multitasking underscores what we heard in high school: the human brain can only effectively process one stream of information at a time.

People assume that they can toggle between tasks quickly and efficiently, but such multitasking comes with consequences. It takes time for the brain to reorient itself to a new task.

Distractions can also take their toll, putting the multitasker at an even bigger disadvantage over those who work on “one thing at a time.”

Unfortunately, multitasking seems to have become almost a requirement in today’s business world.

Add technology to the mix and the need to double and triple-up on tasks becomes even greater as professionals are expected to manage email, deal with IMs, monitor cell phones, AND get their jobs done – all at the same time.

How to Get Your Job Done Without Multitasking

If you’ve fallen into this trap, check out these 12 ways to get your job done without multitasking:

  1. Prioritize your workload.  A study from Florida State University shows that our willpower declines throughout the day. Knowing this, try and get the most important, pressing projects done first, when you are energized and focused.

    Then when your willpower deficit kicks in at 4 pm, you will have already completed your must-do tasks for the day. Fixate on what’s most important and put 100% into getting it done before those afternoon doldrums kick in.

  2. Eat the frog first.  Having a hard time figuring out how to prioritize your workload? Take a 5 minute break and ask yourself:  What’s the most important task I need to complete today? Then take the advice of business author Brian Tracey and “Eat that frog!”

    Tackle the critical, undesirable task first – the frog– and the remainder of your “to do” list will line up nicely for the rest of the day. Your relief at having accomplished the most undesirable project will fuel you to crank through the rest of your work.

  3. Always use a to-do list.  Flying by the seat of your pants is a surefire way to fail at mono-tasking. Instead of giving 100% of your attention to the most important task, you’ll be giving 10% of your attention to 10 different things.

    But are they the right things to be doing right now? Unless you create a to-do list and prioritize your work, you could spend the whole day on unimportant work and ignore critical action items.

  4. Record or jot down your random thoughts.  Business professionals and entrepreneurs are constantly coming up with great ideas, but not always at the best times.Keep a tablet or voice recorder on your desk and record those million-dollar ideas as they occur to you throughout the day.

    After you write them down, you can forget about them as you work on more pressing tasks. This way you won’t forget your brainstorms, but you also won’t become distracted and try to multitask.

  5. Make note of where you are.  When the need to multitaskcan’t be ignored, because you have too little time to complete too many tasks, make note of where you are with the task at-hand.

    Use simple key words to help redirect your brain back to the key task and ensure a smooth transition from the distraction and back to work.

  6. Don’t overschedule yourself.  In today’s busy world it’s pretty common for all of us to over-commit ourselves in our personal, family, and work lives.

    Leaving some time open on your daily, weekly, and monthly schedules ensures that you have ample time to get important tasks completed without having to jump into inefficient multitasking mode.

  7. Use the Pareto Principle.  Founded on the theory that 80% of effectiveness is driven by 20% of our efforts, the Pareto Principle is a core time management theory that’s advocated in many of today’s business books.Put simply, only 20 percent of what you do every day really “matters.”

    That 20 percent, in other words, represents 80 percent of your results.The trick is to identify exactly what work makes up that 20 percent, and then focus tightly on those activities.

    This 80/20 rule should serve as a cornerstone for your day, and a reminder that 80 percent of your time and energy should flow into that 20 percent of tasks that are actually important.

    By channeling your energy into the “right” things, instead of multitasking your way through jobs and projects that produce little in terms of results, you’ll significantly increase profits and job satisfaction.

  8. Group similar tasks and tackle them all at once.  A great way to get everything crossed off of your to-do list without having to multitaskis by grouping similar tasks to be done throughout the day.

    If you’re writing up a proposal, for example, you may want to develop the required PowerPoint presentation for that proposal at the same time – since your brain will be in the “mode” and won’t need to work too hard to switch from one format to the next.

    Or if you have phone calls to make to your team, or to clients, make them one right after the other, rather than spread throughout the day. You’re more efficient that way.

  9. Don’t be a slave to email.  Email is one of the biggest distractions in our workdays. All it takes is a simple note from a colleague, client, or business partner to throw our brains into a whirlwind and drive us off course – and right back into multitasking mode.

    Rather than checking your inbox dozens of time a day (or, hour) do all reading and replaying at pre-scheduled intervals (9am, 12pm, and 5pm, for example). This type of “batching” can greatly improve productivity and ensure that you get your most important tasks completed without distraction.

  10. Evaluate the time it takes to finish tasks.  You probably know about how long it takes to finish tasks related to your job or business. If you don’t, then now is the time to come up with some estimates.

