Time to Leave the Company?

Below is a interesting article i read in

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/09/when_to_leave_your_company_to_advance_your_career.html?othersrcp=15246&wExp=N

How will you respond when opportunity knocks — and how can you prepare for success once it does?


First, think about why you're considering the change. If it's because you feel like you're not moving forward in your current company as quickly as your peers, don't rush into a new company. Instead start by soliciting what I call the feedback that really counts: how you are perceived by those who make promotional decisions in your company. What skills have you demonstrated? Which do you need to develop? And is there anything holding you back that you need to know about? Talented managers often get frustrated by their pace of career advancement, sign on with a new company, and run into the same problems that were an obstacle in their prior organization.
For example, Frank was a highly-skilled finance manager who advanced quickly early in his career based on his technical knowledge and desire for results. Over the past few years, however, his progress had stagnated, and he missed out on several promotions. Senior executives were encouraging. Hang in there; your time will come; things will open up soon. When he asked why he wasn't getting ahead, his boss suggested that he improve his "communication" skills. This surprised Frank since he prided himself in his ability to speak and write clearly, and communicating to his team had always been a priority. When he probed for specific examples of communications issues, it turned out that Frank was right. His communication skills were fine — it was his inflexible, "my way or the highway" style that was holding him back. According to his peers, he needed to listen better and not get locked into his own position when there were differences of opinion.
Unfortunately, Frank saw this as "playing politics" and an unnecessary impediment to getting things done. Anxious to move ahead, he used his contacts in the industry to find a new position — but ended up leaving his new job after only nine months. The official reason was that he wasn't a cultural fit. On one level this was true, but it didn't address the finer point. Frank had joined a highly-collegial firm that valued collaboration and consensus decision making, and his new peers described him as arrogant and unwilling to learn how the company did things before rushing to try to sell his plans to senior management.
It's usually easier to tackle leadership problems like Frank's in your current company where you know the business and the players than in a new organization where people are less forgiving. Don't underestimate the challenges of trying to address them when you join a new company, since you'll be facing a lot of pressure to learn the ropes, develop a new set of relationships, and produce results fast.
That said, there are certainly times when you should explore the outside job market to increase the pace of your career advancement.

It's probably time to consider moving on if you face one of the following situations:

1) you've been passed over multiple times and have not succeeded in ferreting out the real scoop about the skills you need to display to move ahead; or

2) you are locked in your current position by a long-tenured manager and have been unsuccessful in engineering a move to a new part of the organization.

If that's the case, the company may implicitly be telling you that it's quite happy to see you continue in your current role.
If venturing into the job market as the economy rebounds is on your radar screen, now's the time to take some proactive steps. How strong is your external network? Too often managers focus virtually all of their attention on their companies and become internally focused, thus cutting themselves off from outside perspectives and sources of information. If you're in that boat, get active in industry and professional groups or civic/community organizations that can expand your range of contacts.
Beyond serving as your eyes and ears regarding new job openings, members of your network can help you determine whether a new company would fit well with your style. In what kind of environment do you thrive? Do you prefer a fast-paced company that stimulates a fair amount of internal competition or a more methodical firm that puts a premium on planning and getting everyone on board with new initiatives? Keep in mind that most external searches take four to six months to complete — and then the company gives you a weekend to decide whether or not to accept a job offer. If the time is approaching for you to test the outside market, get out ahead of the curve and build a network that can quickly put you in touch with people who know the new firm and help you know if you'll be part of the 50 percent of new hires who will make it.

Brainteaser I

Why are manhole covers round?

Here's how to "solve" this brainteaser (remember to speak and reason out loud while solving this brainteaser): Why are manhole covers round? Could there be a structural reason? Why aren't manhole covers square? It would make it harder to fit with a cover. You'd have to rotate it exactly the right way. The pipes below are also round, so fitting them might be easier, as might be making them. So many manhole covers are round because they don't need to be rotated. There are no corners to deal with. Also, a round manhole cover won't fall into a hole because it was rotated the wrong way, so it's safer. Looking at this, it seems corners are a problem. You can't cut yourself on a round manhole cover. And because it's round, it can be more easily transported. One person can roll it.


