14 Ways to Help Your Employees Improve Their Self-Discipline

14 Ways to Help Your Employees Improve Their Self-Discipline When you’re dealing with your team at work, you can’t do everything on your own. Not only is the workload way too much to think about, not only is it not your responsibility to chase everyone up on their tasks, but most importantly you can be most effective as a recruiter by helping people to help themselves. Self-discipline is a valuable asset in a team member because it gets things done and it fosters a can-do (and will-do!) attitude that can positively influence the whole team. So how can you work with your employees to help them develop the levels of willpower required for the role? Let’s have a look at a few options. Make a fresh start If you have an employee whose focus has been drifting, who struggles to turn up on time, or keeps missing deadlines â€" offer them a clean slate. It is not so much the tabula rasa that can strengthen their resolve, but the marking of a new regimen. When you’ve had your little talk with them, say that things are going to change starting Monday morning at 9am â€" and they are more likely to see their good intentions through. Have them write a manifesto Of course you don’t have to call it a manifesto, and neither should you oblige your employee to share it with you â€" but asking them to take ten minutes to make a list of the reasons they want to improve their self-discipline can be a great way to adjust their focus and priorities. This list should be made up of the noble, higher values such as ‘to fulfill my potential’ rather than the ‘because my boss said so’ kind of thing. Visualize the results A list of healthy intentions is one thing, but fantasizing about success has also been shown to get errant workers back on track. Encourage your employees to visualize the impact that their success will have upon themselves and upon others, and it can help to jolt them out of the smaller picture and imagine something worth striving for. Set a safety net Good willpower is quite distinct from good intentions because willpower requires action. Help your employees to identify specific choices they can make with their behavior when temptation rises â€" for example, if they’re frequently late from oversleeping, suggest that next time they reach for the snooze button they should instead switch on the radio. Good conditioning It’s very difficult to keep to good resolutions when the payoff may be several weeks or months down the line. You can help your employees get into good habits by taking steps to ensure the tasks that they are avoiding are more desirable in themselves. For example if there is a certain weekly task that can be done on a laptop, allow your employee to work at a nearby café while they do so â€" it will soon become a part of the week to which they look forward. Put temptation out of sight Nobody wants to be school principal, confiscating unwanted distractions from the desks of your staff. But if you have a team member with a habit of drifting to their iPhone whenever they have the chance, you might want to advise them to leave it in their pocket, desk drawer or locker. Remember, you are helping them to disciplining themselves. Look at their broader well-being It is easier to concentrate when you are alert and in good health. Sleep deprivation, for example, can impair the functioning of your prefrontal cortex â€" the part of your brain that deals with self-regulation. If you notice that one of your team is constantly tired, try suggesting that they take steps to get a better night’s sleep â€" you can help them out with this by changing their work schedule to fit their natural sleep cycle. Also let them know that while what they do on their own time is their own business, excessive alcohol intake could be impairing their performance â€" and thus inhibiting them from fulfilling their full potential. Teamwork! No employee works in a vacuum. Try to make self-discipline high on your list of contributing factors while recruiting, and those well-discipline employees you take on should help drag up the standards of those who are more prone to distraction. You can also encourage your staff to look out for each other, and prompt each other when bad habits arise. Nobody has to report anything to the boss, but giving your staff more sense of collective responsibility over the success of your organization can have a real effect. Check they’re in the right job Self-discipline is most achievable when it is done for oneself, rather than to please others. If you have a team member who is struggling to motivate themselves despite your efforts to help, it’s possible they just aren’t passionate about their job. Have a friendly talk with them to see what’s up, and think about how else they might fit into your organization or how you might make their present role more suitable. This new checklist from CashNetUSA explores all these ideas and more. Have a run through it when you notice that self-control is dipping among your workforce, and you can help your employees to be the best they can. About the author: John Cole  is a digital nomad and freelance writer. Specialising in leadership, digital media and personal growth, his passions include world cinema and biscuits. A native Englishman, he is always on the move, but can most commonly be spotted in Norway, the UK and the Balkans.