    Knowing how long key activities take will greatly reduce the need to multitask because you’ll know in advance how much time to allot during the day.

    You can prevent compressing too many tasks into too short a time frame when you know how long each task realistically takes.

  11. Put a “gone fishing” sign on your door.  It’s no secret that your co-workers, clients, managers, and other individuals with whom you interact take up a lot of your time.

    To allow yourself the time to get your tasks completed, put a “gone fishing” sign on your door and your phone(s) in “do not disturb” mode.

    Block off time and communicate this to the people around you. Over time, people will come to respect the fact that you are busy, and will come back at a later time (or, leave a voice mail for you).

    Being able to reclaim uninterrupted time will prevent the need to try and multitask.

  12. Map out tomorrow, today.  Before you leave your desk for the day, map out tomorrow (and the following day or two, when possible).

    As mentioned in the steps above, put the most important tasks first, say “no” to over-scheduling, and manage your email and people distractions accordingly. Your brain will thank you for it!

The urge to multitask arises when you’ve overcommitted yourself, agreeing to complete the equivalent of 12 hours of work, or more, in an eight-hour day.

The only way to get it done is to double or triple-up your task completion. However, the results are typically subpar.

A better approach is to increase your efficiency, reduce your distractions, and plan your day in advance.

How do you minimize your multitasking?

Image courtesy of: http://www.flickr.com/photos/balusss/

Filed Under: Personal Branding Tagged With: , , , , , ,

iPad 3: 10 Ways to Maximize Your Productivity Right Now

March 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

iPad Executive Assistant

Could you use an executive assistant? Or someone to help manage your too-long to-do list? If you have an iPad 3, you already have the power of an executive assistant at your fingertips, but without the salary and benefits.

The key to transforming your iPad 3 into a productive assistant is to load it with the right apps. When you maximize your iPad’s capabilities, you maximize your own productivity.

Here are 10 ways to tap into your iPad’s inner executive assistant:

1.  Max out the iPad’s memory in the cloud. ICloud, Dropbox, Evernote, and other online sharing and storage sites allow you to increase the memory and capacity of your iPad for just a few dollars a month. These services also allow you to maintain real-time sync with other computers and devices, and delegate and share business critical information from wherever you happen to be.

2.  Manage your files from the iPad. Immediately access all your important files. With easy-to-use business apps on iPad, like Quickoffice Pro and Documents to Go, you can review and edit Microsoft Office and iWork files, fine-tune presentations, and annotate PDFs on the fly.

3.  Make the iPad your go-to travel agent. CX Mobile is an award-winning application that handles many of your travel activities, facilitating bookings and managing your flights. CX also makes traveling easier by letting you handle your check-in, flight status, flight schedules, and gives you access to city guides worldwide.

4.  Crystallize your strategic thinking with mindmaps. If you have some spare time on your hands and an executive mindset that’s always thinking about new ideas and projects, you’ll want to be able to mindmap on your iPad. IThoughtsHD brings mindmapping to the iPad. IThoughtsHD imports and exports mindmaps to and from many of the most popular desktop mindmap applications, such as MyThoughts, Freemind, Freeplane, XMind, Novamind, MindManager, MindView, ConceptDraw MINDMAP, MindGenius and iMindmap.

5.  Manage projects on the fly. Use your iPad to keep your finger on the pulse of all your projects in process. Basecamp is a web-based project-management tool that offers to-do lists, wiki-style web-based text documents, milestone management, file sharing, time tracking, and a messaging system. It can also be integrated with 37signals’ own Campfire product.

6.  Set aside important articles to read later.  Like a helpful executive assistant, Instapaper saves web pages and articles you would like to read  offlineSave them with Instapaper, then read them later when you’re commuting, in a meeting, or waiting in line. You can browse articles that your friends posted on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. Or browse the Editor’s Picks, curated by hand from the Instapaper community’s most-saved stories.

7.  Host meetings on the road. The incredibly thin and light iPad design, 10-hour battery life, and convenient wireless connectivity make iPad your mobile office on-the-go. Using apps like GoToMeeting or Skype – or the built-in FaceTime app – you can attend or host online meetings with clients, share agendas, and make video calls with colleagues. Present and share your ideas on the go.

8.  Take and keep accurate notes anytime. Capture business notes in the format you find most useful, using a stylus, recorder, or keyboard. Penultimate is a popular app for the stylus or finger, as is Note Taker HD.  AudioNote and SoundNote let you take notes while recording audio to your iPad. WritePad lets you take notes on a keyboard or handwrite them and turn them into text later. Whether you prefer to type, hand-write, or dictate your notes, there’s a note-taking app for you.

