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Your #Career : Here’s How to Write an #Email to a Potential #Employer … In a Way, Writing the Perfect Email to a Potential Employer is a Balancing Act.

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On the one hand, you want to make your message and application stand out from the others they’re receiving. But you definitely don’t want to be too gimmicky or unprofessional.

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We consulted Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume, about how to send a clear and compelling message to a company you’re dying to work for. Read on for seven tips that will get you one step closer to your dream job.

1. Write a clear subject line.

Augustine advised against getting catchy with subject lines. Instead, make it obvious that you’re submitting a job application.

If there are no specific directions in the job posting, something as simple as, “Application for Strategy Reporter (ID #12345): Shana Lebowitz” should work.

However, if you’re cold emailing a potential employer, you should get a bit more creative in your subject line.

Talk about the value you can provide — for example, “would love to share my ideas on increasing sales team productivity.” Consider what the person you’re emailing cares about and why she would want to read your message.

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2. Address your message to the appropriate person.

“The worst thing you could do is put, ‘Dear Madam’ or ‘Dear Sir’ as your opening,” Augustine said,” because it shows you didn’t put any effort into researching the right person.”

You can do some sleuth work on LinkedIn and find out the name of the company recruiter or hiring manager who originally posted the job. If that doesn’t work, you can leverage your network — do you know anyone who works there? — and find out who the appropriate addressee is.

In the rare case that the job is anonymously posted, you can say, “Dear HR Professional” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”

3. Talk about what you can provide the employer.

Keep in mind, Augustine said, that the employer is the target audience. So think about what type of value you’re offering them, as opposed to the other way around.

In the body of your email, mention exactly what you can do for the employer and what you’ve learned about that company.

4. Customize the email to the individual employer.

Augustine said it’s important to tailor your message to each individual job and company.

“The more you talk about their specific needs and how your skill set does make you a really good solution to those needs, the more likely your message is to be read.”

And it might sound obvious, but make sure you include the name of the correct company in your email, especially if you’re emailing multiple employers at once.

“Oftentimes that can put you out of the running,” Augustine said. “Employers are looking for reasons to get rid of those applications.”

5. Don’t copy and paste your resume.

Augustine recommended not cutting and pasting your resume into the body of the email because the formatting ends up “atrocious.”

Instead, you should either attach a document or provide a link to a Google Doc. (You can hyperlink a few words so that you don’t end up with a long string of letters and numbers.) If you choose to submit a Google Doc, make sure you select the “view only” option for the employer.

6. Send your email ASAP after the job posting goes up.

“The sooner you get your job application in, the better,” Augustine said.

In general, you’ll want to submit it within 72 hours of the posting going up, because employers start to get inundated with applications after that and might not even open yours.

7. Follow up promptly.

Augustine recommends including a sentence in your email that says, “I will follow up with you on [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][whatever date] once you’ve had time to review my application.”

She advises planning to follow up one week after you send the application or, if there’s a close date on the job posting, planning to follow up a week after that. Make sure you mark the date on your calendar, so you don’t say you’re going to follow up and then forget.

 

Businessinsider.com | November 28, 2015 | 

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#Strategy : How to Power through a Day when you Didn’t get any Sleep the Night Before…Lack of #Sleep can cause Anxiety & Irritability & affect your Ability to Retain Information, all Impairing your #Productivity.

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We all know the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep can cause anxiety and irritability and affect your ability to retain information, all impairing your productivity. But as all busy entrepreneurs know, sometimes getting a full night of shut-eye just isn’t possible, leaving you with no choice but to try to power through the day on little rest.

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Open your curtains.

Getting exposure to light as soon as you wake up is important for giving you energy to kick-start your day. “Sunlight will decrease the release of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy,” says Steve Orma, clinical psychologist and co-author of “Stop Worrying and Go to Sleep: How to Put Insomnia to Bed for Good.” To help fight that sleepy feeling, try working by a window or take frequent breaks to get outdoors. “Exposure to natural light throughout the day would help keep you more awake,” says Orma.

Take a cold shower.

Dr. Mark Kovacs says a 30- to 60-second cold shower stimulates adrenaline (your body’s fight or flight response), getting your nerves ready for the day.

 

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Breathe.

Breathe in through your nose slowly for five seconds, then exhale through the mouth for two seconds. Repeat this exercise five times. “This works on simultaneously decreasing and increasing heart rate,” says Kovacs.

