Pages

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Your Work/Life on Balance

Here is 10 steps to make Work/Life balance.


  1. Make a proper schedule for everything including your office tasks and personal duties toward home, family and friends. Strictly follow the schedule and try your best not to allow the unusual and unexpected things to interrupt and disturb your schedules.
  2. Consider everything and keep in mind the things which are more important to you at a specific time regarding your work, family/friends or personal. Don’t always follow the brain but sometimes follow the heart.
  3. Draw a clear line between your work-life and personal-life. Arrange the free hours and don’t plan any tasks to do in it. Try to spend list free time and let the things move on naturally.
  4. Over-time or extra work is a worse danger to an employee. Try your best to get all things done at the deadline.
  5. Keep everything around you clean, organized and well decorated. It is really important for your mental satisfaction and peace.
  6. Arrange all the necessary material/equipment you need to accomplish your task beforehand. It speeds up your performance with better results and less stress.
  7. Try to keep a smiling and cheerful attitude always. Don’t care of how big are your worries, how difficult is your job and how much satisfied you are of the things around you.
  8. Don’t accept the extra/unnecessary burden of work until you have not accomplished yours. Helping others is a good moral point but finish first you have committed for.
  9. Don’t feel afraid of anything. Keep your mind free of all constraints, troubles, fears and stress. Try to live independent of all not only for your own self but also for others.
  10. Do your best at work but arrange friends and family gatherings when you find free time. Make phone calls to them, send them Emails or visit them often. It will keep your personal and social relationships stronger and blooming.

Build a Happy and Productive Team at Work

If you’re in charge of a project at work, you’ll find that one of your most important priorities is to make sure your team is going to get along and get things done effectively. A happy and well-organized team is one that will excel.



i) Get to Know Your Team’s Members

  • Take the time to really learn about everyone on the team. What is each team member like and what are they good at?

  • Knowing your team’s skills and weaknesses is something that is important to keeping everyone happy and productive.


ii) Keep Everyone on the Same Page

  • One reason good teams fall apart is that some members have information others do not or some members feel unequal to others.

  • Remember that keeping your team briefed is an extremely important part of being a good team leader. Keep everyone up to date on the information that is available, and if it is not available, let them know why.


iii) Don’t Force Contrasting Personalities to Work Together

  • Your team doesn’t have to be a second family. Trying to force all team members to get along can cause more trouble in the long run!

  • Acknowledge that everyone doesn’t have to get along, but everyone must be respectful.


iv) Don’t Let Bad Apples Hold the Team Back

  • It’s almost inevitable that you’ll have a member of your team who thinks they can sit back and let the rest of the group do all the work. If you find yourself in this predicament, don’t let it set the entire team back. If, after discussing the issue with the employee, they still refuse to pull their weight, remove them from the team and assign their portion to someone else.



  • As the team’s leader, you may need to take on the extra work yourself, but at least it’s getting done and your team will appreciate and respect your efforts.


v) Be Respectful of Their Talents

  • One of the most important things a team leader can do is to stand back and let talented people work. When you’re constantly hovering over their shoulder, you’re essentially saying that you don’t trust them to do their job. Have faith in your team!


vi) Reward Members for a Job Well Done

  • One great thing you can do is to show your team how much you appreciate their efforts. Check with management, if necessary, to decide how you can reward your team so they know you appreciate their hard work.

Tips to Get a Promotion

These are important tips taken from “Who Gets Promoted, Who Doesn’t, and Why: 10 Things You’d Better Do If You Want to Get Ahead.” By Donald Asher.

  1. Work for companies that can give you room to grow.

  2. Concentrate on just doing the level best of you.

  3. Make sure people know you're doing a great job.

  4. Be popular.

  5. Make sure the right people know you want a promotion.

  6. Apply for jobs within the company.

  7. Seek out new skills.

  8. Get a mentor. [A strong relationship with a manager or someone higher up in your department can open a lot of doors for you.]

  9. Groom a successor.

  10. Develop a new position. [If you figure out a better way to do your existing job or see the need for a new position, don't be afraid to talk to management about creating this position.]

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Attitude Toward Customers/Clients - "No Customer—No Job."

•    Understand cultural diversity—including race, religion, sex, and mental and physical disabilities.
•    Be service-oriented.
•    Always greet people with a smile.
•    Always stand to greet people (if possible).
•    Practice making proper introductions and greetings.
•    Observe nonverbal communication of others—and be careful with your own.
•    Use positive language—especially in negative situations.
•    Do not react to irate customer/client—learn to diffuse the anger.
•    Practice courteous and efficient telephone techniques.
•    Make a good first impression.
•    Always endeavor to be helpful.
•    Be sympathetic with a customer who has a problem with the company—but do not admit any guilt prematurely. Don't take the blame too quickly!

Put yourself in the customer's place.
Understand "no customer—no job."

Attitudes Toward Your Co-Workers

•    Respect privacy of others.
•    Understand cultural differences.
•    Be supportive of each other (especially female/female relationships).
•    Promote teamwork.
•    Help others to accept change.
•    Use positive language, even in conflict situations.
•    Strive to settle differences before they become a problem—don't carry a grudge.
•    Work to achieve common goals.
•    Do not overemphasize winning—may lose more by winning than by losing a few arguments.
•    Be a good negotiator.
•    Think before  you speak (don't shoot from the hip).
•    Learn to be assertive, not aggressive.
•    Refuse to participate in malicious grapevine information.
•    Don't brag constantly (or whine).
•    Pay value to co-workers—their feelings do count. Show appreciation. Genuinely care about your co-workers.
•    Listen!

Attitude Toward Your Job

•    Accept change.
•    Maintain honesty and integrity.
•    Understand cultural diversity.
•    Understand the entire business operation and where your job fits in.
•    Understand the importance of teamwork.
•    Avoid office politics.
•    Observe office hours—and other company regulations.
•    Accept constructive criticism concerning your work.
•    Accept responsibility.
•    Remain loyal.
•    Respect privacy of others.
•    Learn to work under pressure and adjust to being pulled in many directions at once.
•    Respect time—make every minute count.
•    Look for the challenges of your job—enjoy doing a job well.

Attitude Toward Yourself

•    Think well of yourself personally—self-esteem, self-confidence.
•    Think well of  yourself professionally—competency.
•    Project a professional image at all times.
•    Appreciate and understand the importance of the work that you do.
•    Seek professional self-development on your own—don’t wait to be told!
•    Carefully select professional and/or community organizations for membership.
•    Consider the value system of others while examining your own values.
•    Realize your personal worth.

If you don't think well of yourself, it is difficult for others to respect you.