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Top 5 recommended books on Goal Settings📚 1.12 Week year 2.The Compound Effect 3.Goals 4.The One Thing 5.What game are you playing . . Follow 👉@ismartinfo . . . . #book #bookstagram #books #ismartinfo #12weekyear #theonething #whatgameareyouplaying #thecompoundeffect #goals @thebriantracy @darrenjhardy #goalsetting #managingyourself #selfhelp #motivation #quoteoftheday #quotes https://www.instagram.com/p/CDc3NxZnAeL/?igshid=m1tqfieb4041

[d-soul-ution]

1. Conflict avoidance -  uses escape or intimidation to mask insecurities and avoid having our fears, uncertainties, or mistakes exposed

2.Impulsiveness -  unpredictable emotional responses, such as anger and frustration, or going after the new, shiny idea without vetting it. It’s a habit that loses you relationships, support, and buy-in.

3. Blame shifting -  exaggerate the negative, feel like victims, and pass the buck to colleagues, different departments or managers.

4.  Insisting on control -  You might be trying to avoid failure, but others will no doubt perceive you as rigid and micromanaging and disengage.

5. Perfectionism -  We should all strive to do our best, but people who always aim for perfect often miss deadlines and opportunities.

6. Power hunger -  This includes claiming control over the resources in a relationship, due to lack of empathy, a laser-focus on your own goals at the expense of others, an unwillingness to compromise, or seeing others as a means to an end. Power hungry leaders tend to make snap decisions and alienate the people around them.

[obolinx-blog]

Planning the Perfect Gap Year – Part 1

At last! The day for you to submit your final examination paper arrives. The years of piling on honors and extra classes, tutors, test preparations, community-service projects, and other extracurricular activities are now going to be behind you. While on one hand your classmates are preparing to crack the college admissions, you on the other hand have decided to take a year off. Bravo!

A million questions must be swirling in your head at this very moment. “What do I do during a gap year?”, “How do I fund it?”, “Where can I stay?” and so on. While planning a gap year might seem like a daunting process, we are here to tell you that it really isn’t that difficult! Given below is a checklist we have created in order to help you plan your perfect gap year. If you can tick all the points, then you are ready to go!

1) WHY DO I NEED TO TAKE A GAP YEAR?

There have been many cases where students at the end of their gap year simply find that they didn’t get the experience they were hoping for. Not having clarity about “Why do they need to take a gap year and what do they hope to achieve?”, is one of the chief reasons.

While a gap year is about recharging your batteries, it is also an opportunity to learn and grow in ways that will prepare you for a meaningful and fulfilling life. According to Ethan Knight, executive director of American Gap Association, “ A student might not be a good fit if he or she doesn’t have a clear plan of learning or enrichment activities during the time off, or doesn’t feel that they are academically burnt out and are looking forward to classes.” Therefore for a gap year to benefit, it is very important for you to have a clear understanding of what is driving you to take a year off as this will help you set realistic goals.

Determining the right gap year plan starts with identifying and introspecting on some burning questions that matter. Below is a list of some important questions we strongly recommend you to ponder over.

a) Why do I need to take a year off?

b) Will it benefit me in anyway?

c) In what ways do I need to learn and grow to take full advantage of college or work place?

d) What types of experiences and support will help ensure this growth?

Asking such questions will not only help you narrow down your needs and interests, but also give you a clarity on whether a gap year is the best fit for you or not.

2) WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF MY GAP YEAR PLANS?

Once you have a better understanding of your needs, interests and the goals you have set for yourself, it is absolutely essential to create a structured plan around them. The first step towards creating a plan of action is to identify the type of gap year you’re most inclined to. Broadly speaking, there are 4 types of gap years: –

A) WORKING GAP YEAR

A gap year is a good time to get a foot on the ladder of your future career path. Depending on what industry or sector you wish to work in, there are well established internship programs and jobs that can give you a taste of working in that sector.

While you might groan at the thought of working during a gap year, but there are many advantages that will make you see a working gap year in a different light. Not only does it help you discern exactly what types of work you would and wouldn’t like, but often it can expose you to a whole range of career options you never even knew existed. In addition to that, it also helps you earn some money, gain skills and experience and build up a network of contacts. If you choose to combine a working gap year with some travel, you’ll get to experience working in different locations, often in multicultural teams and using language skills, giving you a deeper insight into the local culture than you’d get when simply travelling through.

Also, having a productively spent gap year on your personal statement or CV can be a great way of distinguishing yourself from the crowd, as long as you can show what you gained from the time.

Does it sound convincing enough?

B) VOLUNTEERING GAP YEAR

Spending the year volunteering is one of the best ways in which you give back to the society. It helps increase your sense of community, give cultural exposure, make new friends and help you build a network of contacts which may later lead to an offer of a permanent job!

