#Strategy: 11 Things Ultra-Productive People Do Differently……When it Comes to #Productivity, We all Face the Same Challenge-There are only 24 Hours in a Day. Yet Some People Seem to Have Twice the Time; They Have an Uncanny Ability to Get Things Done

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When it comes to productivity, we all face the same challenge—there are only 24 hours in a day. Yet some people seem to have twice the time; they have an uncanny ability to get things done. Even when juggling multiple projects, they reach their goals without fail.

Directions Man

Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose. —Thomas Edison

It feels incredible when you leave the office after an ultra-productive day. With the right approach, you can make this happen every day. You don’t need to work longer or even do more—you just need to work smarter. Try these 11 productivity hacks that ultra-productive people rely on:

1. They Never Touch Things Twice

Productive people never put anything in a holding pattern, because touching things twice is a huge time-waster. Don’t save an email or a phone call to deal with later. As soon as something gets your attention you should act on it, delegate it or delete it.

 

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2. They Get Ready for Tomorrow Before They Leave the Office

Productive people end each day by preparing for the next. This practice accomplishes two things: it helps you solidify what you’ve accomplished today, and it ensures you’ll have a productive tomorrow. It only takes a few minutes and it’s a great way to end your workday.

For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned. —Benjamin Franklin

3. They Eat Frogs

“Eating a frog” is the best antidote for procrastination, and ultra-productive people start each morning with this tasty treat. In other words, they do the least appetizing, most dreaded item on their to-do list before they do anything else. After that, they’re freed up to tackle the stuff that excites and inspires them.

How Successful People Stay Calm

4. They Fight The Tyranny Of The Urgent

The tyranny of the urgent refers to the tendency of little things that have to be done right now to get in the way of what really matters. This creates a huge problem as urgent actions often have little impact. If you succumb to the tyranny of the urgent, you can find yourself going days, or even weeks, without touching the important stuff. Productive people are good at spotting when putting out fires is getting in the way of their performance, and they’re willing to ignore or delegate the things that get in the way of real forward momentum.

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. —William Penn

5. They Stick to the Schedule During Meetings

Meetings are the biggest time waster there is. Ultra-productive people know that a meeting will drag on forever if they let it, so they inform everyone at the onset that they’ll stick to the intended schedule. This sets a limit that motivates everyone to be more focused and efficient.

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. —Michael Altshuler

6. They Say No

No is a powerful word that ultra-productive people are not afraid to wield. When it’s time to say no, they avoid phrases such as I don’t think I can or I’m not certain. Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully fulfill them. Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Learn to use no, and it will lift your mood, as well as your productivity.

7. They Only Check E-mail At Designated Times

Ultra-productive people don’t allow e-mail to be a constant interruption. In addition to checking e-mail on a schedule, they take advantage of features that prioritize messages by sender. They set alerts for their most important vendors and their best customers, and they save the rest until they reach a stopping point. Some people even set up an autoresponder that lets senders know when they’ll be checking their e-mail again.  

8. They Don’t Multitask

Ultra-productive people know that multitasking is a real productivity killer. Research conducted at Stanford University confirms that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time. The researchers found that people who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time. But what if some people have a special gift for multitasking? The Stanford researchers compared groups of people based on their tendency to multitask and their belief that it helps their performance. They found that heavy multitaskers—those who multitask a lot and feel that it boosts their performance—were actually worse at multitasking than those who like to do a single thing at a time. The frequent multitaskers performed worse because they had more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information, and they were slower at switching from one task to another. Ouch.

Multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When you try to do two things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully.  

9. They Go off The Grid

Don’t be afraid to go off grid when you need to. Give one trusted person a number to call in case of emergency, and let that person be your filter. Everything has to go through them, and anything they don’t clear has to wait. This strategy is a bulletproof way to complete high-priority projects.

One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week. —Charles Richards

10. They Delegate

Ultra-productive people accept the fact that they’re not the only smart, talented person in their organization. They trust people to do their jobs so that they can focus on their own.

11. They Put Technology to Work for Them

Technology catches a lot of flak for being a distraction, but it can also help you focus. Ultra-productive people put technology to work for them. Beyond setting up filters in their email accounts so that messages are sorted and prioritized as they come in, they use apps like IFTTT, which sets up contingencies on your smart phone and alerts you when something important happens. This way, when your stock hits a certain price or you have an email from your best customer, you’ll know it. There’s no need to be constantly checking your phone for status updates.

Bringing It All Together

We’re all searching for ways to be more efficient and productive. I hope these strategies help you to find that extra edge.

What productivity hacks do you rely on? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

Travis co-wrote the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and co-founded TalentSmart, the world’s #1 provider of emotional intelligence tests and training, serving 75% of Fortune 500 Companies.

 

Forbes.com | May 13, 2015 | Travis Bradberry 

#Leadership: Forbeswoman: 10 #Life Lessons For Getting Where You Want To Go…Failure is Our Greatest Teacher. Yet the Idea of Failure Paralyzes Many us So we Fail to Take the Risks that Might Spur Growth.There’s No Shame in Failure

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The meteoric rise to the top is a nice story but it doesn’t match reality. Obstacles overcome and setbacks endured are part of every success. It is out of these experiences that life-lessons are learned. I had the good fortune to meet Gillian Zoe Segal at a dinner party. She shared with me her book, Getting There: A Book of Mentors. I’ve summarized some of the lessons that the women entrepreneurs Segal interviewed learned on their rise to the top.

Getting There

1.) Dare to fail
“If you never fail, it means you are not trying hard enough,” said Kathy Ireland, super-model-turned entrepreneurial mogul. Failure is our greatest teacher. Yet the idea of failure paralyzes many us so we fail to take the risks that might spur growth.There’s no shame in failure. When you do fail, react quickly, learn from your mistakes, and move on.

2.) To stand out, take the risk of doing something new and different
Rachel Zoe turned a fashion assistant job at YM into styling stars, such as Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, and Keira Knightley at major events. What kept the stars coming back to her was the chances she took in giving her clients looks that were unexpected and sometimes even slightly controversial. The looks weren’t always successful, but clients were willing to take the risk.

When publishing candid photos of celebrities became widespread, Zoe’s business expanded into dressing clients for their daily life, too. In 2011, Zoe launched her own line of clothes, a contemporary collection that includes ready-to-wear apparel, footwear, and jewelry. She’s also published two books, was the executive producer and star of her own television show, and started a digital media company and online style destination, the Zoe Report.

