7 Habits to Highly Effective People

Habit 1 – Be Proactive

Habit 2 – Begin with the end in mind (Plan & Execute)

Habit 3 – Put First things First

Habit 4 – Think Win-Win

Habit 5 – Seek to Understand then to be Understood

Habit 6 – Share Your Idea to get Best Solution

Habit 7 – Build Yourself up Physically, Mentally and Spiritually

Develop Your Personal Brand for 2012

Personal branding is an ongoing process. The goal is to demonstrate your unique value to employers. Here are a few steps you can take to successfully build your brand:

·         Increase Your Visibility. The best way to establish a presence in your field is by attending industry meetings and conferences, participating in panel discussions or volunteering for committees.

·         Stay Connected. It is important to stay in touch with old contacts.

·         Create an Online Presence. Take professional networking to the next level by joining online social networking sites.

·         Establish Key Differentiators. Identify what makes you distinctive from other candidates and make sure to communicate it. By knowing yourself, you can more effectively promote yourself to others.

·         Be Consistent. Ensure that you have a consistent message when speaking with potential employers, colleagues and other professionals.

·         Seek Feedback and Evaluate Progress. Once you have established your personal brand, it is important to continue to gauge how others perceive you.

Publishing Success: Accomplished Authors Share 10 Important Considerations

The Vision List

·         Research your topic thoroughly— Personal experiences may also be beneficial, but are not a necessity.

·         Understand what your audience wants to read

·         Establish a budget for your publishing project

·         Seek the expert guidance of a skilled editor

·         Create a detailed marketing plan

·         Self-promotion is critical to your success

·         Focus on the library market

·         Participate in book signings at small bookstores, not just corporate chains

·         Accomplish your goals

        Learn from both good and not-so-good experiences

Excerpt from my Book: Why Not Me

“Look within you, re-connect with that moment, or create new ones. Go back to that place that delivered on a promise for you, a place that allowed you to grow and develop. Find out what it is, connect those dots, recreate those moments and smile. We are all at our best when we smile."

Excerpt from: Why Not Me

“Your team is behind you and they are in place, so don’t isolate yourself. If you choose to put up walls, they will isolate you from the great life that awaits you. Get rid of the fear of making a mistake; remember it takes a lifetime to become all that you are meant to be.”

Purchase your book today at:

Weblink to book:
http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000475782/WHY-NOT-ME.aspx

Chapter 4 Recap ~ Dream, Plan, Execute & Achieve

q  Big colorful dreams speak to a vivid imagination. One filled with hope and desire

q  Your motivational level will be as large as you want it. Once you know who’s on your team, have them play to their strength.

q  Timing is important. First decide what you have to do; then do it.

q  The dream and the plan must be attainable to keep you and your team in the game. As you get closer to the prize, push a little harder. Remember goals are attainable if you believe and if you try.

"Why Not Me" Chapter 3 Recap ~ How do I see myself

Chapter 3 Recap ~ How do I see myself

q  The importance of recognizing what makes you happy. Tapping into that energy when you need to.

q  Identifying the difference between being heard as opposed to being listened to. Do what you must to capture the groups’ attention.

q  The importance of being a mentor and relishing the role. Knowing the mentorship roll will allow you to attain a great sense of pride and accomplishment.

q  The need to follow-up to secure and maintain the group and eventually allow for expansion.

Why Not Me ~ Chapter 2 Review

Chapter 2 Recap ~ HOW DO PEOPLE SEE ME

q  Making people happy is priority one. When people feel good around you they will want to be in your presence.

q  Your message must be clear and concise. Create the right atmosphere to engage people as you build your team.

q  When people come around, you should bolster your message to maintain the team while developing segregates to support your goal.

q  Your confidence must be based on your winning approach; this will encourage your team to use your advice; hence seeing you as the master of that craft.

"Why Not Me" ~ Chapter 1 Review

Chapter 1 Recap ~ WHO AM I

q  Identify yourself first in simple terms; you must know who you are and what makes you smile.

q  Identify what you believe in and what keeps you going.

q  What you believe in and what motivates you may be two different things. Understanding both and being able to interchange them when needed, will allow you to find your passion.

q  Your passion will push you forward; it will keep you going.

