You Can Develop Good Leadership Skills-Ten Basic Tips

Do you have what it takes do become a good leader?  Not everyone is born with leadership traits. Individuals that are born with leadership traits can naturally demonstrate good leadership characteristics and are usually very successful in leading others. However, it is possible to learn leadership skills if you have a passion to lead others.  So if you have the ability to inspire others, coach, teach, and help others achieve desired goals, you have what it takes to become a good leader.  It takes time to develop good leadership skills but it can be done.  Read further to learn how you can develop good leadership skills.

PEOPLE’S PERSON

1. First and foremost, in order to be a good leader you must be able to relate to people from all walks of life.  If you don’t like dealing with all types of people then you would not make a GOOD leader.  You will need to have a great personality as to attract people to you.  In short, you must display a friendly demeanor and show concern towards all people if you expect them to follow you.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

2. Next, a good leader must lead by example. If you are going to talk the talk you must be willing to walk the walk. You must set a good example to those who follow you if you want to be an effective leader…and here’s why; proceed to next step.

HONESTY

3. Leaders should be honest. A lack of trustworthiness can erode your credibility as a leader.  Your followers must be able to trust you before they can follow you.  In the event you fall short, learn to take accountability for your actions. In other words, you should apologize when you make a mistake(s).

COMMUNICATION

4. A good leader makes plans and set goals and then communicates the vision to the group. It’s imperative that you reveal to your followers any deviations from the original plans.  Keep them abreast about the directions in which you are headed.  Scheduled meeting, e-mails, phone calls, etc. are ways in which you can communicate effectively with your group.

INNOVATIVE THINKER

5. As a leader, you will need to be able to “think outside of the box."  You should implement fresh new ideas that will help lead your followers to a more successful future.

PASSIONATE

6. A good leader exhibits great passion about their role and can motivate their group members to follow their lead even in the most difficult times.

SHOW EMPATHY

7. A good leader should be empathetic towards their members when they need support. You should be sensitive to their troubled feelings and emotions that they might display. You should take time to actively listen to them if they should encounter difficulty and need your advice.

ENGAGE TEAM MEMBERS

8. A good leader will connect with the group and take interest in their individual talents and successes.  You should make them feel appreciated.  Good leaders will involve their team members in all aspects of the business and help unleash hidden potential in each.

DELEGATE AUTHORITY

9. A good leader will share responsibility with team members to ensure that you achieve desired goals and objectives in a timely manner.  Don’t be afraid to appoint individuals who are capable of performing various tasks, to do so.  This will free you up time to do other things.

GOAL ORIENTED

10. And finally, a good leader sets goals and relies on the assistance of the team to help achieve the goals.  You must realize that you are part of a team and achieving desired goals will take team effort.

How to Effectively Facilitate a Business Meeting in Seven Steps

As the facilitator, your key role is to demonstrate effective leadership skills while your focal objective is to encourage group participation.  You should initiate a collaborative correlation with your participants where you create a positive environment for learning while allowing participants to give their input as well.  Here are steps for facilitating your next business meeting.

Step 1

ADVANCE PREPARATION

First and foremost, you will need to gather materials needed for the meeting beforehand.  Such as handouts, flip charts, technological equipment, and set up seating arrangement.   You should familiarize yourself with the topic and should be prepared to competently facilitate the meeting.

Step 2

INTRODUCTION

You should arrive before your participants.  At the start of the meeting, you will need to introduce yourself and convey the purpose of the meeting and the desired goals and objectives.  You should also use this time to pass out any handouts that will be needed. You can ask someone to pass out the handouts for you. This is a good way to bring about audience participation.  You should also allow time for refreshments, if any.

Step 3

ELABORATE ON THE TOPIC

Enunciate your words so that everyone can clearly comprehend your message and be sure to sustain eye contact and good body language. Try to stay on topic and predetermine how much time you will need to spend on each subject matter and try not to go over the time limit. And remember, you want to remain as neutral as possible.  Don’t try to force your opinion.  Ask open-ended questions to allow ideas and suggestions from your participants.  Display a good sense of humor and demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of your participants.   Utilize your visual aids for a more effective facilitation technique.