Avoid having a power lunch.

If you’re short on sleep, eating smaller meals throughout the day can help you sustain your energy. “When you’re already limited in sleep, taking any large meals is not a good idea,” says Kovacs, as eating a large meal puts a strain on your body’s organs, causing you to feel even more tired.

Power up with protein.

While it can be tempting to go for a coffee-and-donut combo, Dr. Jo Lichten, author of “REBOOT: How to Power Up Your Energy, Focus, and Productivity,” says a meal with 20-35 g of protein will help to keep you more alert than a high carb meal which will simply give you an initial energy spike followed by an immediate crash. Eggs, Greek yogurt, or a piece of meat about the size of the palm of your hand are good healthy options for a pick-me-up snack.

Don’t fill up on coffee.

Hanging around the coffee machine all day isn’t going to do much to give you sustained energy to make it through the day. While you may think gulping down caffeine will help you feel more alert, too much caffeine can cause you to feel jittery and anxious rather than focused. Dr. Lichten says 50 mg to 100 mg of caffeine is the optimal dose for alertness and focus. Opt for a short cup of coffee every four hours during the day, stopping at 4:00 p.m. to prevent another poor night of sleep.

Power up with a caffeine nap.

You may not think caffeine and a nap go together, but experts say a cup of coffee before a nap is the key to boosting your brain power. Kovacs recommends ordering a double espresso, set your alarm for 25 to 30 minutes and take a nap. “Once you awake the caffeine will have started to work and you can push through the remainder of the day,” he says. The reason the caffeine-nap combo is so effective is that caffeine takes about 45 minutes to be absorbed, so taking a nap while the caffeine is making its way through your system allows you to awake when the alertness effect of the caffeine has kicked in.

Read the original article on Entrepreneur. Copyright 2015. Follow Entrepreneur on Twitter.

Businessinsider.com | November 27, 2015 | Lisa Evans, Entrepreneur

#Strategy : 5 Conversation Tips that Will make you Memorable in 30 Seconds or Less…The Average Human Loses Concentration ability after 8 Seconds (which is shorter than a goldfish’s attention span, so that’s awesome), So we’ve got our Work Cut out for us to being Memorable.

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The average human loses concentration ability after 8 seconds (which is shorter than a goldfish’s attention span, so that’s awesome), so we’ve got our work cut out for us when it comes to being memorable.

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Below are five ways to tackle thatin 30 seconds or less:

1. Use a “connection story.” 

When someone asks what you do, don’t just say, “My name is X, and I’m a [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][insert job title].”

Instead use a connection story, which “gives somebody a true glimpse into who you are,” explains Amanda Marko, a strategic communications consultant, in Entrepreneur.

Were you always running lemonade stands as a kid? Link that to how you knew from an early age that you wanted to be an entrepreneur.

 

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2. Ditch the jargon.

This is all about knowing your audience. Unless the person you’re talking to also works in your industry and knows your job inside-and-out, leave out the super-technical or industry-specific terms. It will make what you say clearer and stick in their mind that much better.

3. Add an anecdote. 

A Stanford research study reported by Forbes showed that statistics alone have a retention rate of 5-10%, but when coupled with anecdotes, the retention rate rises to 65-70%.

4. Share something you have in common. 

Think of what you remember after having a conversation with someone. (“We went to the same college!” or “Turns out we live in the same neighborhood!”)

That’s because common factors unite us, so it’s memory gold. If you stumble upon something you have in common or know from social media (without getting too creepy) that you both loveScandal, for example, say so.

5. Compliment ’em. 

Plain and simple, people will remember how you made them feel. Guarantee the warm and fuzzies by offering a real, genuine compliment. (So if you’re notorious for your bohemian outfits, maybe don’t try complimenting someone on their pearls and cardigan — they probably won’t buy it.)

Aim for work-related compliments — great job on that presentation, insightful commentary in that meeting, you get the picture.

Read the original article on Levo League. Copyright 2015. Follow Levo League on Twitter.

Businessinsider.com | November 27, 2015 | Meredith Lepore, Levo League

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#Strategy : How to Stop Getting Distracted at Work … In order to Function Effectively, some Focus & Awareness are Needed

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Sometimes it’s difficult to focus at work. If you’ve been consumed by anxious thoughts concerning a stressfullife event, or the general busyness at the office keeps pulling you away from your assignments, you’ll need to figure out how to achieve order so you can get your work done.