-- Read this article in http://blogs.vault.com/blog/interviewing/the-6-trickiest-interview-questions-and-how-to-nail-them/?othersrcp=15243&wExp=N

Customer Expectation

What do your customers really want from you? No matter what your industry, your customers want more than just great products and workable solutions.

What they really want to know is that you--personally--are the type of person whom they can trust to get the job done. Here are the seven things they want to see in you:

1. Independent Thinking

Customers want to know that you'll represent their interests, even it's not in your own financial interest--and particularly when the proverbial chips are down. (Of course, it's your job to make certain that the chips stay up.)

2. Courage

Customers want to know that you can be trusted to do the right thing. They expect you to tell them if buying what you're selling is a mistake, or not truly in their interests. That takes real guts.

3. Pride

The best customers don't want you to truckle and beg. Because they're trusting you to deliver, they want to work with proud, successful people who can handle even the most difficult tasks.

4. Creativity

Customers don't have the time to sit and listen to cookie-cutter sales presentations. However, they always have time for somebody who can redefine problems and devise workable solutions.

5. Confidence

Customers are taking a risk when they buy from you. They both need and expect you to exude the kind of confidence that assures them you'll do what it takes to make them happy.

6. Empathy

Customers want you to see the situation from their perspective. They want you to understand where they are, how their business works, and the challenges that they face--not just intellectually, but in your gut.

7. Honesty

Above all, customers want you to be honest with them. In fact, the previous six values are built upon a foundation of honesty. Without honesty, you have absolutely nothing to offer any customer.


---- Read in a recent mail fwd

Customer Relation Quote

What sells? Good products and services are important but good relationships and references open doors and close deals.

Customer LifeCycle

Prospective Customers: The First Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

Before your customers are actually your customers, they are simply prospects who may or may not be aware of your product, brand, or company. Your job, as a marketer, is to first make them aware of your product, brand, or company and then peak their interest enough that they will convert to an active customer or user. Once you have their interest peaked, of course, your next job is to provide the trust, security, and incentive that they need to overcome any barriers or obstacles and become a registered or paying user or customer. This phase of the customer life cycle – the process of converting a prospect into a customer or user - is often the most challenging. It involves a marketing acquisition budget as well as an awareness of what will transition prospects from "just interested" into fully engaged.

 

New Customers or Users: The Second Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

So, now you've converted a prospective customer or lead into a paying or registered customer. That's great and shows that you have some real marketing skills. However, ideally you want your new customer or user to be a customer or user who has a long term relationship with you, not just one who purchases one time and then never returns. Think of this phase of the customer life cycle as though it's like the early phases of dating. Your new customer has been "sold" enough on you to go out on one date or make one purchase, but they're not sure if you're a long-term commitment yet! It's your job to build a relationship with them so that they continue to return, interact, and purchase from you for a long time to come. Again, the quality of your product or service will certainly matter here, but so will the way in which you communicate with your customer and show them that you respect their privacy, time, and, most importantly, business.

 

Active Customers or Users: The Third Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

Now you've converted a prospective customer into a paying or registered customer. This is the stage at which you need to not only impress the customer with the quality of your product, but also follow-up with them to build a relationship, make them feel important to you, and ensure that, when they think of you, those active customers think of returning to you. If we're still using the dating analogy, think of this as the time when you make sure that you're always being polite and wearing your best clothing when you communicate with the customer!

 

Repeat or Loyal Customers or Users: The Fourth Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

If you've managed to get a customer over the first two hurdles, converting them from a prospective customer or lead to an active customer and then from an active customer to a repeat customer, you should be congratulated! Earning loyal customers who will make repeat purchases or visits to your website or service is quite a marketing accomplishment. Once your customers become repeat customers, the aggressiveness and frequency with which you want to communicate with them will diminish, but it certainly won't disappear. You'll want to make sure that customers are being reminded that they are important to you, as well as being given reasons and incentives to remain loyal. There's always a competitor out there ready to move in on your user or customer base. Your best tool to retain customers who have become repeat or loyal customers is to keep an ongoing dialogue with them through all of your marketing communications channels, including email.

