Error message
Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in RSS_Tags() (line 36 of /home1/pcmakers/public_html/newdgl/2011/themes/bartik_old/templates/rsslib.php).
Life Style
- 10 Most Macho Careers For Men
A five-day week, a 9-to-5 shift and a daily routine that does not leave much option to get that testosterone running – this is the boring truth about most men in metropolitan cities today. What if we told you there were things you could do that would get your blood pumping and you would literally be having so much fun that it would be hard to call it a job? We bring to you the top 10 most macho careers for rugged men.
Previous (#)
Army (http://www.mensxp.com/entertainment/bollywood/6532-meet-bollywoods-army-brats.html), Navy/Marines or the Air Force – being part of the defenders of the sovereignty of your country, armed with guns and dressed in fatigues is ultra macho. Or did you miss all those movies based on the exact same thing? Image Credit: Shutterstock
Diwali (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/7661-10-essential-tips-for-a-safe-diwali.html), 4th of July – you name it. How about a job that gives you the license to blast away – and that too objects bigger than your average firecracker? Well, that’s what a demolition expert does – a job that just gets your adrenaline up and running. Image Credit: toledoblade (dot) com
testosterones (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/7435-ways-to-boost-your-testosterone-levels.html) – firefighting is what we end the list with. The uniforms are hot – and you get to save lives, what else do you want? While you click away at your mouse with a glazed look at your monitor in office, these top career options are a far cry from your desk job. Of course your job requires a fair amount of grey cells, but that does not include fighting fires and blowing up stuff, does it?
Next (#)
- How To Take Charge Of Your Life
If you’re currently not happy with your life, there’s no need to despair. We all have a second chance in life. If you want to make a fresh start and create a new you, below are some tips, which will help you to take charge of your life.
Set Some Goals
Image Credit: Shutterstock
A guy who takes charge of his life knows what he wants. Think about the top three goals you want to achieve in your life in terms of health, your relationships (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/deal-breakers/7398-do-cynical-relationships-ever-work.html) and your finances. Make plans about what you want you need to do and how you will act upong them to turn them into reality. Break each plan into small and manageable steps, and commit to spending some time daily on your goals.
Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Constantly strive to do activities that really push you out of your comfort zones. For instance, if you’ve always wanted to do public speaking (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/579-the-art-of-public-speaking.html), but are afraid to do, then give it go. Try and do something you’re fearful of at least once a week. Following this tip will help you to take charge of your life. Also this will help you to grow as a person and build your self-confidence.
Stop Wasting Time
Image Credit: Thinkstock
It can be easy to get into unfruitful habits. These could include watching TV, listening to music, spending time on Facebook, Twitter etc. None of these are bad in themselves. However, if they are not helping you develop as a person, then they drain time you could be spending on something else. Substitute these activities for more productive ones such as reading inspirational books, learning a new skill, or making new friends.
Stay Positive
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Life is full of ups and downs. Therefore, don’t be disheartened when you take action and things don’t work out right away. Learn from what you did and remind yourself of the larger goal you’re aiming for. If you have negative thoughts, then replace them with thoughts of what you can already do, the skills you already have, and thoughts of how your life will be even better after you have accomplished your goal.
Treat Yourself Well
Image Credit: Thinkstock
If you have taken a step forward towards a goal you’re pursuing, tip is to reward yourself with a treat, such as a meal out with your girlfriend or your friends, or a weekend break to a city you’ve never been to. Overall, look after yourself, through regular exercise (http://www.mensxp.com/health/body-building/7038-alternatives-to-regular-exercise.html), proper sleep and food, yoga and meditation, travelling etc to soothe your soul and refresh your mind.
Aim to Have Fun
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Remember when you were a kid and everything was fun and like play? Well, there’s nothing stopping you from adopting a childlike attitude to whatever you’re doing at the moment. By making a conscious decision to enjoy yourself, you create an atmosphere of fun for yourself, which makes life so much more enjoyable.
Spend Time with the Right People
Image Credit: Thinkstock
If your current friends circle is not going anywhere in life, go out and seek people who inspire and motivate you and spend time with these individuals instead. These will be people who have already taken charge of their own lives and can share their experiences with you or others who are on a similar journey to you. Create your own support network, so that you always have other people who can help you to bounce back up in times of difficulty and can encourage you when you’re making progress. You, of course, can do the same in return.
About the author of this article:
Dr Hiten Vyas is a Life Coach, Author and Speaker. You can find out more about him at his website: http://www.hitenvyas.com (http://www.hitenvyas.com/).
You may also like:
How to Live a Longer, Healthier Life (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/2605-how-to-live-a-longer-healthier-life.html)
How To Live A Life With Purpose (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/7593-how-to-live-a-life-with-purpose.html)
How to Increase Productivity (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/7063-how-to-increase-productivity.html)
- Top 10 Rags-To-Riches Success Stories Of All Time
They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. These inspiring figures had less than a lemon to start out with – and are now known for their sheer tenacity as they climbed to the top.
MensXP brings you the top 10 rags-to-riches success stories of all time.
1. Henry Ford
Image Credit: hemmings (dot) com
Henry Ford was a farm boy who went on to revolutionize transportation industry in America. Ford was very interested in mechanics from a young age, when he dismantled and reassembled a pocket watch at the age of 15 his father had given him. A self-taught watch repairman who graduated to being an apprentice machinist, Ford started his personal experiments on gasoline engines which was the beginning of his vast Ford empire. And his net worth, as per Forbes in 2008, is a cool $188.1 billion.
2. Walt Disney
Image Credit: expansiveperspective (dot) com
Our childhood would have been dreary without this genius of a man. Walt Disney was also another boy brought up in a farm – and used to draw pictures for his neighbors for money. He used to be the cartoonist for the school newspaper, Disney went through the jobless phase where no one hired him, and his brother had to help him out with his job search. He went from rags to riches by starting out with advertisements and going on to animating his own cartoons.
3. Ralph Lauren
Image Credit: crainsnewyork (dot) com
Born in a strict Jewish family with a house painter for a father, Ralph Lauren grew up with big dreams. He used to sell ties to his classmates to earn some cash, and he mentioned in his yearbook that he wanted to be a millionaire. His interest in ties went on help his put his foot through the door of bigger achievements in the fashion world. When he was signed on to design the clothes for ‘The Great Gatsby (http://www.mensxp.com/fashion/style-guide/8952-top-10-mens-fashion-from-the-great-gatsby.html)’ in 1974, he was catapulted into the fame which he commands today.
4. Steve Jobs
Image Credit: iphonelovers (dot) com
This Apple founder is now a household name. Jobs was given away for adoption by his biological parents and he became interested in electronics after his foster dad showed him the joys of technical tinkering in their garage. He had to drop out of college, because his education was costing his foster parents a lot. He used to return Coke bottles for money and live on free meals at the Hare Krishna temple. A hippie who used to trip on LSD, Jobs went from a technician in Atari, Inc. to becoming the CEO of Apple Inc.
