5 Unsual Yet Effective Ways To Impress Your Boss

Do you want to impress your boss? Then the first thing you need to do is get things done. However, there are many other things that you need to do to leave your mark on your employer so that he thinks about you first when the next big promotion comes up. 

Here I am going to talk about some unconventional tips and tactics that can not only improve your work performance, but also make you the star in the eyes of your boss. Read on.... 

Write your emails shorter

Trust me on this one. I have made a habit of writing 3-4 sentence emails by getting rid of the fuzz and focusing only on the important parts. It will not only save the time of the reader, but also save your time as well. When drafting a new email, think how you can make it more concise and effective. Instead of writing longer emails, save time by talking on the phone or in a meeting. Time is the most valuable item for any business. 

Be obsessive and compulsive

 

Let me tell you a little story: Van Halen, the popular rock band from the 80s, followed a unique control tactic. In their 53-page tour contract, a stipulation was hidden that there must be M&M’s in the backstage green room, in all possible colours, excluding brown. If they found even a sing brown coloured M&M they cancelled the gig. Why? If your contractors don't think that it is important to read the fine print, then they cannot be trusted with more serious work. So if you want to boost your performance, then don't skip the small stuff. 

Walk out of a group meeting 

 

But why? The truth is meetings are ineffective; you can resolve some issues within minutes while some agendas take hours. Issues that might be important for a particular group may be totally irrelevant for your group. So make sure that you excuse yourself when the meeting does not seem to be productive for you any more. It's better to utilise the time by doing some work than simply sitting and absorbing useless information just to be polite. 

Manage down

 

You need to develop the skill to work with everyone, including people who are under you and not just your superiors. Make sure that you analyse how new recruits are treating clients, colleagues and strangers. Most bosses often value traits like courtesy, civility and caring for others. Keep your ego outside the office. 

Fail...Yes, you read that right

 

But keep in mind that 2 main kinds of failure: failure due to ambition and failure due to inability. Your boss will be able to identify the difference between both and encourage employees who might fail for the former reason. It is better to work on projects that are too ambitious or big than not to try at all. A good employer always knows that ambition and failure are 2 different sides of the same coin. 

So that's it...I hope you find these tips helpful and manage to boost your performance to great new levels. Feel free to share your own tips and ideas by commenting below. I would love to hear what you think.

Is Line Management Partiality Affecting Your Chances Of Becoming A Manager?

Do you wish to advance your career and become an effective manager? If so, then you must be dedicated enough to perform to the best of your abilities and prove your worth at the workplace. You will need to acquire a strong understanding of business to build a thriving career in today’s intensely competitive corporate world. However, your career dreams can get broken as assembling talent pool in an organisation mostly depends on the sole judgement of the line managers. 

Identifying Potential In An Organisation

 

Most businesses around the globe wish to recognise which workers have the potential and ability to add significant value, so that the organisation can engage, develop and retain those employees. However, most Human Resource teams are unable to define “potential” in real terms. Hence the job of identifying talent within an organisation is often left to the instinct of the line manager. 

Is It A Biased Process?

 

The fact remains that this entire procedure is susceptible to any mental or emotional bias which the managers may have. According to a number of studies managers, whether unconsciously or consciously, tend to consider those individuals to have a lot of potential who possess similar traits like them, such as ethnicity, gender, education, background etc. I think it is highly important that such type of bias in the management should be avoided by taking informed decisions about identifying talent staff in the company. Hence, HR managers must utilise their resources effectively to interpret data. How? 

Taking A Holistic Approach

 

Firstly, organisations need to follow an investigative and integrated approach to indentify skilled employees, instead of just relying on the recommendations of managers or the interview panel. Companies need to decide what exactly senior level managers must do over a period of 3 years and then decide who might have the ability to provide a valid and reliable opinion for every requisite competency. 

In case an employee is considered to have potential by every other employee, except the manager, then it would denote some concern with the subordinate-manager relationship. Moreover there can also be a ‘blindspot’ due to which the manager is unable to identify the skills of the person. 

It can occur due to simple negligence or there may be some menacing intention as well. A manager can intentionally overplay the skills of a particular employee to remove them from the team or downplay the skills of a team member as he is an excellent performer and wan to retain them. 

