A few years ago, my work was simple. I was teaching at several online universities and hardly ever reviewed my Outlook calendar. I didn’t have many meetings, so there was no need to worry about what was on my schedule. This freedom afforded me the opportunity to travel in the States, abroad, and even cruise to the Caribbean and Alaska. I was a true digital nomad!
Author: Dr. Flores Page 23 of 44
Talking about dying is no fun. However, when that day happens, I wondered who will have access to or own my online accounts, including Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and so on. Do they die with me?
Here is yet another cruise story.
One of my favorite activities while cruising is using the fitness room. On some ships, the sauna has a window facing the ocean. After a good workout, the view is relaxing and breathtaking.
The “Rain Forest”
On the Fantasy, the cost of the cruise allows access to the fitness room, showers, and a cramped sauna. On Day 3, and after my 40-minute run on the treadmill, I decided to relax in the sauna. In the men’s locker room, I quickly found the room, but noticed that two men were in there.
Confidently, I asked a worker if there was a steam room or sauna that was more spacious. He said, “Of course, sir. Please follow me.” We walked out of the men’s area, and across the hallway he opened the door to the Rain Forest. I thanked the employee, and decided to take a quick self-tour of the facilities.
In the Rain Forest, I found several selections of water, including one with slices lemons in it. I walked through a door that led to the outdoor tanning area. Later, I found the big sauna and quiet steam room. This was nice!
I spent about an hour or so relaxing in both of the hot rooms. I was a bit upset with myself that it took me several days to find the Rain Forest. The tasty water alone made it worth it. I also liked that this area was tranquil. Quite differently, the men’s locker room was busy and tiny.
The Rain Forest is NOT Free – Oops!
While having coffee later that morning, I struck a conversation with a couple from Atlanta. The man (Roger) owned a mechanic shop, and he told me that business was going well. He and his wife were having a terrific time.
I informed Roger that I visited the Rain Forest in the morning, and that it made my day.
ROGER: Yeah, my wife and I will go there later today. I guess it’s worth the $150 per person fee.
ME: What? Why did you pay $150? I walked right into the place this morning, and no one asked me to pay.
ROGER: Did you use your Disney card to get in?
ME: I think the employee opened the door for me, but I don’t remember. I might have followed someone into the room.
ROGER: You might want to try your card the next time, and see what happens.
I did try my card the next day, and no luck. Since I did not pay to access the Rain Forest, I was unable to gain entry. No fun!
I’ve discussed this story with family and friends, and I reinforced that my confidence made the difference. Since I was unaware of the fee, my attitude showed that I belonged. I was convinced that the facility was included in the price of the cruise.
The takeaway for me was that showing confidence can make a big difference in your day-to-day life. You might be short on skill, but having a can-do attitude might get you a seat at the table. When you know that failure is not option, you are more willing to take chances.
A few years ago, my work was simple. I was teaching at several online universities and hardly ever reviewed my Outlook calendar. I didn’t have many meetings, so there was no need to worry about what was on my schedule. This freedom afforded me the opportunity to travel in the States, abroad, and even cruise to the Caribbean and Alaska. I was a true digital nomad!
Today, my responsibilities are different, and I teach face-to-face classes. My seminars are taught at the corporate locations. In short, the digital nomad tag only partly applies to me. I still do much of my work remotely, but the core services I provide require my physical attendance.
Want Freedom? Consider a Demotion! Kinda!
For those of you interested in avoiding the office commute, and the eight hours required of you to earn your keep, consider a demotion. In the beginning, starting a digitally-driven career means leaving the guaranteed paycheck. However, on the plus side, you will have more freedom to do the work that interests you.
I recommend consulting opportunities. There are many companies looking for individuals who do specialized work. If you have a particular skill, such as grant writing, social media planning, and product development, you can probably develop an excellent client base. Focus on work that drives revenue for your client, and you will always be busy.
Before leaving your job, though, work on this effort part-time. In short, having a steady stream of income makes the transition smoother.
During a recent event, the speaker stated to the audience that he apologized for appearing nervous and ill-prepared for the presentation. Until he mentioned that he appeared nervous, I thought he looked quite confident. In fact, he had more than 30 years of experience in the industry, and speaking before a friendly audience should have been easy.
In the first five minutes, the presenter told us that the original speaker was unable to make the event, and he learned of the change only 15 minutes in advance. He was now going to give it his best shot.
When Not Prepared – Get Prepared
I understand the difficulty you experience when you are put on the spot. You are asked to perform with little time to prepare. I’m sure this happens to most people in leadership roles. Even 15 minutes can make a huge difference in preparing for a short speech.