Volunteering roles are available in registered charities, foreign-aid projects, not for-profit organizations, governments, and other organizations. Typical roles include administration, finance, fundraising, event organizing, care work and many more.

If you want to volunteer and travel places, there are lots of international volunteering placement schemes which offer short placements (from a week up to a year) across a range of career sectors. This way you can help around the world with all kinds of initiatives. All you’ll need to do is some research and you’ll be all set!

A) TRAVELLING GAP YEAR

Whether it be the mystics of the far-east, the exotics of southeast Asia, the thrills of Australia, the culture of Latin America, the fun of North America or the history of Europe that calls you there are loads of great things to see and do in every corner of the world.

Students either travel around the world or locally during a gap year. This can be very rewarding as it helps them to unwind, teaches them to be independent, soak up rich cultures and broaden their horizons, widen their social and professional circle, and if lucky helps secure permanent jobs too!

So, are you ready to travel the world?

B) STUDYING GAP YEAR

Imagine being able to study what you desire without the pressure of tests and assignment deadlines hanging over your head. What if you could learn in a brand new environment which doesn’t even remotely resemble the four walls of a classroom? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Studying during a gap year will allow you to take a year out before university or work while still continuing to further your education. Today, many colleges and training centers offer courses suitable for gap year students which help develop key skills such as office, IT and business skills, or gain extra skills and knowledge in fields such as languages, art, music, drama, sports or conservation.

There are several options for studying abroad or in a different location to where you are usually based. You can take a short-term summer program, or apply for a position in an exchange program that specializes in study opportunities abroad and so much more! Now that you have identified which type of gap year you belong to it is important for you to:

i) Select the places where you’d like to spend your gap year, and

ii) Figure out how much time is available on your hands.

Narrowing down the places will depend on a number of factors such as, accessibility, safety, whether the place caters to your learning needs and so on. As for the duration of your gap year, that will depend on what your learning needs are, how long can you finance your gap year etc.

3) HOW DO I FUND MY GAP YEAR?

It is no secret that funding a gap year can take a toll on your parent’s bank accounts as it includes many costs. These include travel costs, living expenses, visas/work permits, driving permits, insurance, internet and mobile phone costs and health expenses! This was probably the biggest reason why it took your parents some time to wrap their heads around the idea of a gap year!

While planning how to raise funds is a crucial step and a laborious process, it is not unattainable. Once you have figured out your final costing, you can right away start raising funds!

Given below are some ideas which will help you in that process and turn your gap year into a reality.

a) Work before you go.

b) Work during the gap year; either in one place or while travelling.

c) Fundraise through sponsored events and activities.

d) Ask your family and friends to donate. Perhaps instead of birthday gifts you could ask them to donate or pay for completing the chores.

e) Sell some of your unwanted items online.

f) Apply for a grant or a loan from government/federal funding bodies, charities and grant-making trusts.

While these can be carried out anywhere around the world, there are some Universities in United States, like Princeton,  and Tufts University  that have begun to subsidize gap years for incoming students. Also, there are a number of low costing programs such as AmeriCorps,  City Year  or WWOOF-USA  which pay for room and food arrangements. If until now you’ve been able to satisfactorily tick every point off this checklist, then there is just one last and final thing for you to do. Touch base with your potential contacts living in the areas you are about to visit or work, arrange your stay and book the travel tickets in advance. This way you will not leave anything for the last-minute and won’t get hassled when the day finally arrives!

We understand that it is not just the pressure of planning a gap year that can be tough. Convincing your parents and yourself is a major part of the process. We hope that once you are able to cross that milestone, this blog will help you in planning your gap year to the very last detail.

[francoislaroche]

AndreaGaillet : RT FactoryForty: How to Stop Saying “Um,” “Ah,” and “You Know” http://bit.ly/2vyYGdY #Communication #Presentations #Stress #ManagingYourself #EmotionalIntelligence http://bit.ly/2AXYaeI

AndreaGaillet : RT FactoryForty: How to Stop Saying “Um,” “Ah,” and “You Know” https://t.co/lNagNMAbZc #Communication #Presentations #Stress #ManagingYourself #EmotionalIntelligence https://t.co/ftcHLnGxq8

— Francois Laroche (@Frank_Laroche) August 9, 2018

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[sayausi]

Who says you need to wait until you ‘feel like’ doing something in order to start doing it?

Oliver Burkeman (via Halvorson)

[obolinx-blog]

How to Do a Career Detox – I

Career detox – does the phrase sound unfamiliar, almost strange? Well, it is neither. Just like your body needs a detox every now and then, for a better, and healthier you, your career does too.