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“Learning how to rein in your thoughts and focus is going to help you achieve your goals in life. Without focus, you can never achieve anything. If you know how to align your thoughts and devote complete concentration to the task at hand, you can realize anything you aspire to in life,” said Eric Phillips in the book Focus.

 Here’s how to stay focused so you can accomplish your work goals.

1. Close your office door

If you have an office, don’t be shy about closing your door from time to time. It’s nice to try to create a welcoming environment by allowing your team members to come in and talk, but sometimes you have to roll up your sleeves and get down to business. This means that you’ll need to enter “do not disturb” mode every now and then. Push aside your guilt and remember that by taking time to focus on your work, you are helping your company move forward. Release yourself from the mindset that you need to be available 24 hours a day. Time management expert Craig Jarrow explained it this way:

Why would you want your senior leaders being constantly interrupted while they are doing some of the company’s most important work? An open-door policy should mean that you have the right to walk in my office, that I am approachable, not that the door has to always be physically open. People should know that a closed door means, ‘work in progress.’ If they have an emergency, they can knock on the door and interrupt. Lower priorities can be taken elsewhere or wait until a more appropriate time. It is about setting expectations. Set expectations that the door will be open when you are available. Perhaps, even set ‘office hours’ as to when you will be available for conversation.

2. Retrain yourself

Part of the reason you get distracted at work is that you’re accustomed to allowing yourself to give in to the distraction. The key to pushing past this hurdle is to commit to breaking this bad habit. Establish a schedule and stick to it, create a to-do list, or resolve to arrive to work earlier so you can avoid common office distractions. Whatever you decide to do, give your absolute best effort.

“The basic things we all want—fulfilling relationships, accomplishments of which we’re proud, meaningful success at work, to be of service to others, peace of mind—are surprisingly straightforward to achieve. But, in many cases, our best efforts to achieve them are built on habits and behaviors that, simply put, don’t work,” said Peter Bregman in Four Seconds: All the Time You Need to Stop Counter-Productive Habits and Get the Results You Want.

 

3. Stop being a busybody

If you’re constantly leaving your desk, how do you expect to get any work done? If you are often getting up to reheat your coffee, chat with co-workers, or take multiple snack breaks, you are the problem. There’s really no mystery there. Try to sit still for at least 30 minutes so you can make some progress on an assignment.

4. Don’t obsessively check messages

Reserve a specific time for checking messages. Constantly checking social media, phone, and email messages throughout the day will keep pulling you away from your work. Instead, reserve part of your lunch break or some time after work for checking messages.

“In our current-day lives, [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][we] obsess over being liked, respected, appreciated, and even celebrated. This need plus dopamine equals a happy high. You know that feeling you get when you check Facebook and 15 people have liked your post? That’s because you’re wired to be liked. You’re wired to enjoy it when this is affirmed to you. Ultimately, you’re wired to think that this sort of outside approval is essential for survival,” said Naomi Goodlet in Distraction Hacker: Make Space in Your Life for the Things (and People) That Truly Matter.

5. Avoid office troublemakers

Do your best not to engage co-workers who tend to steer you away from your work game. As long as you stay away from the gossips, the lazies, and the ones who can’t stop talking, you’ll be able to get some work done. Don’t be afraid to confront someone who is distracting you.

“The best way to deal with this is to deal with it. Perhaps you need some coaching, perhaps you can do it on your own, but you need to be able to set boundaries in the workplace, otherwise there is just dysfunction. In the end, freeing yourself from distractions is a personal responsibility. Yes, the number and variety of distractions is large and growing, but that’s no excuse. In order to function effectively, some focus and awareness are needed,”said Steve Adam, founder and president of Adamlabs.

Follow Sheiresa on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Cheatsheet.com | November 27  | 

http://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/how-to-stop-getting-distracted-at-work.html/?a=viewall

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Your #Career : Here’s What to do When your #Boss Catches you Looking for a New #Job … Whether you Think your Boss Suspects that you’re Looking for a New Job — or you’re Certain they Know, Because they Caught you Red-Handed — you’ll Probably feel Anxious & Perhaps even Doomed.

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We’ve solicited readers to submit their most pressing career-related questions.  With the help of Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job,” we’ve answered the following: “I think my boss knows I’m looking for a new job. What should I do?”