9.  Who needs an assistant?! Bring your iPad instead. If you already use FileMaker Pro on a Mac or PC, the FileMaker Go for iPad app is the perfect extension of your FileMaker Pro database. With FileMaker Go for iPad, you can update inventory levels directly to your company database while you’re in the warehouse, or check the current availability of a specific product when you’re with a customer. You can also take advantage of the signature capture feature in FileMaker Go to complete sales transactions or equipment lending paperwork on the spot.

10.  Manage your clients and their information. With its wireless connectivity, iPad gives you on-the-spot access to customer information, sales data, and task lists in real time. Record data during sales calls, so you don’t have to spend extra time entering or transcribing notes after meetings. Or get mobile access to most enterprise CRM databases, including SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce.com—all from your iPad.

Get the work of two or more people done, all with the help of your handy iPad.

What are your favorite iPad apps?

Image courtesy of:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12905355@N05/

Filed Under: Personal Branding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

4 Must-Do’s to Step Up, Stand Out and Get Noticed by the C-Suite

March 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

C-Suite

The corporate graveyard is littered with the bodies of hard working well-intentioned executives who couldn’t articulate their value to the company, play well in the sandbox or deliver on their word.

You may have heard that hard work leads to success.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case in the corporate arena. In fact, obtaining recognition for your work, hard or not, has a much larger impact on your chances of getting and keeping a senior management post. You need to stand out as a high achiever.

To shine at the top of the management pyramid, you must establish a reputation for getting results that matter. You need to be respected, by those above and beside you.

There are stories abound of talented professionals who hit the glass ceiling simply because they did a poor job of communicating their achievements. You won’t be seen as results-oriented if the only person who knows about your impressive accomplishments is you.

Master these four strategies if you are serious about getting a key to the C­­-Suite­­ – they are not optional.

Communicate your value to the company

Sure, your boss may know you’re doing a fine job, but does she really know how fine a job?

It’s your responsibility to keep her updated on what you’re doing and what that’s doing for the company. Keep her posted on the status of projects you’re working on, but focus on the benefits to the company.

Instead of telling her you’ve put in 60 hours and networked with 25 potential clients – calculate the potential value of the business you’ll bring in if you close all those deals. That’s all she really cares about.

To get and stay on the path to the C-suite, make sure you’re tracking your successes and understand how those successes benefit the company in meaningful and measurable ways.

You need to convey that information to your manager on a regular basis through weekly status meetings, monthly project summaries, and quarterly briefings. Making sure you have news of recent achievements when you chat with your boss will help you develop a reputation for delivering on your promises.

When clients and supervisors send you emails or letters praising your performance, forward those on to your boss, so he can hear first-hand from outsiders about your talents.

Also, keep a record of your successes throughout the year and bring the list with you to your performance appraisal.

You need to report on the number of projects you completed, such as winning advertising campaigns you launched;  and the amount of business you are personally responsible for bringing in is another key metric to report.

If you helped reduce cost, or waste, or improved efficiency by a particular percentage in an area of the business, you’ll want to convey that to your boss as well. Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible to drive home your value.

On a daily basis, take every opportunity to offer your ideas, suggestions, and helpful opinions.

Doing so demonstrates what you know and shows you have an interest in the success of your company. In meetings, don’t just sit back and text under the conference table. You are not fooling anyone.

Listen, comment, and offer recommendations when appropriate. For example, if you’ve been following the release of a new technology and have an opinion about which direction your company should go based on that information, don’t keep it to yourself.

Contribute what you know and others will take notice.

Exceed the performance standard

Another way to garner the attention of your superiors is to exceed their expectations.

Under promise and over deliver whenever possible, by finishing a project early, obtaining better results than anticipated, or coming in under budget.

At a minimum, do what you say you’ll do. You’ll stand out by living up to your commitments.

If you say you’ll provide a report summarizing your department’s progress in maximizing customer retention by the end of the month, make sure your boss has it this month, not next.

Doing what you promise builds trust with your boss and showcases your dependability.

Share the Love

Making sure you earn a reputation for getting results does not mean you shouldn’t share the credit for a job well done with others. In fact, shining a spotlight on a colleague’s good work positions you as a leader and increases the likelihood that your comrade will sing your praises, too.

Being willing to share the spotlight is evidence of leadership potential. You need to allow others to shine rather than demanding all the attention for yourself.

Don’t hog the spotlight.

Step Up to Stand Out

When it comes to getting promoted, the truth is that senior management often slots their preferred candidate long before an opening is announced.

Ninety-six percent of senior execs surveyed by Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business reported promoting the candidate who had been pre-selected for the position. Fifty-six percent said that even when several candidates were being considered, they already knew who they wanted to promote.