 

Lapsed Customers or Users: The Fifth Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

Unfortunately, even a loyal or repeat customer may eventually lose interest or contact. When a customer has gone a significant amount of time without interacting with your brand or company or purchasing a product, they are referred to as a "lapsed" customer. In most cases, you will break your lapsed customers down into two to three groups. It's common to consider short-term lapsed, long-term lapsed and "seasonally lapsed" customers differently. However, how you define what those groups are (and perhaps how you develop your own segmentation for lapsed customers) will depend greatly on your product, industry segment, or customer base. If, for example, you sell shoes, a customer who didn't purchase from you once a quarter would easily be considered lapsed as shoes are a constant and ongoing need. If, however, you only sell snow boots, you wouldn't expect customers to purchase from you over the summer, so the time between purchases to define a lapsed customer and the point in the year when you would want to contact lapsed customers would be different. Essentially, a lapsed customer is a customer who has not made a repeat purchase within a time frame that you have defined as the time between which active customers typically make purchases.

Inactive or Abandoned Customers or Users: The Sixth Phase of the Customer Life Cycle

Of course, some lapsed customers may eventually turn into inactive or abandoned customers who no longer purchase or interact with your company. Some of these inactive customers will have reasons for no longer having a relationship with your company that you cannot control, such as a bad experience with customer service or a change in their financial situation. However, many inactive customers may simply have forgotten about you, been lured away by competition, or simply need an incentive to re-purchase for you. Customers in this phase of the customer life cycle should be divided into two groups – customers who should not be communicated with at all any more and customers that you hope to win back via a customer communication or marketing campaign.

Of course, within this customer life cycle, different customers will have different values (some will spend more and be worth more to acquire, retain or win-back). However, no matter how big or small the value of the customer, their customer life cycle and relationship with your company, product, or brand will most likely follow the cycle or path outlined above. Fortunately, if you know the likely life cycle or pattern of a customer, you can make changes to your customer communications or marketing strategy to try to optimize the length of time and the value that a customer brings to your business.

 

 Reference: http://www.comm100.com/

 

Good One on Attention and Concentration

Napoleon Hill said the following words about attention:

“Controlled attention is the act of coordinating all the faculties of the mind and directing their combined power to a given end. It is an act, which can be achieved only by the strictest sort of self-discipline.”

“Learn to fix your attention on a given subject, at will, for whatever length of time you choose. You will have learned the secret to power and plenty! This is concentration.”

“Keep your mind on the things you want and off the things you don’t want!”

Improve Perseverance

People who have overcome obstacles are more secure than those who have never faced
them . We all have problems and we feel discouraged some time. Most people get disappointed; but winners don't get disheartened. The answer is perseverance.

An English proverb says, "A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner." Everything is
difficult before it becomes easy. We cannot run away from our problems. Only losers quit
and give up.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

--Abigail Van Buren

Basic Qualification -- Manager

One of the Basic need that an employee has is to be appreciated by his or her superiors.
A good manager finds many opportunities to meet this basic need.

• Verbal recognition - “You are doing a find job.” - “Thanks for helping yesterday.” - etc.
• Pitching in - “I've got a few minutes, let me help you with that.”
• Written recognition - A short note that says, “You're doing a great job.”
• Friendly relationship - A smile - a pat on the back - sharing a thought - telling a joke.

Loyal Employee

Employee loyalty can be defined as employees being committed to the success of the

organization and believing that working for this organization is their best option. Not only do

they plan to remain with the organization, but they do not actively search for alternative

employment and are not responsive to offers.


Impact of Losing a Loyal Employee

But there is more than just the replacement expense when a desirable employee leaves.

Employees are pivotal in creating and delivering value to the customer, especially when doing

so by effectively implementing the organization’s business model.