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Whether you think your boss suspects that you’re looking for a new job — or you’re certain they know, because they caught you red-handed — you’ll probably feel anxious and perhaps even doomed. 

“Maybe you were caught visiting a job board; there was a snitch among your ‘trusted networks’; or it turns out your boss actually does notice you — that is, your frequent LinkedIn updates, long lunches, and ‘doctor visits’ the days you come in wearing a suit. But before you seek refuge under the nearest credenza, take heart; you can recover from this,” Taylor explains.

First, she says, you need to realize that this happens to so many people. “Most workers stay employed while they conduct a job search, and even if you do it on your lunch hour or breaks, there can still be other outward signs if you’re not extra vigilant: a new, interview-worthy wardrobe, more absences and visible networking online, and an overall change in behavior,” she says.

If you’re in the midst of a job search or thinking about one, now is the time to be prepared for softening the blow to your manager (and to your career), she says. “Of course, more than an ounce of job hunting discretion doesn’t hurt, either.”

Here’s what to do if your boss calls you out:

Know where you stand.

Before you approach or respond to your boss, Taylor suggests you examine the following factors:

-Your current level of job security (Do you have a great track record?)
-How upset your boss might be as a result of this possible/perceived “betrayal”
-Whether you’re willing to forfeit the job entirely
-How comfortable you are telling the truth
-Whether you feel your current job still has potential
-Whether there are external factors that may legitimize a search, such as a downsizing or pending merger

 

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Stay cool.

When your boss confronts you, the first thing to remember is to avoid panic, she says.

“Just how you react to the ambush is almost as important as the ‘misdeed,'” she explains. “Your boss is unlikely to be all smiles, so you’ll need to quash the tension.” Try to bring the conversation from contentious to constructive, with much as much diplomacy and respect as you can muster.

Be empathetic.

While it can sometimes seem dubious, your boss does have feelings and will likely feel dismayed and rejected, if not outright angry. “By identifying with his or her feeling of betrayal, your demeanor will be much more natural — and hopefully generate more patience and understanding,” Taylor says.

Keep your response simple.

This is no time for TMI, which can happen when your nerves are frayed, she says. “Less will be more in your damage control. You can give the overall truthful answer, but many details will exacerbate an already awkward situation.”

Don’t lie.

Savvy bosses have their antennae up when you’re job searching, so it’s hard to know the source(s) of their information. “That’s why it’s better not to lie and risk further harming your relationship,” advises Taylor. “You can, however, be diplomatic in how you describe your search.”

 

Give a thoughtful explanation.

Think about your desired goals and future at the firm beforehand.

Bad choice: “Yes, I’m not happy here, so I’ve been conducting an active job search for awhile.”

Better choice: “I’ve been reviewing a couple of opportunities to learn more about my marketability, but not actively. I’d prefer to stay here and am hoping we can discuss how to improve things to our mutual satisfaction. I’m fully committed to my position here.”

Best choice if accurate: “I have been approached by a couple recruiters/companies and felt that I should at least listen to them. But I’m most interested in staying here and want things to work out.” Then, discuss your commitment to and interest in resolving issues, Taylor suggests.

There may be other circumstances that make the news of your job search less traumatic for your boss. If your company or department has been downsizing, or there are rumors of a merger, for instance, it may not come as a big shock. The leak about your search could lead to a discussion clarifying your level of job security, she says.

Clearly, you wouldn’t be searching for a new job if things were entirely rosy. So this is an opportunity to lay some cards on the table, with the utmost tact, she explains. “The discussion could ultimately improve your relationship. Your next move will depend a great deal on the relationship you had with your boss before the ‘event.'”

Taylor says this could be your chance to candidly discuss your need for greater responsibility. You might bide a little time to think through your pitch for what’s missing from your job. Maybe you feel you deserve a promotion and/or raise. Consider asking for a follow up meeting about your job and career.

“Even if the job isn’t in your long-term interest, you still want to improve upon interim problems as best you can while you’re there,” she adds. “Personality clashes may be tough to tackle, but a lot may stem from the need to set better boundaries and expectations, improve communications, project flow and/or deadline prioritization.”

Don’t burn your bridges.

If you have a combative attitude, you’ll lose a valuable reference, burn your bridges, and hurt your reputation.

