Are You Made OF The Stuff to Be a CEO?

Chief Executive Officers are ism of the world’s richest and most powerful men and women that have a great influence over the world. It is precisely for this reason that so many boys and girls grow up with dreams of one day becoming the head of a company like those who have inspired them.

CEOs are very different in terms of where they have come from and how they got to where they are, some are like Gary G Friedman, a man who who struggled at school and had to work his way up the ladder with natural instinct, and others like Mark Zuckerberg, a genius who revolutionized the world with his idea. CEOs do share the same core skills however, and the same attributes, so do you have what it takes to follow in their footsteps?

Are You A Decision Maker?

Chief Execs make decisions on a daily basis that have the potential to impact many people’s lives, these decisions are responsible for the success or failure of a company and so they carry a great amount of pressure. In order to be a good decision maker you must able to assess, analyze, and heed advice form the right people when necessary.

Can You Stay Focussed?

Those who have reached the top of their company are those who kept their eyes on the prize from the very beginning. These men and women worked tirelessly with just one though tin their mind and it is this level of staying focused that is required to attain such a position.

Can You Deal With Setbacks?

Most CEOs in the world will be able to candidly tell you about the times that they have made bad choices, the times that they have failed and the times that they have missed opportunities. The strength of these people however is that they took their medicine, they learned from mistakes, and they kept on going in spite of their setback.

Can You Build a Team?

These leaders cannot do it on their own and they require a functioning and efficient team around them who have bought into their leader’s vision, and are working hard to achieve it. Building a team that can work in unison is not easy and this is a rare skill which CEOs possess.

Can You Deliver Results?

In terms of making your way up to the top, this will all come down to how consistently you can deliver results. This could take long hours, focus and honing your adrenaline while you keep your stress levels down. If you are the the of person who will not stop until they have won, this could be the role for you.

Can You Be Responsible?

Ultimately this is a position which requires you to be responsible for an entire business and you must show this level of responsibility from the outset. This who have reached the position of CEO, are those who have shown that they can take responsibility for a successful team throughout their careers.

7 Top Blogging Tips

If you’re serious about becoming a professional blogger and are interested in giving yourself every possibility to achieve phenomenal success, simply continue reading to discover 7 tips to succeed as a blogger.

7 Top Blogging Tips:

1. Be inspired by your readers’ recommendations

If your readers leave you suggestions for future topics, which they’d love to see covered on your blog, it pays to write each suggestion which is left. As when you start to struggle to come up with new ideas for posts, you’ll be able to look back at your audience’s suggestions.

2. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking your loyal fan base

Many bloggers make the mistake of neglecting their loyal fan base of dedicated readers, in favor of continuously trying to attract new readers. However, if you begin to neglect your long-term readers, they may choose to find a new blogger, who blogs about the same niche topic, to follow.

Instead, make sure to continue engaging with your audience via your comments section and your social media accounts, whilst you work on building your readership.

3. Use regular competitions as a way of making subscribing to your blog a more attractive option

If you feel uncomfortable continuously asking your readers to subscribe to receive email notifications from your blog, you may want to consider hosting regular competitions as in order to be informed of each new competition, your readers will be far more likely to voluntarily sign up to your email list.

You may also be interested in making signing up to your email list a requirement to enter your competitions.

4. Post on a consistent basis

While it’s not necessary to post new content on a daily basis, it’s wise to create a regular posting schedule. As once your readers get used to your posting schedule, they’ll start to visit your blog at certain times of the week, in order to read your latest posts.

5. Consider creating a series of spare posts

As you never know when you might come down with a debilitating cold or depart on a last minute trip, it pays to create a series of posts in advance, which you can post in situations where you’re unable to write a brand new post.

6. Develop your voice as a writer

One of the keys to succeeding as a professional blogger is to develop your voice as a writer. As often it’s not the information contained in your posts, which will win you long-term readers but your unique style of writing. If your readers feel that they can relate to you and you have a knack for describing events in a way which makes it simple for your readers to imagine themselves in your shoes, you’ll be able to find the success which aspire to achieve.

7. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a few months to build a following

Most wildly successful blogs were not overnight success stories, so if your blog doesn’t attract thousands of readers within a few weeks, don’t be tempted to quit.

So if you dream of becoming a professional blogger, it’s well worth taking the 7 tips listed above to heart and also be sure to check out, http://wildfreedesign.com for more inspiration and useful tips such as the ones listed above.