Your challenge is moving yourself into one of those slots before they open up.

To do that, you’ll need to get some face time with management.

Offer to fill in for your manager at meetings or presentations, get to know them outside the office through charity work or social situations. Volunteer for opportunities that will put you in front of people who will make future hiring decisions, and then wow them.

By the way, wowing them is also not optional.

How do you step up and stand out and get noticed by the C-Suite?

Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com/

Filed Under: Personal Branding Tagged With: , , , ,

21 Best Tools and Apps to Significantly Boost Your Work Productivity

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Work productivity

Wouldn’t it be great if you could compress 14 hours of work into an eight-hour work day?

You’d schedule meetings, confirm upcoming conference calls, respond to the 250 emails in your inbox, make travel reservations, pay invoices, delegate tasks, and still have time for big picture planning.

Sounds impossible, right? Wrong.

We’ve researched 21 of the best work productivity tools and apps on the market today. These technology assistants will help you work smarter, stay organized, and get more done in less time.

Money Management

1. Dimewise.  Stay on top of where your money is going with this handy financial management tool. Dimewise lets you record your purchases and expenses and then categorizes them for you. It costs $5 per month for the management of an unlimited number of accounts. It’s web-based on a secure connection, so you can log your purchases from anywhere, anytime.

Online Productivity Suites

2. Google Apps.  Keep track of who’s doing what, and share your progress, with Google apps. You can use Google Docs, calendar, spreadsheets, Gmail, voice and the dozens of other apps at no charge in the cloud, where your information is stored (and sharable with team members who are either working in or out of the office). Using Google Calendar, for example, you can set up multiple schedules for different projects and/or clients, and also link to “public” calendars in order to stay on top of client activities.

3. Zoho.  Work on the fly, wherever you are, using Zoho. Using Office Suite (Writer, Sheet, Show, Wiki, Virtual Office), Productivity Tools (Projects, CRM, Creator, Planner, Chat), Polls, and website monitoring, you can type reports, memos, blog posts, or reminders using this web-based tool. Zoho Writer is a web-based writing program that allows employees and clients to access their work at any time without the need for email.

4. Todo Task Manager.  Don’t ever lose track of your highest priorities. Todo® Task Manager for iPhone (pronounced “too-doo”) is a powerful set of tools that makes task management simple and fun. Use Todo on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, and keep your tasks synchronized using Todo Online, a cloud sync service for tasks. Todo helps you focus on what matters most and allows you to integrate the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology or your own. Keep your tasks up-to-date on all your devices by choosing one of Todo’s versatile sync options that include both Dropbox and iCloud.

 Communication and Conferencing Tools

5. Userplane. Remain accessible to your team, or to your best clients. A service that offers both group-chat and one-to-one messenger services, giving website owners the ability to offer chat between their users. Userplane offers a suite of communication and conferencing tools, the most useful of which is called Presence, which allows a communication system to “know” where a user is and to reroute calls and messages accordingly to the specific device he or she is in closest proximity to.

6. GoToMeeting. Schedule meetings or share important documents in mere seconds. Collaborating with other professionals around the world is easy with GoToMeeting. The free GoToMeeting app for the iPad allows you to easily attend online meetings anywhere you have Internet access. This gives you the same GoToMeeting experience as you’d have from your desktop computer, including the ability to view spreadsheets, reports, and more. You can attend meetings held via GoToMeeting for free on your iPad, or try the free 30-day trial and host meetings through GoToMeeting on your iPad.

7. Skype.  Stay in touch without breaking the bank. Make and receive free domestic calls and send and receive instant messages through your computer or iPad. You can also make discounted international calls and send discounted text messages. Recording calls and using videoconferencing are easy with Skype, which offers a subscription-based service for dedicated lines, 1-800 numbers, and other advanced options.

8. Desktop Connect. Eliminate the chance of a crisis when you forget an important document. For a $14.99 investment in the Desktop Connect app you can connect to any computer in the world via your iPad using Desktop Connect and access desktop files. It works with Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. It also enables you to view websites in Adobe Flash on your iPad.

Document and File Management  

9. Documents to Go. Save money on another laptop. Documents To Go is an all-in-one application with support for Microsoft Word, Excel & PowerPoint, PDF and other files and attachments. It literally turns your smartphone into a desktop – (albeit with smaller keys and fonts). All of the document’s original file formatting will is maintained via the application’s InTact Technology, making it easy to edit and forward documents, presentations, and other files. The basic suite is priced at $14.99.