Refer : http://www.loyaltyresearch.com/media/thought-perspectives/4.3.3%20Employee%20Loyalty%20Part1.pdf

Key Drivers to keep Employee Happy

Simple tips...

TRUST: Keep a record of ALL of the promises you make to your staff and follow up in a reasonable amount of time. The more you keep your word, the more trust you will build with your team.

MY PERFORMANCE MATTERS: E-mail out a success story of the month to all staff to let them know that the work they are doing counts. Highlight a different department each month to share the wealth.

PRIDE IN THE JOB: Give each employee who has been on board for at least 90 days a business card with their name, title and contact information. This goes for staff at ALL levels. It gives a sense of ownership and pride.

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT: Offer a periodic training to all staff in areas of job-related development

Simple Facts -- Never Compare

DESIGN THINKER

Closing a Deal

1)   “The deal is actually closed before the deal happens.
      Courting and building relationships over time are the only guarantees of succeeding in closing a
      deal. And that can take years.

2)     “Be the best listener you can.
       Hear the other guy’s pain; what can you do to solve it? And if there’s pleasure you can add to
       his equation, focus on that.

3)     “Tricks aren’t good:
       If you need them, you’re not in position to close anyway. Create true value. That’s what will help
       you sell faster at the price you want.”

  Source:http://www.startupnation.com

Understand the Generation Differences

Tips for Understanding Generational Differences:

Generational difference #1: Work-life balance

Workers in their 40s will stay late to get the job done. Workers under 30 (and even in their mid 30s) want to leave at 5p.m. but they WILL work from home.They stay connected and online 16 hours a day consistently and they will mix leisure time and work duties together.

Gen X (workers in their 30s) follow the rules although they may resent it. They're willing to work hard and often, stay late, but they are also torn up about the kids. They want to spend more time with them than their parents did, and juggling the two is getting more and more difficult.

Everybody wants work-life balance but these groups view it differently.

Generational difference #2: Generation Y and Getting Things Done

Younger workers like to test an idea or theory before implementation. They will look for online solutions and gather a lot of information before making a decision. This causes managers in their 40s and 50s to think they are not action takers. "Hey, why doesn't someone pick up a phone and get something done around here! They wonder."

Generation difference #3: Generation Y and Dress Codes

Dressing casually for workers under 30 is a very big deal. They don't understand the concept of dressing up if they are surrounded only by their coworkers and supervisors. Some younger male workers have indicated they're not interested in jobs that require a suit and tie. Dropping the dress code when possible is yielding amazing productivity results.

People under 30 do not respect people because of their age, knowledge or position. They respect only those who they believe (for whatever reason) respect them. So people who manage younger workers have to hold themselves accountable in front of their employees to effectively hold their younger team members accountable. While this puts managers under heightened scrutiny, it works extraordinarily well and allows leaders to create a powerful culture of accountability.

Source:http://www.managing-generation-y.com

Sharpen The Axe-- Very Powerful

Sharpen the axe:

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asks for a job from a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.
His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.
The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees down.
"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"
Very motivated by the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring down 5 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring down 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing down less and less trees.
"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.
"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."
To get optimal results we need to sharpen our skills consistently. Being adept at our job can help us achieve our targets

Patience is Strength?

It’s easy to become impatient when faced with a problem, however insignificant. However, frustration doesn’t really help and in many situations, patience is a virtue and one that helps us cope better with life. But it’s not always a strength; excessive patience can be seen as a weakness, a form of apathy and reluctance to engage. So the success is to strike a balance?