Need For Preparing Yourself

 

Apart from the efforts of the HR team, you yourself can take some steps to make sure that your performance is identified and that you become a better manager in future. I believe one of the best ways to do this is by pursuing a business management programme that will teach you about the various aspects of business, including human resources elements like performance evaluation and appraisal. However, it is nearly impossible to attend a full time programme and keep your day job at the same time. Hence I would suggest that you study quality management diploma programmes online. 

Online courses offer high levels of flexibility, affordability and convenience that will allow you to study at your own pace and balance your job and education efficiently. Your business management education will not only improve your knowledge and skills, but it will also empower you to become an ethical and successful manager in the future. 

You will be able to develop better strategies to include line managers in tutorial-type conversations that will allow workers to improve their strengths further and recognise areas where they need to develop. An online management diploma will teach you to take a more informed decision after gathering the right statistics from the right sources to spot potential.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Feel free to share with us by simply commenting in the box below. 

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Should Schools Focus More On Technology Than Curriculum?

Educational technology has become a reality in our schools with more and more institutes offering various digital tools to their students to help them learn better. The main objective of using advanced technological tools in the classroom is to create an enhanced learning environment and offer and engaging and interactive experience. 

However, before we focus on technology integration, educators first need to focus on a flexible and effective academic curriculum. It is only then that we can identify the means and approaches to improve education with the help of technology. But schools should not force digital tools in the classroom. Technology must facilitate the goals of the educators for the school year. If it is not used properly, technology might become a barrier to achieving those goals, instead of being a catalyst. 

Implement Technology To Improve Curriculum

 

Do you think your school is ready to use educational tech in the classroom? The first thing you need to do is be confident that your curriculum will be enhanced by implementing technology. Here are 5 excellent ways to use technology to improve learning by elevating the curriculum- 

Understand How Technology Is Used By Students At Home

 

It is imperative that you learn what type of technology is used by your students and how they are utilizing it outside of your classroom. This information will enable you to identify challenges and opportunities related to executing EdTech tools in the classroom. It may also help to initiate motivation for your tech solutions in school.

Be Sure About Your Goal

 

You need to determine the purpose and objective of using latest technology in your classroom. Make sure you don’t implement it just for the sake of using EdTech or because other schools are doing it. If you don’t realise why or how you should use technology as an educational tool, then it simply means you are not ready for it. 

Take One Step At A Time

 

You need start by implementing just one educational technology at a point of time. When you implement multiple technology tools, then it become easy to lose focus of the main objectives and enhance the curriculum. If you try to use too many digital tools at once then it can prove to be overwhelming, not only for the educators, but also for the learners and their parents. If they start to feel overwhelmed then it may cause frustration which will adversely affect your goals.

Use The SAMR Model

 

Designed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the SAMR model depicts the phases of technology integration, namely –

• Substitution
• Augmentation
• Modification
• Redefinition

This approach enables schools and educators to evaluate and reflect on how to implement technology in the classroom and what we can do to adapt, reformulate and modify our classrooms by using it. 

Look For Opportunities For Professional Development

 

You can find innumerable free online learning resources for administrators and educators to read regarding different tech experiences and what we may learn from them. This can be highly effective if your school is connected with larger networks which can allow colleagues to learn and share the best teaching practices.

What are you doing to Integrate technology into your classroom? Share your views, ideas and thoughts with us by commenting below. We would love to hear from you. 

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UK Needs To Focus More On Teaching Creativity In Schools

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The Education Secretary Nicky Morgan recently spoke at the education campaign launch that aims to encourage STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. During her speech, Morgan commented that when students opt to study conventionally creative subjects like arts and humanities, it limits their career options and prospects. She is the latest addition in the long list of politicians who completely misunderstand the significance and value of creativity. 

Importance of Creativity in Education

 

Studying creativity is not only limited to pursuing “creative” subjects, like English and art, in the classroom. The fact is the basic definition of creative subjects is an inaccurate explanation of what creativity actually means. 

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Here is an example of creativity in schools: Sir Ken Robinson once interviewed Oscar award winning Hans Zimmer. According to the interview, Zimmer was a disorderly child and was repudiated from 8 different schools. In the 9^th school, the head teacher, who tried to get him more engaged in his studied, spoke to him and found out that Zimmer liked music. So the teacher helped him to study music which improved his performance in other academic areas and eventually built his winning career. 