 

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3.) Visualize where you want to go
Sara Blakely founder of SPANX credits a very powerful and simple tool for her success — visualization. Blakely was making cold calls to sell FAX machines. She started visualizing selling something that she created and actually cared about. She was specific with her visualization and even wrote it in her journal.

One day, in the hopes of looking better in a pair of fitted white pants, Blakely cut the feet off of a pair of pantyhose. The moment she saw how good her butt looked, she knew she had the idea for a business that she was looking for.

4.) Share with people who can help you, shield yourself from naysayers
Friends and family love you and don’t want to see you fail. When they don’t get your big idea, they can do more harm than good, especially in the beginning when you’re the most insecure about the idea.  For a year, Sara Blakely kept her idea for a new form of body shapewear a secret from anyone who could not directly help move it forward.

When she did tell her family, she got deflating comments like “Well, honey, if it’s a good idea why haven’t the big guys done it?” and “Even if it does turn out to be a good idea, the big guys will knock you off right away.” But she’d invested a year of time researching the idea, patenting it, naming it, and creating the package, so she had the confidence to continue even though others doubted her.

5.) Never take “no” as an answer
If Blakely was going to succeed, she needed a prototype. Phone calls to mills produced chuckles when she described what she wanted to do. Undeterred, Blakely took a road trip to many of the mills that had previously rejected her. She thought her trip was unsuccessful until she received a call several weeks later. A mill owner was persuaded by his three daughters that Blakey footless pantyhose had merit.

How do you keep going when  you receive all those “nos?” “I could encounter 99 unresponsive or critical people and feel discouraged, but just a little positive reinforcement from another person would pick me up and keep me going for a long time,” said Wendy Kopp founder of Teach for America.

6.) Physical confidence leads to emotional confidence
When Jillian Michaels, the fitness expert, was young, she was bullied for being overweight. Her mother enrolled her in a martial-arts class. Michaels only got serious about martial arts when her instructor threatened to kick her out of the class. Breaking two boards with a sidekick as part of her second-degree blue belt test gave her the confidence to stand tall in school. No one ever picked on her again.

No surprise that speaking coaches advise nervous speakers to strike a Wonder Woman pose before going in front of an audience.

7.) Go with your gut
Not every venture Michaels embarked on has been a success. She did a reality TV show called Losing It. She never liked the idea of giving people who were 300 to 400 pounds just six weeks to lose weight. But she was afraid if she didn’t take the opportunity, she would never be given another. The show failed. Michaels learned to trust her gut.

8.) There is always a way
When you hit an obstacle, find a way around it. For example, if you want to sell a product and can’t get a retailer to take it, sell it yourself on the Internet, Michaels advises. If you have a message you want to get across but can’t get your own TV show, put your material on YouTube or iTunes. There is never only way to do something. Keep moving in the direction you want to go until you find the path.

9.) Show traction for your idea
Kopp pitched a lot of people to raise funding for her social enterprise but, from the very beginning, she had set her sights on money from Ross Perot. He had led a campaign to improve Texas schools and Kopp was from Dallas.

He never returned a call or a letter until Kopp demonstrated that college students would sign up for the program. Her first grassroots recruitment campaign generated 2,500 responses and a lot of media coverage. Finally, Perot responded, but only if she could match his $500,000 grant on a three-to-one basus. This grant proved to be the catalyst Teach for America needed and it gave others the confidence to come through with the remaining funds needed.

10.) The devil is in the detail
Many people think that success is about coming up with a big idea, inventing something new, or finding the perfect job, said Kopp. “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” said Thomas A. Edison. Success comes from the way you handle everything after the big idea.

Which lessons will you apply to get you where you want to go?

Actionable information for entrepreneurs + investors on crowdfunding.

Forbes.com | May 13, 2015 | Contributor Geri Stengel

Your #Career: 4 Steps To Lead Generation (Networking) Through LinkedIn…Understanding #Executive #Branding is Like Unlocking the Secret to Getting Picked 1st in Middle School Dodgeball

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In content marketing, your network is everything. Although publishing a brilliant article on a site with 100,000 readers is a great credibility booster, it won’t matter if you’re not speaking to the right people.

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That’s where LinkedIn’s publishing platform has stepped up to the plate. Its platform has become a prime place for brands to share content. Now that anyone can publish articles to the professional networking site, it’s easier than ever for companies to target brand advocates, potential customers, and industry influencers all in one place. What was once the content domain of Richard Branson and Bill Gates now plays a significant role in any solid marketing strategy.

Some people question the value of publishing on LinkedIn when compared to well-known sites like Forbes. Others wonder whether it’s worth going after the big names at all if LinkedIn allows them to get so close to their audiences. I say it’s not an either-or situation. LinkedIn helps me stay top of mind with customers and influencers in my industry, while my Forbes articles reach tens of thousands of people and increase my company’s credibility.

Visibility is important, but engaging directly with your network will create more tangible business opportunities.

Why LinkedIn Works

B2B marketers love LinkedIn — and for good reason. The platform drives 80 percent of B2B social media leads. Companies such as HubSpot use LinkedIn to republish blog posts, maximizing the number of people reading and sharing their teams’ ideas. LinkedIn provides a perfect venue for publishing insightful, shareable content that’s tailored to your network.

You can also drive readers to other content that you or colleagues have published by linking to them in your article. LinkedIn advertising can generate qualified traffic to landing pages that invite your audience to sign up for more articles and information.

LinkedIn may play different roles in your content strategy, so consider whether you’re using it to create visibility or generate leads. I found that my LinkedIn articles didn’t perform as well as I’d like traffic-wise, but they were great at bringing in new business. One post only had 11,000 views, but my company got more than 100 qualified leads from it. It’s just a matter of figuring out how to make LinkedIn work for your company’s goals.

 

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How to Do LinkedIn Right

Many people see LinkedIn as a place to look for jobs and little else. But companies such as Microsoft have taken the content opportunities on LinkedIn and run with them, and marketers at all levels would be wise to follow suit. Bill Gates publishes as a LinkedIn Influencer, and the company regularly shares blog posts relevant to industry insiders and the general public. Microsoft starts conversations with readers and keeps them coming back for new insights.