If you respond, “Yes, I’m looking elsewhere and unhappy” (i.e., “you got me!”) with no interest in a resolution, most employers will feel that you’ve already checked out — and your prospects at the company will be dim, says Taylor. “Stay professional. It will be remembered, despite your setback.”

Try to regain trust.

Regardless of where your career is headed, you want to try and regain your boss’s confidence as best you can. This can be challenging, as managers are leery of proprietary leaks, especially to direct competition. Also, at this point they’ll be more skeptical about how hard you’re working. “You may get the cold shoulder for awhile,” Taylor warns.

“Still, do your best to work hard and remain accessible. Make sure you conduct any job search activities outside the office and avoid any social media tip-offs, such as adding 100 new LinkedIn industry contacts overnight.”

Stay focused.

It’s easy to get distracted after a setback like this; it will feel like a very bad day. But don’t dwell on the fact that you “got caught.” It doesn’t mean that you’ll lose your job; you may ultimately be able to modify it. If you do ultimately part ways, it will likely be for the best — your dream job could be around the corner, she says.

Show commitment and enthusiasm.

“You’re likely under a microscope now, and there may even be rumors about your allegiances,” says Taylor. “The pressure is on to show you’re still dedicated and producing excellent results.”

Continue to meet deadlines and be helpful to your boss and colleagues. Be upbeat and avoid any inference that you may have one foot out the door. (And be careful chatting up your search with peers!)

Stay positive and in control. “You could end up staying at the company in a related capacity. Or, someone at the company could end up hiring you at your next job.”

Readers: Want us to answer your questions related to your career or job search? Tweet Careers editor Jacquelyn Smith @JacquelynVSmith or email her at jsmith[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][at]businessinsider[dot]com, and we’ll do our best to answer them.

 

Businessinsider.com | November 25, 2015 |  

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#Leadership : Boosting Employee Motivation With Gratitude …Research Tells us that about 65% of #Employees would Prefer a Better #Boss over a #Raise. What Kind of #Leader Are You?

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When we talk about ways to foster gratitude and motivation in the workplace, we’ll often talk about manners. And these go beyond saying please and thank you. Manners are nothing more or less than how we treat the people around us — whether or not we make them feel like a valued and included part of the team, or whether we ignore their needs in favor of our own.

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Gratitude and motivation in the workplace are permanently entwined with how we conduct ourselves around others. With the most thankful time of the year right around the corner, now’s the perfect time to boost  your teams’ motivation by giving them reasons to be more grateful.

Remember the Value of Good Manners

Modern society uses our fast-paced lifestyles as an excuse to put good manners on the backburner. And this gives you a significant advantage: in a world that’s trying to leaveplease and thank you behind, these can be powerful tools in the workplace.

You’re never too busy to thank your team members properly for a job well done. It’s true that you’re the employer in this relationship, and that carries with it certain expectations, but the people who answer to you will see you in a new light if you take the time to address them and thank them as valued human beings.

 

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As the leader of your company, and perhaps even your industry, it’s your accomplishments that are the most visible to the public eye. Even as the teams under you work to meet and exceed expectations, they’ll often remain the unsung heroes. Taking just a moment in the course of each day to say a simple “Thank you” to the team members who make your business what it is can be a great way to inspire them to do their very best.

Get Employees Involved in the Decision-Making Process

There are few ways I know of that work better than this when it comes to fostering motivation in your team members. All kinds of companies and corporations claim their employees have a sense of ownership in the business. However, few seem to really know how to make employees feel like they’re a part of the process.

Something simple you can do is reach out to your team members on a regular basis for feedback on decisions you’ve already made and suggestions on ones you haven’t yet. This, perhaps more than anything, communicates that you value their time, their expertise and their worldview. It’s pretty easy to surround oneself with sycophants and yes-men (and women), but if you take the time to involve the people you work with indecisions that affect the company, you might discover just how valuable differing opinions can be.

Get Into the Spirit of Giving

Having said everything above, sometimes the quickest way to an employee’s heart is through their pocketbook—or their schedule.

I don’t mean to sound flippant about it, but let’s be honest with ourselves: people hold down jobs because they need to make a living. But life sometimes has ideas of its own, whether it’s high-pressure gift-giving seasons, or any number of other disruptions that get in the way of our jobs.