Hollywood composer

This instance goes on to show the importance of creativity in school. The head teacher had an open mind and modified the teaching process to enable Zimmer learn better. Unfortunately, this has now become highly difficult due to strictly regulated teaching methods. 

Need for Making Education Engaging 

 

Localism is a recent popular political trend for bottom-up politics. You can observe it in the support for better devolution, especially among the advocates of constitutional conventions, and also in attempt to propagate patient-led services. Creativity can help to support this trend in education. Educators who have the ability to establish teaching methods in accordance to what our students need and want to learn. The truth is schools offer a rather disruptive experience to many learners, with most students feeling disengaged with the current educational system. 

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This concept focuses on self-determination, which is the basic belief of creativity. It is only with the help of creativity, an individual finds the ability to voice their opinions, whether through creating music like Hans Zimmer or by writing a story or song or through developing some useful software. Moreover, creativity also significantly adds to our economy, contrary to popular belief. 

Creativity and Politics

 

The view of Nicky Morgan on arts and humanities depicts what kind of a large problem the government has with teaching creativity in schools. Michael Gove, former Secretary of State for Education, was rather vocal about how creativity can be achieved only by pursuing formal education. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has also said that we would prefer to develop a UK film industry which produces blockbuster films like Harry Potter, instead of independent movies. Our beloved politicians have made it clear that the government does not understand what creativity is actually is. 

Creativity is not about compelling students to learn and write grammatically correct paragraphs or producing blockbusters; creativity is about self-determination, innovation and expression. The government should start to see the social, political and economic benefits offered by creative learning as only then they can so some creative thinking. 

What do you think about teaching creativity in schools? Share your concerns and opinions with us by commenting below.

Why Earning A Business Diploma Is So Important For Your Career?

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Wondering whether you should get a college degree or not? If so, then you should know that it is becoming increasingly difficult for individuals without a degree or a diploma to maintain or even get jobs. But going to college is just not enough these days. So what else do you need to boost your career? Let’s find out.... 

“No Degree” Equals “Low Earnings”

 

According to the latest American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, employees, especially in South Florida counties of Palm Beach and Broward, who experienced the lowest decline in income between 2008 and 2013 were the ones who failed to earn a bachelor’s degree but earned a 2 year associate’s degree or at least attended college. 

The study showed the percentage drop in earnings for Palm Beach County was around 10 per cent during the financial recession of 2008; while the drop rate was 7.25 per cent for Broward County. The survey also found that employees with high school diploma experienced an average decline in income of merely 3.8 per cent and 5.7 per cent in Palm Beach and Broward respectively. 

Does A Diploma Mean More Income?

 

In contrast, the American Community Survey discovered that the earnings of college graduates in Palm Beach increased from 2008 to 2013 by 7.6 per cent. However it fell by 2.4 per cent in the county of Broward. In fact, those who completed their graduation earned $14,000 more annually in the both regions than employees who attended 4 year college programme, but were unable to graduate. 

Moral Of The Story?

 

The data from the U.S. Census Bureau goes to show that it literally pays to get a degree. According to Jorge Carrillo-Salazar, Economist and Director of the Center for Economic Research, Florida International University, earning a higher education qualification can help better your financial condition in future. 

Although the economy is improving in most markets worldwide, still employers tend to act fussy and are looking for candidates with a graduate degree or business diploma, even for jobs that traditionally does not require such qualifications. Carrillo-Salazar added “The economy is not generating enough jobs.” 

The fact is numerous laid-off employees are actually going back to college, both on-campus and online, to earn the diploma they failed to acquire previously, according to economist William B. Stronge, a former professor at Florida Atlantic University. He believes that many learners are now pursuing qualifications that are currently in-demand. Stronge said “They recognised they needed more skills.” 

Eugene Holzer, co-founder of job placement firm Ascendo Resources, claims that in most cases the recruiters do not even bother about the majors you studied in college. However it is important that you follow through the discipline and complete your graduation. He believes that this shows you will be steady as an employee. 

What Does It Mean For Your Career?

 

According to the findings of the study, the experts suggest that the best possible way to progress you career is to earn a diploma. Having a higher education qualifications, especially in business, shows that you have acquired the necessary skills and knowledge required for your specific field of work. Perhaps this the reason why innumerable students from across the globe are now pursuing business studies online, as it offers affordable and easily accessible solutions. An online diploma will not only enhance your professional skills, but it also gives confidence to your employer about your abilities. 