A study done by Sibson’s Consulting found that Only 30 percent of the study respondents (750 individuals, primarily senior-level human resources (HR) professionals) reported that their employees trust the performance-management system. Given that formal performance appraisals don’t seem to be working as well as they should to give employees their due, one needs to take charge of his/her career and have a self-performance management system in place to ensure career growth and commensurate rewards. Just being good at your work, efficient and cooperative is not enough – it takes more than that to grow and be successful at the workplace today no matter what your job role or level is. [Read more on Strategies to Maximize your Potential and Performance on your Job here].

Getting yourself to do a career detox is like customizing your personal Performance Appraisal system. A career detox is a great career strategy to maximize your potential and performance at your job – no matter which profession you belong to.

But how does one really do a career detox? That is what this post is all about. You can accomplish a career detox through a series of exercises whose objectives would be to assess and take stock of your career thus far – in terms of what’s working and what’s not, and then you move on to eliminating what’s not working and build on what is working. It also includes incorporating the aspect of mindfulness into your work – which is crucial to be able to do a successful career detox. This aspect we shall speak about in the second part of this post which is to follow.

1. Reclaim Time: Real Work VS Time spent on Social Media

It’s a fairly common frustration – feeling like there isn’t enough time to do it all, to accomplish all the tasks we plan ourselves. To feel as productive as we imagine ourselves to be. The truth is we’ll never be as productive as we are in our imagination. However, we can get quite close to it. One of the main reasons why we are not at our productive best every day is because of the overwhelming distractions we surround ourselves with.

It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that we even subject ourselves to these distractions. Namely – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and the whole, vast kingdom of social media out there which almost thrives on our inability to sustain focus. According to a research by Facebook, which was cited in a NY Times article, an average user spends close to an hour everyday on Facebook. In a week of five working days, that is five hours lost during your working hours. This is just one example of the numerous distractions we are surrounded by.

Reclaim your time by shutting out all these distractions during your working hours, and by just focusing on one task at a time. Before long, you will realize that you are getting real close to being as productive as you are in your imagination!

2. Update your Resume

Your resume should always be something great which is a work in progress. There is always editing to do to your resume to make it better, even if all you do is change the font and the font size. But hey, that makes your resume more legible, doesn’t it? Go through your resume and have a look at what you need to remove from it, and what you need to add to it. This also gives you scope for a reality check – since your resume after all is a comprehensive report card for your career of sorts. While you are at it, print out three copies to keep them handy – just in case, even if you may not be looking out for jobs. Read here for kick-ass advice on how to create the best resumes ever!

3. Work on Your LinkedIn Profile

Why LinkedIn? Because: • There are 332 million people on LinkedIn. • Two new members join every second. • There are 187 million monthly unique visitors. • LinkedIn is currently used in over 200 countries and territories. It’s available in 20 languages. • There are one billion total endorsements on LinkedIn at the moment. • 59% of LinkedIn members have never worked at a company with more than 200 employees. • There are over 39 million students and recent graduates on LinkedIn. • LinkedIn has 17 million users in the UK users, 10 million users in the Middle East, 61 million users in Asia, 28 million users in India, 6 million users in Australia and 6 million users in China. • 41% of millionaires use LinkedIn. • 13% of LinkedIn users do not have a Facebook account. Likewise, 83% of users do not have a Pinterest account. 59% are not active on Twitter.

Are you still wondering why LinkedIn? Because it’s LinkedIn and you Must! If you still don’t have a LinkedIn profile, read what we wrote about why it is utterly necessary to have one in the current times. It isn’t enough for you to just create a profile and forget about it. You must use it! That’s the whole point of LinkedIn – to facilitate intensive networking for you.

You might finally land the opportunities you have been looking for if you start networking through LinkedIn. Having a complete and updated LinkedIn profile is an absolute must. You need to pay attention to what kind of photograph you use as your display picture, your professional headline and summary, and recommendations add that extra credibility to your profile. Want to know more about how to improve your LinkedIn profile and impress the world? Read here.

4. Do A Skills Assessment

Doing a skills assessment in regular intervals is a great way to feel good about the skills you possess, and an even better way to understand what skills you need to be working on to become a better professional. There are a few ways you could do this. You could speak to more experienced people in your professional sphere and get an idea about what you should be working on. You could also take one of the many skill assessment tests centered specifically around your career path on the internet. With a bit of research you will surely find a genuine test, for which you might have to pay though. We’d say, if it seems genuine, and is reasonably priced, take it nonetheless. Apart from specific skills, there are certain generic skills that you absolutely must have – on and off your CV. Have a look at this checklist of Must Have Skills – On and Off your CV.