10. Quickoffice’s Mobile Office Suite. Keep projects moving forward by being able to access, create, edit, and share Microsoft Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. The app allows you to download and manipulate files, and then forward them to recipients. Connect File Manager lets you access and edit files in your Google Docs, Dropbox, Box, Huddle, SugarSync, and MobileMe accounts. The basic suite is priced at $14.99.

11. Dropbox.  Send large files in a flash. Dropbox synchronizes the folders you choose and makes them available from any device or from their website when you’re in a pinch and need to access files from elsewhere.

12. Evernote. Think of Evernote as a virtual repository of sticky notes, memos, aha ideas and more. Forward emails, take notes, and categorize action items in this free catch-all app. This cross-platform note-taking application features a robust cloud-syncing platform with Mac and Windows desktop apps, web-based access, and mobile clients for iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, Windows Mobile and the Sony Ericsson X1 (an Android client is currently available in a beta version). Evernote also supports voice memos, along with post by email and even via Twitter options.

 Time Tracking

13. Paymo.  Make sure you’re billing clients for every minute you invested in their work. This is a free tool that you can use to track time worked while you’re on the go from your desktop or mobile device. You can also use it to generate professional invoices and estimates. Just click the button when your client arrives and click it again when she leaves. Your time is automatically tracked for billing later.

14. Harvest.  More accurately track how much time you and your team are spending on various activities. Using one-click entry this app allows users to start and stop timers throughout the day with the click of a button, or quickly type in your time on the weekly timesheet. You can access the app’s time tracking timer from anywhere from a PC, Mac, mobile device, or desktop widget. You can even track time via Twitter, Gmail, and other popular applications such as Zendesk. Harvest’s time tracking devices help you manage your staff’s time and approve their timesheets.

 Goal Setting

15. Pomodoro.  For $4.99 Need help focusing? Pomodoro will serve as an “antiprocrastination application” that helps small business owners get things done. It is a simple but effective way to manage your time and to boost your productivity. It can be used for programming, project management, studying, writing, cooking or simply concentrating on something important. The premise is that you use one of those tomato-looking timers to stay on task for a set amount of time. So, if your goal is to read email for only 15 minutes, you might use this method to set a time limit for the task.

16. stickK.  Reinforce your new goals and plans. Developed by Yale University economists to test “Commitment Contracts,” this app allows you to enter your goal or new habit within seconds of landing on the homepage. Then you register and start committing.

17. 21 Habit.  Incentivize yourself to be more productive. Named after the standard wisdom that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, 21 Habit allows you to set your own 21 day challenge. You start by depositing $21 and for every day you are successful, you earn $1 dollar back. If you don’t succeed, 21 Habit donates your dollar to charity.

Miscellaneous Business Productivity Tools

18.  Business Card Reader (iPhone or iPad) or CamCard (Android devices) Better manage your new contacts. Business card scanners help you digitally organize those myriad business cards that tend to accumulate during the average workweek. Snap a photo and the card’s information will be captured on your device for later use.

19. Vlingo. Need to get more done en route to work? This app makes your iPhone, Android device, or Blackberry phone work for you by listening to and acting on your voice commands. Vlingo responds to specific voice commands and can handle web searches, and sending messages and emails.

20. Kayak Mobile Pro. Road warriors unite. This tool lets you find a flight or a hotel; TripIt – Travel Organizer keeps your travel itinerary always handy in your pocket,; FlightTrack Pro – Live Flight Status Tracker gives you real-time flight updates and helps you find alternate flights GateGuru will guide you to the nearest ATM, post office, or luggage store in the airport. Once you arrive, Taxi! makes it easy to find a cab 24/7 anywhere in the U.S.

21. OtherInbox. See more of what you want to see in your inbox and less of what you don’t. This tool pulls e-mail messages from various senders into folders you’ve designated and even unsubscribes you from e-newsletters you no longer want. Available on AOL, Gmail, and Yahoo! email, the tool will file all of your e-mails from a particular client in one folder.

We all wish we could have more time each day to make more headway on the work we need to do. Implementing these time-saving productivity tools can certainly help you reclaim a large chunk of that time.

What are your favorite work productivity tools and apps?

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Jeremy Lin Success Guide: 8 Limitless Lessons You Need to Come From Behind and End Up on Top

March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Jeremy Lin Dunking
Our favorite underdogs have one common trait—an unrelenting desire to improve themselves.

They reflect our desire to break away from ourselves and become who we want to be.

How to Come From Behind and End Up on Top

Less than a month ago, 23-year-old underdog Jeremy Lin burst onto the New York Knicks’ starting lineup, commanding our attention and respect.

A no-name benchwarmer when the Knicks added him to their roster, he might have continued sitting on that bench had it not been for his teammates.