How to Write a Professional Resume For Job Seekers

How to Write a Professional Resume For Job SeekersA business person needs to have a good resume in order to stand out from the crowd. While you can find free resume samples that help you learn how to write a professional one, you still need to prepare it on your own.Resume writing Singapore service providers are specialized in this area. They will guide you in what to write and how to write it. You can easily give them a sample and they will be able to copy it perfectly. The whole process is very simple for them.First of all, do not write in English. You will not succeed. Go for Chinese or Malay, it does not matter. You can also use the tools of a business Singapore service provider. This way, you can increase your chances of being chosen for a job.The good thing about using one of these service providers is that they are flexible. You can hire them when you want. This can be in the form of a letter to a company. It is written by you and then sent to the company. When the letter reac hes the company, you will receive a reply, with a chance to further elaborate on the job description.The good news is that you can also take the assistance of Singapore service providers during the actual interviewing process. What you will need to do is prepare a covering letter. Use a form from a Singapore service provider as a basis. Include your CV, as well as a personal statement.If you cannot write this letter, you can ask the company to send the same to the interviewer. Do not hesitate to ask for their help. In fact, this is a great way to impress the employer and get the job. If you need some help, try asking for some feedback from the person who will be handling your case. Do not forget to include your contact details.The person handling your case should be able to provide a clear-cut guideline on how to write a CV. You need to make sure that it is easy to read and understand. You should also make sure that the same is attractive enough to attract an employer's attention. Y our cover letter should also be concise. It should also be up to date with the latest changes in the job market.Good luck! You can now get the knowledge you need to write a professional resume.

How to Inject Personality into Your Work Attire

How to Inject Personality into Your Work Attire Happy Fashion Friday! I got into a conversation with a friend about how to spruce up your work wardrobe without being too flashy just recently. This is quite an ongoing dilemma, especially for the new-to-workforce Career Girls. Heres a  great  article by one of our friends,  Elizabeth Childs, on how to put that much needed personality into your daily power ensemble. Read on, ladies! ?? Just because your work week often feels like more of the same day in and day out, doesn’t mean that your wardrobe has to adhere to the same monotonous mentality. Your employer may dictate guidelines as to what can and cannot be worn in the office, and there is certainly a necessity to present yourself in a manner that is professional and agreeable while in said environment. However, this is 2014 â€" not the 1950’s! The social standards and expectations for office attire have loosened up across most industries. Gen Y’ers should feel inspired to express their personalities through dress, especially as most professions require more time in front of a computer than a client or colleague. If you’re unsure of how to break free from the tedium of button-downs and black pants, here are a few general rules of thumb when looking to liven up a dreary work ensemble. Matisse Footwear Appliqué  Ballet Flats from Evine  | All Saints Aztec Sequined Mini Skirt from Vestiaire Collective | Plastique Command Z Necklace from VAULT | Zelda Triforce Earrings from LicketyCut | Pencil Dress from Dorothy Perkins #1 â€" Wear what feels comfortable Employers should take notice first and foremost to your enthusiastic attitude and superior quality of work; not your appearance. So suffice it to say, the way in which you dress yourself should work towards improving upon those two factors of performance. If you feel confident in your clothes, you will present yourself as such, and that assertiveness will shine through your responsibilities and daily communications. If you’re spending the day grumbling about the itchiness of your stockings or searching for relief from high heels, your behavior and performance hang in the balance. So if pant suits aren’t your thing, opt for skirts and dresses. If you like wearing bright red lipstick, by all means, incorporate it into your daily ensemble. Dress yourself in a way that feels good, and you will be much better off than someone who is struggling to fit into a boss or colleague’s vision of how they “should be” dressing. #2 â€" Get geeky with accessories Accessories are a perfect outlet for self-expression, especially when they make reference to passions and hobbies outside of work. Who says you can’t wear a TARDIS necklace, Batman earrings or a bracelet inspired by your favorite video game to the office? Use your best judgment to determine what can be dressed up tastefully and worn in a serious work environment. Common sense says only style using one unique accessory at a time, and keep the rest of your jewelry or apparel simple and sophisticated. These fun pieces make for great conversation starters, and can even help you find common interests among other coworkers. And anyway, if there was a way that you could artfully incorporate a hipster moustache, vinyl record or steampunk electronic gadget into your office attire, why wouldn’t you? #3 â€" Be decisive about color If browns, tans and grays are your thing, then by all means, style away â€" but your work wardrobe should not be limited to neutrals if you really love vibrant tones. It’s always helpful to have the staples such as a suit, conservative dress, black dress paint, white dress shirt and so forth; but beyond that, it’s your world and it should be lived in color! When you’re out shopping, buy the hot pink blazer, the cobalt blue pumps, the yellow dress and floral print pants. These pieces will transform you into a more memorable employee. By expressing your individuality in a setting that’s uninspiringly black and white, you’re helping your communication skills and speaking volumes about who you are as a person. #4 â€" Select your ideal era Sticking solely to the latest trends in fashion can be detrimental to your wallet. Especially with selective guidelines in place for what is appropriate to wear to the office, it can be a fun challenge to see how you might draw inspiration from past decades and implement them into your modern closet. Maybe you’re a Mad Men fan and want to give hip-hugging dresses and pastel pencil skirts a whirl? Maybe you’re an 80’s child and are making a comeback with neon accessories? Art deco is “in” at the moment, so it’s never been easier to find fun headbands and geometric-inspired jewelry that emulate the roaring 20’s fad. Explore the past to discover how you might reshape your future professional attire to cater more towards your tastes! How do you maintain individuality in a straight-laced work environment? Or do you work in a casual setting with little to no rules in place regarding dress code? Share your fashion experiences in the comments below or tweet @mscareergirl now!