Instead of fretting about the situation, the speaker needs to jot down a few notes regarding his speech. It’s best to keep it simple: introduction, key points, and conclusion. The speaker, on the other hand, decided to wing it, and it showed.
The Problems with Winging It
Speaking before nearly 700 people, the presenter said whatever came to mind, and some of the comments needed, well, refinement:
- ”The world is falling apart.”
- “In my past life, I was married.”
- “I know that I’m just going on and on.”
Lack of a plan increases the chances of making mistakes, and some serious. It doesn’t take much to offend the audience. Some argue that they’re more likely to say what they really mean when they haven’t had the time to prepare.
The world might be falling part, divorce is a real thing, and you know the speaker is unprepared. When you wing it, the message is lost because of the poor delivery.
There is No End in Sight
About 20 minutes into the talk, the speaker stated he was near the conclusion. Many of us in the audience could hardly wait for the time when he walked off the stage. However, since he lacked a plan, he didn’t know how to end the speech.
Nearly 10 minutes later, he was still going. His points were making even less sense, and I’m sure he had a feeling akin to stepping into quicksand. Knowing that his speech lacked substance, he was looking for the home run closing, but he couldn’t find the words to put the bat on the ball.
Finally!
In total, the speech took about 34 minutes. I know this only because I spent more time looking at my Blackberry than watching the presenter. The speaker stumbled to the finish line with this closing: “We cannot stand on the sidelines anymore.”
Thinking back, his closing statement would have been an excellent title to the speech. If he spent 15 minutes writing down several key points regarding why we shouldn’t stand on the sidelines, and identifying an excellent closing on how to be more proactive, his speech would have traction.
The next time you’re asked to speak impromptu, find a quiet place and jot down a few notes. Get a plan! Never tell the audience you are sorry for being unprepared. The participants come from miles away to hear you present and, at minimum, you should have the professionalism to do your best even when time is working against you.
How you handle your end of day can make a big difference in your overall performance. Unfortunately, many people start wrapping up their work activities about 30 minutes before quitting time. During that time, they are chatting with coworkers, surfing the web, or doing something else to creatively kill time.
The highly-productive employees in your organization take a different approach. Instead of wasting valuable time, they make sure the day’s work was done right, and they start preparing for tomorrow’s requirements. A half-hour can make a big difference in your productivity, but you must have a plan.
Here are three smart things you can do at the end of each day to become a top performer:
#1: Review your priority list for the day to determine what was completed, and what is left to do.
The most successful people in your company are constantly focused on performance metrics. By knowing the progress on key deliverables, they can determine what corrective action to take when necessary. If a resource is needed, an email or phone call today can line up that person for the work needed.
If you need assistance from your manager, make sure to stop by her desk. It’s imperative that you assume control, and avoid the “wait until tomorrow” attitude. You must be proactive, and understand that no one will come to your rescue when you’re running out of time.
#2: Respond to the important emails or phone calls.
If you promised a status update, make sure you provide it. Top performers are reliable, and they follow-through. It’s unprofessional to think that the other person can wait for your reply. If you agree on a deadline, make sure to meet it. Bottom line!
When going through your email, determine who needs a response today, and craft a message that provides the necessary information. You should avoid the following: “I was so busy today, but will get back with you tomorrow.” If you can get away with this response, there was no reason for you to make it a high priority.
#3: Review your tasks for the next work day, and prioritize what will get done first.
The most successful people in your organization are 100% clear on what they have to do. The next day, you might have only one item that must get done by close of business. If that is the case, create a small project plan, and determine what it will take for you to complete it.
Imagine if you could complete five small projects per week, one each day. The point here is that you stay focused on the important work. Before leaving for the day, make sure you have the resources assigned, funding available, approvals required, and so on. By initiating the planning process, you hit the ground running when you arrive to work.
Your workday should not come to a screeching halt. It’s imperative that you leave at least a half-hour to review your performance and to plan for the next day. In some cases, you will need to work a little overtime, but that extra effort will make a positive difference in your performance.
To become an excellent employee, you must take a different approach, which means that you can no longer leave your desk without knowing what tomorrow holds. Top-notch employees will consistently hit their targets, and that’s because they took an active role in creating the game plan.
What happened to my day? It seems like you can’t get to all the work that is assigned to you. Even critical work fails to get done. The deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m., and you still have hours ahead of you.
The key is to focus on the work that is absolutely important, and nothing else. In other words, you focus on the “A” tasks, and you use “creative procrastination on “B” and “C” activities. Many people prefer the low priority tasks because they are less challenging, but until you focus on just the mission critical activities, you’ll fight an uphill battle with time.