5. Richard Branson
Image Credit: flightdeckindia (dot) blogspot (dot) com
Branson went from being a dyslexic kid who performed badly in school to a British business magnate with a net worth of 4.6 billion. There was a time when Richard Branson (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8908-rockstar-ceo-lessons-from-richard-branson.html) started his record business from the crypt of a church – and now he is the fourth richest citizen of the UK. This entrepreneur is an example of how one can be eccentric and yet rake in the moolah. He had his finger in many pies – record label, airways and telecom.
6. John Paul DeJoria
Image Credit: youtube (dot) com
Born to Italian and Greek immigrant parents, this billionaire had to sell newspapers when he was nine to support his family. He has lived in a foster home, been part of a street gang and jumped through a number of jobs. With a loan of $700, he began what is now known the world over as the Paul Mitchell line of hair products. He went on to own 70% of The Patron Spirits Company, the world’s ultra-premium tequila brand. If this is not a rags-to-riches story, we do not know what is.
7. Oprah Winfrey
Image Credit: freeonlineserver (dot) com
Born to a housemaid and a coalminer, Oprah definitely did not grow in the lap of luxury. Living the life of poverty, where she used to have to wear dresses made out of potato sacks and was molested by relatives. She entered the world of media after getting the job of a news-reader in a local black radio station. After she got her first talk-show in Chicago, there was no looking back for this TV personality.
8. J.K. Rowling
Image Credit: brothersoft (dot) com
Born in a lowly English family, Rowling battled depression, suicidal tendencies and poverty to become one of the most loved British authors in the world for her hugely popular Harry Potter series. Highly imaginative as a kid who thrived on stories, she drew from her surroundings and the people in her life as inspirations for the books which have now become one of the biggest movie franchises. From her humble beginnings, she has gone on to become one of the most powerful women in the United Kingdom.
9. Daymond John
Image Credit: bemagazine (dot) me
A black boy growing up in Queens – one would not have pegged John as a potential entrepreneur who would go on to become the CEO of the hip-hop clothing brand FUBU. But that he did, with an entrepreneurial instinct that he honed from his school days. Selling popular wool hats at half their market price, he mortgaged their house for future business expansion. It paid off well – and he now is one of the most influential motivational speakers in America.
10. Chris Gardner
Image Credit: bancaynegocios (dot) com
This is the man whose life has inspired the Will Smith-starrer ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’. Physically abused by his stepfather as a child and placed in a foster home, Gardner’s woes did not leave him even as he grew up to marry and be a father. As shown in the movie, Gardner struggled with homelessness while raising his kid. It was the strength of the lessons he learnt from his mother that he went from rags to riches by tenaciously building himself to be the CEO (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7959-becoming-ceo-made-easy-here.html) of his own stockbrokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Co.
There is no disadvantage these personalities did not suffer on their journey from birth to where they stand today – but sheer tenacity, confidence and hard work led them to the inspiring figures they are today.
You may also like:
How to Be an Inspiration to Others (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/6641-how-to-be-an-inspiration-to-others.html)
Top 5 Inspirational Books Men Must Read (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/5747-top-5-inspirational-books-men-must-read.html)
Top 5 Qualities of A Good Entrepreneur (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/5372-top-5-qualities-of-a-good-entrepreneur.html)
- Phaneesh Murthy And iGate: How To Avoid Sexual Misconduct In Office
Phaneesh Murthy’s sexual misconduct has been making headlines all across the globe over the past couple of days. In the US meanwhile, the administration is seeing new cases of sexual assault being reported from the military on a regular basis.
All managers must critically look into this issue lest their organization is tarnished like iGate. Here are a few pointers to avoid sexual misconduct in office.
Preempt the problem – Before getting any employee on board tell him that yours is an gender-equal company. People are assessed on their targets and not gender must be made clear. Also put a clause in the employee’s contract that forbids him / her from having any kind of other relationship apart from being professional colleagues. This clause becomes even more imperative for the higher positions as these are the individuals who are in a position to extract favours, Phaneesh Murthy and Dominique Strauss Kahn being cases in point. Needless to say, a thorough background check of every employee isof paramount importance as well.
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Have regular gender appreciation sessions – One of the reasons employees might be tempted into getting into misadventures with the opposite sex is because of the freedom and liberty with which women assert themselves at the workplace. Some men may misconstrue this as being open to having sexual affairs and the like. Coordinate with the human resource department and hold regular gender appreciation sessions where teamwork is promoted (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/5577-five-point-strategy-to-promote-teamwork-in-the-office.html) and gender neutrality is impressed upon team members.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Deal with rotten potatoes – No organization can be free of lecherous men. The important thing, however, is to have a mechanism in place that can kick into gear as soon as a complaint is received. It is no use trying to set up a system for individuals according to their position in the company as well. The mechanism should be fair for everyone – right from the CEO (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8908-rockstar-ceo-lessons-from-richard-branson.html) to the chaiwallah. This will help organization to avoid sexual misconduct.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Have more women-friendly incentives – Make it a part of office culture to celebrate women-friendly days such as Mother’s Day, Raksha Bandhan and Women’s Day. Allow for a more gratuitous maternity leave plan. In short, tell employees that your company values women (http://www.mensxp.com/buzz-on-web/lifestyle/8070--learning-the-art-of-approaching-and-talking-with-women.html) and the contribution they make. It also acts as a soft deterrent to employees who might otherwise look at the office as their domain to play the field.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Set up effective redressal mechanisms – Perhaps the most important of these tips is to have a mechanism that encourages women to come forward and be brave enough to admit to any wrongdoing that has occurred with them. Unless and until your company can guarantee that effective and real-time action will be taken against the complainant, women will feel unsure and unsafe of coming forward and it will be hard to avoid sexual misconduct.
These tips will not only make your organization women-friendly, it will also ensure issues like Phaneesh Murthy’s sexual misconduct are effectively minimized.
You may also like:
How to have an office affair without getting caught? (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/560-how-to-have-an-office-affair-without-getting-caught.html)
How to Deal with an Office Romance (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/dating-tips/5698-how-to-deal-with-an-office-romance.html)
Things to keep in mind when you ask her out (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/dating-tips/6072-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-you-ask-her-out.html)
- Rockstar CEO Lessons From Richard Branson
Richard Branson is an entrepreneur (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7834-7-books-every-entrepreneur-should-read.html) with a difference. The CEO of Virgin may not have the magical touch that turn his products to gold but there is something about him that really appeals to the public.
He is seen as an innovator with style on his side (those long locks help). Naturally then, he has been more than vocal about his projects in the form of starting and managing businesses and creating value products. Here are some lessons you need to learn from this star CEO to turn into a rockstar yourself.
Have fun
Image Credit: enforbusiness (dot) com
Too many entrepreneurs become so involved with their project that they forget that the main reason they set up their firm is to create something worthwhile while having fun at the same time. Letting your hair down once in a while establishes a certain irrelevance that is crucial to your personality. Who wants to see the same old boring CEO in suit in company after company? Branson is known to travel the world and be seen in the arms of glamourous showgirls in sexy leather jackets outside of office. If he can do it, buddy, so can you.