What Is an Innovation Lab? 7 Practices They Help to Foster

Have you ever posed yourself the question “what is an innovation lab?” If so, you are not the only one. Basically, it is a concept rather than a physical building, and one in which a true culture of innovation becomes created and fostered. Doing this is an innovation in and of itself, however, because it means changing the existing culture. And people are incredibly resistant to change, so this is a very difficult enterprise. That said, a good innovation lab helps to foster a number of key best practices that all companies should try adopting.

What Is an Innovation Lab?

An innovation lab is an organization in which all the best practices of innovation are found and put together. According to experts, there are specific best practices, of which seven must be present before an organization can start to see itself as an “innovation lab”. Those seven key best practices are:

1. To encourage people to read on innovation. Businesses should provide them with relevant books to read, and they should be open to suggestions for other books as well.
2. To ensure methods are researched and presented on how people can design their innovative ideas. Having things in place such as crowdsourcing software is vital, therefore,
3. To adopt lean methodologies. This is something organizations, even large multinationals, can learn from startups. Startups innovate every single day, and they do so on the smallest budgets imaginable. This is how real innovation comes together.
4. To use the Business Model Canvas. This shows key partners, key activities, key resources, value propositions, customer relationships, channels, customer segments, cost structure, and revenue streams.
5. To focus more strongly on acquisition of ideas instead of inventing new ideas. This helps to bring more innovation.
6. To sponsor those who accelerate or incubate new programs and who attract the community within that.
7. To put idea management software in place and make it accessible to everybody.

There are other key best practices that a good innovation law should have, which include:

• To allow people to observe others, and make connections when they are ready.
• To ensure all ideas actually fit in with the business.
• To stop focusing solely on installing new technologies.
• To run competitions for new and better ideas.
• To host events that are like shark tanks, in which teams pitch to each other in an almost competitive manner.
• To get rid of needless bureaucracy, forms, and red tape.
• To ensure leaders and managers lead and manage, but that they don’t micromanage or helicopter manage. They have to lead by example.

With these examples of best practice, any organization can effectively become an innovation lab. It essentially means that it is a place where ideas are appreciated, listened to, and valued. It is a place where people feel comfortable talking about what comes in their head, without fearing they will be negatively judged for it. Most of all, however, an innovation lab is a business that is able to not just stay relevant, but to stay ahead of others.

If you are thinking of hiring a home tutor in Singapore, read this

Singapore is a hub of commerce, lifestyle, education and culture. Academic excellence is encouraged and celebrated and hence it’s natural for parents to want some extra help with their child. There’s no doubt that hiring a home tutor is not an easy task. Similarly, to expecting the best customer service, you expect the best and right tutor for your child and trusting a stranger with your child and his/her future is not something to be entered into lightly. Interviews need to be conducted, references checked and previous employment records to be vetted and verified. More importantly, the child and the tutor must strike a mutual comfort level with each other. If you’re thinking of hiring a home tutor in Singapore, keep these points in mind.

1. Freelance tutor vs tutor agency

One of the key questions for every parent to consider is what kind of tutor service do they want to go for. Whether you need a private tutor Singapore or a Singapore tutor agency with many tutors on its rolls? The agency has some advantages – competitive fees, a large tutor network, fewer chances of a tutor discontinuing, long-term undisturbed work are a few of them. Decide the course of action before you go further.

2. Friends and family vs professional tutors

There’s always a temptation to approach a friend, relative or neighbour to help with your child’s education. We’d advice against it. It can get awkward with a friend when it comes to fees, or indifferent results. What’s more there’s relatively less seriousness and more comfort that’s not always conducive to better learning. A professional tutor brings seriousness to the entire equation.

3. Trained tutors

While considering a tutor for your child, make sure that they are trained to handle the subject and the grade. Ask for school and higher education documents and go through those records carefully. A person with academic inclination will make a more academically inclined student as well.

4. Check documentation

Home tutors in Singapore should furnish their full name and address, NRIC, date of birth or age and academic records. This data is vital to the better understanding of the candidate and what kind of tutor they might be. We are always happy to see glowing tributes to the teaching prowess of tutors. They speak volumes about the candidate. But don’t go by reviews alone. Documentation, like we’ve mentioned previously, is also important to get a complete picture.