#1: Ask your boss what matters the most.
You should call a meeting with your boss right away. Here is the subject line of your meeting request: Increasing My Productivity. That subject is sure to capture your manager’s attention. You’re probably the only person who is asking for clarification on the work that is most important to your organization.
There are usually three or four activities for which you must exceed expectations. By focusing 95% of your time on that work, you’re more productive. Once you have that agreement with your boss, you can avoid surprises. You save time because you are no longer working on the menial and routine tasks.
#2: Stop killing time on silly and non-work stuff.
It’s so easy to get distracted. You have to check the latest ESPN scores, schedule your next vacation, or review today’s Groupon deals. You do need a little free time every now and then, but many people waste valuable time on non-work activities.
Make a plan that you will work non-stop all morning on your key activities. Once you have that momentum, you can finish strong in the afternoon. You should also schedule meetings with key people to ensure you have the information needed to complete your work.
#3: Delegate as much as possible.
The rule is to delegate any work that others can do better than you, and avoid activities that are below your pay grade. I understand that you might not have a staff that reports to you, but you can still find creative ways to have others help you.
In most companies today, for example, people are hired based on specialized skills. For example, web developers focus on enhancements to the intranet site, CPAs ensure that the SOX requirements are met, and marketing analysts promote the brand to a particular segment of the population.
Interestingly, these “specialists” can help you get your work done. Ask your manager for guidance. You might be able to create a small project team to complete the work assigned to you. In fact, this type of collaboration increases the quality of your deliverable.
Get serious about how you manage your time. Determine what really matters to your manager, and commit all the time necessary for those tasks. Everything else can wait. You must be able to prioritize the important work from the trivial activities.
Avoid thinking that planning your workday is your manager’s responsibility. When you become accountable for your productivity, you become part of the top performers in your company. In essence, you demonstrate a key leadership skill that will open many career opportunities in the near future.
I’ve been teaching for more than 20 years, which means I have met many people. As much as I try, it’s tough to remember people’s names. I’ve tried memory tricks, such as associating the person with an object, another person, a city, and so on. I’m better at remembering names today than I used to be, but I have plenty of room for improvement.
Learning names is both a skill and an art. I remember a trip to Hawaii on which a tour guide blew everyone away with his ability to remember all the guests’ names – about 60 of us. On the early morning bus trip to the excursion, he went from the front of the bus to the back, asking for everyone’s first name. Around 5 p.m. that day, we boarded the bus to return to the hotel, with most of us sitting in different seats. After more than 8 hours, and even though we sat in different places, the tour guide navigated through the bus and called everyone by his or her first name. Impressive!
#1: Walking Down the Hallway
You are walking down the hallway, and you see someone you know. You’ve met this person before, and you should know her name. It’s hard to avoid eye contact, and she is waiting for you to take the lead. Woah!
Hi, I know we’ve met before. Do you remember me? My name is Mark.
By being proactive, you reduce the tension, and she will immediately respond with her name. Make sure to pay attention, and use her name in the conversation. By doing so, you are more likely to remember it in the future.
#2: At the Company Training Session
You are seated next to a colleague that you met at a previous meeting. Today, you are both getting ready for a mandatory ethics training session. Unfortunately, the name tents are late in arriving, and you strike up a conversation. It’s obvious you know each other, but the names escape both of you.
Hey! It’s good to see you again. Another training session! They never seem to end. Forgive me … but can you remind me of your name?
By greeting the person, and discussing the training session, you change the dynamics. In essence, you are breaking the ice. You can even joke around that you were waiting for the name tents. The point here is to get beyond the name issue. Once you do that, you can have an excellent conversation.
#3: Use the “Introduce a Friend” Trick – Company Party
We’ve all done it. You are at the company party, waiting in line to select your drink. Sure enough … the person behind you is familiar. Too familiar, perhaps! Your lifeline is your friend, who is waiting in line with you. Your tactic is to introduce your friend with the hope of learning the name of the familiar person. It worked!
Social events can be tough. You are often caught off-guard. However, the advantage here is that people are having a good time. You can try the following approach:
We know each other, right? What department?
[Pause]
Right! Got it! Based on the numbers, you guys are doing excellent work. Your name escapes me right now.
[Pause]
Jacquelyn! I should have remembered. How are you, Jacquelyn? It’s great to see you again.
You will not remember the names of everyone you meet. These strategies will help you get back on track. If you are genuine in your approach, others will not mind that you asked them their name. In short, you can expect those you meet to be friendlier if you take the time to call them by name.