Step 4

ACTIVE LISTENING

Remember, you want to allow your participants ample time to give their input.  Allow your participants space to express themselves.  You will need to listen attentively to each individual.

Step 5

ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS

You want to motivate your audience to participate. Role-play is an excellent way in which to engage your audience.  Try to foster an environment in which everyone will feel comfortable.

Step 6

BE TIME CONSCIOUS

You should start the meeting on time and try to end at the allotted time frame.  Remember to allow time for a review and feedback.

Step 7

SUMMARIZE

Lastly, review your topic towards the close of your meeting. Ask your participants if they have any questions about anything that was mentioned in the meeting.  Try to answer each question as efficiently as possible.  As the meeting comes to a close, be sure to thank your participants for coming and tell them that they were a great group.

Seven Ways to Avoid Senseless Road Rage

Every driver has or will at some point come in contact with an angry and an aggressive driver. Before you react toward your aggressor, think of all the ramifications that you could possibly face and thus only regret it later. Unfortunately, some individuals have actually lost their lives as a result of +Senseless +road+rage. Don’t become the victim of a +Road +Rage catastrophe. Here are seven tips for defusing the anger of an aggressive driver.

Rule 1
SAFETY FIRST
First and foremost, make sure that the vehicle you drive is safe. This in itself can help keep aggressive drivers off of your tail. Make sure that your turn signals work properly, your brake lights work properly, and that you get regular maintenance checks on your vehicle.

Rule 2
OBEY RULES OF THE ROAD
In an effort to avoid preventable collisions, alleviate traffic slowdowns, and prevent verbal altercations and obscene gestures, it is imperative that you obey the rules of the road at all times. Be sure to use your turn signals before changing lanes and turning. You should also use your mirrors to check for other vehicles and pedestrians as well.

Remember to adjust your speed accordingly when approaching construction sites, during inclement weather, and near school zones. And by all means, pull to the right for sirens and lights!

Rule 3 +Avoid +Texting +While +Driving It is extremely dangerous to text while driving. It is also against the law in some states. Texting as well as chatting on your phone can distract you, to the point that you don't realize what's going on around you. You must stay focused at all times while driving.

Rule 4
AVOID TAILGATING +Never +Tailgate another driver's vehicle. This might cause unnecessary verbal altercations and the use of obscene gestures. Also, should they have to stop suddenly, you could run right into the back of their vehicle. The impact, could also cause a chain reaction of several vehicles to collide.

Now if someone tailgates your vehicle, simply put on your turn signal and change lanes when it is safe to do so. By all means, steer clear of that driver!
Rule 5

NEVER RETALIATE
If a driver does something like, cut you off in traffic without signaling, blow their horn to aggravate you, or tailgate your vehicle for miles, don't make an attempt to get even with them in any way! It may be difficult initially, but you must simply ignore them. I reiterate, don't waste your time trying to get even with them. It's not worth the stress!
Rule 6

NEVER MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH +Road +Bullies Making eye contact with your aggressor can lead to deadly consequences. If your aggressor insist on harassing you in any way, before you are tempted to do something foolish, see step seven.

Rule 7
CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT
If you are ever confronted by an angry and aggressive driver who insist on antagonizing you, please call for help. If you are in your hometown and know your police's district phone number, call them ASAP. If you don't have a phone number, call 911 and report the incident. Or pull into the nearest gas station, fire station, or other well lit safe area and seek help. You don't want to provoke your aggressor and cause the situation to escalate. Think of your family, friends, and other loved ones who would be heartbroken if they learned that your situation resulted in a tragedy.

The Pros and Cons of Working in Customer Service

If you are seeking to work in a customer service role, bear in mind that everyday will be dissimilar. While you may have an exceptionally good day working with the public one-day, the next day could be a total disaster. But that’s the ambiguity of working in a public sector; no two days are ever the same, but unpredictable. It’s practically inevitable that you will have to deal with angry and dissatisfied customers at one time or another. It’s also very likely you will receive compliments and letters of praise from satisfied customers provided you render good service. You might also have to work in stressful working conditions, depending upon your job responsibility. Listed are scenarios and working conditions that you can anticipate and/or job responsibilities that are mandatory when working in this capacity.