Follow these steps to create your own successful LinkedIn strategy and start directing qualified leads to your brand:

1. Create an editorial calendar to stay consistent. Don’t treat LinkedIn like an afterthought — a site where you publish when you have a little spare time. Use this platform to stay in front of your network by consistently publishing quality content. Because you won’t have an editor reminding you of deadlines, maintaining an editorial calendar can help you manage your LinkedIn publishing schedule.

2. Optimize your posts for conversion. You can take a few more promotional liberties on LinkedIn than you would when writing for a publication. Include calls to action by linking to relevant whitepapers and articles that help drive traffic to your company’s site. Don’t inundate readers with sales pitches, of course, but provide them with additional resources from your organization.General Electric has mastered this strategy by sharing genuinely interesting content and discussion starters on its LinkedIn page and linking back to the company’s website or other brand articles. The exciting, visually appealing posts on GE’s LinkedIn profile make readers want to stick around. Most importantly, readers don’t feel like they’re being sold something all the time.

3. Mention other influencers. Don’t humblebrag about all the cool industry people you know in every post, but do include shout-outs to colleagues and mentors, when possible. Share useful anecdotes from conversations you’ve had with them, or reference a milestone achievement of theirs to drive home a point in your article. The people you mention will likely share the post with their networks, expanding your content’s reach.

4. Regularly reward engagement. Reader comments present the perfect opportunity to create a human-to-human connection with your audience. A simple thank-you will suffice for some comments, while others merit a thoughtful reply. Taking the time to talk with readers in the comments makes it more likely that they’ll become brand advocates and share your content with their own networks — putting your content in front of more potential leads.

As more brands recognize the power of LinkedIn, you’ll need to stay on your A game. Connect with your audience through relevant LinkedIn Groups, personalized interactions, and creative content to make your page one that excites people and keeps them craving more.

Your LinkedIn presence acts as a gateway to your brand. If you give people a taste of the interesting work your company is doing and how it can help them, they’ll follow up through the links and opportunities you provide. You might not get the massive visibility you hoped for, but the qualified leads that funnel in will be more much valuable.

Understanding executive branding is like unlocking the secret to getting picked first in middle school dodgeball. It centers on two things: being good and being liked. Similarly, executive branding verifies your value in the field and creates familiarity that enhances trust between you and potential customers.

As Bryan Kramer puts it, people want a natural human-to-human connection with brands. Unfortunately, companies now have less time to form that bond. In fact, most B2B buyers don’t talk to a sales rep until they’re 57 percent of the way through their purchasing decision.

With executive branding, however, the audience feels connected to the individuals behind the company long before the first point of contact. You can spark conversations with prospects and influence their decisions before they’re ready to reach out to you.

Forging a Connection Through Executive Branding

Thought leadership has been a core part of Influence & Co.’s success; we’ve consistently shared this information in whitepapers like this one. From the start, we’ve positioned our leaders as subject-matter experts. And we’ve seen firsthand how executive branding can build the company brand, dissolve trust barriers, attract and nurture leads throughout the marketing funnel, and keep us top of mind when prospects and customers are ready to buy or provide a referral.

We recently had a large account sign up for our services because its leader read one of my articles, “Be A Leader In Your Industry: Help Others.” It was a simple yet transparent view of what I had done to help grow the company by helping people.

I received several emails from readers who have attracted more opportunities since adopting this mentality. But it also begs the question: Would people have related in the same way if the “help others” message had come from my company?

Looking at it from the other extreme, a company that blasts out a PR blitz to confess its wrongdoings won’t have the same effect. By openly discussing Target’s struggles, Jeff Jones has helped humanize the brand because the audience can sympathize with him in a way that doesn’t translate with brand-sponsored messaging. I use this example a lot because there just aren’t other brands that will take the leap like this, so there aren’t a lot of examples out there.

Hone Your Executive Branding With These 4 Strategies

Executive branding doesn’t just draw you closer to your audience; it also positions your company as an authority in its industry. Some companies do this through product development, but when a company can monetize key employees’ expertise through content creation and speaking engagements, the brand-building effects are astounding.

Beth Comstock and Dave Kerpen are two illustrative examples of executive branding done right. Dave has combined consistent publishing, paid speaking engagements, and book writing to fuel both his Likeable Media brand and his growing startup, Likeable Local. Beth has also positioned herself as a prominent figure in the marketing world by offering valuable content online and making memorable speeches.

As a result, both have become revered industry leaders and have driven continuous opportunities back to their companies. There’s a huge size difference between Likable Media and General Electric, but the results are the same. Having leaders who authentically engage with your target audience makes a big difference.

You, too, can reap the benefits of a comprehensive executive branding strategy by promoting your key employees through these four strategies:

1. Create thought leadership content. Publishing guest-contributed content is the core initiative that nurtures every other executive branding opportunity. If you’re consistently building a web of content that keeps you top of mind, it will be a catalyst to more speaking, networking, and publishing opportunities.

2. Secure speaking engagements. Speaking is one of the best ways to authentically engage your audience. From the moment you walk into a conference or event, others perceive you as an authoritative figure. If you tailor your speech to the right audience and have the content to back it up, your audience will walk away with a renewed level of trust in you that will drive valuable opportunities your way.

3. Network. Every leader can verify the brand-building ripple effect of strategic networking. The more connected you stay within your industry, the more your brand will shine. The cornerstone of any effective networking strategy is treating people well, helping them achieve their goals, and connecting them with other valuable people.

4. Publish books. The notoriety that comes with authoring a book can feel tempting, but this strategy should be last on your executive branding list. Until you tackle thought leadership content, speaking engagements, and networking, don’t try to justify the time it takes to write a valuable book. However, when you’re ready, there are some unique opportunities that come from publishing a book.

The objective of any branding strategy boils down to establishing a human-to-human connection. People don’t want to have a conversation, eat dinner, or share secrets with a company; they want to do those things with real people. Executive branding is the secret ingredient that will position you as a likeable industry figure and encourage prospects to always choose you first.

John Hall is the CEO of Influence & Co., a company that specializes in expertise extraction and knowledge management that are used to fuel marketing efforts.

