Tip #285: Think Green: 7 Tips To Reduce Paper Waste

These days, "thinking green" is part of our every day lives - including the workplace - but it does not require a major overhaul to make this a reality for your business. In fact, some battles can be won simply by shifting attitudes, like the attitudes towards paper usage.

Going Green WILL Save Your Business Money.

There are many efficient ways to reduce the amount of paper your company uses. Some only require the click of a mouse, e.g., changing print margins on a word document from the default 1.25'' to 1". By making this change through your business, you can reduce paper usage by 8%. It really is that simple.

6 Tips For Reducing Office Paper Waste:

1. Use Both Sides Of The Paper - This should be obvious. By using the front and back of a piece of paper, you cut your paper use - and paper costs - in half. There is no reason for multiple paged documents not to be printed double-sided. For one-sided documents intended for one-time use, reuse the blank side for draft work or scratch paper.

2. Only Print What Is Necessary - Any time you go to print, ask yourself if it is really necessary to print the item in question. If only some of the page requires printing, be selective about what you print. That is, use "print selection" to print exactly what you need instead of printing the whole page or document.

3. Go Electronic Whenever You Can - Nowadays sending information electronically is almost always faster and more secure than sending information out over fax or mailed letters, and in the process cuts down on paper usage.

4. Start Recycling In The Office - If your office is not already recycling paper products, now is the time to start - especially since it will save your company money. Furthermore, consider purchasing recycled-content paper made from paper pulp recycled without the use of chlorine, as it helps protect against air and water pollution.

5. Maintain Your Printers/Copiers - Properly maintained copiers are less likely to jam or error while printing, which results in wasted paper. Since printing in an office is unavoidable, it is generally smart to keep copiers and printers in good repair anyway.

6. Think Smart When You Print - Excess paper can cost you money in many ways. For instance, a 10-page single-sided report being mailed out will cost twice as much in paper usage and additional postage charges. By printing double-sided, you will save money in a variety of ways.

Summary: It might not seem like much, but changing your printing and paper usage habits in the workplace can go a long way. This small change requires no costs and absolutely no sacrifice, but still saves your company a bundle in paper costs while exercising green business practices. So if for no other reasons than the ones listed above, you should go green and get the most from your paper. If nothing else, it is just smart business.

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Tip #284: Motivation: The Key Ingredient For Success

Are You A Motivator?

As a leader in your business, part of your job requirement is to be a motivator - that person who creates an intangible spark for people to get things done. In order to motivate someone, however, you have to understand what will motivate them.

8 Tactics To Motivating Your Team:

1. Everyone Can Be Motivated - It should never be a matter of if you can motivate someone, but rather how you can motivate them. Every employee can be motivated on some level. As a leader, you need to find an employee's motivator and tap into it.

2. WIIFM - Ultimately, "What's In It For Me?" is the question that drives every employee. Everyone has a personal agenda, and appealing to that is a surefire way to motivate him or her on a very fundamental level.

3. Positive And Negative Reinforcement - Positive reinforcement motivates employees with the promise of reward, recognition or incentives. This may NOT work on every employee, however. Some may require negative reinforcement - motivation generated by the threat of corrective action or job loss.

4. Provide Employees A Reason - Leading a team by telling them "because I said so" is not an acceptable motivator. Most employees want to feel involved, respected and part of the solution.

5. Understand Your Team - No one wants to come to work feeling like an outsider, like just another cog in the company's process. Sometimes the most persuasive motivator is one where you show an interest in your team. You should know what their goals are, what makes them tick and what issues they face.

6. The Power Of Pride - While employees should always take personal pride in their work, particularly outstanding and exemplary accomplishments deserve to be recognized. This will help bolster their pride and sense of place on the team, which will motivate them to keep up the good work.

7. Words - Word selection has a profound impact on people, both consciously and subconsciously. Words convey the strength of your conviction, or reveal the truth of your uncertainty. Even when flying blind, leaders are expected to make hard decisions and to paint a picture of certainty and confidence.

8. Do As I Do, Not As I Say - It is easy to yell out orders and expect the work to be done. Nevertheless, what separates the average leaders from great ones is their ability to lead by example. The passionate leader will be the first to get her or his hands dirty and establish a behavior for the rest of the team to emulate.

Summary: Some people are more motivated than others and some people are motivated differently than others. But everyone can be motivated. The trick is to learn each employee's individual needs and wants. For some, that could be reward, recognition and a sense of pride in their work. For others, it may be a friendly reminder that their job security depends entirely on their performance and how successfully a project they are working on turns out. Whatever technique you may need to apply, the 8 tips mentioned above should always be in the back of your mind.

Tip #283: The Power Of Positive Attitude

What is attitude? What does attitude mean in the workplace? Essentially, attitude is the mental state through which we perceive the world and respond to those perceptions. Attitude lays the groundwork for how we think and act in the workplace, and as a result is a crucial element to our job success.

Having A Positive Attitude Takes Practice.

For some, a positive attitude comes naturally. For others, positive attitude is something that needs to be consciously worked on and maintained. For those who need to apply practice to the theory of positive attitude in the workplace, I have outlined five steps to help you develop and maintain a positive attitude, and in the process achieve success.