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese When You Make a Mistake at Work

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese When You Make a Mistake at Work Its always tough to mess up at work. Feelings can range from chagrin over committing a blunder to outright fear that you might be fired for your mistake.Still, its important that you have a plan of action for when you goof up. Without one, you may panic and make the error worse, or do nothing, which can always come back to haunt you.Some plans of action for recovering from making a mistake include:Owning it. Before the office tattletale can run to the boss to share the news of your mistake, go to the boss and tell her what happened. Be factual about the incident and accept full responsibility.Taking the chip off your shoulder. If you have a defensive, whining but-it-wasnt really-my-fault attitude, the boss will focus only on that, not your explanation. You will not seem sincere, and thats critical. Maintain eye contact and keep your voice level, but strong.Focusing on the fixing the problem. As soon as you explain what happened as briefly as possible, immediately move into some ideas you have for making sure it doesnt happen again. It irks a boss when a mistake is made, but it double irks him when he has to figure out how to fix it. By saving him this step, youve taken the pressure off him, and that can always help minimize the damage.Getting in the zone. If youre badly rattled by a mistake, take some time to go for a short walk, splash water on your face or do anything else that will help you focus and have a professional demeanor. Even if the boss screams or yells, dont lose your composure. You made a mistake, you didn't commit murder. Keep it in perspective and keep reminding yourself that everyone makes mistakes. Asking for help. If you believe you goofed because you needed more direction from the boss, say so. I know this report is late. Ive put some steps into place, but Id like your input in the early stages to make sure Im on track. That way, you can kick me into gear earlier if I need it, you say. This shows that youre focused on the goals of the team, and not afraid to do whatever it takes to make sure targets are met.

How to Include a Writing Sample With Resume

How to Include a Writing Sample With ResumeAre you wondering how to include a writing sample with resume? This is a very common question that most people ask when they are preparing to apply for a job. It can be quite intimidating having to include a written or printed sample with your resume. It is important to get this right if you want to stand out from the rest of the candidates.Firstly, how can you include a writing sample with resume when you don't have one? A writing sample can be taken from a number of places. You can go to a local library and look through their collection. You might also like to see if your friends and family members are using samples of their own to get some writing samples from them.Once you have decided where you are going to find your writing sample then it is time to start looking for sample resumes that use them. If you are not going to purchase one off the shelf then it might be a good idea to try to find a few free samples on the web. There are many websites that offer them as a trial offer, but it is worth checking that they are actually good and will work in your situation.When you start looking for samples of how to include a writing sample with resume then you will need to decide what type of resume you are going to send out. There are lots of different styles available on the web, so it can be difficult to decide which you would like to use. It is always a good idea to know how much time you have to spend doing this.To help you decide how to include a writing sample with resume, you should remember that you should be able to write the basic information. If you cannot do this then you may not want to use them. There are lots of free samples, which will allow you to get started. The problem with these is that they only provide the bare essentials.These are usually written by someone who is in a particular situation and does not want to come across as trying too hard. This may not be the best idea if you are going to use them for a long time. You will need to know that you have the necessary information to make a good impression. The best way to do this is to start to learn about them so that you can find out how to include a writing sample with resume that works best for you.You should not leave it until the last minute to figure out how to include a writing sample with resume, because this could put you in a position where you are wasting valuable time, which you could be better spent doing other things that will help you improve your career. To help you decide how to include a writing sample with resume, make sure that you spend some time researching on the internet. This will help you find exactly what you are looking for, which will help you get the most out of the services.In conclusion, how to include a writing sample with resume should not be an overwhelming task. In fact, it is really quite simple once you understand what you are doing. You should be able to get started now by doing some simple research on the internet.