5 rules of Pre-Sales

Joe’s 5 rules of Pre-Sales Engineering:

• You are a member of the sales team
• You are not a salesperson
• You must be Business Relevant
• You must be Technically Knowledgeable
• Know your audience

Source: http://www.definethecloud.net

Business etiquette

So here are a few business etiquette rules that matter now—whatever you want to call them.
1. Send a Thank You Note

I work at a paper company that manufactures stationery and I'm shocked at how infrequently people send thank you notes after interviewing with me. If you're not sending a follow-up thank you note to Crane, you're not sending it anywhere.
But the art of the thank you note should never die. If you have a job interview, or if you're visiting clients or meeting new business partners—especially if you want the job, or the contract or deal—take the time to write a note. You'll differentiate yourself by doing so and it will reflect well on your company too.
2. Know the Names

It's just as important to know your peers or employees as it is to develop relationships with clients, vendors or management. Reach out to people in your company, regardless of their roles, and acknowledge what they do.
My great-grandfather ran a large manufacturing plant. He would take his daughter (my grandmother) through the plant; she recalled that he knew everyone's name—his deputy, his workers, and the man who took out the trash.
We spend too much of our time these days looking up – impressing senior management. But it's worth stepping back and acknowledging and getting to know all of the integral people who work hard to make your business run.
3. Observe the 'Elevator Rule'

When meeting with clients or potential business partners off-site, don't discuss your impressions of the meeting with your colleagues until the elevator has reached the bottom floor and you're walking out of the building. That's true even if you're the only ones in the elevator.
Call it superstitious or call it polite—but either way, don't risk damaging your reputation by rehashing the conversation as soon as you walk away.
4. Focus on the Face, Not the Screen

It's hard not to be distracted these days. We have a plethora of devices to keep us occupied; emails and phone calls come through at all hours; and we all think we have to multitask to feel efficient and productive.
But that's not true: When you're in a meeting or listening to someone speak, turn off the phone. Don't check your email. Pay attention and be present.
When I worked in news, everyone was attached to a BlackBerry, constantly checking the influx of alerts. But my executive producer rarely used hers—and for this reason, she stood out. She was present and was never distracted in editorial meetings or discussions with the staff. And it didn't make her any less of a success.
5. Don't Judge
We all have our vices—and we all have room for improvement. One of the most important parts of modern-day etiquette is not to criticize others.
You may disagree with how another person handles a specific situation, but rise above and recognize that everyone is trying their best. It's not your duty to judge others based on what you feel is right. You are only responsible for yourself.
We live in a world where both people and businesses are concerned about brand awareness. Individuals want to stand out and be liked and accepted by their peers--both socially and professionally.
The digital landscape has made it even more difficult to know whether or not you're crossing a line, but I think it's simple. Etiquette is positive. It's a way of being—not a set of rules or dos and don'ts.
So before you create that hashtag, post on someone's Facebook page or text someone mid-meeting, remember the fundamentals: Will this make someone feel good?
And remember the elemental act of putting pen to paper and writing a note. You'll make a lasting impression that a shout-out on Twitter or a Facebook wall mention can't even touch.

 Source:http://www.inc.com

8 Core Belief of Successful CEO

Some of the most successful CEOs in the world in order to discover their management secrets and their  following eight core beliefs are as follows:

1. Business is an ecosystem, not a battlefield.

Average bosses see business as a conflict between companies, departments and groups. They build huge armies of "troops" to order about, demonize competitors as "enemies," and treat customers as "territory" to be conquered.
Extraordinary bosses see business as a symbiosis where the most diverse firm is most likely to survive and thrive. They naturally create teams that adapt easily to new markets and can quickly form partnerships with other companies, customers ... and even competitors
2. A company is a community, not a machine.
Average bosses consider their company to be a machine with employees as cogs. They create rigid structures with rigid rules and then try to maintain control by "pulling levers" and "steering the ship."

Extraordinary bosses see their company as a collection of individual hopes and dreams, all connected to a higher purpose. They inspire employees to dedicate themselves to the success of their peers and therefore to the community–and company–at large.

3. Management is service, not control.
Average bosses want employees to do exactly what they're told. They're hyper-aware of anything that smacks of insubordination and create environments where individual initiative is squelched by the "wait and see what the boss says" mentality.

Extraordinary bosses set a general direction and then commit themselves to obtaining the resources that their employees need to get the job done. They push decision making downward, allowing teams form their own rules and intervening only in emergencies.