"Why Not Me"

We had a great time at Morrow High School's PTSA Meeting last night. The school is on the way to greatness under Dr. Pitts leadership. They are fired up and ready to go, with the understanding that the change they seek begins with them.

4- Stages of Marketing and Promoting

Breaking in takes some time, so to help make it a more manageable process; here are four stages to marketing and promoting.

1. Sign up, observe, and educate yourself.
2. Participate. Start to make yourself known.
3. Share something and grow relationships. Focus on what you give people or what you can share that's of value.
4. Ask for help. This is when you might actually put your connections to work as a means of soft or hard marketing.

People who know you and trust you will be more likely to help you. That's why it's important to establish relationships far before you market and promote a product/service. The relationships have to be meaningful before they have value in a marketing/promotion effort.

How Stressed Are You

Even though office stress is common, it can also be dangerous. Are you experiencing the warning signs of workplace stress? Take this quiz to find out. Select all that apply: Here are the score indicators.

0-5 -- Low Stress:  No work environment is entirely stress-free, but you appear to be managing your tension well.

6-10 -- Low-to-Moderate Stress:  The stress is beginning to catch up with you, but there is still hope. Relieving some of your tension by relaxing, talking to friends and family or just taking some time to yourself each day.

11-15 -- Moderate-to-High Stress:  You're experiencing significant stress levels, and it might be time for a change. Talk to your employer to see if any adjustments can be made.

16-20 -- High Stress:  High stress levels are harmful both physically and psychologically, so it's important for you to take steps to reduce your workplace tension. Vacations, lifestyle changes or seeking a new position could do the trick.

Your job no longer challenges you.
You have little or no autonomy in your day-to-day tasks.
Apathy has replaced enthusiasm.
You feel overwhelmed by deadline pressure, workload or other expectations.
You frequently arrive late to work and leave early as often as possible.
You consistently put off projects until the last minute.
You're unhappy with your work/life balance.
You have a toxic relationship with your boss.
You're worried about your job security and/or performance.
Your co-workers are walking on eggshells around you.
Your work schedule is interfering with your marriage or other personal relationships.
You're beginning to withdraw from friends and family members.
You're having trouble sleeping.
You're smoking, drinking or relying on caffeine more than ever before.
You're feeling paranoid.
You've been overreacting to minor problems.
You're getting headaches or colds more often.
You're physically exhausted most of the time.
You've developed an ulcer.
You've been diagnosed with a heart condition

Brenda's Book: Why Not Me

Friends & Family,
It's because of you I wrote this book; and now I'd like  to share with you what I discovered along the way.
I am also eager to hear from those of you who have purchased book and began reading it.
It's always good to hear from friends and family.
I thank each of you in advance and bid you a great day.

You can purchase my book at: http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000475782/WHY-NOT-ME.aspx

Excerpt from Book: "Why Not Me"

Here's why you have to get a copy of Brenda's First Book:

“Ideally, we should pursue our dreams like Dorothy did in “The Wizard of Oz”; where she used the “Yellow Brick Road” as her road map home. Like Dorothy’s team, we have to embrace the Heart of the Tin Man, the Courage of the Lion and the Brain of the Scarecrow, while keeping our eyes on the Emerald City. In our dreams, our goal is the Emerald City, and our path is to conquer those things that stand in our way.”

Why Not Me

Those of you who have been following me on Twitter and Facebook know this day was bound to happen. My first book will be officially available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Authorhouse. You can also reserve your copy with me. I look forward to your response.

Here's what the book touches on:

“Why Not Me” details a path to self-awareness and team building. The book talks about various ways to build a support network to help individuals pursue their passion. It begins by showing the reader how to identify their passion. The initial pages help the reader figure out: who they are and proceed to merge their current skills with what they have to develop. The book reaches for the simple things, like: defining who you are; how you view yourself and how you think other people view you. It is an easy read with self assuring messages throughout.

Best way to Gain Energy & Release Your Potential

Topics -   Here's how you do it
Choose Attitude - Make your day a great day
When you want to Play - Make work fun it builds energy
Engage Customers - Include customers in the fun
Be Present - Pay Attention & Be attentive

Rate Your Relationship With the Boss

Does dealing with your boss cause knots in your stomach? Do your co-workers seem to have an easy time of asking for, and getting, what they want? Do you hesitate to approach your boss for what you want because you're unsure of his/her reaction?
Your boss determines much of your happiness at work, if not all of your satisfaction. Wouldn't it be helpful to know how strong your relationship is with your boss?