PROS
Satisfied customers
Letters of praise and compliments from customers
Rewards and Recognition from employer
Flexible hours
Job share
Job satisfaction
Good employee evaluation
Health insurance and other benefits
Rewarding career
Experience
Resume builder
Raises and promotions
Job security
On-the-job training
May not be required to have a college degree

CONS
Dissatisfied customers
Verbal insults from customers
Customer complaints
Poor customer service ratings
Required to make outbound calls and answer customer inquiries during work hours if a telemarketing position
Low employee morale
Job dissatisfaction
High employee turn over rate (you may be required to fill in when needed)
Stand for long periods of time or all day- during work hours
Sit for long periods of time answering customer inquires via chat, phone, and email
Work in a stressful environment
Write-ups and possible termination due to multiple complaints from customers
The customer is always right, even when they are wrong
Manager will side with the customer, even when they are wrong
Mandatory overtime when needed
Required to work weekends and holidays

How to Appease an Irate Customer

 When working in a public sector, undoubtedly, you will encounter an angry customer at one time or another. When you find yourself in this predicament, you will need to know how to handle the situation appropriately. Otherwise, you could worsen the matter and put yourself in harms way. Keep in mind that one dissatisfied customer can put your business in jeopardy because word-of-mouth travels faster than company advertisement. An angry and/dissatisfied customer will go to great lengths to tarnish your business reputation whether it was due to poor customer service or a defective product. And some customers, during a fit of rage, might even verbally insult the worker(s) who are providing service to them. I’ve seen it happen on many occasions.

Managers should be proactive in training their employees on how to effectively handle angry customers. The key is to use a diplomatic approach in calming the individual first before trying to win him/her over. I find that allowing the customer time to rant for a moment helps to ease the tension, paving way for sensible discussion. An apology from the manager also helps in reducing friction between the customer and the worker involved, even if the customer was in the wrong.

You should never yell at the customer or demonstrate that you are unconcerned with his/her complaint. This will only cause tension to escalate. The objective is to defuse their anger. It’s also very important that you maintain a pleasant demeanor when in the customer’s presence. Your body language should coincide with your verbal language. For example, don’t say your sorry about what happened but roll your eyes up in your head as if you are opposed to resolving the issue. But instead, communicate that you appreciate them and want to help them. Finally, resolve the matter in the best interest of the customer. This could mean, a discount on service or product, free meal card, etc.

In the event nothing seems to work no matter how hard you try to win the customer over and you see the customer is totally out of control, then its time to get security involved.

Working in Customer Service With a Smile

If you are contemplating working in the customer service field, there are things you should know before you pursue your aspiration. No matter the industry, whether in housekeeping, fast food, telemarketing, retail, banking and the like, performance expectations are the same. First and foremost, I suggest that you take a self-assessment test to determine if you are suitable for this type work.

Keep in mind that everyone is not suited to work in customer service. These type jobs may look easy, but in fact, can be very difficult to perform. Another thing to keep in mind is that you will encounter customers with all types of personalities. You will find some very nice, some rude, some impatient, and some very demanding. Nonetheless, you will need to maintain a pleasant demeanor always when dealing with the public. If you are quick tempered or moody, this is probably not the job for you. If you want to be successful in the customer service field, it helps to have good people skills as well.

Companies are adamant about providing excellent customer service to its patrons, simply because they want their business to be successful. Your failure to provide anything less could put the business at risk and could possibly result in termination of your employment. Companies lose hundreds of customers to its competitors due to poor customer service.

Most companies usually test and train potential employees how to effectively work with the customers before they employ them. You will need to put acquired skills into practice when you interact with people of all kinds.
Positions for customer service jobs could include working within an establishment, by phone, email, online chat, and sometimes text. Keep in mind that when providing service via phone, email, chat, or text you will still have to render excellent customer service as you would face-to-face.

5 Reasons Why Some People Fail to Achieve Their Goals

 
Why do some people set goals yet fail to attain them? It seems that some don’t understand the purpose of goal setting. Too often people make goals that they never +achieve. Well, there are several reasons for this. This article will discuss five of the most popular reasons why some individuals do not attain their goals.

1. Set unrealistic goals- this is by far one of the main reasons people fail to achieve set goals. If you want to be successful in your endeavor, you will need to set realistic attainable goals.