So here are two ideas to help your company get into the spirit of giving:

    1. Be generous with time off, particularly around the holidays. People want, and expect, to be able to visit their friends and loved ones, and rare is the company that lets this happen without a bunch of hassle. This year, though, companies like REI and Target are deciding to keep their doors closed on Black Friday, in an effort to help their employees remain home with their families.

Be generous with bonuses. If your company has enjoyed success this calendar year, give your employees an opportunity to share in that success. A holiday bonus in each paycheck is a great way to raise morale around the peak seasons, or you can go a different route and let each employee choose an electronic gadget up to a certain value.

Learn to Value Laughter

There’s something healing about laughter. I mean that metaphorically and literally—scientists have long studied the positive effects that humor and laughter can have on the body. Because of this, laughter in the workplace is a wonderful thing for keeping morale high.

I don’t mean that you have to go out and take a course on improvisational comedy — humor comes most easily when you don’t force it. Rather, this is about having a sense of humor. It’s not about manufacturing laughter, but instead about recognizing humor and laughter for what it is: a signal of affection and trust between colleagues.

You’ve probably spent some time yourself in humorless workplaces. It might’ve been by choice, or because your supervisors associated laughter with being unproductive.

But let’s remember that encouraging laughter in the workplace can be a great way to help your employees open up around you, which in turn creates stronger bonds and helps build new relationships between team members. Laughter can also increase motivation, which helps to improve productivity.

If I’ve made this sound like a scientific process, know that it’s anything but. Encouraging laughter in the workplace is often just a matter of letting your employees be themselves.

What Kind of Leader Are You?

Research tells us that about 65% of employees would prefer a better boss over a raise. If you’re worried that your employees are in that silent majority, it might be time to rethink how you’re fostering motivation and gratitude.

 

Forbes.com | November 21, 2015 | William Craig ,CONTRIBUTOR

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2015/11/21/boosting-employee-motivation-with-gratitude/

#Strategy : 4 Tips on How to Thrive When Everybody Else Is Crashing…Take these Tips from Founders who have Lived through prior Bubble Bursts to Prepare your Company for the Next One.

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Nobody can pinpoint the timing or impact of a private-tech-sector bubble burst. But preparing for one is not a bad idea, even if you don’t think your company would be affected. Remember that the trickle-down effect from such sector downturns is real–especially if your customer base includes privately funded tech startups or companies that sell to them. The hard lessons learned by survivors of previous bursts will help your company weather the next pop.

Free- Airbag Sign

Diversify Your Client and Supply Base

Paul Baum founded Rumarson Technologies, which refurbishes and resells computer hardware, in 1991. After the economic crisis of 2008, large companies, his primary source of used computers, could no longer afford to replace their systems. Within three months, used supply shrank 75 percent. Surviving required him to expand sources to include major retailers that accept returned computers from consumers.

Baum recommends that you diversify now, especially if your customers or suppliers come from the tech-startup space. “Run your company paranoid,” he says. Baum is taking his own advice. His company, now called Plan-IT-ROI, recently hired a team of paid graduate and undergraduate interns to test and prove new business lines. He expects to launch one of them early next year.

 

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Tighten Up Terms

Former venture capitalist Anand Sanwal founded private company investment database CB Insights in 2010. The data-as-a-service company helps its clients understand high-growth private companies, their investors, and their acquirers.

Sanwal advises founders with a high concentration of startup clients (or those dependent on startups for revenue) to closely monitor the financial health of those clients. Once you determine that any of them are struggling, change your payment terms. In addition to checking on things like whether they are actively hiring for new positions, look at how active they are on social media, when they issued their last press release, whether they’re in a sector that is out of favor with funders, and how long it’s been since they raised money. If you see a break or significant alteration in their fundraising schedule, or if they go longer than 24 months without a fundraising round, that’s a red flag.

“If you have payment terms of 30, 60, or 90 days, look at tightening those up,” Sanwal says. “You don’t want to be left holding the bag.”

Get a Credit Line While It’s Cheap

Sumeet Goel saw the last bubble up close and personal as a venture capitalist. When the dust settled, he founded strategy consulting firm HighPoint Associates, in 2002. To prepare for a bursting of the current tech bubble, Goel advises entrepreneurs to take advantage of the low cost of capital today.

“Get the biggest line of credit you can get,” he says. “Six months from now, if there’s a downturn, everything will be shut down, so at least you’ll have that line locked in.” He also suggests using a small portion of your credit line on a regular basis so you have a history of making timely payments. “I will actually use my line periodically just to ensure that when the downturn happens, they can’t say, ‘You’ve never used it and we’re going to take it away,'” Goel says. (Lenders can close a credit line for other reasons.)