If you have been unable to complete your college education, for whatever reason, or if you only have a high school diploma, then pursuing diploma in business online is the most suitable option for you. Studying business will enable you to learn various management and leadership skills and understand the core concepts of business. Moreover, as you will study online, you will be able to continue working on your full time job and still manage time to study for a diploma. 

With an online diploma in business you can boost your employability and add significant value to your resume. Your qualification, along with your work experience, will make you an ideal candidate for numerous jobs as most employers look for business-trained applicants. Moreover as online diplomas are now being accepted by most employers worldwide, you will have a wide range of employment opportunities available to you. This will also provide you the scope to enhance your performance at the workplace and land the next big promotion. 

So what do you think? Will you earn a business diploma to boost your career prospects? Feel free to share your views and thoughts by commenting below. We would love to hear from you.

Why Business Education is Favoured by Entrepreneurs

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Here are a few stories about successful people who used their innovative ideas to create business opportunities and help people all over the world. 

There was a young businessman who had a great passion for different flavours of ice-creams. He needed to travel a lot and it was virtually impossible to carry frozen ice cream along with him. He often wondered if he could transport it in liquid form and later get it solidified. 

Another young flight attendant needed to be up-and-about and had to pack her bags every time she needed to fly. She hated packing. If only there could be a new luggage packing system that would make her life less complicated. 

Working as a freelance writer is not a very easy job when there is a baby crying in the corner of the room. A modern mom silently wished that she could have an app that could interpret what her baby needed every time he cried and that would give her peace of mind and the strength to balance life and work. 

A bride-to-be was never satisfied with shopping in stores or online. None of the clothes seemed to fit her less-than-perfect frame. She fell in love with the mPort, which is a phone-booth sized body scanner that helped her discover her own exclusive vital signs. She also found clothes that were just her size. 

All of these people who were benefitted by these gadgets and discoveries must have praised the people who invented them. The people who made these innovative and helpful things were in fact university graduates who were equipped with the latest tools and skills to become innovative businessmen. Now have a look at what universities have to offer when students approach them for their degrees. 

Approaching the University for A Business Course

 

A university offers more than just a degree. The learning experience is unique as it motivates interested students very naturally and inspires them to invent and become successful entrepreneurs. Look at the areas that universities lay emphasis upon so that they become successful businessmen. 

What Institutions Encourage

 

These institutions encourage design thinking in which creativity is encouraged and they develop a more analytical approach towards business. Very recently universities have started introducing courses in which the students are encouraged to build businesses of their own. They will be assessed on the basis of their innovative ideas and their practical approach. 

The Various Aspects of Business- A Practical Approach 

 

The students have the opportunity to work in a real-life situation and they perform the role of consultants of those clients who are not familiar with the world of business. They have a very clear picture about marketing, market research, value propositions, operational details, management structure, finance structure, infrastructure details and distribution channels. After reading about all these facts a question may come to one’s mind. What happens to students who want to be employed and are not currently interested in a start-up business? 

For Those Who Want A Job- It’s Guaranteed Too!

 

There are also students who aspire to get a job as a senior manager in a company. Universities also encourage such students to prepare themselves for such jobs. They are asked to step outside their comfort zone so that they can develop their entrepreneurship skills which are essential even as a manager. Every company is now focussing on being innovative and thus the employees are being trained accordingly. They have to constantly rethink and re-innovate so that they can change the way they are thinking about their business at the present moment. 

The students are also taught to pay attention to the demands of the market. They are also made aware of the fact that there are possibilities of risks and uncertainty in this world. If they face failures, they should have the courage to start over. This is commonly known as ‘flearning’. 

After reading about these countless possibilities it must be evident that a degree in business is very important and practically useful for anyone who wants to earn a living. Anyone can become an entrepreneur as a manager at work or as an owner of a business.There is only the provision for growth and innovation. The future is here and our choices lie before us. 

For further clarification, leave your queries below.

Mastering The Art of Success By Acquiring Skills

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Globalization has really changed the way we think about education and technology has left a lasting impression on society with so many different changes and innovative discoveries. 

Presently, people are very concerned about the impact of the needs in the global market and that has a very direct influence on the education of students in this day and age. 