5. Start a Work Journal

While we’ve done an entire blog post on what a work journal is and how it’s going to help you, which you must definitely read – here, we’ll reiterate how a work journal helps, especially to facilitate a career detox. • When you journal your work, you never miss an idea – By consciously journaling your professional life, you also tend to become aware about the many amazing ideas you may have about doing what you do in a better, more organized way. • You are your own mentor – When you can read about your thoughts and understand the logic and rationale behind them, you will effortlessly be able to devise the way forward as well. • The most efficient way to track your progress – Once you get used to journaling your work, you can see the pattern of highs and lows you experience. A work journal also doubles as a great success/ progress tracker. A work journal can work wonders for a career detox. If you’ve already been keeping one it’s a great way to assess the details of your career. If you haven’t been keeping one, it’s an even better way to start fleshing out the details of how you envision your career to shape, now on.

Want to know more about how to do a successful career detox? Well we have a lot more to say! Apart from the functional aspects for doing a career detox, there are certain other aspects which focus on a journey of self-development and self-growth – two factors which are essential for any professional to have a truly successful career. Tune in for our next post on career detox and more ways on how to accomplish it.

[obolinx-blog]

How to Make Your Way Through Office Politics as an Introvert

The one occupational hazard you will have to deal with, no matter what your occupation is, is – office politics. Some look forward to it, consciously or subconsciously, as a form of entertainment, while some prefer to stay miles away from it. This post comes as help for those who belong to the second category – the introvert. Being an introvert a lot of times is misconstrued as being someone who is unsocial. Whereas, an introvert is simply a personality type who is more self-reflective, and prefers to mind his/her business thoroughly – while expecting others to not interfere in their lives.

Getting embroiled in office politics, is probably the worst situation an introvert could find himself/herself in. While you take all the caution not to land yourself in these situations, once you find yourself in one, what do you do? You need to understand and know how to deal with office politics, even though you choose not to play the game yourself. Here are three possible ways you could make your way through office politics:

1. Office Politics – Shut it Out

If you don’t mind it doesn’t matter, and at times, ignorance can be bliss. If you believe you have better things to do, and the situation is unnecessarily complicated for you and one that can be sidestepped, move on without feeling overwhelmed. It might affect your peace of mind to some extent since it wasn’t something you had anything to do with, and even so the repercussions seem to be hitting you. That however, is something you can choose to not let affect you. Shut it all out, and focus on channeling all your energies into being your awesome, productive self.

2. Office Politics – Clarify

Then there are the kind of situations, which even if you may ideally want to ignore, you can’t, and shouldn’t. These might be the kind of situations where are a lack of response from you may not exactly work in your favor. The second possible way for you to deal with a sticky situation at your workplace is to clarify your role (or the lack of your role) in the matter which seems to be the cause. Of course, as an introvert, you’d love to withdraw into your shell, (and in this case, your cubicle), but it matters to clarify at times. Just so that things don’t get worse.

3. Office Politics – Take Action

There is no doubt about the fact that there will always be a troublemaker or two, around you. And many a times, people mistake introverts for being a pushover. As an introvert, you might have given off this impression if, for the sake of avoiding trouble, you have relented in the past. However, at no point should anyone be allowed to bully you. Recognize that your rights and your dignity should be firmly secure at your workplace – which means, if you feel like you are being dragged into trouble you don’t belong in – you can and should take a stand. If the situation has turned drastic, you need to rise to the occasion either by acting against it yourself, or, if the situation calls for it – by taking the issue to the management. Work place politics can be quite stressful, and in the end, nobody has anything to gain from it – apart from unpleasantness and anxiety. As an introvert, it might be quite a nightmare for you to deal with it – but like we said, no matter what occupation you choose, this will be a hazard you might have to deal with sooner or later. In which case, you need to decide which of the above three action plans suit your situation most.

Ever been in a bad situation with regards to office politics at your workplace? Let us know how you dealt with it!

Image Courtesy: http://i.kinja-img.com/

[obolinx-blog]

Being a boss your team wouldn’t want to let down – Leadership Matters

Now that’s a tough one, right? Not just how to be a “good” boss, but how to be a boss your team would never want to let down! Let’s state at the outset that very few bosses are able to find a place in that hall of fame. What makes it tough to be that kind of boss is maintaining very firmly, the delicate balance between being an amazing human being and a strict task master. The good news though is that it really isn’t all that tough to be that person. Thinking about it through these five key elements would probably set you off on a path to practice being that boss!

1. Lead

In one of our previous posts, we spoke about how to be a leader and not a boss. While all bosses can boss, only few bosses can lead. While a boss directs you, a leader empowers you and leads you by example. Your team sticks with you not just because they don’t have any other option, but because they like being in “your” team and they like learning with you. To be a leader to your team, is to exude a personality and a confidence which inspires and motivates your team to always go that extra mile.