Honour your word
Only recently, Branson was caught in a drag outfit dressed as an air flight attendant on an AirAsia flight. He had agreed with AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes that whoever’s F1 team finished their debut season lower would serve as a flight attendant in the other’s airline. As CEO, you must be held accountable to not just your actions but also your words. Too often, words are not taken at face value because of an inherent distrust. But if you can keep pulling off Bransons like we just mentioned, you will most definitely jump in the super rockstar league.
Question the norm
Image Credit: zimbio (dot) com
When every other airline is looking to cut costs in their business in a bid to survive, Branson’s Virgin Atlantic is still offering customers full star service today. No, he isn’t stupid to do this. In fact, the airline is doing quite well. Many a times, CEOs (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7959-becoming-ceo-made-easy-here.html) push the panic button too soon or join the herd. This is harmful for your image and can be damaging for your company as well. Instead, its better to work on a model you really believe in and go with your gut instinct over established norms.
Use social media
Image Credit: twitter (dot) com
Anybody who follows Richard Branson on Twitter (@RichardBranson) knows that the man tweets by himself. His airline has a mandate to respond to every comment coming their way, whether positive or negative. This is a very simple lesson but a difficult one to follow. Responding to your customers’ needs is the number one rule in any business. Branson and his entire Virgin group are doing just that – in a fun and helpful manner that helps people that their voice will be heard by real people behind those accounts.
Dream very big
Image Credit: vebidoo (dot) de
We’ll let Branson explain this one himself. ““You’ve got to dream big by setting yourself seemingly impossible challenges. You then have to catch up with them. You can make what people believe is impossible possible if you set big enough targets. Flying from New York to Australia in, say, two hours. Can we do it in our lifetimes? I’m determined to try. If you don’t dream, nothing happens.” His next dream is making space travel possible for the common man. How big is yours?
It’s no wonder that Richard Branson (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/7930-billionaire-in-focus-richard-branson.html) is one of the most loved CEOs today. He’s done that by creating a brand out of himself and his ventures. By following his lessons you can do the same too.
You may also like:
5 Steps To Increase Your Credibility (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8028-5-steps-to-increase-your-credibility.html)
5 Things Great Bosses Do (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/7820-5-things-great-bosses-do.html)
5 Steps To Take Your Company To The Next Level (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7877-5-steps-to-take-your-company-to-the-next-level.html)
- 7 Best Career Options For New Mothers
Balancing home and career has never been easy for women. For recently turned mothers, the happy news of having a baby can quickly make way for bad news on the job front.
Keeping this trend in mind, we present seven best free career options for new mothers that you can recommend as a dutiful husband before she goes back to her career.
Freelance Writer
Image Credit: woman (dot) thenest (dot) com
The ultimate job if you need flexibility, freelance writing allows you to choose your own timings and amount of work. Keeping the baby’s needs in mind, your spouse can choose to pick up just the requisite amount of work without overburdening herself.
Graphic Designer
Image Credit: freestockphotos (dot) biz
A job that blends creativity with flexibility, graphic designing is perfect for women who want to exercise their grey cells and also maintain the freedom to work on specific projects. Many companies offer stipulated short contracts for designing graphics for websites etc that can be perfect for new mothers.
Librarian
Image Credit: tsl (dot) state (dot) tx (dot) us
Taking care of your spouse’s physical health is one of the most important aspects of post-pregnancy duties. By ensuring that she is enrolled as a librarian you can rest easy in the fact that she will have a desk job with fixed timings. The knowledge gained from the workplace earns you extra cherry points back home.
Teacher
Image Credit: loveshav (dot) com
One of the most important but unrewarding jobs in India is that of a teacher. However, for a new mother, this can be one of the best options. While the pay may not be great, for new mothers the profession can be a boon because of the long holidays and close proximity with other children. The knowledge that comes with the job will ultimately go in raising the child well with confidence.
Financial Planner
Image Credit: telegraph (dot) co (dot) uk
Women are adept at managing the household expenses in any case. Why not go a step further and gain some technical knowledge about financial products and kickstart a career in financial planning? With credible advice and their natural charm, women can make a killing in this profession. It also comes with the flexibility of limiting the number of clients one wishes to take on.
eBay Seller
Image Credit: hothardware (dot) com
Put your wife’s cleaning streak to good use by opening an ebay account and selling all your unwanted things online. Get the best of both worlds with this option because earning money while sitting at home was never so easy. If you wish to take this one step further, then go ahead and scour for items that you think will make a killing in the digital world.
Cookery blog
Image Credit: thefreshexchangeblog (dot) com
With the number of cookery shows on air and Nigella Lawson’s ever increasing fanbase in India, we need not tell you just how popular cooking has become in India. While you have devoured her cooking so far all alone, allow your spouse’s inner Julia Child to come alive in the form a blog. Help her with pictures and SEO if you must. If it hits the right audience, a book deal may not be that far away.
Whatever the situation, we advice you to treat your wife with equal love and respect and help her find a way in whatever needs to be done.
You may also like:
Top 10 Non-corporate Jobs that Pay Well (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/6196-top-10-non-corporate-jobs-that-pay-well.html)
Things to Consider While Switching Careers (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/7482-things-to-consider-while-switching-careers.html)
10 Offbeat Jobs for Men (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/7574-10-offbeat-jobs-for-men.html)
- How Rejection Can Make You More Successful
“If you're going through hell, keep going.” - Winston Churchill
Each and every successful personality (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/6893-how-to-be-successful-in-life.html), including celebrities have met with rejection in the early stages of their career.
History abounds with such personalities and how they suffered rejection and endured humiliation in their early life. Mahatma Gandhi is an outstanding case of rejection as a young Indian lawyer in South Africa. Only it was then called as ‘Apartheid’. Everyone knows the story of his ejection from a train compartment meant for the ‘whites’ and the attempt at forceful subjugation of Gandhi by an English policeman. By silently bearing the brunt of the assault from the policeman, Gandhi continued with his attempt to stand up and board the train. He not only became famous overnight , the act became the foundation for his Satyagraha movement in India against the British, who had to eat humble pie and finally hand over power to the Indians as they had no weapon to counter his non violence movements.
Image Credit: © BCCL
There are many more famous personalities who suffered such early setbacks. But instead of throwing in the towel at the first signs of rejection, all of them went ahead with more attempts in their chosen fields to finally achieve greatness (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/6888-how-to-push-yourself-for-greatness.html) because they had unassailable belief in their own self worth and the confidence to overcome early disappointments. This quality to stand up in the face of failures is known by various names such as resilience, intrinsic optimistic disposition, risk taking ability (to overcome fear of rejection) etc. The temperament and attitude to be resilient can be developed at any stage in life if one is able to analyse the reasons for failure(s) and is able to conclude that fault lies elsewhere for the rejection and not in oneself. Alternatively if our own performance does not match up to the required standards, we can make an all out effort to achieve those standards by hard work and/ or seeking help from the experts. Giving up is still not a solution especially if it arises out of a thought or fear of rejection or failure in our own mind.