This quiz will help you rate your relationship with your boss. Check each answer you agree with. Each checked answer counts as one point.

I know the best time of the day to approach my boss with a question or request.
I can almost always read my boss’s mood and thus avoid inopportune times.
I have successfully negotiated with my boss in the last year (for time off, a raise, project ownership, etc.).
My boss takes an interest in my career growth: s/he has approved a seminar or additional learning.
I learn from my boss, s/he shares information and expertise.
I respect my boss; s/he has integrity.
I don't dread spending time with my boss, we can laugh together.
My boss shares his/her vision for the department/staff.
My boss values my ideas and suggestions.
I know where I stand with my boss.
My boss is a good leader; s/he walks the talk.
I get timely answers to my questions from my boss.
I receive sufficient direction from my boss.
My boss provides opportunities that challenge and stretch me.
I receive written and timely performance appraisals that my boss reviews with me.
I have discussed my future career goals with my boss.
My boss doesn't take all the credit for my work.
My boss listens when I speak.
My boss seeks and respects my opinion and ideas.
I know my boss’s preferred communication style.
I am a trusted member of my boss’s team.
I am treated with respect by my boss.
I don't dread meetings with my boss.
When I mess up, I quickly inform my boss and take responsibility for the mistake.
I am competitively rewarded (base salary, bonus) for my work.

20-25:  Congratulations! Your relationship with your boss is great! Talk to your boss about contributing at an even higher level.

16-20:  This is a very good score. Speak with your boss about how you could advance your boss’s agenda and what additional challenges you might undertake.

11-15:  Your relationship with your boss is OK, but there’s room for improvement. Learn how to improve your communication skills with your boss by watching what successful colleagues do.

6-10:  You have work to do. Select one or two areas to focus on and ask your boss how you might improve.

0-5:  OK, nobody’s perfect. But there’s help at hand. Working with a career coach could help you define what kind of changes you could make immediately and also help you establish a long-range plan.

Advice for dealing with gossip, favoritism and the office politics

Office politics exist in every workplace. Whether you work at a small design agency or a major financial corporation, internal power struggles arise. Following are three common political problems in the workplace and tips for handling each situation.

Q: I would like to avoid the office rumor mill, but people always try roping me into gossipy conversations. How should I handle this?

A: Water cooler chatter can be both helpful and harmful. The trick is recognizing when to listen and when to cut and run. Walk away when the gossip involves non-business-related topics or mean-spirited mudslinging.

Q: I'm a loyal employee and a hard worker, but my boss plays favorites and always gives the plum assignments to a particular co-worker. What can I do?

A: Before crying foul, make sure you communicate to your supervisor your interest in taking on additional responsibility. Your manager might simply be waiting for you to step up and show initiative.

Q: One of my colleagues seems like she's out to get me. Whenever possible, she does something to make me look bad. How should I respond?

A:If someone's purposely undermining your efforts, you can respond in several ways.
One option is to pull the person aside and ask her about her troubling actions. Focus on the facts and don't let your emotions get the best of you.

If you feel confronting your co-worker is futile, document her behavior, collecting concrete evidence supporting your claims and making note of how your performance was adversely affected. Then, bring the matter to your manager's attention in an objective, professional manner. Your goal is not to complain or vent but to apprise your manager of the situation, emphasizing how your co-worker's actions are impeding productivity.

Key drivers of job satisfaction

Few people are exactly alike when determining what makes them happy at work,
but there are some key drivers of job satisfaction.
Before making a leap into a new job, Lakis suggests you consider each of these areas and ask these tough questions of yourself and your potential employer:

A. Relationships

·      With manager: How employees and their managers get along is one of the strongest employee retention drivers. Ask your prospective manager during the interview process how he makes decisions and how he evaluates talent or superior performance.                                                                                                       

·      With peers: Ask who you will be working with and how the people within the department interact. How have the relationships been in the past? Is there much interdependence?                                                       

·      With subordinates: Ask about the strengths and weaknesses of employees who might be working for you. Then decide if you have the skills to effectively manage them or if they have the skills to help the team achieve success.