 

Forbes.com | May 3, 2015 | John Hall 

#Leadership: Naturally Successful People do these 5 Things at Work Every Day…Try Working in Highly Focused Bursts of about 45 Minutes, & Then take a 15-Minute Break. Adjust Up or Down from there to Determine what Ratio Allows you to Remain Fully Charged Throughout the Workday

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Small tweaks to how quickly you fire off emails, take breaks, and ask questions can make all the difference in how happy, productive, and effective you are at work.

FullyCharged

1. They are 80 percent positive

Being blindly positive or perpetually negative can cause others to be frustrated or annoyed or to simply tune out.  This is why some of the best research on daily experience is rooted in ratios of positive and negative interactions. Over the last two decades, scientists have made remarkable predictions simply by watching people interact with one another and then scoring the conversations based on the ratio of positive and negative interactions.

Researchers have used the findings to predict everything from the likelihood a couple will divorce to the odds of a work team having high customer satisfaction and productivity levels.

More recent research helps explain why these brief exchanges matter so much. When you experience negative emotions as a result of criticism or rejection, for example, your body produces higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which shuts down much of your thinking and activates conflict and defense mechanisms. You perceive situations as being worse than they actually are.

The release of cortisol is also a sustained response, so it lasts for a while, especially if you dwell on the negative event. When you experience a positive interaction, it activates a very different response. Positive exchanges boost your body’s production of oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that increases your ability to communicate, collaborate, and trust others.

When oxytocin activates networks in your prefrontal cortex, it leads to more expansive thought and action. However, oxytocin metabolizes faster than cortisol, so the effects of a positive surge are less dramatic and enduring than they are for a negative one.

We need at least three to five positive interactions to outweigh every one negative exchange. Bad moments simply outweigh good ones. Whether you’re having a one-on-one conversation with a colleague or a group discussion, keep this simple shortcut in mind: At least 80 percent of your conversations should be focused on what’s going right.

Workplaces, for example, often have this backward. During performance reviews, managers routinely spend 80 percent of their time on weaknesses, gaps, and “areas for improvement.” They spend roughly 20 percent of the time on strengths and positive aspects. Any time you have discussions with a person or group, spend the vast majority of the time talking about what is working, and use the remaining time to address deficits.

Courtesy of Tom RathThis story is excerpted from “Are You Fully Charged?” by Tom Rath.

2. They keep their mission in mind

Reminding yourself why you do what you do every day could also make you a lot more productive.

Consider what happened when Wharton School of Business professor Adam Grant first studied the motivation of call center workers who spent their days calling the school’s alumni to request donations for future scholarship recipients.

Given the job’s degree of difficulty (calling people in the evening and asking them for money) and its high level of turnover, Grant wondered if introducing call center workers to an actual scholarship recipient would provide additional motivation.

So Grant and his fellow researchers brought in a scholarship recipient to speak with one group of these workers for a mere five minutes.

A month later, the call center workers who had spoken with the scholarship recipient were remarkably more productive. This group made almost twice as many calls per hour. Before the intervention, each caller raised about $400 per week; afterward, each raised about $2,000 per week.

Another example: As part of an experiment, patient photos were included when radiologists reviewed CT or MRI scans. In most cases, radiologists simply looked at scans and did not see or meet the actual patient. However, when a photograph was included, the radiologists admitted feeling more empathy toward the patient, and they wrote 29 percent longer reports. Most important, when a photo was attached, the radiologists’ accuracy of diagnosis improved by 46 percent.

Other organizations coordinate regular “field trips” so employees who do not typically see the results of their work can make that connection. John Deere invites employees who build tractors to spend time with the farmers who use the company’s products.

Wells Fargo shows its bankers videos of people describing how low-interest loans saved them from severe debt. Facebook invites software developers to hear from people who made connections with long-lost friends and family members through its vast social network.

Find a way to infuse each day with a reminder of your mission. It can be as simple as keeping a story of the impact of your work on hand or having an image, quote, or statement that brings the “why” of your job to life.

3. They focus for 45, then break for 15

coffeeFlickr/thevelvetbird

While I was working on this book, I stumbled across an article written by Tim Walker, an American schoolteacher who moved to Finland in 2014 and began teaching fifth grade at a public school in Helsinki. What grabbed my attention was his skepticism about a nuance of the Finnish educational system.

In Finland, for every 45 minutes in the classroom, students are given a 15-minute break. At first, Walker resisted following this routine and instead kept his students in the classroom. But he eventually decided to test the 45/15 model, and he was astounded by the result.

Kids were no longer dragging their feet in a “zombie-like” state. Instead, they walked into the room with a renewed bounce in their step after each 15-minute break, and they were more focused on learning throughout the day.

The more Walker studied this model, which has been in place in Finland since the 1960s, he discovered that it’s not about what students do during this break time; instead, simply giving them freedom from structured work gave them renewed energy and focus.

More formal experiments on this topic have found that students are consistently more attentive in class when they have regular breaks. The research also suggests that it is important that these breaks consist of free time, as opposed to activities structured by teachers.

When the makers of DeskTime, a software application that meticulously tracks employees’ time use throughout the day, looked at the most productive 10 percent of their 36,000-employee user base, they made some surprising discoveries. What the most productive people have in common is an ability to take effective breaks. These elite 10 percent work for 52 minutes at a time, then take a 17-minute break before diving back into their work.

According to Julia Gifford, who works with DeskTime and wrote the report, the top 10 percent treat the periods of working time like a sprint. “They make the most of those 52 minutes by working with intense purpose, but then rest up to be ready for the next burst,” Gifford wrote. During the 17 minutes of break, the group was more likely to go for a walk or tune out rather than checking email or Facebook.

While the ideal ratios will vary by profession and occupation, there is a great deal of support for the general notion of working in intense bursts paired with a period of time to recharge.

If it is practical for you, try working in highly focused bursts of about 45 minutes, and then take a 15-minute break. Adjust up or down from there to determine what ratio allows you to remain fully charged throughout the workday.

4. They use questions to spark conversation

Whether you struggle to strike up a conversation or it comes naturally, you will benefit from talking to new people. I have learned that it’s easier to start talking with people when I focus on asking good questions and then listen to the answers. Asking questions reduces my social anxiety because I no longer feel the need to say something interesting to join a conversation or fit in.

Asking questions is even more effective when others may be skeptical of your influence or credibility or when you are engaged in a debate. A team of researchers in the United Kingdom who have been studying recordings of expert negotiators for many years found that questions are one of the most effective forms of bringing people into agreement.