Image Credit: © BCCL
Most often when one meets with rejection in the course of performing a job like a sales job involving meeting and convincing a lot of people to buy or invest in something, one tends to attribute the failures to achieve the targets on oneself as if it is a personal rejection. The best attitude in such cases is not to take it as a personal failure as this would deflate our morale and have a cascading effect on the future of ourselves as well as the job objectives. The objective way to deal with rejections and it’s after effects is to first probe the possible reasons and in case of any personal shortfall, correcting it and enhancing our own performance each time. The rejection should be consciously treated as a motivational factor and not a debilitating one and this will automatically better the output progressively. On a wider perspective, Life itself is a game and we have to play it better each time to become proficient at it.
On the other hand one can strive not to get rubbed the wrong way by following a policy of never entertaining animosity against anyone even in the face of rejection like what Will Rogers, Humorist, Actor and American Philosopher has said “I never met a man I didn’t like.”This mind set makes one view all the worldly actions including rejection as normal part of life one has to undergo to achieve one’s goals without feeling overly let down by other’s actions. Often rejections are the result of personal insecurities of the person doing the rejection rather than any shortfall of person making the attempt.
Image Credit: salon (dot) com
We would be benefited more if each rejection (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/dating-tips/2888-deal-with-rejection.html) is treated as a wakeup call for even a better performance like what Sylvester Stallone, Actor and Producer had to say “I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.”
Martin Luther King, Jr., Preacher, Activist, and Civil Rights Leader described how we withstood rejection and trying times as an ultimate test of standing as a man when he said “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Trial and error, or testing and failing is how we learn about ourselves and our true capabilities. Rejection is an indicator of courage, effort and the exploration of personal boundaries. People should not view rejection negatively; instead take it as stepping stone to greater things.
You may also like:
Dealing with Rejection at Work (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/6439-dealing-with-rejection-at-work.html)
Skills You Need for Success (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/7456-skills-you-need-for-success.html)
Seven Common Habits Of Successful People (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/571-seven-common-habits-of-successful-people.html)
- How To Make Cold Calls
If your work involves doing sales, cold calling potential customers could be one of your duties. You may be facing challenges with making cold calls.
After all, you’re calling someone you don’t know and you can worry the individual on the other end, might reject your proposition. Below are tips on how you can prepare yourself, so that you are confident when you make cold calls.
Be Clear Of The Outcome Of The Call
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Before you pick up the phone, ensure you are clear about the reason you are calling a potential customer. What outcome do you want? Is it for the person to agree to receive some information from you? Or is it the setting up of a future appointment, so you can give a more detailed pitch about your company and your products and/or services? Understanding the outcome clearly, will help you keep the call focused on what you want to achieve from it.
Research The Company You Want To Call
Image Credit: Thinkstock
In order to make a good impression during a cold call, research as much as you can about the company before calling. Find out about their sector, who their customers are, who the managing director is, along with who sits on his or her board. You can find many details through looking at the company website and the Linkedin profiles of the bosses of the company. Finding out such details will enable you to establish problems faced by the company and tailor your offering, as a potential solution to help the organisation you’re calling.
Timing Of The Call
Image Credit: Shutterstock
When you’re making cold calls, aim to get hold of the managing director in the first instance, as this person is the main decision maker. Managing directors are usually the first person to arrive at the office and the last to leave. Therefore, making cold calls either first thing in the morning, or at the end of the day are good times to get hold of the boss of the company.
Prepare A Good Introduction
Image Credit: Shutterstock
In order to help reduce your nerves, have a professional (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/6600-how-to-be-professional-at-work.html) introduction ready before you make the call. All this needs to include is a polite “good morning” or “good afternoon”, followed by your name, company and what your company does. This will allow you to confidently continue with the call.
During The Call
Image Credit: Thinkstock
After following your introduction, mention this is a brief call and you won’t take up much of the person’s time. Proceed to explaining the reason for your call. For instance, explain your company offers a product and/or a service, which can help the company (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/6584-how-to-build-a-successful-company.html) you’re calling to solve a business problem and ask whether the person is interested in finding out more.
End Of Call
Image Credit: Shutterstock
If the person you’re calling is interested in discussing further with you, set up an appointment over the phone for you to visit the premises of the company. Alternatively, you can set up a longer conference call, which you can use to further find out about the company and explain what your organisation does. At the very least, aim to get agreement from the potential customer, for you to send some further information about your company and what it offers via e-mail.
Follow Up On E-mail
Image Credit: Thinkstock
If the call is positive and you have got a future meeting or conference call with the potential customer set up, after the call, send an upbeat and professional e-mail (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/523-learn-to-tame-e-mails.html) thanking them for their time. Confirm the date and time of the appointment and tell the individual you look forward to meeting him/her.
Be Persistent
Image Credit: Thinkstock
Remember, cold calls are a numbers game. You need to make lots of calls. From these, you will speak with some companies who will be interested in what you have to offer. Others will not. Persistence really is the key to success. The more calls you make, the more practice you will get, which means over time they will become easier. Through experience, your pitch over the phone will become refined, which will result in more appointments for your diary.
About the author of this article:
Dr HitenVyas is a Life Coach, Author and Speaker. You can find out more about him at his website: http://www.hitenvyas.com (hitenvyas.com/).
You may also like:
How To Generate Ideas Through Meetings (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/8728-how-to-generate-ideas-through-meetings.html)
How Improvisational Comedy Helps in the Workplace (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8630-how-improvisational-comedy-helps-in-the-workplace.html)
The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/8399-the-benefits-of-mindfulness-meditation.html)
- 7 Qualities of Charismatic People
When you look at Shashi Tharoor, or Amitabh Bachchan (http://www.mensxp.com/entertainment/bollywood/5810-10-interesting-facts-about-amitabh-bachchan.html), or Zakir Hussain, what is the first thought that comes to your mind? It’s not the fact that they are highly accomplished, successful people; it is the warmth and ease they exude. That’s the first thing you experience when you see them on Television or meet them in person. And that’s charisma (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/3402-how-to-charm-your-way-through-life.html). It is not something that you’re born with; it is something you learn along the way. Being charismatic starts with the way you smile to the way you talk to people to the way you conduct yourself. And the good news is that it can be acquired. You too can be charismatic by following a few simple steps.
Previous (#)
If you’re happy (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/6668-how-to-be-happy-with-yourself.html), people will know immediately. Keep a
soft expression on your face and a little smile, just enough to give you that twinkle in your eye. Don’t grit your teeth; or continuously stare at someone; don’t tighten your jaw. Be relaxed and genial, and people will automatically be drawn to you.