5. Fees and negotiation

In Singapore, you’re bound to get tutors at a price you’re comfortable paying. This is fine. But do remember that if you need someone with quality and experience, you will have to pay them an appropriate fee. Do not compromise on quality because you’re looking at a lower fee. A young, inexperienced person may charge less but can they do the best for your ward? That’s the question you need to ask yourself.

6. Your child’s needs

Some kids may require rigorous tutoring. Some may need light homework and more mentoring. Some might require long sessions. For others, a forty-five minute session might work best. You must ask not only the tutor, but the child as well for what works best for them. The child’s comfort has to be paramount.

7. Tutor approach

What’s the tutor’s policy on lessons, homework, assessment, extra work – find these out before you commit.

What to Expect for Finance and Accounting Jobs in Chicago in 2018

Chicago might have a reputation for being windy and cold, but its finance and accounting job market is still scorching hot. Chicago finance recruiting firms are still in high demand as employers and potential employees alike seek out the perfect partnership. Here’s what you can expect in 2018.

An Overview of the Financial Services Industry

The United States has the most liquid financial market in the world. In fact, as of 2016, it was more than $1.4 trillion of gross domestic product. Across the country, the sector employs more than 6 million people and an increase of 12 percent is expected in 2018. Financial firms have a significant advantage. They made up nearly 150 spots on Fortune’s Global 500 companies in 2015 alone. These statistics alone show that those with a potential career in finance can find what they need to help clients create wealth and meet their financial needs. Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the finance industry to grow at a faster-than-average rate, adding hundreds of thousands of job openings between now and 2026.

The Best Industry Sectors

The finance and accounting industry divides itself into several sectors in which potential employees can find work. Banking, insurance and asset management are the most common sectors with assets of $16.8 trillion, $1.2 trillion and $26 trillion, respectively. Many financial industry hopefuls also work in venture capital and private equity, which combined to invest more than $685 billion in recent years.

Recruiters at Your Service

Despite the growing finance industry in the United States, some people become overwhelmed when attempting to find the type of job they’d like in the industry. Many turn to financial recruiters in Chicago to help them find jobs with reputable finance companies. Beacon Resources is one such financial recruiter. Knowledgeable and professional, the company routinely pairs quality employers and services with talented and skilled employees. Visit their website for more information.

The Link Between Productivity and Your Office Decor

The vast majority of people now work in an office environment. The average person spends a huge portion of their lives at work, and for decades the idea of well thought out interior design in the workplace was sadly overlooked. Offices were dreary, somber affairs in dull muted grey tones about as welcoming as a dental waiting room.

Since the invention of the ‘open plan’ office in the early 20th century, companies and designers have wavered back and forth between truly open spaces and cubicles designed to allow for a blend of privacy and co-operative space. Yet still the oppressive, utilitarian atmosphere persisted. It wasn’t until the 21st century that people cottoned on to the correlation between environment and productivity.

That’s why furniture-work.co.uk has created an office decorating competition with a £500 prize!

Here it is, our brand new #DeckYourDesk #competition! If you fancy the chance to #Win £500 by getting into the #Christmas spirit then here’s what you need to do 👇 (full terms & conditions here: https://t.co/iNVGPTWLLQ) 🎅😬💷🎄 pic.twitter.com/VPFwlIaY7B

— Furniture At Work™ (@Furniture_Work) November 20, 2017

 

Individualization of office space has become increasingly seen as key to happiness and motivation. Making your workspace more vibrant can increase productivity and happiness levels. Allowing employees to modify their workspace has been scientifically proven to increase productivity and output by up to 32%. This may mean choosing potted plants for their area, family photos or art on the walls, a personalized blind for the window or ornaments for their deskspace. All these things help not only with productivity, but also colleague relations, personal well-being and mental health. Similarly, the holiday season can be a stressful time for office workers under pressure.

Long hours, heavy workloads and shortened daylight hours when people would rather be spending time with loved ones are all negative factors which affect output. Allowing staff to decorate their space with a little Christmas cheer helps enormously to combat this. Displaying personalized greetings cards from friends and family, tinsel or mistletoe might sound a bit of a faux pas, but in fact has a huge impact upon peoples’ state of mind and motivation.