2. Trust

Reposing trust in your team is a pre-requisite for your team to repose their trust in you. Trust is one of the most fundamental enablers. When you trust your team, there is an understanding that you have enough confidence in their ability to deliver. One of the most powerful methods of ensuring accountability, is in fact by investing trust in your team. This succeeds in acting as motivation for your team to take total ownership and meet your expectations.

3. Care

Why should being a boss, and in charge, pose as a conflict to your ability to be a good human being, who understands the larger dimensions of being in charge? When you are in charge of a team, you are not only in charge of ensuring the deliverables are met, but also in making sure that you help your team through the odds they may face in achieving those deliverables – which at times may even extend beyond the professional realm. At times, you may have to exercise discretion to figure how far you can really go. To care for your team is to make them feel valued, and secure – a quality that can change all that is wrong in the world of work.

4. Encourage

Not just for the sake of increasing productivity, or during appraisals – but make it a part of who you are as a person. Encouragement can be in many forms – it could be a few words, it could be a smile, it could be just an approving nod or a gesture. While it wouldn’t cost you anything, you never know how it may infuse someone with the energy he/she really needs.

5. Laugh

Be the boss who makes the work environment seem lighter. Wear a smile as often as you can, and laugh with your team as often as you can. Invest at least thirty minutes connecting with your team, sharing and laughing with them. The effect would be almost therapeutic – for you and for your team, resulting in a sense of cohesiveness which ultimately motivates your team to deliver the best. To be a boss your team can’t let down, you’ve got to start by practicing all the qualities that you would like to see in a person you think you won’t ever be able to disappoint – and then, become that person! Let go of your need to invoke fear and hence get the work done (a tactic most commonly used by employers), and become someone who invokes the best in your team, simply by being all that you want to see in your team mates!

Image Courtesy: lexisnexis

[obolinx-blog]

Volunteering – Why it should be on every student’s priority list

While the idea of volunteering has been around for quite some time, it was always been perceived with some amount of disapproval from parents and has been seen as an additional chore by the students. However, with times swiftly changing, volunteering has grown to be immensely popular and has become a trend among  students.

The million dollar question to ponder over is, WHY. Why is there a sudden rise in volunteering by students? We believe that the desire to create something meaningful and to give back to the society is the top reason for any student to volunteer, but that is just the tip of the iceberg! At a much deeper level, it is because of the benefits a student reaps that volunteering has become so sought after.

Below is a list of 5 reasons why we think every student must volunteer at least once in their life! Take a look!

Reason 1: Develop your Skills

Volunteering exposes you to a whole new world of opportunities and at the same time helps you in honing your existing skills. It teaches you things that can’t be taught in classrooms. Take for instance, the ability to work in teams – we can’t stress enough how important that is in today’s job market and volunteering more often than not, involves working in teams. It brings out new hobbies, interests, and helps form opinions. You’ll be surprised at how good you’re at things you have never done and volunteering can give you opportunities to try all of them out. A volunteering experience can actually help you take a step forward towards deciding your career!

Reason 2: BOOST YOUR CAREER

According to a survey conducted by Chronicle of Higher Education and Public Media’s ‘Marketplace’, “Employers place more weight on experience, particularly internships, volunteering and employment during school vs. academic credentials including GPA and college major when evaluating a recent graduate for employment.”

While applying for a position, without much prior work experience to show to your employer, volunteering stints could vouch for your all-round abilities;your ability to organize events, make optimum utilization of the scant resources available, handling operations, managing people to name a few. Even while applying for higher studies in foreign countries, we believe these experiences will surely help you boost your CV.

Reason 3: Rediscover Yourself – Get Out Of The “Comfort Zone”

Volunteering widens your personality horizon by exposing you to different kinds of situations and environments that will make you “uncomfortable”. It is a exceptional process that pushes you to your breaking point and helps you unlearn and discover yourself. Travelling in adverse conditions and developing a resilience, living on meager resources and discovering your sense of empathy for people, all these will give you a new and appreciative perspective in life and help build character.

Reason 4: Meet Diverse Groups

Volunteering brings together people from diverse fields. Interaction with co-workers presents an excellent networking scope. It enhances cross-cultural understanding and develops people skills. We have often heard that lack of communication skills during interviews and in work places is a common pain point of most employers, so a volunteering stint might do wonders in this regard! In the end we’d like to add that when we interact with diverse groups, it helps widen our own thoughts and ideologies, and so can you.

Reason 5: Travel!

Going on vacation during some time off is all well and good for a while, but if you’re looking for something adventurous, fulfilling and productive, it would be an excellent idea to go down the volunteerism route. This allows you to travel to a hill,a forest or a beach and volunteer for a cause! It’s a good way to get to see your country from a completely different point of view, meet some interesting people, be independent and assist those who are less fortunate.