The trick to a good handshake (http://www.mensxp.com/grooming/skin-care/883-essential-grooming-tips-for-men.html) is ensuring the webbing between your thumb and index finger meets the webbing of the other person’s thumb. Keep it firm, no excessive pressure.
Eye contact is extremely important (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/inner-game/5965-5-ways-to-improve-your-eye-contact-skills.html) to show
the other person that you’re confident, honest and sincere. Shifty eyes do the exact opposite. Looking everywhere else but the person you’re talking to shows you in a bad light as well.
Next (#)
- Arun Purohit’s Wicfy.com Set For Giant Leap
Arun Purohit’s story is one for the books. The 39-year-old entrepreneur faced a whole host of problems while working on his dream but carried on nonetheless.
Today, Purohit is charting a course that will see him gain Rs 10 crore in the next six months from investors across the globe. Here is the BITS Pilani graduate’s story.
The Beginnings
Arun Purohit shifted to Pune from Gurgaon a few years ago and was in for a shock. Although his MNC had offered him a 20 per cent increment to join their Pune branch, Purohit found that the cost of living in Pune was higher than that in Gurgaon. “The three and a half BHK in Gurgaon I had rented cost me Rs 10,000. I couldn’t get anything more than a 2BHK in Pune at that price,” he says.
But that was only the start of Purohit’s worries. When he set out to buy branded stuff like Nike and Reebok apparel, the prohibitive costs put him off. Until he befriended some locals who pointed him towards Yerawada. “It was like Gaffer market in Delhi. I found all these great things for the cheapest prices ever,” Purohit says.
The solution led to entrepreneurial pangs within Purohit. He sensed a business (http://www.mensxp.com/fashion/what-to-wear/7390-style-choices-that-spell-business.html) opportunity in catering to the lakhs of students and other professionals who came to the satellite city every year. This eventually led to the creation of wicfy.com, an acronym for ‘Where is it cheapest for you?’ The main thought behind the idea was: “If I can get cheap deals by asking locals about the best available deals, why can’t the same process be extended to the six lakh people who come to Pune each year?”
The Challenges
Purohit sated his pangs by launching the site with a different model – offline affiliation. Whereas most content aggregators trawl the Internet to get the best deals, wicfy is a democratized platform where users themselves post items for sale that is then broadcast on to users’ network.
Purohit, who also has a stint with the Indian Air Force under his belt, said that finding investment (http://www.mensxp.com/fashion/what-to-wear/6781-5-investment-pieces-for-your-wardrobe.html) was tough. “Typically, if a business model is successful in the US, only then is it adopted in India. For the first 18 months since we launched, it was like fighting a war,” he says.
He explains that the model is different from sites like OLX or Naaptol because of the offline connect. “If a Havells tubelight sells for Rs 750 at a local store, our team will find a cheaper rate by going deep into the offline market. Many a times, prices are up to two to three times higher because of middlemen and other factors. Our team found the same tubelight for Rs 400 by searching for the product in offline stores,” Purohit says. Creating the entire ecosystem has also proved to be more difficult than Purohit has envisioned.
The Solutions
Wicfy received initial funding from angel fund Ecosystem Ventures California and has raised over a crore rupees so far. However, it is hungry for more. “The company is looking to tap into investors from across the world to raise another Rs 10 crore from investors in Switzerland, US and Singapore since these countries promote e-commerce in a big way,” he says, adding that most investors look at existing models before investing in a new idea.
Wicfy is also positioning itself on its sourcing prowess and reliable social media (http://www.mensxp.com/technology/internet/7780-social-media-platforms-every-marketer-should-know.html) connect and its repository of comparable prices will also be sold to retailers, resellers and corporate groups.
The company launched its app on the Google Play Store on January 10 this year and has over 250 downloads currently. It will launch in iOS app in the next three months.
Wicfy currently has over 40,000 unique visitors on its website. Purohit wants to take the numbers to one lakh by July. “There are a lot of offline activities planned to increase awareness about Wicfy. We will target colleges primarily since students can be early adopters for our products.
The Lessons
Running a company with a high tech overhead and multiple offline modes can often lead to a grim demeanour. Purohit though is all smiles throughout the duration of our conversation. He attributes his past learnings to his relative calm as CEO of Simplibuy, the company that runs Wicfy.
“In the Indian Air Force, we are taught to look after the country first, then citizens and finally think about yourself. As an entrepreneur, I follow the same model. For me, my company comes first, then my employees and then myself,” Purohit says.
His earlier job stints also taught him a few lessons. Working 12-hour shifts in Faridabad for a manufacturing company, Purohit had to work for another shift if his colleague did not show up. “Working non-stop like that really did wonders to my mental strength,” he muses.
You may also like:
7 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7834-7-books-every-entrepreneur-should-read.html)
11 Reasons for Entrepreneurial Failure (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/6376-11-reasons-for-entrepreneurial-failure.html)
How To Become Successful Online Entrepreneurs (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8403-how-to-become-successful-online-entrepreneurs.html)
- How To Generate Ideas Through Meetings
As the boss of your company,you’re responsible to ensure there is a thriving culture at the office that encourages the creation of novel ideas. These ideas could help solve internal problems.
They might help solve issues faced by your customers. Below are some tips on how you create wonderful and innovative ideas, through making use of your most valuable asset – your employees.
Importance Of Planning A Meeting
Image Credit: Thinkstock
The best way to generate ideas is through a meeting. However, it’s what you do before the workshop that will determine how successful (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/inner-game/7720-how-to-pursue-successful-women.html) it is. Have a clear idea in your mind why you need new ideas. Is it to help make an internal process more efficient? Is it to help create a new product? Create a format for the meeting, which is broken down into timed blocks of activities. This will help you to run it efficiently. Once you have done this, prepare a brief to send to your employees. Arrange a future date for your meeting. Select 5 employees you want at the session and send them an invite.
The Boss’s Role At The Meeting
Image Credit: Thinkstock
At the beginning of the meeting, give a brief overview of the problem that needs new ideas created for it. After this, go over the format of the meeting and explain the activities, which the employees will do, to come up with new ideas. A quick 5-minute introduction is all that is needed. Encourage your employees to let go of all judgements and be as creative as possible. Explain that at this stage every idea is a good one.
The Employee’s Role In The Meeting
Image Credit: Thinkstock
It’s the role of your employees to generate (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/2761-how-to-write-client-friendly-email-proposals-that-generate-business.html) as many ideas as they can as solutions to the problem. In order to do this, they can spend 10 minutes coming up with ideas individually, writing every idea on a separate piece of sticky paper.
Review The Ideas
Image Credit: Thinkstock
After the 10 minutes are up, as the boss (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/606-deal-with-a-bullying-boss.html), invite each of your employees to stand up, stick their ideas on a wall and spend a few minutes briefly describing each one.This activity can be done in 20 minutes.