The average negotiators spent less than 10 percent of their total time asking questions during a given session. However, the most successful group of negotiators spent 21 percent of their time asking questions.

Remember, people love to talk about themselves. By some estimates, 40 percent of everyday speech consists of people telling others what they think and feel.

According to scientists, talking about oneself triggers the same reward centers in the brain as food or money.

5. They push “pause” before responding

When you face an immediate and acute stressor, your instinct is to fight back and respond immediately. While this served your ancestors well when they were being attacked by a wild animal, it is less helpful today unless you are actually being attacked physically.

Technology makes it much easier to exacerbate a stressor with a quick response. I know I have been guilty of responding too quickly to people, on email in particular, in a terse tone that only made things worse.

Instead of reacting right away, simply hit the pause button in your mind. The more something gets under your skin, causes your heart to race, and makes you breathe a bit more quickly, the more important it is to step back before speaking or typing a single word.

Take a moment to gather your thoughts, and then have a rational discussion. This will give you time to think things through and determine a way to deal with the other person in a healthier manner.

Excerpted from “Are You Fully Charged?“, by Tom Rath. Silicon Guild, May 2015.

http://www.rd.com/advice/work-career/successful-people-work-habits/#ixzz3ZvOXIXhD

#Strategy: 4 Benefits of Showing up Early to Work every Day…Instead of Being Interrupted Every 5 minutes by a Coworker with yet another Question, You’ll be Able to Make a Major Dent in your Latest Project

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Everyone knows that guy. He’s always at his desk before everyone else, making the rest of the team wonder if he slept at his desk. How does he do it? Why does he do it? Chances are, that early bird knows a few things you don’t.

bike commute

Commute early, skip the traffic.

Here are four top benefits to rolling into work bright and early every morning.

1. Skip the traffic

Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a horrible way to start your day.

The longer you’re stuck, the more frustrated you likely get as you realize you’re wasting valuable time that could be spent in your office.

In many cities, the traffic gets worse as 8 a.m. approaches and doesn’t abate until well after 9 a.m. Even if you utilize public transportation, you’re more likely to deal with crowds if you wait around until peak traffic times.

I have seen this type of traffic issue motivate many coworkers over the years to switch to an earlier morning routine. If you can force yourself to leave the house early enough, you’ll miss all of that traffic. Instead of sitting behind the wheel of your car, you can be seated at your desk, getting some work done.    

2. Peace and quiet

Most offices are relatively quiet before 8 or 9 a.m., since many employees are on the way in. Instead of being interrupted every five minutes by a coworker with yet another question, you’ll be able to make a major dent in your latest project.

By the time the office starts filling with people, you’ll have already plowed through your to-do list, freeing you up to focus on the new emergencies that arise.

Even if you find your mind isn’t quite sharp enough in the morning to tackle your projects, you can still enjoy the quiet morning hours. You’ll be in the office early enough to enjoy your first cup or two of coffee while catching up on the news.

3. Impress others

If you’re interested in showing others your strong work ethic, being at work earlier than anyone else is a great way to do it.

If you’re an employee, your boss will see you as a hard worker who is so dedicated to your job, you’re at your desk, working hard, before everyone else. If you have employees, you’ll set the example that you’re willing to work harder than anyone. 

If you’re really ambitious, stay later than everyone else, as well, although this type of behavior isn’t good for your work-life balance. If your work situation is flexible, you can use your early arrival as a great excuse to slip out a little early every afternoon. You’ll get home before evening rush hour starts and if someone needs you, you’ll be reachable by phone or email.

4. Catch the early calls

Depending on your line of work, being the early bird of your group can be a huge benefit. If a call comes in from a potential client or a customer calls needing assistance, you’ll have a great opportunity to save the day.

Watch out, though. Once your coworkers figure out that you’re gaining the edge by showing up early, you may have company.

Even if your work doesn’t stand to gain by being the first one on site each day, you can win. You’ll be better prepared for early-morning meetings, since you’ve been at your desk long enough to get acclimated. You’ll also be able to prepare a list of issues to discuss with your coworkers when they arrive, rather than showing up in time to deal with the lists they’ve created.

Whether you’re a morning person or not, there are definite benefits to moving your alarm clock forward a half-hour or more. That extra time will let you tackle work duties uninterrupted or simply have some relaxation time before things get chaotic.

John Boitnott is a journalist and digital consultant who has worked at TV, newspapers, radio and internet companies in the U.S. for 20 years. He’s an advisor at StartupGrind and has written for NBC, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, USAToday, and VentureBeat, among others.

http://www.businessinsider.com/benefits-of-getting-to-work-early-2015-4#ixzz3ZvFuBKSH

Your #Career: 4 Signs It’s Time To Start Looking For A New #Job…When should you start looking for a new job? Sometimes, it’s an Easy Decision to Make (your Boss is Abusive, the Company is Going through a Downsizing, you’re Relocating to Another City), but Frequently the Choice isn’t Clear-Cut

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When should you start looking for a new job? Sometimes, it’s an easy decision to make (your boss is abusive, the company is going through a downsizing, you’re relocating to another city), but frequently the choice isn’t clear-cut. There are, however, some telltale signs to look for when trying to make up your mind. If any of the following circumstances apply to you, it may well be time to start working on a new round of cover letters and prepping yourself for a job search.

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IMAGE: Getty Images

IMAGE: Getty Images

Your friends and family are sick of listening to your complaints

It might be noble to suffer in silence, but most of us aren’t cut out for stoicism. If your nearest and dearest have started dodging your calls and emails because you won’t shut up about your job and they’re all one more complaint away from cutting you off, take heed. Not only are you alienating those around you with your bellyaching, your unhappiness is evident to anyone dumb enough to innocently ask you, “How’s work?” If you don’t have anything nice to say about your current position, it’s a sign you should start looking for a new gig .

 

Every little thing irritates you

Your coworkers laugh too loud. The breakroom coffee is never hot enough. The elevator takes too long. Every second meeting leaves you wanting to flip a table. If you find yourself both cataloging and getting unreasonably annoyed at the little quirks of the workplace you might have shrugged off in better times, you need to take these feelings seriously. While it’s natural to be irritated by that guy three cubes over who seems to spend the better part of every afternoon loudly crunching on baby carrots, if you’re spending most of your working hours in a state of mounting annoyance, there’s clearly a bigger issue at play.