On February 4th Jeremy Lin got his chance to play in a game against the Boston Celtics. It wasn’t because his coach thought he could be the key to team’s success, but because he was one of the few healthy players left on the bench.

On the court that night Lin’s teammates couldn’t pass or shoot the ball to save their lives. Coach Mike D’Antoni had little to lose. Putting Lin in was an act of desperation and frustration.

During that game and four more than would follow, Lin scored a total of 136 points. It was more than any other player in the NBA has scored since 1976 and it kicked off America’s newfound fascination with this come-from-behind sensation.

Just a handful of players, like Michael Jordan, have been able to match this winning (or “Linning”) streak.

Jeremy Lin’s 8 Limitless Lessons For Super Success

What can you learn from Lin’s path to super success and how can you apply it to yourself?

In eastern philosophy the number eight represents the state of having no limits. Here are eight key limitless lessons that will help you get and stay in the Lin-Zone:

1. Master your craft

Jeremy Lin clearly has talent. He showed that in the February 10th game against the Los Angeles Lakers when he successfully outplayed Kobe Bryant, scoring 38 points. And yet he continues to improve himself. “I still feel like I have a long way to go and a lot more to do,” he said in a recent Time magazine interview.

What few realize is that during the most recent off-season, when most players were vacationing and taking time off, Lin spent countless hours practicing and turning his weaknesses into strengths. In his book “Outliers,” Malcolm Galdwell identified a threshold of 10,000 hours that an individual needs put in to reach a level of exceptional success. Jeremy Lin has logged close to 20,000 hours of practice during the last 20 years.

Michael Jordan — the greatest basketball player in history — also logged more hours of practice than any of his teammates at every level of play. Jordan showed up first for practice and was the last to leave.

2. Never quit

Jeremy Lin never quits. He’s been ignored, overlooked and dismissed, but he keeps showing up for practice and hustling every single day. He presses on even when nobody else thinks he should. He has developed a much stronger set of skills in spite of the fact that no one believed it was possible.

3. Evolve or become extinct

The Jeremy Lin who is averaging more than 20 points a game and handing out 9 assists is not the same player who went undrafted out of Harvard. Nor is he the same Jeremy Lin who was cut by the Golden State Warriors on December 9th.

Lin’s rise to stardom did not begin with his imposing performance in Madison Square Garden on February 4th. It began with a solid frame, a revamped jump shot, more powerful legs, and a penetrating view of the court.

These enhancements came gradually over the past 18 months through relentless practice and countless hours spent working with shooting instructors, fitness trainers and assistant coaches.

Over the past two months, Jeremy Lin has evolved in to the player who has single-handedly resurrected the NBA season.

4. Be a team player

Jeremy Lin is a standout not only because of his superior ball-handling skills, but also because of his selflessness.

He’s not a ball hog who seeks out any opportunity to increase his impressive 26.8-point-per-game average. He looks for teammates to pass to. He stands ready to assist. He speaks admiringly of fellow players, in return earning their admiration and appreciation.

His efforts to be just another member of the team, and not a celebrity, are propelling Lin to stardom.

5. Embrace adversity

Jeremy Lin was devastated when he wasn’t picked in the NBA draft. He’d been working toward that day for his entire life! The hurdle didn’t stop Lin. He continued to work on improving his skills by joining an NBA Development Summer League. That worked. The Golden State Warriors picked him up. No, it wasn’t the Knicks or the Celtics, but it was an NBA team.

During his contract period Jeremy Lin was sent down to the minors – the NBA Development League – three times. Was he frustrated? Yes. Did he quit? No. He kept working. He was ultimately waived by the Houston Rockets and the Warriors and picked up by the Knicks early in the 2011-2012 season. He started the season on the bench. Eventually, during that fateful February 3rd game, he worked his way onto the floor, where he belonged.

6. Find your Lin-Zone

Before his most recent “Linderella” run, Lin did not play well. Instead of focusing on playing well and having a little fun, he spent most of his time in a distracted, stressed-out state of mind. He talked to himself, over-thought issues, and questioned his basketball skills and abilities.

Today we’re seeing a different Jeremy Lin on the court. I recently watched him make the game-winning shot with 0.5 seconds left in the game. He looked like a kid casually hitting the game-winning bucket at a playground pickup game.

7. Plan to play with passion

Jeremy Lin finally stopped doubting himself and started letting those 20,000 hours of practice shine through. (Sports fans refer to this as being in the “zone.”)

Ignore your passions and the likelihood that you’ll quit short of the 10,000-hour mark will be very high. Many people go down career paths that are safe, practical, and socially acceptable to them, but quite often these paths do not lead to the ultimate level of success.