Be Ready to Switch to Profit Mode (if You’re Not Already in It)

In the early days of the dot-com boom, William Hsu, co-founder of venture firmMucker Capital and startup accelerator MuckerLab, raised more than $50 million in venture capital for BuildPoint, a construction software and marketplace company. When that bubble burst, Hsu’s VCs fired him from his own company.

Now Hsu is helping protect startup founders at MuckerLab from another burst by preparing them to switch from growth mode to profitability mode at the drop of a hat. His advice is to know your “unit economics to break even,” or the amount of money you can spend on customer acquisition while still reaching profitability within a defined time period.

“If you have that math in your head, you know that, depending on the market, you can dial your acquisition costs up or down and manage your growth,” he says. Another general rule is to plan to reach profitability with at least one-third of your most recent funding still in the bank.

“Even if a future round never happens, the business stays sustainable,” Hsu says.

FROM THE NOVEMBER 2015 ISSUE OF INC. MAGAZINE
BY GRAHAM WINFREY

Staff writer, Inc.

#Leadership : Top Five #Productivity Tips For #Managers & #Entrepreneurs …What Productivity Tips have you Employed to Become more Efficient & #Successful?

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Mangers/Entrepreneurs are busy souls and with only so many hours in the day and an endless list of tasks to be accomplished, becoming efficient is integral to success.

Free- Man at Desktop

 

In the spirit of brevity, here are my top five productivity tips that will pay immediate dividends:

Create a “Top 3” List: Every morning, write down the top three initiatives you must accomplish that day. Then, go after each and don’t stop to check email or lose focus on other initiatives until these three tasks are complete. Remarkably, you’ll find that those other thousand to-dos don’t weigh as heavily on your mindset now that the biggest items have been accomplished.

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Get Active: It’s no secret that being active is critical to our productivity. I’ve personally seen my productivity levels skyrocket during periods when I’m training for endurance athletic events such as running races and triathlons. And, studies show that even 20 minutes a day of fitness activity can produce endorphins that do wonders for our moods. So whether you’re training for an all-encompassing event or simply going for a short walk during lunch, get active and you’ll quickly see how time away from business will be more than offset by increased output.

Get Help from an Assistant: As an entrepreneur growing a small business, I’ve never had access to a fulltime executive assistant. Recently, I employed the help of an outsourced executive assistant company for just a few hundred dollars a month. I’m able to request support on small but time-consuming tasks without needing to redirect my attention to those initiatives myself. The math is quite simple: if I’m able to save myself even just a few hours a month then the cost is justifiable and my business reaps the rewards of my undistracted attention to our critical objectives.

 Nighttime Lists: I continue to struggle with bouts of insomnia and yet I’ve seen a direct improvement in the quality and quantity of my sleep since bringing a pad of paper and pencil into the bedroom. When I wake up in the middle of the night remembering some task that needs to be accomplished, I write it down. Doing so immediately eradicates any anxiety of forgetting it in the morning. The key is to avoid the bright light of a cell phone or computer screen both of which can disrupt sleep patterns.

Close Email: So many of us are slaves to our emails. The second we hear the bell of a new inbound email, we immediately stop what we’re doing in order to respond to the latest message. And yet, doing so is highly inefficient. We waste time shifting gears only to have to spend additional time returning to the original task at hand later on. Closing our email until we’ve accomplished our critical objectives is one small but incredibly powerful habit for enhanced productivity.

 

Forbes.com | November 19, 2015 | Ryan Frankel 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanfrankel/2015/11/19/top-five-productivity-tips-for-entrepreneurs/

#Strategy : 5 Ways to Stay #Productive During the Holidays…Between Parties, Shopping, & Vacation Time, it’s a Wonder Anyone Gets any Work Done Around the Holidays.

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The Holidays are a Hectic Time for many Professionals, and People React Differently Under Pressure

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#Leadership : 7 Valuable Skills You Can Learn in Less Than a Day… If you Really want to Add to your Personal Value & Become More Attractive on the Job Market, You can Learn some New Skills.

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We’ve listed seven of those skills below. Some will take more effort than others, but making the decision or commitment to learn any of them will leave you better off when you go to sleep tonight

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