Furniture and interior design also play a big part. In surveys conducted, the majority of people felt that curvilinear (curved) furniture instead of rectilinear (rectangular) furniture was far more pleasing to the eye. Color too plays a huge part in levels of happiness. Generally speaking, bright reds, greens and blues have been linked with increased productivity, while lower levels of lighting encourage a feeling of creative freedom and brighter lit areas ones of analysis and decision making.

The latest trends for offices space, which began in Japan and swiftly moved West, is a movement towards standing workstations. Although to the uninitiated this may sound cruel and unusual, in fact studies have found that standing while working helps to combat RSI (repetitive strain injury), bad posture and fatigue in the workforce. Sitting all day in the same position is terribly bad for the body physically, so standing desks (often with options to also sit down if and when a person desires) allow for a greater degree of movement. This leads to less stiffness, less tiredness, less laziness, and more focus.

Finally, circular office furniture such as the boardroom table is now recognized as important for subconsciously reinforcing the idea that everyone around it is equal and valued. Although this might not strictly be true in the hierarchical structure of a large company, psychologically it creates feelings of co-dependence, appreciation, and respect, leading once again back to a happier space and higher levels of productivity. It’s all quite obvious really. Happy people work harder, so invest in workplace furniture and spaces that makes people happy and you’ll see a positive impact on both motivation and workload improvement.

My Facts About Customer Service

The customer is the king, so that adage goes. But in all aspects, customers are the ultimate reasons why businesses – large and small – are formed. Patronage is also a crucial determinant of whether enterprises prosper or go under.

As a consumer, I am always fascinated by shopping. My idle time is spent mostly browsing new e-commerce sites and searching for new brick-and-mortar outlets, art and clothes. But what happens when you aren’t getting the customer service you need?

Turning to sites like www.contactcustomerservicesnumber.co.uk when you need great customer service is a effective move to help you in the process. They are #AtYourService and that’s how customer service should be. We have all had bad customer service and complained, but today I would like to focus on a good customer service experience for once. 

Recently, I went shopping for a new outfit to wear at some Christmas parties this year. I had more than a few great experiences around my local mall. The presentation, service delivery, staff technical aptitude, communication as well as their range of products were all 5 star.

Presentation

The first impression is always a lasting one. When I log into a website or step into a provision store, the ambience around would propel me to either step back immediately or get inside and explore further. So when I decided to visit this store and was greeted by friendly workers, I felt welcomed and appreciated. Looking around, I found that customers were getting avid assistance. The neatly arranged rows, shelves packed with many varieties, correctly labelling and adequately lit. I found myself eager to discover more.

Service

Service is the key to excellent customer care. And this played out when I got a little confused by two favorite brands. I decided to seek the intervention of a sales staff to differentiate the two items regarding their specifications and functionalities. I got concise answers and immediately decided which one suited my needs best after price comparisons. The check-off lane was swift while packing was accurate. I didn’t have to queue unreasonably long to make payment. Besides, the payment procedure was reliable, discreet and secure, which gave me greater confidence.

Staff

Perhaps the most encouraging factor during my shopping was the enthusiasm and in-depth knowledge with which the sales staff assisted me. I was sure they underwent customer relations training and were putting the expertise into practice. They were all smiles, decent, informal and polite in their communication. We shared a joke or two which thawed away my stressful day.

Feedback

After purchasing, I had some stuff that could not fit my car. Therefore, they offered delivery using their van. I was impressed that by the time I reached home, their customer care division had already sent an email that my consignment would arrive the following day morning and if I could confirm my availability at the time. I called them back just to make sure that that particular high-value product came with a warranty. They not only confirmed the same but also informed me that they had a free full price refund if I experienced a manufacturer’s defects during the lengthy warranty period. And true to their communication, the courier was in my driveway precisely as was promised.

Products

Checking on the delivered item, I noted that it was well packaged and had arrived without a scratch. In fact, they offered if they could provide an assembly service, which was done quickly and accurately at a small fee. I didn’t mind tipping extra being that they saved me much time. During this time, I realized that the staff had a great teamwork, valued their employer and knew about the products the outlet dealt in. In fact, they promised to update on upcoming promotions and sales periodically.

If you’re shopping online or in person, your experience should be a good one. Whether you’ve been saving money for a vacation or are merely looking for a new tshirt, you should be treated with respect and get all the information before your purchase. Below is a helpful and informative infographic about customer service from Contract Customer Services Number.