 

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You can’t think of any change in circumstances that would re-ignite your passion

Imagine getting a $10 000 raise. Imagine being promoted to the C-suite. Imagine your boss being replaced by a giant panda. If none of these things bring a smile to your face or the possibility of more money, more power or a cuddly new superior doesn’t move the needle on your feelings of ennui or dissatisfaction, it’s time to think seriously about looking for greener pastures. When the spark is dead, it’s dead. If you can’t envision a single scenario in which you’d feel renewed enthusiasm about your job, you’ve already mentally checked out.

 

Your colleagues have started abandoning ship

There are times when you’ll want to start looking for new work even if you enjoy your current gig. One of those times is when you start to notice that other employees are heading for the exit. A certain degree of turnover is normal, but if your company is hemorrhaging talent or can’t hold on to the new talent it does land, that’s a big red flag that there are organizational issues surfacing or about to surface. The fact that half the sales team has left in the last three months might not directly affect your role right now, but a smart employee will take talent flight as a sign of greater instability and will start exploring what else might be out there.  When turnover starts to become a trend, it’s time to begin polishing that resume.

Learn more about my work and connect with me on Twitter.

 

Forbes.com | May 11, 2015 | J. Maureen Henderson Contributor

 

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#Leadership: How an Introvert can Thrive In an Extrovert Workplace…Companies Set Up for Extroverts in their Work Environment, But also Introverts Lose Out in Understanding How to Move Up & Negotiate for Themselves in the Workplace

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About five years ago I made a commitment to myself that in my career I would only stay at companies where I felt comfortable.  That being said, I’m an introvert working in an extrovert world.

OvercomeFear

If you are an introvert–like me–you get energy from being alone. And this can be a problem considering most companies today are big open offices with little audio and visual privacy. One of my friends works in a law firm and she has her own office. I always tell her I am in awe of this “office” phenomenon. I watch “Mad Men” and I can’t imagine what life was like for these advertising executives who had offices that were a home away from home. For the most part in the Bay Area offices are something of the past. Only some offices remain in law offices, accounting firms and other more conservative institutions where privacy is essential.

Today I work for a great employer that allows me to work from home most days. Most of the time the only thing encroaching on my space is my Yorkie rescue dog Athena who rests her little head on the sock on my foot.

But most people commute to an office, and for those commuters who are introverts, being at work is actually more distracting than being at home. People often tell me they are interrupted numerous times while at their computer even with headphones on. The research supports these statements. In a 2013 study employees who worked in open offices said that “lack of sound privacy” was a significant problem for them. More than 30 percent complained about the “lack of visual privacy.” Most of us can imagine what this feels like.

The truth is I am one of those people who just prefers to work in a quiet and even isolated environment. I get my best ideas when I am exercising by myself. I still do a lot of the things that extroverts do, but these activities take me longer to both prepare and recover.

I make presentations at conferences a few times a year and when I do I spend hours preparing. For me parties and networking events must be followed by emergency downtime.

 

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I believe it is harder to be an introvert in an extrovert world, but as long as you ask for what you need it is possible to thrive and be happy at work.

Susan Cain is an author and speaker who wrote Quiet: The Power of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking.

Cain draws attention to the reality that today’s workplaces are heavily biased toward extroverts. In an interview with NPR Susan Cain talks about the difference between what used to be a world in which introverts (like President Lincoln) thrived to today’s world of rampant extroversion.

….the extrovert ideal really came to play at the turn of the 20th century…suddenly, people were flocking to the cities, and they were needing to prove themselves in big corporations, at job interviews and on sales calls…We moved from what cultural historians call a culture of character to a culture of personality. During the culture of character, what was important was the good deeds that you performed..But at the turn of the century, when we moved into this culture of personality, suddenly what was admired was to be magnetic and charismatic…Movie stars, of course, were the embodiment of what it meant to be a charismatic figure. So, part of people’s fascination with these movie stars was for what they could learn from them and bring with them to their own jobs.”

Cain goes on to talk about the fact that companies are set up for extroverts because they’re created for maximum group interaction. If you’re reading this you know that not everyone works well that way. Cain highlights that the average amount of space per employee actually shrunk from 500 square feet in the 1970s to 200 square feet today. Let’s be real, how many people are taking stretch or meditation breaks in 200 square feet of space? If you have introverts packed into these offices it’s likely your introvert employees are spending more time worrying about the workplace than they are focusing on their tasks.

Forget open office plans–did you know that 70 percent of U.S. offices have no or low partitions? Silicon Valley has been the leader in bringing down the dividers. Not surprisingly, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg designed the largest open floor plan in the world, housing nearly 3,000 engineers….

Did you know that Mark Zuckberg is himself introverted? I wonder if a young Zuckerberg would have himself thrived in this environment.

While some people might get energy from this environment, people like me would be highly distracted in an open office plan. But my fellow introverts, do not fret. Just because you aren’t extroverted doesn’t mean you can’t make a situation work for you.

The silver lining in all of this is there are a ton of amazing introverts out there working for great companies and shaping experiences that are conducive to being introverted. Recently I met Pat Wadors, Chief HR Officer at LinkedIn. I was so excited to see she labelled herself an “introvert” on her Twitter profile–I felt like she and I were from the same camp; the camp of introverts working in an extrovert world. She writes about making beautiful employee experiences for employees where employees are showered with options. There are advocates today who are working to create more diverse work spaces where introverts have choice.

On a related note, it seems that not only are companies set up for extroverts in their work environment, but also introverts lose out in understanding how to move up and negotiate for themselves in the workplace. Recent research from Levo League says that the highest earning women are extroverts–ENTJ (Extroverted Intuitive Thinking Judging) and ESTJ (Extrovert Sensing Thinking Judging) are making the most money. Perhaps this is because introverts are expected to grow up and understand how to navigate an extroverted world. They are expected to know how to lobby for themselves in asking for a raise or promotion–and the fact is most of us were never coached how to do this. We wouldn’t even know where to start unless we had someone helping us.

I believe step one in thriving in an extroverted world is understanding what you need to be comfortable and happy at work. Write it down. This way when you find your next employer you have a list of your caveats. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. Both you and your employer will be happier in the end.