4. My employees are my peers, not my children.

Average bosses see employees as inferior, immature beings who simply can't be trusted if not overseen by a patriarchal management. Employees take their cues from this attitude, expend energy on looking busy and covering their behinds.

Extraordinary bosses treat every employee as if he or she were the most important person in the firm. Excellence is expected everywhere, from the loading dock to the boardroom. As a result, employees at all levels take charge of their own destinies.

5. Motivation comes from vision, not from fear.

Average bosses see fear--of getting fired, of ridicule, of loss of privilege--as a crucial way to motivate people. As a result, employees and managers alike become paralyzed and unable to make risky decisions.

Extraordinary bosses inspire people to see a better future and how they'll be a part of it. As a result, employees work harder because they believe in the organization's goals, truly enjoy what they're doing and (of course) know they'll share in the rewards.

6. Change equals growth, not pain.

Average bosses see change as both complicated and threatening, something to be endured only when a firm is in desperate shape. They subconsciously torpedo change ... until it's too late.

Extraordinary bosses see change as an inevitable part of life. While they don't value change for its own sake, they know that success is only possible if employees and organization embrace new ideas and new ways of doing business.

7. Technology offers empowerment, not automation.

Average bosses adhere to the old IT-centric view that technology is primarily a way to strengthen management control and increase predictability. They install centralized computer systems that dehumanize and antagonize employees.

Extraordinary bosses see technology as a way to free human beings to be creative and to build better relationships. They adapt their back-office systems to the tools, like smartphones and tablets, that people actually want to use.

8. Work should be fun, not mere toil.

Average bosses buy into the notion that work is, at best, a necessary evil. They fully expect employees to resent having to work, and therefore tend to subconsciously define themselves as oppressors and their employees as victims. Everyone then behaves accordingly.

Extraordinary bosses see work as something that should be inherently enjoyable–and believe therefore that the most important job of manager is, as far as possible, to put people in jobs that can and will make them truly happy.

Source: http://www.inc.com

40 HOURS WORKING

Here are his tips for staying productive:
1.
Work backwards from goals to milestones to
tasks. Writing “launch company website” at the top of your to-do list is a sure
way to make sure you never get it done. Break down the work into smaller and
smaller chunks until you have specific tasks that can be accomplished in a few
hours or less: Sketch a wireframe, outline an introduction for the homepage
video, etc. That’s how you set goals and actually succeed in crossing them off
your list.
2.
Stop multi-tasking. No, seriously—stop.
Switching from task to task quickly does not work. In fact, changing tasks more
than 10 times in a day makes you dumber than being stoned. When you’re stoned,
your IQ drops by five points. When you multitask, it drops by an average of 10
points, 15 for men, five for women (yes, men are three times as bad at
multitasking than women).
3.
Be militant about eliminating distractions. Lock
your door, put a sign up, turn off your phone, texts, email, and instant
messaging. In fact, if you know you may sneak a peek at your email, set it to
offline mode, or even turn off your Internet connection. Go to a quiet area and
focus on completing one task.
4.
Schedule your email. Pick two or three times
during the day when you’re going to use your email. Checking your email
constantly throughout the day creates a ton of noise and kills your
productivity.
5.
Use the phone. Email isn’t meant for
conversations. Don’t reply more than twice to an email. Pick up the phone
instead.
6.
Work on your own agenda. Don’t let something
else set your day. Most people go right to their emails and start freaking out.
You will end up at inbox-zero, but accomplish nothing. After you wake up, drink
water so you rehydrate, eat a good breakfast to replenish your glucose, then
set prioritized goals for the rest of your day.
7.
Work in 60 to 90 minute intervals. Your brain
uses up more glucose than any other bodily activity. Typically you will have
spent most of it after 60-90 minutes. (That’s why you feel so burned out after
super long meetings.) So take a break: Get up, go for a walk, have a snack, do
something completely different to recharge. And yes, that means you need an
extra hour for breaks, not including lunch, so if you’re required to get eight
hours of work done each day, plan to be there for 9.5-10 hours

Source : http://www.inc.com