If you’re not excited about what you’re doing it will be difficult to make the extra effort that it takes to get beyond the 10,000-hour mark.

Play your game—and do it with passion.

8. Don’t try to time your success

You may have heard the phrase “don’t try to time the market.” You shouldn’t try to time your success either.

There is no known way to predict when the market will reward you for your hard work and hustle. If you work hard consistently, and on a daily basis, you will eventually be rewarded.

Focus on the career path you want (not what you peers, family members and friends want) and do what is necessary to be successful on that path.

Stick to your goals, learn from your mistakes, don’t quit and you will be rewarded.

Jeremy Lin logged 20,000 hours before he was duly rewarded.

When Lin goes the distance with the world’s greatest athletes we can’t help but think that if a scrawny, short, slow kid can transform himself into a stellar professional basketball player and become super successful, why can’t we?

Do you have any additional success lessons to recommend?

(Photo by Steve McLaughlin Photography)

Filed Under: Personal Branding Tagged With: ,

The Single Thing You Need to Be a Better Leader

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

You can improve your entire organization with one thing. Trust.

You build it by demonstrating concern for, and commitment to, the well-being of your employees and your customers.

Leaders like Tony Hsieh of Zappos do this consistently, which is why the company he founded is ranked near the top of the list of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.”

Not only does Zappos provide employees with free lunches and all-you-can-eat vending machine fare, but Hsieh asks for and values employee ideas.

He rewards hard work, loyalty, and risk-taking. And he’s not afraid to take the blame when something goes wrong, shielding those who work for him.

Take the 2010 online pricing disaster, for example.

Due to a technical glitch, all the shoes at sister website 6pm.com were priced at $49.99 for a number of hours. During that time, customers snapped up unbelievable bargains, given that some of the site’s shoes sell for as much as $1,000.

When the problem was discovered, Hsieh took to social media to alert customers to the error and to apologize for any inconvenience when the prices were reset at their correct values. Then he proceeded to honor all of the orders that had been taken, suffering a $1.6 million loss in the process.

More importantly, he showed his customers and his employees that he is a man of his word. That he is trust-worthy.

That is the key in your company, too. You earn trust by doing what you promise and living up to your own standards. It’s that simple.


Trust=Higher ROI

The level of trust that exists within your organization affects everything. From the CEO’s office to the loading dock, every performance and every outcome is dictated by trust.

There’s a direct correlation between trust and performance. According to a Watson Wyatt study, “Three-year total returns to shareholders (TRS) rates are significantly higher at companies with high trust levels, clear linkages between jobs and objectives, and employees who believe the company manages change well.”

Conversely, low trust levels lead to second-guessing on every communication, transaction, strategy and decision. With that, the cost of doing business and the time it takes to get things done escalate.


Building Trust

Trust is earned over time through consistency of thought, word, and deed. By living up to your stated commitments, taking action where action is needed, you earn the respect and trust of those around you.

In a business, trust is also built through positive results.

By achieving set objectives – from reaching sales goals, to improving satisfaction ratings, or reducing employee turnover – you prove your abilities as a leader. And, in truth, anyone can be a leader.

Titles like owner, manager, or director do not make leaders. Action does.


Measuring Trust

Although it seems intangible, trust can actually be measured across six factors.

How well do you score on these?

• Follow-through: Do you and your staff live up to commitments made? Do you do what you say you will do within an agreed-upon time frame? Failing to follow promises with action damages trust.

• Share information freely: Do you keep your team informed and up-to-date? People who withhold information are deemed untrustworthy.

• Predictable behavior: Is your behavior consistent and encouraging? Aggressive or inconsistent behavior erases trust quickly.

• Feedback: Do you provide regular and fair performance feedback? When employees know how they are doing and see managers invested in their success, trust soars. And when feedback is lacking, even if positive, employees question their role and relative importance.

• Gossip: Do you share information broadly in order to help your team succeed? Or do you engage in behind-the-scenes conversations about individual employees? When the grapevine and gossip are your leading communication vehicles, trust cannot grow.

• Open door policy: Do you encourage employees to come to you with problems? Allowing workers to ask for guidance and feedback without negative repercussions builds gratitude, loyalty, and trust.


Return the Favor

Effective leaders don’t simply inspire trust; they trust their employees as well.

Your staff is very tuned in to the trust you place in them. A feeling of trust enhances performance and increases the sense of responsibility and buy-in to the end result.

The more you trust them, the more they’ll trust you, and you’ll be creating a high-trust organization… the type that enjoys high morale, high performance and incredible results.

Do you think trust is the most important quality for a leader?