Successful people have developed good habits that make them more productive. In many cases, these activities are not flashy, but over the course of several weeks, the results are tremendous.
Experts believe that habits can be built in 30 days. In some cases, it takes a bit longer to become proficient with a task. The problem for many people is that good habits require making changes and sacrifices. Bad habits, on the other hand, need little to no investment in anything – you just do what comes easily.
Here are 12 habits of highly successful people:
- They are single-minded. Proficient men and women understand the importance of sticking with one task until it is complete.
- Avoid the petty stuff. When you are climbing the corporate ladder, you are too busy to worry about rumors.
- Determine the key requirements of the job, and make sure to exceed the expectations. They schedule a meeting with their manager to identify the key results areas (KRAs).
- Look for opportunities to praise others. Helping others succeed is an important leadership trait. You must avoid thinking that others will replace you.
- Develop the self-confidence to make high-level presentations. You must accept every opportunity to share your ideas. The first presentations are to your team, and later to your manager. As you improve this skills set, you are asked to make presentations to top management.
- Assume accountability, not just responsibility. Responsibility means that you focus only on your work, your piece of the pie. Accountable people ensure the components come together to deliver the overall benefits to the customer.
- Keep a calm and measured composure when under pressure. The fact is that mistakes will be made, whether by you or someone else on the team. Top-notch performers remain in control, and look for the most appropriate solution.
- Seek assistance from others when needed. Successful people understand they do not have all the answers, and they are willing to ask for help. You must be open to feedback from anyone in the company, regardless of his position or length of time in the organization.
- Show little concern for the day of the week or the time on the clock. The best employees of the organization are deliverables-oriented. They understand that working late or into the weekend are possibilities when critical work must be completed.
- Invest time in professional development. Low performers are constantly complaining about lack of time and the many other reasons they cannot pursue learning opportunities. Top producers, on the other hand, are even busier, but they find the time to invest in themselves. In some cases, a weekend seminar every few months is enough to keep them sharp.
- Develop the ability to share only what is important. Successful people avoid the fluff, and state precisely what they believe is the problem. They go a step further and share possible solutions.
- Successful people are excited about the new workday. They are prepared to tackle big challenges, and no longer consider work as “something I must do.” Instead, they are committed to providing more value to the customer.
By practicing the habits on this list, you can make big strides in a month or two. However, behind each habit is a mind change and a commitment to becoming a big thinker.
In essence, those who learn these habits will soon be hitting the ball with the major leaguers in the organization.
I was at the supermarket earlier today, and I overheard a father comment to his young daughter, who looked to be about 10-years-old, “I can’t believe the price of meat here! Forget it! We’ll go to the butcher and get it much cheaper.” I did not stop to look at the price of the steak he wanted to buy, but my guess is that he was concerned about paying a dollar or two more than what he would find at the butcher shop.
You’ve probably figured out that my point has little to do with the price of steak at the supermarket. I am writing here about a bigger topic. My goal is to provide a few ideas about how you can increase your earnings so that you don’t worry about a few dollars here and there for items that you need or desire.
Make a Plan
The probability of hitting a target in the dark is virtually zero. Why waste your time? Instead, make a plan today to determine how much money you want to earn. You must have a specific dollar amount in mind. Once that goal is clear, write it down. Assume that you wish to go from $50K per year today to $100K in annual earnings 12 months from now. You now have a clear dollar amount, and the deadline for when it will be met. Therefore, your earnings will go from $4,167 to $8,333 per month. When the amount is broken down by the month, it becomes more tangible and doable.
Do Something – Anything!
If you have a job that has a limit on salary increases, such as many government jobs, you will find it difficult to make the 100% increase in salary. Therefore, start thinking about where your strengths lie. Are you good at completing projects? If so, market those skills on social media networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. You can also share your interest with colleagues. All you need is one or two opportunities to show your project management skills, and you will be in demand.
Look for Opportunities within Your Company
To make more money, you must assume more responsibility. There is no other way. I recommend volunteering for projects that affect the bottom line of your department and company. The manager or owner can easily justify an increase in your salary, even a big one, if you are generating more revenue for the company. In fact, they will not want to lose you, and you will have strong leverage when negotiating a new compensation structure.
Earning More Means Becoming Someone Different
The fact is that only 5% of the working population is going to accept this challenge. To earn more, you must get outside of your comfort zone. The ride will be far from smooth, especially in the beginning when you are facing new challenges. However, you will soon learn to manage these obstacles, and you will work with individuals who willingly share knowledge that helps you grow exponentially.
In a few years or so, you will have the time to enjoy as many barbeques as you wish.