So remember, the next time you feel the urge to be productive and contribute to the enhancement of the society and yourself, just pack your bags and go volunteer. The longer, the better!

Image courtesy: changegrowlive.org

[obolinx-blog]

Resigning With Grace – How to Resign like a True Professional

As professionals, it is only natural that we may want to quit the job we currently have, in order to move on and progress – for whatever reason we may have. There could be many reasons for us wanting to quit and we could be quite distracted/disturbed when the moment of truth approaches. Anger, nostalgia, pride, nervousness, a sense of loss, excitement are only some of the emotions you could be experiencing in your notice period, leading up to your last day. However, no matter how you feel, a graceful exit is a non- negotiable. Here are five things that need to be done, for resigning with grace, and leaving behind respect for you as a true professional:

Resigning with Grace: Prepare them. And yourself.

If it is in your control, prepare your manager/team in advance about your exit. It is bad enough for them that you’ve chosen to move on. The news should not be jolting. Have a conversation in person with your manager first. Be clear and courteous, and serve your notice period if that is what your manager needs. The time in hand will allow your work to come to a closure, a suitable replacement can be brought in and it is respectful!

Resigning with Grace: Stay honest and polite in your exit interview

Exit interviews are not venting sessions. But if you value your time at the organization and care for them, it is important that you give honest feedback about your experiences. Don’t trash talk. Tell them what you feel. You can be honest, but not rude. We believe many conversations must take place to make the world of work a better place. And if something needs to be addressed, exit interviews are the places to share.

Resigning with Grace: Reach out to all the teams

If you have been a person who has worked with multiple teams in the organization, and have some skills which others depend on, inform them about your exit. It is only fair that you make an open offer to them regarding working on transitioning anything that they need from you. That way they won’t be left in a vacuum.

Resigning with Grace: Celebrate your journey

For whatever reason you quit, once you decide to cross the bridge, know it is a new beginning. Your work stint would have brought you in contact with different kinds of people, allowed you to pick up skills, taken you towards your calling and helped you grow as a person. Celebrate that. The farewell might be a difficult time, an emotional time as well. But bringing in some joy, appreciation and fun will make your experience extremely worthwhile. And help reinforce the all-important friendships with the now ex-colleagues. Remember that it is these relationships that are the true assets that you take along with you.

Resigning with Grace: Allow and acknowledge the possibility of a future association

You never know when you may feel the need to associate in some way with an organization you leave, in the future. Be it in terms of work, or partnering with a colleague, reference from your manager, anything. It can happen. Don’t burn bridges. Leave a door open. Send appreciative emails/messages, be thankful. Tell your team/managers that at some point you would love to associate again. For an organization, it is always good when ex-employees come back to contribute again. As they say, it is a very small world!

Given the multitude of circumstances we may leave under, it may be difficult to leave on a good note. However, to end the post with the same note we started it with, resigning with grace is a non-negotiable!   Have similar thoughts? We would love to know! Do share your experience with us.

[obolinx-blog]

Changing Jobs? 5 Tips for a Smooth Job Transition

If you’ve made up your mind to change jobs, the transitional period between quitting and looking for a new job, or joining a new job you may already have landed, can be quite unsettling. But remember, “this too shall pass”. In this post, we suggest 5 tips to help you with a smooth job transition.

Think it through

Is your decision to quit a well thought out one or an impulsive one? If impulsive, then think it through once again. Career decisions need to be gradual and well researched, not sudden and abrupt. Of course, we agree that you do need to take risks at some point in your career if you really believe it is for the best. However, diving headlong into something you have absolutely no idea about, leaving behind a secure job and pay, can be a tad too risky.

Do a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis is a Strengths Weakness Opportunity and Threats Analysis. Use this opportunity to assess yourself along SWOT lines. Think about your new job and relate your Strengths and Weaknesses to it. Think about the Opportunities and avenues that the new venture will open up for you. At the same time, assess the potential Threats to your career if you decide on changing jobs. Write these down for clarity and talk to a senior colleague or friend who’s been working for some time and has an idea about the high and low tides of the job market. It is seldom wise to make such decisions in isolation. Talking always helps.

Make peace with your decision to quit

If you haven’t been impulsive and have thought this job transition through, you need to put behind any feelings of guilt you might be experiencing. Be loyal to yourself first, and then the company. You may have had a long and fruitful association with the organization, however, if you have realized there is no more scope for you to grow as a professional and that you desire more from your career, resigning is the best thing to do.

End Well

If you’ve been reading our previous posts, you must have noticed the stress we have been laying on this particular point. We are going to repeat it for you anyway. No matter what the reason for your resignation is, you must end your relationship with your current organization gracefully. It is more important for you to end well than start well, if you’ve landed a job with another company, you’ve quite obviously already made an impression! Ending on good terms, despite differences, sets you apart as a thorough professional.