Select Ideas For Further Exploration
Image Credit: Thinkstock
After every employee has had a chance to explain each of their ideas, ask each person to select their favourite two ideas generated amongst the entire group. If any ideas are selected twice by two employees, then ask one of them to select another idea. This will now result in a potential list of 10 different ideas. Make a list of these 10 ideas on a board.
Future Actions
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Request each employee to go away, do a little research and write a brief paragraph on each of their two favourite ideas. You can then collate all the paragraphs and do further work on selecting the best idea to solve the problem at hand.
About the author of this article:
Dr HitenVyas is a Life Coach, Author and Speaker. You can find out more about him at his website: http://www.hitenvyas.com (hitenvyas.com/).
You may also like:
How To Boost Confidence At Work (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8684-how-to-boost-confidence-at-work.html)
How Improvisational Comedy Helps in the Workplace (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8630-how-improvisational-comedy-helps-in-the-workplace.html)
7 Steps To Productive Brainstorming (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8467-7-steps-to-productive-brainstorming.html)
- 5 Essential Tips to Earthquake Safety
The rule of thumb for earthquake protection is simple: "Duck and Cover". In wake of the recent earthquakes, MensXP.com (http://www.mensxp.com) has compiled a list of the top 5 essential tips to remember if you witness an earthquake (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/3681-essential-online-resources-for-the-japan-earthquaketsunami.html).
1. DROP & COVER
During an earthquake, the one most important thing to remember is the "DROP and COVER RULE". Simply fall flat on the floor if you're out in the open. If you're indoors, it is extremely important that you maintain your calm and try to take cover under a heavy object like study tables.
2. Stay away from Buildings
If you are outdoors, stay as far away from buildings as possible. Take special precaution of being far away from glass buildings.
3. Stay away from things that can Fall
Stay away from pretty much anything that you feel could 'possibly' fall.
4. Surviving Crowded Areas
If you find yourself in a crowded area, stay calm. Do not attempt to sprint to the nearest exit. More often than not, a greater percentage of lives are lost due to panic situations during an earthquake leading to stampedes. All you need to remember is to take cover under something sturdy.
5. Aftershocks
Beware of aftershocks once the initial earthquake has ended. Aftershocks (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/3683-shocking-images-japan-earthquake-tsunami-damage.html) are follow-up earthquakes. They are smaller than the first one, but, are still, very dangerous.
For those with anxiety problems, here are a few tips (http://www.mensxp.com/health/mental-health/640-dealing-with-anxiety-attacks.html) that may come in handy. Dealing with difficult people (http://www.mensxp.com/health/mental-health/640-dealing-with-anxiety-attacks.html), especially at your work place may prove to be essential in case of a crisis situation.
MensXP Reader Suggestions
If you're stuck in a car and can't get out by any means, just remove your head rest and smash open the wind screen or windows with the jaws. You'll be able to make some space for yourself. (Contributed by, MensXP Reader, Akash Agarwal (http://www.facebook.com/wittyakash))
For people living in apartments (most of the people in cities are doing that), people in ground floors and top floors, get to the middle floors or get out if possible. Staying in middle and ground floors is dangerous for buildings up to 6-7 floors. Also, those who are in single or double storey buildings or skyscrapers, need not panic; earthquake does not affect you to that extent. (Contributed by, MensXP Reader, Krishna Chaitanya (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001662449219))
- Top 10 Hottest Female CEOs
The successful men don’t have to look behind too often to see the successful women (http://www.mensxp.com/dating/inner-game/7720-how-to-pursue-successful-women.html), as these stunners outshine their male counterparts with sheer business prowess. Here are the ten hottest female CEOs:
Previous (#)
CEO (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7959-becoming-ceo-made-easy-here.html) of eClick Interactive Inc and NewFaces.com, the first free online portfolio tool, both
started in ’95 at age 15. The 5’9” svelte blonde heads Project Migration, selling her jewellery designs to eliminate poverty in Africa.
entrepreneur (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/career-center/5372-top-5-qualities-of-a-good-entrepreneur.html). She runs her own fashion label, ‘Tory Burch’
and started the ‘Tory Burch Foundation’ to aid lower income families, and promotes women’s economic development.
Next (#)
- How To Boost Confidence At Work
So you’ve finally bagged that summer internship at the coveted firm. Congrats. Now the next step to set up for professional life is to gain confidence about office life.
Even for seasoned individuals, it is sometimes difficult to be confident while expressing themselves. Follow this guide to zoom your confidence and skyrocket your career.
Ask Questions
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Fortune favors the curious at the workplace. You have your targets and goals in front of you but unless you’re curious about why you’re doing what you’re doing, your work will not amount to anything great. Finding answers to nagging questions and knowing with absolute certainly what you’re working on will help you be more confident about your work and in turn, transform you into a confident person.
Accept Mistakes
Image Credit: Shutterstock
At each stage of your career you will commit errors, even if unknowingly. When you are pulled up for it, do not treat it as abuse or the rants of a rude boss. Take those words as constructive criticism and do your best to never let the same mistake happen again. Not only will this make you humble, it will also give you the confidence (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/5988-5-things-to-do-daily-to-increase-your-confidence.html) to remain tranquil through all the downs of your career too.
Celebrate Your Successes
Image Credit: Shutterstock
You have been slogging it out for days and nights on end on the presentation that your client demanded. And now that you’ve successfully beaten the deadline and made a lot of money and respect for yourself it is time to reward your support staff in the office. Be social and outgoing in the office (http://www.mensxp.com/health/body-building/5715-office-workout-exercises-you-can-do-at-work.html) by throwing regular parties whenever you achieve a milestone and watch your confidence soar in front of your colleagues.
Look Good
Image Credit: Thinkstock
We never tire of telling you this but that is simply because we do not want you to look like Saif Ali Khan (http://www.mensxp.com/health/body-building/5835-saif-ali-khans-fitness-mantras.html) from 'Go Goa Gone' at work. The way you appear outside is the way everyone will judge your inner motivations. Dress well and rock your formals to make a lasting impression. Spare yourself the entire arm dragon tattoo to avoid unhealthy stares at work, even the liftman will look at you as a freak if you do so. We’re all judgmental that way.
Trust Your Instinct
Image Credit: Thinkstock
One of the most underutilized skills at the workplace is gut instinct. This is ironic considering how many great ideas actually occur when you’re not just thinking from the safe shores of logic. Look at the seemingly inexplicable fielding and bowling options M S Dhoni uses while captaining the cricket team. Once in a while at least, it is imperative that you do something straight from the heart at your workplace. Find your own inner Dhoni. There cannot be a bigger morale booster than watching your instinct succeed.
You will never find success without first finding confidence. Heed these words with care and watch yourself succeed even without trying.
You may also like:
How Introverts Can Make It Big In The Office (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8364-how-introverts-can-make-it-big-in-the-office.html)
10 Things Not To Do In Office (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/7705-10-things-not-to-do-in-office.html)
How to Rebuild Your Confidence (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/6864-how-to-rebuild-your-confidence.html)
- How Improvisational Comedy Helps in the Workplace
Improvisational comedy (also known as improv) is a form of theatre, which involves people (improvisers) getting together and creating scenes that are unplanned and unscripted.