Students need to develop certain skills so that they can cater to the needs of the market. Employers are always giving great importance to the three basic skills- reading, writing and arithmetic. But more is sought nowadays. Let’s have a look at what recruiters are looking for now. 

Being Familiar With Technology is a Must  

• Employers are appreciating those individuals who can understand how to operate a computer and continue working with the help of any form of technology.
• They are expected to know about the different parts of a computer.
• They should be resourceful while connecting with people, information and they should know how to send e-mails, visit relevant websites and use search engines.
• Employers love the fact that today’s candidates are trying their best to understand the concepts of word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and databases.

The next important factor is how empathetic a person can be. 

Emotional Intelligence Exhibited

• People are laying emphasis on the importance of EQ or Emotional Intelligence.
• How emotions are controlled by the brain happen to be a subject that inspires great curiosity nowadays.
• Social and emotional learning (SEL) is something that is sought very often nowadays.
• Students need to respond to other people’s reactions and feelings so that their own develop nicely.
• This also includes listening and communicating clearly and effectively.

When a candidate displays empathy and can connect with other human beings, it becomes less difficult to be a global citizen. 

The Glory of Being a Global Citizen

• The need to become a global citizen is crucial in this era.
• A global citizen is generally a person who identifies with the global community and contributes into making our world a better place to live in so that the entire world reaps benefits.
• There are several benefits of being a global citizen.
• People learn to share values, ideas, art, culture, and beliefs for a harmonious growth for humanity.
• People are getting closer thanks to information and technology.
• People respond to global crisis since they have a fellow feeling for all human beings all over the world.
• People are becoming more aware of the problems of the natural environment and are trying to find ways to avoid wars and conflicts.
• Economic development and eradication of poverty is something that is desired.

You must have noticed that there are many global and regional problems in the world that need to be solved by those who are efficient and confident. Let us have a look at the aspect of problem solving. 

Solving Problems Efficiently  

• Solving problems is something that people look forward to since it fosters success.
• In order to do so, one needs to understand how to define a problem, find alternatives, evaluate them and use the solutions that are discovered.
• Students try to understand why the problem is such and try to analyse what is to be done.

But what is problem solving without proper communication between people? They need to recognize and understand that others around them have problems.

‘No one would talk much in society if they knew how often they misunderstood others’. — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe.

 

Communicative Skills 

• Communication involves the exchange of thought freely from one person to another.
• The information or emotions are sent to the receiver in the form of a message with symbols.
• It is translated to make meaning by the receiver indicating that the words and the thoughts have been clearly understood.
• Listening is also a very important part of communicating.
• Frequent interruptions can be problematic.

Now, the skill that has been mentioned above is very important for people who are trying to work in a team. Let us study the aspects of team work.

Encouraging Team Spirit

• Presently, individual efforts are not as appreciated as much as the work that is done in a team.
• People need to communicate with one another very clearly.
• The skills that are appreciated when people work in a team are accountability since every person is regarded as responsible and answerable to the group.
•  They should also be clearly aware of their individual jobs within the group- as facilitator, creative member, summarizer, evaluator, mediator, encourager and recorder.
• They should know how to encourage and motivate each other to inspire excellent output.

We have observed how important it is to work in a team. Along with that comes the important role of a team leader. Look at the leadership skills that are so essential. 

Becoming a Successful Leader

• Leadership doesn’t imply that one should be supervising and dictating while others toil all day long.
• Leadership is the unique skill that people possess that motivates others and builds a strong bond of mutual trust and respect.
•  A true leader is a visionary, a person who inspires and has a long-term goal.
• They have a positive attitude towards their profession and the professionals who work with him.
•  Being organized, leaders inspire others to perform flawlessly.
• A real leader is assertive, charismatic and has sympathy for fellow human beings.
• Those who can build and run a successful business are those who are both successful leaders and entrepreneurs with goodwill and a desire to reach the zenith of success.

These are the various skills that people seek when they are trying to prepare themselves for a prosperous future ahead of them. Every student aspires to be successful and it is possible if the skills such as stated above can be acquired. Not only will they help someone become successful in the job that a person selects but it will make him a better human being whose behaviour, attitude and hard work will be appreciated by everyone in every sphere in life. 

If you have any statements, leave them as comments below.