2. Give up too easy- where is your motivation? Some don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel quick enough and throw in the towel as soon as things get a little rough. You have to be willing to stick to your goals no matter what obstacles you encounter. Bottom line, stay motivated.

3. Non-commitment- some don’t even attempt to try to carry out their plan. They will find all sorts of excuses why they cannot move forward. In order to be successful, you must take your goal setting serious and be willing to take healthy risk.

4. Non-support- those closest to you are not supportive of your vision. In order to attain desired goals you must free yourself from negative people and those who don’t support your vision. You must believe in yourself. Connect with those individuals who will help you attain your goals.

5. Surrounded by distractions- too many distractions can interfere with your ability to attain your goals. It’s hard to stay focused when you are distracted by people, places, or things. Remove the distractions so you can move forward.

Employing the Temporary Office Worker

 A temporary worker is someone who fills in to work for a business or other establishment for an agreed period of time. Temp workers can work anywhere from one day to six months, depending upon the company’s need. A company may seek to hire a temp worker due to any number of reasons. Some reasons are employee illness, employee termination, vacation, FMLA, newly created position, or shortage of workers. Some staffing agencies also place applicants for permanent positions at the company’s request.

Interested applicants can apply directly with an employment agency of their choice. If you wish to apply to work temporary via an agency, you will need to apply with the agency per their employment procedure. Potential applicants can more than likely apply online and certainly you can go into the agency to inquire about applying for temporary work. In this case, if hired by the agency, you would be an employee of the agency. This means you would be on the agency’s payroll. Applicants can also apply directly at the company seeking to hire a temp worker. Some companies don’t bother going through an agency, but instead hire its temps via their own human resources department. Some companies even advertise temp to hire positions on their job boards.

Opting to work temp does have its advantages. That’s right, choosing to apply for temporary work can open the door for a permanent job opportunity. For example, if an employer is pleased with the temp’s productivity, they can move forward to hire the temp permanently. The worker would then be entitled to the same benefits as the other workers of the company. You could also gain some valuable experience as you learn new skills while temping.

The downside of working for a temporary agency could be lack of medical and retiree benefits, low wages in some cases, unstable work, unpleasant working environment, very short job assignments or no work available.

7 Myths About Staffing Agencies

So often staffing agencies get a bum rap from the media and even from some who have used an agency to find suitable work at one time or another. Many will agree that there is a certain stigma that’s associated with staffing agencies. Today I want to put those falsehoods to rest. Staffing agencies use advance technology to screen applicants and also do a comprehensive background check before they send out workers on job assignments. Employment agencies don’t want to put their company at risk by sending out unqualified workers and/or someone who has a current criminal background. Employers depend upon employment agencies to fill job vacancies within their company with top talent. In fact, this is a good way for aspirants to get their foot into the door of a reputable company.

Myth 1
Agencies don’t offer benefits- Nowadays employment agencies offer health and dental benefits to its workers who want them. Staffing agencies also offer paid sick and vacation time for workers who work for the agency for a specific time period.

Myth 2
Agencies offer low pay- this is so far from the truth. Most agencies offer competitive salary as commensurate with the applicant’s skills and experience.

Myth 3
Employment agencies only offer short-term work assignments- most staffing agencies do offer long-term assignments based upon the companies need. It’s possible that a job assignment can last 6 months to a year and beyond. When you register with your agency, you can specify that you want long-term assignments.

Myth 4
Agencies only offer temporary job assignments- not only do staffing companies hire for temporary positions…they advertise for permanent positions for companies seeking to hire such.

Myth 5
Employers frown upon temp jobs listed as work history on your resume- some say temp position(s) look bad on a resume. Not true! In fact, many employers are impressed with the fact that you were working consistently to prevent work history gaps on your resume.

Myth 6
Skill deficit worries- some are concerned they won’t be able to utilize their skills- truthfully, depending upon the assignment, not only will you utilize your current job skills, you will possibly acquire news skills to add to your credentials.

Myth 7
Employers don’t like to hire via an employment agency- some of the best talent found in companies today is a result of a staffing agency. In addition, many employees temp to perm with companies at some point during a job assignment.