B. Work/life balance

·         Location/commute: Be honest with yourself in deciding how far and how much time you are willing to devote to your daily commute.

·         Travel: Will having a job that requires frequent overnight travel be an issue? Where will you draw the line?

·         Amount of work: Try to determine if the culture is one where there is frequent overtime.

C. The kind of work

·            Autonomy: Do you like to work with little supervision or do you prefer detailed assignments?

·            Type of work: Ask questions that will help you gauge what portion of your new job involves project work, building client relationships, developing strategy, implementing tactics or doing creative work?    

·            Contribution: Will the work you do make a notable difference in your department? The company? Society? Does it matter to you?

·            Growth opportunities: What is the internal environment like relative to promotional opportunities? Ask if internal candidates have been considered for this job.

D. The company

·         Values: People who feel disconnected with the values of the company often want to leave. Ask what the values are and how they are manifested in the day-to-day environment..

·         Leadership: Are the leaders of the company people who you and others respect, admire and want to work for?

·         Industry: Does the company/industry provide products or services with which you would want to be associated?

E. Financial considerations

·      Base pay: Are you being offered a salary commensurate with your worth in the marketplace? Make sure it is enough to warrant leaving your current job/company.

·      Incentive pay: If you perform at a superior level, is there an upside opportunity or incentive pay? Consider how the total compensation compares to your past earnings and current expectations.

Lakis suggests that once you have the answers to these questions, make a list of pros and cons and assign them relative weights of importance before making the final decision to accept a new job. You will be better off and better-prepared for what lies ahead.

3 Things Every Worker Should Know

1. Your interests
2. Your strengths and weaknesses and
3. Your options

Before handing in your resignation, be sure
you have considered all of your options.

Work/life balance

Location/commute: Be honest with yourself in deciding how far and how much time you are willing to devote to your daily commute. Will it impede your ability to do things that are important to you, your significant other or children? Consider people important to you in making your decision, because home stress can make you less effective at work.

Travel: Will having a job that requires frequent overnight travel be an issue? Where will you draw the line? Are you willing to travel 20, 30 or 50 percent of the time? Ask how much travel is required and if it's spread out evenly or concentrated during certain seasons or business cycles.

Amount of work: Try to determine if the culture is one where there is frequent overtime. It's reasonable to assume that many professional jobs will require you to do the work necessary to complete the job, but excessive overtime could mean insufficient resources or poor planning.

More Excerpts from Book: "Why Not Me"

“It’s so important that we do those things that make us smile, those things that causes us to reflect on the good times. When R & B Singer Al Green sang “For the Good Times” it was at a time when many Americans were shut out of the American Dream yet they found something to smile about; something that brought them pleasure and amusement. They reflected on those good times, and smiled. As hard as it was for them, they held on to the good times, so what’s stopping us?”

Excerpt from Book: "Why Not Me" will be out in a few weeks.

“You must remember no one is perfect but as an achiever you must continue to better yourself by continuously adjusting your strategy so you can win. If you give yourself the time to reflect…so that nothing becomes tragic...nothing overwhelms you, then the goal will be yours.”

Five bad questions for any interview

Five bad questions you might be tempted to ask: what hiring managers may think when they hear them:

Question: Is job-sharing a possibility?
What the interviewer may think: Possibly, but does this mean you can't give us a commitment for full-time work?

Question: Can you tell me whether you have considered the incredible benefits of telecommuting for this position?
What the interviewer may think: Why do you want to get out of the office before you have seen the office?

Question: I understand that employee paychecks are electronically deposited. Can I get my paycheck in the old-fashioned way?
What the interviewer may think: You are already asking for exceptions. What's next? And are you afraid of technology?

Question: I won't have to work for someone with less education than I have; will I?What the interviewer may think: You clearly have a chip on your shoulder. Why should we take a chance that you don't have other interpersonal issues?

Question: The job description mentions weekend work. Are you serious?
What the interviewer may think: We're serious about the job description. We're suddenly less serious about you.

Rules to a great Cover Letter

Bad Cover Letter

1. Too long  / with too much formality
2. No substance & Empty buzzword
3. Re-write your resume

A Good Cover Letter

1. Should be short, concise and passionate; while telling your job story.
2. Should be personal and intriguing (give examples).
3. Should tell why you are interested.
4. Should be your elevator pitch with an interesting hook.