7 Workplace Attitudes that Get Promoted - CareerEnlightenment.com

7 Workplace Attitudes that Get Promoted As an employee (part-time, full-time, contract, or otherwise), your day-to-day performance places you in one of two categories: promotable or not promotable. Getting a promotion starts months (or years) before the promotion date.What makes someone promotable? Here are seven attributes of highly promotable people.Doers, not talkers.Whatever the assignment, task, or objective, doers simply get it done right the first time. No drama or excuses, just results. When they do this long enough, people will ask them to take on new challenges. They are often the first one to work and the last one to leave. They don’t quit until the job is done, regardless of what the clock says. Their actions and results do the talking for them.Solvers, not excuse makers.Promotable people see a problem, look for causes, and take actions to solve the problem. You’ll hear them approach their supervisor and say, “I noticed a problem with X, so I’ve tried a couple of things and found something that seems t o work,” and then explain what they did and how the results have benefitted the customer/department/company. In contrast, non-promotable people let their boss handle problems, or worse, complain about them.Selfless, not selfish,They are always alert for opportunities to lend a hand to others. They ask for assignments others don’t want, and then do them well with a smile.   It’s always about the good of the department/customer/patient/company. No job is beneath them.Respectful, not inconsiderate.Promotable people respect everyone, regardless of what they do and where they came from. They never gossip or get caught up in politics.   They treat others with courtesy. They practice active listening instead of looking through or past people who are talking to them. They place others first. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully S ubscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. Outward focused, not self-focused.Promotable people look beyond the task, job description and department â€" they think about the big picture and how what they do affects everything else. If having to make a choice when at work, they always choose team and customer interests over self-interests. They recognize that their own sacrifices are small in comparison to the benefits of encouraging teammates and extending the life of a customer or patient.Givers, not takers.Promotable people set a personal example to give more than what is asked or expected. They consistently produce to a higher standard than is set by their employer. If they see a job that needs to be done, and they can do it, they jump in and do it â€" they don’t check first to see if it is in their job description. They rarely run out of paid time off and they don’t abuse break times. They never do personal business on company time, which includes taking calls, texting , personal emails, gaming, and any other form of personal amusement while they are on the clock.Integrity and trust, not questionable motives.They set a personal example of integrity that is bullet proof. Because they are givers (not takers), selfless (not self-focused), and solvers (not excuse makers) they have developed an ironclad reputation within and outside the employer. They don’t cut corners, and they always do what they said they would do. They don’t hang out with people of questionable character or motivation. Even if they were certain they could get away with something, they simply don’t cut corners or rationalize honesty. As a result, people trust them with confidential information and the keys to the kingdom.Bottom lineEvery one of the seven qualities of highly promotable people represents an intentional choice to be a leader by doing. And when people commit to promotable behavior and live it out on the job, they never have to worry about their career hitting a sn ag, or being able to get the best jobs with the best employers.This blog was excerpted from Get a Better Job Faster, my latest book on conducting an effective job search.

Want to know the truth about your next job

Want to know the truth about your next job Youve been searching and interviewing and all for the pursuit of that golden ring (a new job)! The harsh reality is that 60+% of you wont be in that job 18 months from now. Why? Only a very smallnumberof you didnt have the right skills to do the job. For the rest of you, it was a result of your Emotional IQ. So, what can you do to protect your new position? Lots! Ronnie Ann at Work Coach Cafe listed 7 ways to insure your job by gaining more control over your Emotional IQ. For greater insight, youll want to read her entire post here. Ive paraphrased them below: Youalways have choices, dont play the victim. Build strong relationships at work Be perceived as having a positive attitude (perception equals reality) Dont let your emotions drive your behavior Avoid the blame game It isnt always about being right, know when to give in or back down Look for possibilities and opportunities I will also add number eight (8) 8. Always be looking for your next job (networking and exploring) I am not going to place all the blame on you or the employer. Interviewing is not an exact science. Everyone is trying their best to be a good employee and a good employer. If you treat this new job like a relationship- open dialog, honest communication and a desire to make it work, it just might.