Handover

The notice period will be your last few working days at the organization before your job transition. Winding up can be an exhausting process. Give the organization what you owe it and, make sure you receive what the organization owes you.Discuss this with the HR to avoid any last minute confusion regarding your cumulative pay at the end of your notice period, and/or any bonuses, benefits, insurance, share values you should receive.

Bonus Tip : Keep Calm and  Chant  “this too shall pass” – the odds of faith in the face of doubt!

Be #HappyInTheNow

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5 Ways to End Your Day for A Super Productive Next Day

There are ways in which you can begin your day to make it super productive. There are also ways in which you can end your day to celebrate your productivity. The latter paves way for a super productive next day. These changes in your lifestyle don’t cost anything and don’t take up much time. What they do is, make a world of difference to your happiness levels and your productivity.

Express gratitude

Think about all the good things that have come your way today. Even if it wasn’t the best day of your life. Find one thing that you feel grateful, or privileged about, dwell on it and experience the warmth and comfort of that feeling. Be thankful for everything that has come your way and everything that you have consciously worked towards. Expressing gratitude is the best thing you can do to pave way for more moments to be grateful for.

Make a to-do list for tomorrow

Keep a journal and jot down what you would like to accomplish tomorrow. Take into consideration the kind of tasks you are setting for yourself and if you will be able to accomplish them in the given period of time. Set practical goals and work towards achieving them. This way, when you end the next day you will have a clear idea of the progress you’ve made.

Connect with your partner

Connect with your partner, or a loved one and tell them how important they are for you and how grateful you are to be able to share your life with them. Switch off from work completely (yes – hide that smartphone away from yourself). Give yourself and your loved ones your full attention. Besides the obvious rewards this will bring your way, you will also be refreshed and recharged for a productive next day.

Set things in place for the next morning

Decide what you want to wear, what you are having for breakfast, arrange your work materials and your lunch ingredients. These are simple things that you must always take care at the end of the day so that they don’t eat into your mornings which have the potential to be the most productive time of your day.

Let go and accept

If it hasn’t been one of your best days, tell yourself that it is okay. Accept what happened and let go. If it bothers you a lot, write it out or speak about it to someone but do not let it affect a day which is yet to begin. Make sure you go to sleep with a clear mind and conscience, so that when you are up the next morning, you are all set to take on the world!

It is amazing how doing the simplest things can tap into an inner source of productivity we never even knew existed. Even if the day hasn’t been the happiest, or the most productive, make a conscious effort to end it well. Clear out the feelings of dissatisfaction, to pave way for a good night’s sleep, and an amazingly productive next day!

Image Courtesy: chosencourse.com

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How to be a Leader not a Boss – Five Reminders and Quotes

Being a boss is easy. Said no one. Say it out loud, the word “boss”, and reflect on what it means, what it sounds like, and what it evokes in you. There are only a few words which can double as both a noun and a verb, “boss” being one of them. As an employer, you have infinite potential in you to get the best out of your employees. Alternatively, you also have infinite potential to extract the worst out of your employees. To be a leader not a boss is the key here.

Being a boss and being a leader could mean two wholly different things. The plan is, to show your team that you are very much a part of the team and at the helm of affairs. The best way to manage your people and motivate them to be their best is by being more of a leader and less of a boss. No to imposing yourself, stating through overt and covert ways, “who the boss is”, yes to communication, negotiation, trust and motivation. If you’ve ever been bossed by your boss, you know exactly what not to do. But, even the best of us need to be reminded at times. Here are five reminders and quotes about how to be a leader not a boss.

1. Give your employees the benefit of doubt

A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. – Russell H. Ewing

Most corporate environments today are eerily reminiscent of pre-industrial revolution hell holes. Of course that is an exaggeration, but you get what we mean. The work environment can get extremely stressful, and you do not know why an employee made a mistake he made, until you actually feel it is important to know the cause. Breathe, and communicate. Do not jump to conclusions. Giving your employees the benefit of doubt will also help you give yourself scope for improvement. Maybe you need to do something differently to help your employees perform better. Always be open to that fact.

2. Communication is truly the key

The art of communication is the language of leadership. – James Humes

Respond to emails, invest time in meting out detailed feed-back, organize team lunches and dinners, bond. Don’t assume that people know your vision, you ideas or plans. Communicate them often. And remember that two monologues don’t make a dialogue – communication is a two-way street. Take time to listen, to understand, to discuss. Being a boss can be easy at times, but being a mentor never is. But being a mentor is definitely more valuable for your organization in the longer run, than being a boss.