Lastly understand that there’s no shame in being an introvert. Consider this list of famous introverts: J.K. Rowling, Rosa Park, Mahatma Ghandi, Emma Watson, Marissa Mayer, President Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Michael Jordan, Hilary Clinton, Gwenyth Paltrow, Eleanor Roosevelt, Christina Aguilera, Bill Gates, Audrey Hepburn. So are you an introvert working in an extroverted workplace? How have you been able to manage?

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not her employer. Tweet to Blake on Twitter to share at @BlakeMichelleM.

 

Forbes.com | May 11, 2015 | Blake Morgan

Your #Career: The 8 Most Common Cover Letter Mistakes that could Cost you the #Job…As Easily as an Impressive Cover Letter can Land you an #Interview, a Generic & Rushed One can Send your Application Straight to the “No” Pile.

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As easily as an impressive cover letter can land you an interview, a generic and rushed one can send your application straight to the “no” pile.

cover letter

Recruiters cherish brevity — keep you cover letter to one page.

We turned to Amanda Augustine, career management expert and spokesperson at TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals, and asked about the most common cover letter pitfalls.

Here are eight costly errors to avoid:

1. Not having one at all

TheLadders found that 50% of recruiters believe a cover letter is essential, while the other half admitted to never reading them. “Since you don’t know which type of recruiter will read your application, it’s better to play it safe and include a cover letter,” recommends Augustine. 

However, if you’re applying to a position online and are asked to upload your materials to an electronic system, make sure they provide a spot to include your cover letter, she advises. “There’s no point of taking the time to carefully craft the document if the application won’t accept it.”

2. Using a generic template

“Sending a general cover letter with every job application is just as bad as not sending any cover letter at all,” says Augustine. “If you are using the exact same cover letter for every job application and simply swapping out the company name, you’re wasting your time. Your cover letter shouldn’t be an afterthought.”

Customize each cover letter you write, she says. Use it as opportunity to detail why you would be a great fit for the specific position, and don’t be afraid to infuse some personality to stand out from the crowd.

3. Opening with “Dear sir” or “Dear madam”

Figure out exactly who you’re sending your cover letter to and address them by name. “Do a little online snooping and check with your network to see if you can determine the name of the hiring manager or the recruiter in charge of the job opening,” she suggests.

However, this is easier said than done in some instances. You may have to use to a generic “Dear Recruiter” opening, she admits, but only resort to this after you’ve put in all the research you possibly could. 

4. Not carefully proofreading 

According to a social recruiting survey, 66% of recruiters reconsidered a candidate whose social media profiles contained spelling and grammatical errors. If they don’t take well to typos on Facebook or Twitter, they likely will toss your application if your cover letter is plagued with mistakes.

cool office working laptops couchFlickr / Dev BootcampTwo sets of eyes is better than one.

You should have multiple sets of eyes making edits. “Carefully proofread your cover letter. Then read it again. Then have a friend proofread it,” Augustine says.

5. It’s all about you

While it can be beneficial to show some personality in your cover letter, be wary of going overboard or delving into irrelevant information. “Recruiters don’t care that you’ve always dreamed of working in fashion,” explains Augustine. “They want to understand why you’re interested in this position and more importantly, why you’re qualified for the role.” 

Your cover letter is prime real estate. Use the bulk of it to focus on explaining how your experience and skillset will meet the employer’s needs.

6. Worshiping the company

It can be tempting, but resist the urge to shower the hiring manager with compliments in your cover letter. “Don’t tell them you love their company; instead, specifically mention something about their brand, company mission or strategic direction that you strongly support,” Augustine says. “In other words, prove that you’ve done your homework and know something about the company or industry.”

7. It’s too long

Recruiters spend an average of six seconds scanning your résumé. They cherish brevity. 

“A good cover letter should be no longer than one page,” says Augustine. “Remember, the recruiter already has your résumé. There’s no need to rehash your entire work history all over again. Instead, use this opportunity to highlight your qualifications that matter most for this role.”

8. There’s no ‘call to action’

You want to end your cover letter with a bang by reiterating your enthusiasm and creating a “call to action.” Rather than just thanking the employer for their consideration, take a more proactive approach; let them know that you will follow up within a week and encourage them to reach out with any questions that may arise. 

“Don’t leave the ball in the recruiter’s court,” says Augustine. “Create the next step in the process so you have the opportunity to follow up.”

 

Businessinsider.com | May 6, 2015 | 

 

#Leadership: How To Manage Office Bullies, From Co-workers To Bosses…Bullies Typically Manage Up & Make Life Difficult for their Subordinates, although some Terrorize their Colleagues & Bosses Too. Their Motto is “My Way or the Highway,” & they Follow the Office Bully Code of Conduct

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Bullies typically manage up and make life difficult for their subordinates – although some terrorize their colleagues and bosses too. Their motto is “My Way or the Highway,” and they follow the Office Bully Code of Conduct:

♦ Be cold. Never let them see emotion.

♦ Be selective. Only let people who agree with you join your circle.

♦ Be defensive. Make it clear that you’re not open to constructive feedback.

♦ Manage up. After all, your bosses are the only people who matter.

Stressed

♦ Be condescending. Real power brokers prey on other peoples’ insecurities.

♦ Be divisive. Make it clear that you have favorites, and pit them against each other.

♦ Screw retention. No employee is worth fighting for.

♦ Use the stick, not the carrot. Positive motivation is overrated.

♦ Stir the pot. Getting people wound up makes things interesting.

♦ Own your turf. Don’t let others set your boundaries.

♦ Expect the world. Demand more than is reasonable.

♦ Be volatile. Explode randomly to keep them walking on eggshells.

♦ Skip the thanks. Acknowledging others takes time away from you.
The code of conduct may seem humorous or hyperbolic, but it’s no laughing matter to the victims of the office bullying – who comprise 35% of the workforce, according to Workplace Bullying Institute.

Everyone remembers the boss from hell and how they escaped. Early in my career, my boss was the office bully. I spent a lot of corporate time keeping a log – a diary of sorts – of all his nefarious behavior. I was so worried about him finding out about my log book that I brought it home every night. It was an extremely stressful time, but fortunately it was short-lived. The CEO negotiated a departure agreement with him a few months after I joined the firm. You – or a colleague at your company – may not be as lucky.