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6 Personal Branding Ninja Moves

February 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Building a strong personal brand is an essential strategy if you want to set yourself apart from your competitors.

The purpose of your personal brand is to establish you as an individual and let the rest of the world know who you are and what you’re about.

Follow these six steps to personal branding success:

1. Set goals.

Consider how you’d like others to see you and speak about you.

Look at what your brand communicates now and what you want it to look like in the future, and create a roadmap that will help you get there. If, for example, you want to be thought of as a successful inventor—but you haven’t told anyone about your latest inventions—then it’s time to focus on that exciting part of your career.

2. Approach branding with passion.

It’s time to tap into your passion for what you do.

Don’t be afraid to promote yourself and talk about your achievements. Throw in a few failures and future goals, while you’re at it, because these are humanizing and a great way to help people relate to you.

3. Define your uniqueness.

Coca-Cola and Dell didn’t become brand behemoths by going with the flow and copying others.

Look at what unique values and attributes you bring to the table and capitalize on them when creating your personal brand. What sets you apart? Why are you different? What makes you special?

The answers to these questions will help you lay out the framework for your branding strategy.

4. Give your personal brand a purpose.

Your personal brand should be associated with helping others solve a problem or tackle a challenge.

For example, if your online travel agency specializes in cruise vacations, then establish yourself as the “go to” person for cruise information—good, bad and otherwise. That way, people will think of you first when it comes time to book a trip.

5. Shape your personal brand around your target audience.

Let’s say you’re an experienced CEO who was laid off during the economic downturn. You’re ready to get back into the job market, and you need to position yourself as an employable, reliable executive who had a bad turn of luck.

Keep your future employer in mind as you craft your personal brand by asking yourself questions like: What do they want to know about me? What are they looking for in a new executive? What are they not looking for?

And finally, how can I fill those needs with my own experience and knowledge?

6. Stick with your personal brand.

Changing your personal brand drastically every few months is a bad idea.

That’s not to say you can’t tweak it and improve on it, but doing a complete 180-degree switch midstream will only confuse people or make them think you’re a bit wishy-washy. Stick with what works, adjust as needed, and focus on maintaining a strong personal brand that withstands time.

Your personal brand is one of the most important assets you have, and creating a stronger one is key to your career goals and objectives.

By using the tips we’ve outlined here, you’ll be better equipped to build an effective personal brand for today and for the future.

What techniques and strategies have you used to create a strong personal brand?

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6 Secrets to Building a Powerful Personal Brand

February 10, 2012 By 1 Comment

Having a powerful personal brand can mean the difference between being “known” in your industry and wallowing in it for years, wondering why your phone is quiet and your client pipeline is empty.

The good news is that with a bit of elbow grease and creativity, you can bolster your personal brand in ways that make people stand up and take notice.

It won’t happen overnight, but by following these six easy steps, you can get your personal brand on the track to success:

1. Establish yourself as a helpful expert first, and then try to make the sale.

Even the most successful executives “give away” information in order to keep themselves at the top of the game.

Whether you’re connecting someone to an important source, showing someone how to get the job done right, or giving out lists of the top business books you’ve read, these moves will help establish you as an expert in your field, and it will go a long way in helping you build your personal brand.

2. Pay attention to the competition, but don’t dwell on it.

When you’re building your brand, you’ll want to look around at what others are doing but not to the point that you become the next “copycat.”

Borrow their best qualities and learn from their successes and failures. You can then use that information to create your own unique brand.

3. Focus on gaining trust.

The Internet is a hotbed for untrustworthy individuals who are trying to make a fast buck.

If the online space is your primary focus, be sure to position yourself as the trusted, responsible product or service provider who gets the job done right, every time. This trust will be crucial both online and offline, but it’s particularly important when doing business on the Web.

4. Be credible and reliable.

It doesn’t take long for a disgruntled customer or business partner to spread negative comments and feedback in the online world.

By meeting your obligations, delivering on your promises, and operating like an upstanding businessperson, your brand will literally build itself.

5. Allow people to connect with you and your brand.

People do business with people whom they know, love, and trust. They don’t do business with companies, labels, products, or brands.

That’s why it’s important to incorporate your own personality into your personal branding strategies. Include photos on your communications, use a “business casual” approach when emailing customers, and always answer the phone personally. This will help your brand seem more “real” to customers and business partners.

6. Share information like it’s going out of style.

Whether you’re publishing short ebooks, writing up industry reports, or simply blogging, part of building your personal brand includes sharing information with people.

Become the “go-to” guy or gal for information and, before you know it, your personal brand will stand out in their minds and will be remembered when the time comes that they need your product or services.

What tools and strategies do you use to promote your personal brand?

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