3. Micromanaging only kills productivity

A good boss makes his men realize they have more ability than they think they have so that they consistently do better work than they thought they could. – Charles Erwin Wilson

Not very long ago, we wrote about the importance of delegating tasks, if you have resources and a team at your disposal, learn how to delegate tasks. It will help both you as well as them. Being a control freak always has adverse effects on your productivity levels. It is impossible to micro manage everything. Also, do acknowledge and trust the talent of other people who have been hired because of their skills to handle the particular tasks. By delegating, you achieve two very important things – 1. The Trust of your employees 2. Productivity.

4. Applaud and motivate your People

If you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. And everyone who receives it – young or old, successful or less-than-successful, unknown or famous – is changed by it. – John C. Maxwell

The importance of motivating your employees cannot be stressed upon, enough. Letting your employees know that you value them for the great work they do, helps them bring out the best in themselves. You know you are a good leader and a good boss when employees don’t want to let you down. It is important to hold slackers accountable, but it is more important to make it a point to applaud your employees frequently, maybe on a weekly basis. Your employees feel valued when you start or end the week by personally communicating one thing you think each member of your team did a good job with. It may not even be something big. Gratitude does go a long way to inspire and motivate.

5. Apologize when you need to

A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit. – Arnold H. Glasow

Remember that just because you are the boss, does not mean you are immune from making mistakes. Everyone is prone to mistakes and errors. What is more important is putting your ego of being superior aside, and admitting when things go wrong because of something you did, or could have done differently. Most often managers feel this quality makes them vulnerable. In fact, it is the exact opposite. It empowers you to lead your team in a much more productive manner. Humility scores way over hubris – not only for winning hearts but is also great for the bottom-line.

It can be overwhelming to be the person who is, at the end of the day, going to be held responsible or accountable for the way his/her team performs. This pressure to be a leader not a boss, more often than not gets to you. A little pressure, is of course is healthy. But ask yourself this, would you rather be a boss your employees absolutely loathe and detest? Or be a leader who they feel proud to work for. The world of work can never have enough of those kind!

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ERROR #404: File Not Found! – Importance of Organizing your Documents

Organizing your documents could seem tedious at first. Until you realize the benefits it has. What is the one common thing about everything that our modern day lives revolve around; be it seeking rental accommodation, admissions into university, or applying for jobs? It is the several documents that form the proof of our legal and social existence. While they are important for almost everything else, they are especially important during your recruitment process. The process of recruitment is inevitably slowed down because of the time prospective employees usually take to produce the required documents. This time can be very easily conserved, and hence help speed up the process of recruitment, and also the efficiency of the same. What are the documents that you need to keep handy? And what are the ways which will help you access them whenever you need to, no matter where you are? Here are three simple and comprehensive steps to help you get this right.

Step 1 of Organizing Your Documents: The Must Haves

The documents that you would absolutely need to keep handy are: 1. Your birth certificate 2. Your Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card (India) and Tax Returns 3. Your Voters ID/Aadhar Card (India) 4. Your Bank details (Passbook/Cheque book/Account Statements) 5. Your current Identity card (student/employee) 6. Your 10th, 12th, and College/Degree mark sheets AND pass certificates 7. Your Passport 8. Proof of Residence – Electricity bill/ rental agreement. 9. Certificates or letters to support anything you may have mentioned on your recent resume (internships, previous work experience, volunteering experiences, competitions/contests) 10. A bunch of passport and stamp sized photographs

Step 2 of Organizing Your Documents: Print and Scan

It is not advisable to keep originals of most of these documents with you. It is much safer to have them kept at your permanent residence, or any other place of safety. As a viable alternative, scans and copies of these documents are widely accepted. Scan each of these documents to always have a soft copy with you. Apart from scanning them, make photocopies (preferably color where required) of the same to keep ready when required.

Step 3 of Organizing Your Documents: Access

The most important part of doing this exercise to make you have access to any or all of the above documents whenever and wherever you may need them. Keep the hard copies in a separate folder after labeling it appropriately. Apart from ensuring you have access to the tangible copies, make sure soft copies of all these documents are accessible to you virtually. The best way to go about it is to store it in multiple places. Make a folder on desktop, copy them onto your pen drive and your hard drive, upload them on to your Google drive and also email them to yourself. That way, you have access to them in every possible scenario.

You might think, you don’t even need to go through the effort of organizing your documents right away. Even if you cannot foresee a situation which will require you to access these documents in the near future, it is advisable to do this exercise nonetheless. In fact, the best time to do it is when there is no pressure. This helps you organize in an even better way. We’ve tried our best to make this list as comprehensive as possible. What is something you would add to this list, to make it even more comprehensive? Comment below! Did this post help you? Help others too, by passing it on!