As scenes progress, usually an improviser will end up doing or saying something funny and comedy will emerge, naturally. These days, the skills that one develops through doing improv are moving from the stage and are increasingly being used in the workplace (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/6602-importance-of-communication-in-the-workplace.html). Below are tips on how such skills can help you at work.
Increase your creativity
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Improv involves improvisers speaking on the spot and saying statements spontaneously in response to each other, in order to continue a scene going. In the workplace there may be times when you and your team could be struggling to find a solution to a complex problem. Such situations will require everyone to suspend thinking hard and instead switch to brain storming ideas without judgment, so that a creative solution can be found quickly.
Improve your ability to accept new ideas
Image Credit: Shutterstock
In improv, there is the important “yes and…” concept, which means that if you’re in a scene with a fellow improviser and he says something, you say “yes and…” and then say a statement to keep the scene progressing. If you had said “no”, then this would have blocked what the other person had just said and would have halted the scene. In the workplace you can be offered many types of ideas from your colleagues. By saying “yes and…” you accept the idea as a possibility and can add your own idea(s) to it. This helps you to build on each other’s work.
Your ability to listen
Image Credit: Thinkstock
When improvisers are working on a scene together, each one has to listen to the other intently so that they can continue the scene. An improviser has to be in the moment, or else he will not have heard what a fellow improviser said and would struggle to advance the scene. When at work, the ability to truly listen (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/6388-what-music-to-listen-to-when-you-are-meditating.html) is invaluable, as it enables you to help colleagues when they are undergoing work related problems and it also helps in enabling you to accept each other’s ideas as described in the previous point.
Improve your ability to speak out
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Improv involves a lot of speaking out to each other and projecting your voice. This skill is directly transferable to the workplace and helps to increase your confidence (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/5988-5-things-to-do-daily-to-increase-your-confidence.html) when giving presentations in front of colleagues, clients and senior management and also when sharing your point of view in meetings.
Learn to accept mistakes and remain positive
Image Credit: Thinkstock
In the world of improv there are no mistakes. When a scene is progressing through improvisers building on each other’s statements, there are multiple paths it could take. When this happens, none of the paths can be deemed as incorrect. They are all right as they have been created through spontaneous creativity. At work this principle can help you when you try out one approach to solve a problem and it doesn’t work out. Rather than getting hung up on why the approach didn’t work, you become flexible enough to seek out another way.
About the author of this article:
Dr Hiten Vyas is a Life Coach, Author and Speaker. You can find out more about him at his website: http://www.hitenvyas.com (http://www.hitenvyas.com/).
You may also like:
9 Habits Of Really Productive People (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/7995-9-habits-of-really-productive-people.html)
7 Steps To Productive Brainstorming (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/8467-7-steps-to-productive-brainstorming.html)
How Introverts Can Make It Big In The Office (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8364-how-introverts-can-make-it-big-in-the-office.html)
- Top 5 Project-Funding Sites
Today’s trend for aspiring entrepreneurs is to kick off a crowd-funded project that helps them in targeting the right audience who also eventually become the primary investors and backers for the project. A fail-safe and easy way to achieve your project’s completions, crowd-funding is the way to the future; and there are innumerable sites springing up everywhere across the world that help you do just that. So we bring to you the best ones that’ll ensure you get your word out to the world and help you with your endeavor. Here they are:
Previous (#)
social media (http://www.mensxp.com/technology/internet/7762-10-dos-and-donts-of-social-media.html). What makes RocketHub different from other crowd-funded sites is its ability to allow project leaders to continue the project regardless of whether it has reached the monetary target. A handy feature for a musician who can still pursue with a release with partially sufficient funds!
Delhi (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/7851-2012s-most-shameful-comments-on-rape.html) to global ones like Breast Cancer (http://www.mensxp.com/health/live-healthy/8143-the-untold-truth-about-male-breast-cancer.html), Causes has played a vital role in supporting innumerable social issues across the world!
Next (#)
- 10 Things Never To Say At Work
Behaving like a gentleman is one of the soft skills they don’t teach you at a fancy MBA school.
Thus, to save you from embarrassing yourself in front of your colleagues ever, we’ve compiled a list of lines that should never escape your lips, whatever the situation.
'Seriously, you voted for them?…'
You guessed it. This one's code for never, ever--and just for safety's sake I'll say it again--ever, bring up politics or religion in an official atmosphere. You risk hurting someone else's sentiments, we all know people are super sensitive about these things for some unknown reason and it can be the start of a long downward spiral.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
'What do you call a feminist in the bathtub?'
We know it sucks, and life would be so much simpler if people were a little less sensitive but the fact remains that it's simply not polite to crack off-color jokes (read: sexist, racist, religious etc.) in a work environment. So even if you feel as though you're on comfortable enough terms with whoever you're cracking the joke to, know that you can never be sure of their reaction. It's always better to stop and think before acting on something which might have grave consequences.
'Whoa, check out her a**…'
Seriously? Do you want a sexual harassment suit slapped on you faster than you can even utter that question? Trust us, this is the biggest no-no an office space demands and it's also the most common. Men all over the world are constantly getting pulled up for much less than statements like these so you'd better watch your step and make sure you keep any lewd thoughts (which you're totally entitled to have in your mind by the way) in your own head.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
'Did you hear about what they did in the pantry?…'
Ah, office gossip (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/5832-how-to-deal-with-office-gossip.html) . It's the easiest thing to indulge in and the number one thing you should stay away from simply due to how easy it is to get sucked into it. Yes, we completely understand that sometimes work is boring enough to have you tearing your hair out without small distractions like that office hottie hooking up with the guy from the third aisle, but that kind of talk can get you in trouble.
For one thing, if its only a rumor, the parties being talked about could get very upset and secondly, even if they are up to something, it's none of your business unless it's directly affecting work that you're doing. So if it's not, zip up those lips and keep mum. It'll hold you in good stead.
'He's so arrogant, I can't stand him..'
Chalk another one up for big mouths. Don't backbite in the office about other co-workers no matter how awful they are and no matter how many other people are doing it. Firstly, the very act of backbiting is only serving your own insecurities and secondly, once again, mind your own business (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/2903-find-relevant-managers-for-your-business-.html). Come to work, do your work, and leave!
Image Credit: Thinkstock
'Oh my god I seriously have the worst gas ever..'
Ok men, please for yours and everyone else around you's sake don't mention your medical or private matters to people at work. No one wants to hear how many times you farted the previous night or how long you spent hurling into a pot with your food poisoning. If you took a sick day, just say you were sick and leave it at that. No need for any details, thank you very much.
'That f****** ass****!'
We'll keep this short and sweet--don't curse in the office, even if the situation is absolutely begging for it! It shows you i a bad light, most people don't like a dirty mouth and well, it's just plain unprofessional.
'It's not my problem, she was supposed to look after that file!'