 

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My experience reflects the statistics. Drawing on the WBI study, veteran human resources consultant Susan Heathfield reports that 72% of bullies are managers. Whether the bully is in a leadership role or an entry-level job, the damage can seep into all aspects of the company. Most employees (and often vendors, partners, and clients too) know who they are, and the tales of bad behavior take on a life of their own. Some bullies are aware of this and even take pride in it, but the climate they create is bad for business. It takes valuable time away from great work, and it undermines even the most stellar branding efforts.

The personal toll of working in a harmful environment can have a major impact on your success, health and happiness. Living this way every day creates a constant level of stress. Even the most hardline senior managers should care about that because it can wreck productivity.

If you’re being bullied, here’s what you can do to make it stop:

  1. First, acknowledgethat you are being bullied, and acknowledge that it’s unacceptable.
  2. Don’t go it alone.Consult with a trusted friend or colleague and let them know what’s been going on. Get their guidance and support. If you can, reach out to a mentor or someone who is senior to you and has been at your company a long time.
  3. Take care of yourself.Look at the impact of bullying on your health and stress level, finding ways to counteract the negative impacts. You need to be running on a full tank to deal with the bully. Consider meditation and other stress reduction techniques (here’s a link to Quick Calm from Jordan Friedman) to maintain your health. Also, get smart on the topic of handling challenging people. Books like Coping with Difficult People may help.
  4. Prepare your case.This helps you get clarity about what is happening and serves as proof should you need it. Be clear about exactly what behavior is happening and when it happens. Document events and circumstances with as much detail as you can. Build allies. If you see this bullying happening to others, reach out to them. Identify witnesses too.
  5. Take action.At the same time, don’t do anything that would put yourself or your job in danger, and don’t take on his or her tactics. Be calm, level-headed and respectful. If you can confront the bully without putting yourself or others in harm’s way, do so. Don’t confront when emotions are high or your energy supply has been depleted. Be direct, letting the bully know that you will not tolerate the behavior. According to Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon in their book I Hate People, “Bullies are only effective when they’re on solid ground. Ground that you can take away.” Their advice? “The next time he swears or heaves a phone book, call it out. Point out that he’s swearing or yelling, and leave the room. Or end the call. . . . You’re wrapping Bulldozer’s fury with tough love. By making statements about his conduct, you’re putting him on notice. Keep up your game and by the second or third attempt, Bulldozer will tire of spinning his treads in the sand.”
  6. Seek support.If directly confronting your bully isn’t the right option or has little or no effect, you will need to report the behavior to your boss. If your boss is the bully, you’ll obviously need to tell an upper manager or go to HR. The work that you did to document what has been happening will be crucial, as will allies and witnesses who can support you and back up your story.
  7. If all else fails,consider pursuing a role in another part of the organization, or seeking opportunities elsewhere. If you’re working for an organization that tolerates or even encourages bullies, that’s not the right place for you. When the company’s values are so different from your own, your career goals (which drive your personal brand) will suffer. Spend time finding the right opportunity, and pursue it when it becomes available. Just knowing you are working toward getting away from the bully will help you feel more empowered. And when you land that new job, consider using your exit interview to document your reason for leaving.

Follow me on Twitter and check out my latest book, Ditch. Dare. Do! 3D Personal Branding for Executives.

 

Forbes.com | May 10, 2015 | William Arruda

 

#Leadership: If You’re Guilty of the Following, Chances Are Everyone Hates Your #Emails…Find Yourself Doing any of the Following? Just Stop.

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A recent survey by consulting firm Kelton Global indicates that about 90 percent of Americans spend at least 90 minutes a day on email–that’s about the same amount of time they spend eating.

IMAGE: Getty Images

Email is especially important to managers, entrepreneurs and business owners, as it is often the primary form of communication with contacts. Relationships can be formed, sustained, or even destroyed through email. Additionally, troublesome email habits can creep into your organization, with results ranging from annoyance to severe frustration.

What are some of the most common email irritations? Here are four, along with easily implemented solutions.

1. You write too much.

According to research by Fractl and Buzzstream, 60 percent of people agree that brief emails are most acceptable, whereas 48 percent think wordiness is mostly unacceptable.

Do your emails include unnecessary details? Maybe you’re trying to answer every potential question, or you just can’t resist taking a jab at someone.

Years ago, I did some freelance work through an agency for a difficult client. The experience was horrible, and I wrote a detailed email to the owner of the agency (let’s call her Liz) to explain why I wouldn’t take any more work from this specific customer. I received a reply with the following:

“That doesn’t really sound good. But this is life and their way of doing business.”

Since I knew Liz and her communication style well, I didn’t take it personally. But I did find that second sentence discouraging, and felt she lacked empathy for my situation.

Fix: When writing your email, ask yourself if a specific point or sentence is needed. Does it add any value?

When in doubt, leave it out.

 

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2. You cc everyone. For everything.

As you may know, the term “cc” stands for “carbon copy,” and is a throwback to the olden days of office work. Back then, carbon paper was used to make copies of office memos. A list of names (or initials) were included at the bottom of the page, indicating who needed a copy. Some individuals would get copied on almost everything.

As the amount of correspondence has increased significantly, so has the number of people in cc. Many complain they are copied on hundreds of emails a day, leaving them feeling spammed by their own colleagues.

Fix: Only copy people who are directly involved with the topic you’re working on, or who have indicated a desire to stay in the loop.

3. You forget email isn’t private.

Have you ever received a reply to an email that you actually wrote to someone else, but was then forwarded? As you re-read your original message, this time with the new recipient in mind, you thought: ‘Woops. Maybe I should have worded that differently.’

Remember, you never know who’s going to end up reading an email. There’s even the chance you mistakenly send it to the wrong person.

Fix: Follow the advice of The Daily Beast contributor Olivia Nuzzi, whose response to the recent hacking of Sony Picture’s internal emails inspired one of my favorite tweets of all time:

Dance like no one is watching; email like it may one day be read aloud in a deposition.

4. You forward long message strings.

Tell me if this has ever happened: You receive an email with a message saying ‘Hi ___, can you handle this’, followed by multiple back and forth messages.

Did you find that annoying?

So does everyone else.

Fix: Instead of simply forwarding an email chain, take a minute to summarize the issue for your reader. Feel free to highlight or quote a relevant passage if you think it will be helpful.

Fix these bad habits today, and you may find replies coming just a little bit quicker.