Don't pass the bucket and be a team player. If someone genuinely screws up, don't immediately point fingers at them, try helping out first and take the hit together as a team. Immediately blaming someone else will fast earn you a bad reputation in the office and if you decided to go tell on people to the boss (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/6321-5-things-you-should-never-tell-your-boss.html) just know that you're going to be the equivalent of that nosey teacher's pet you always disliked in school.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
'Are you pregnant?'
Imagine this--you ask a woman this question and she's not actually pregnant! Save yourself (and her) some seriously awkward tension and a lot of humiliation and just don't ask until it becomes painfully obvious that it's inhumanly possible for her belly to have swollen that much without a baby growing inside of it.
'Ugh I just want to shoot everyone here…'
Err..does this even need explanation? Seriously though, in this day and age any reference to bombs, guns or shootouts will immediately amount to a bad threat and given the kind of awful violence we've all witnessed in the last few years, it's fair that we don't take it too lightly. So even if you mean it jokingly, make sure you just think it and refrain from saying it out loud.
You may also like:
10 Things Not To Do In Office (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/7705-10-things-not-to-do-in-office.html)
Getting the Office Etiquette Right (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/6293-getting-the-office-etiquette-right.html)
Tips To Survive The Office Party (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/8276-tips-to-survive-the-office-party.html)
- How To Be A Gracious Leader
It is an art to be a leader. When deadlines are piling up and clients are pushing for results, a talented and experienced leader is one that saves the day.
Here are a few key qualities a leader must possess.
The Art Of Delegation
Image Credit: Thinkstock
It is the leader's role to know the team that he/she is working with. Learn and understand each of their strengths and weaknesses. Delegating (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/3012-how-delegating-work-can-be-made-easy.html) the correct task to the correct department saves a lot of time in the long run. Look into what they enjoy doing the most and that way good results are ensured, because they will do it with interest and passion. Also this gives you more time to focus on bigger decisions instead of micro-managing each of the staff in your team.
Communicate Well And Constructively Criticize
Image Credit: Thinkstock
It is good to give feedback to the team, but it must be done the right way. It must be delivered in a way that is clear, direct, and timely. When a situation arises that calls for a team leader's intervention, you must make a concerted effort to address it as quickly as possible. It is important to be candid and not to be too clinical with the criticism (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/3228-giving-and-receiving-criticism.html). Always phrase your thoughts with positivity. If you have to criticize someone, give it a twist: instead of saying “This is a crappy report”, say, “I know this is a challenging time in the year, and that's why your report isn't up to mark. Next time take a few days off so that when you get back, you are more relaxed and in control of the situation.”
Exude Positivity, Creativity & Commitment
Image Credit: Thinkstock
If you are just another person dictating notes and ordering around your team, there is no way any work will get done. Show them what it is to think out of the box, be daring with ideas and solutions. Always stay optimistic about situations, never react only respond to what one has to say, be it good or bad. If you expect your team to work hard and produce quality content, you’re going to need to lead by example.
Inspire Your Team & Keep Your Humour
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Humour (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/7220-how-to-develop-a-sense-of-humour.html) is a great way to break the ice. If you're about to have your first team briefing, let them know that apart from being someone they can draw inspiration from, you are also someone they can identify with. Show that there is no reason to be intimidated by your presence. As Jack Welch writes: “Leaders establish trust with candour, transparency, and credit.”
You may also like:
10 Inspirational Quotes Every Leader Should Use (http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/top-10/7821-10-inspirational-quotes-every-leader-should-use.html)
8 Skills Every Leader Should Have (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/8165-8-skills-every-leader-should-have.html)
How to Walk the Talk (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/7288-how-to-walk-the-talk.html)
- 7 Steps To Productive Brainstorming
Wikipedia defines brainstorming as “a group or individual creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its member(s).”
So true. We all must have been part of so many brainstorming sessions till date. They are fun. You can come up with so many quirky, amazing ideas that would not have been possible had we all not come together. One idea inspires another and so on. But the key to brainstorming is to remain productive. Let’s look at some of the ways to achieve that.
Set A Criteria
Image Credit: Shutterstock
You cannot encourage someone to “go wild” and then tell them their idea will not work because it is an expensive proposition or it will take a long time to execute. Make the restrictions, limitations clear from the very beginning. This way employees will know what their ceiling is. Make it highly specific: “We need ten ideas within a $100 budget. All the ideas need to be room based; no outdoor activities.”
Know What To Ask
Image Credit: Shutterstock
If you have a set of specific questions, you can steer your brainstorming session the way you want. You can keep it on course. For example, an online shopping company looking to expand might ask questions such as, “Are there any other locations we can deliver to?” “Should we start delivering outside of India?” come up with about 15 or so questions which your participants can discuss. This will make your sessions intense and more productive.
Get Your Core Group Right
Image Credit: Shutterstock
In a session for improving internal communication (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/7347-how-to-improve-communication-skills.html) you should only have your corporate communication team, not graphic designers and sales people. You should only invite people who have the expertise in that particular domain. There is no point in calling a sales guy and asking him to suggest ways to improve communication within team members. Don’t chose people based on their seniority rather chose them for their specialty.
Control The Discussion
Image Credit: Shutterstock
The key is not to get stuck on one point and let the group go on and on without any result in sight. Split them. Like they do in workshops. Make groups of 3-5 people, so that everyone is forced to contribute and assign them questions equally. This way everyone has a say. They can freely contribute their ideas to a small group rather than a big one and discuss at length.
Tell Them The Rules
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Let them know what the rules are. Tell them when one group is talking, discussing ideas, no other group will be allowed to interfere. If they have something to say tell them to make a note and share it later. Let them know that no interruptions will be tolerated.
Finishing Touches
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Don’t jump in and start asking the whole group for the winning ideas (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/2982-now-transform-your-ideas-into-business-ventures.html). That can be terribly demotivating for the group. Also, they might not know how to prioritize or have knowledge of having done something like this before. Instead have the subgroups make their own decisions and chose the most popular ideas. Once you have the final version, make an announcement about the following steps. Tell them how and when the ideas will be decided upon.
Decision Time
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Once you have arrived at the winning ideas, it is important to let people know the reasons behind it. It is also important to provide feedback to those who ideas were not selected. Mostly when such decisions (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/corporate-skills/7925-decision-making-mistakes-most-managers-make.html) are made, people have no idea as to why A’s idea was chosen over B’s. This is not only demoralizing but might prevent the person from taking an active part in future sessions. If you explain to them logically, they would be in a better position to come up with better ideas the next time.
You may also like:
How to excel in Group Discussions? (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/life-at-the-office/6010-how-to-excel-in-group-discussions.html)
8 Golden Rules for Businessmen (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/business-mantras/6807-8-golden-rules-for-businessmen.html)
How to Become Financially Secure Before 30 (http://www.mensxp.com/work-life/work-life-balance/7576-how-to-become-financially-secure-before-30.html)