5 Steps To Develop A Positive Attitude In The Workplace:

1. Learn If You Are Part Of The Problem - Most people who contribute to negativity fail to realize they are doing so. Their bad attitude is rarely a conscious thought, but rather a blind spot in their personality that holds them back. Hard-earned success is the direct result of when an individual recognizes their shortcomings and actively strives to rid themselves of those flaws.

2. Remember To Look Before You Leap - This can be applied to any obstacle in life - especially in the US workforce, where the tireless call for efficiency has put a big red "rush" stamp on all our foreheads. Simply put, slow down. In the grand scheme of things, it is far more efficient to execute something without a hitch the first try than to execute something satisfactorily on a second or even third attempt.

3. Stop Worrying About Everyone Else - This is another prevalent issue in the workplace: Employees who are overly preoccupied with their colleagues instead of themselves. Attitudes tend to be infectious, so the fastest way to see changes in others is to exhibit change in yourself. Focus on your own faults before you focus on the faults of others.

4. Practice Being Grateful In The Workplace - It is easier to see the negative than the positive, since the negative always seems so much more glaring. But chances are there are more things you appreciate at work than find fault in. Try to actively recognize and emphasize the good. Draw up a list of all the things you are grateful for at work and weigh them against the negative. This is a huge component to having a positive attitude in the workplace.

5. Always Look For Opportunities To Be Positive - Every bad moment has its upside. The trick is to find that upside. All it takes is the effort to look. Whenever you perceive something as bad initially, take a moment to consider things from all sides until you find something positive to take away from it.

Summary: Attitude is the difference between "work" and a "job." The former carries with it a sense of begrudging acceptance, of grind and the mundane. The latter, however, does not. A job is performed; work is completed. Positive attitude in the work place is a matter of seeing the glass half full instead of half empty. While your gut reaction may be to see things the other way around, applying some of the tricks I outlined above will help condition you to see things more positively, which will improve the quality of your work life sevenfold.

Tip #282: 5 Tips To Establishing You & Your Business' Credibility

Whether you are in sales, product development, R&D, operations or even customer service, establishing credibility with someone is an important component in any relationship. Sure, discussing what you do and how you do it can help, but there is a lot more to consider when you are looking to establish credibility with a person who does not know you.

5 Tips To Establishing Your Business Credibility:

Tip #1. Ask Questions And Listen Attentively To The Responses - After you ask a question, look whoever is responding in the eye when they answer your question. Stay focused and do not get distracted by external elements, such as art on the wall, people walking by or the view from the window. The person answering may perceive your distraction negatively and think that you do not have their best interest in mind. While listening to someone speak, it is important to recognize his or her needs and wants.

Tips #2. Focus On The Benefits - When talking with someone, focus on the advantages your department/organization can offer and how they will directly benefit the person. Be as specific as possible and tie the benefits back to their needs and wants. Steer clear from the temptation to only talk about what you do (e.g. features).

Tip #3. Tell Success Stories - One of the fastest ways to establish credibility is through past results - how others have benefited from your work. Use visual aids like charts when possible and, if you are in sales, even client testimonial letters. What is really powerful is to call a current client/co-worker while at someone's office to provide them some immediate feedback on your track record.

Tip #4. Relate Success Back To The Person You Are Talking To - Suggest to the person you are speaking with how they can receive similar benefits of something you did in the past. Show them what the ROI will be on the project by using a model with financial data they supply to you. If you use a tool like Excel, use it in real-time so you can alter the data based on their criteria. If you can offer an online ROI calculator via your website, it would be an excellent tool to share with your prospects.

Tip #5. Ask This Simple Question: What Do You Think Is Broken? - Asking for the sale, project, referral or whatever it is you are looking for can be difficult for most people. If you want to start a business conversation, ask this simple business question: What do you think is broken? Doing so will help you discover their real needs and then allow you to introduce the appropriate feature/benefit to fix it for them.

Summary: Remember, your credibility can make or break you at a business meeting since so many people make decisions on their "gut instinct." We suggest being supportive and sincere, but not overbearing or self-serving. Always put the needs of your contacts ahead of your own. By following these tips, you will be well on your way to establishing credibility.

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Tip #281: Nonverbal Communication In The Workplace

Good communication is the framework for any relationship, whether personal or professional. Sadly, most people fail to understand the complexity of communication, especially since 50% of all communication is done nonverbally. What makes this troubling is that nonverbal communication tends to reveal more about a person's real feelings than what they are actually saying.

50% Of All Communication Is Nonverbal.
Facial expressions, body language, gestures, even a speaker's proximity are all major components to their communication skills. For most people, nonverbal communication is a subconscious act, an external reflection of their internal thoughts and feelings. And those who are perceptive to body language can learn a lot more about a person's attitudes by observing their nonverbal communication. In fact, major airports have security personnel whose only job is to watch and analyze people's body behavior prior to going through security.
The 7 Key Areas Of Nonverbal Communication:
1. Facial Expression - When it comes to expressiveness, nothing tops the human face. Facial expressions are a cultural icon for emotional states - just look at the range of smiley faces online used for "emoting." A person's expression is the easiest way to gauge their emotional state.
2. Eye Contact - Eye contact is the first thing speakers look to when gauging the level of interest or disinterest whomever they are speaking to may have. Most of us rely heavily on the visual sense, so it is important to capitalize on that when engaging in communication.
3. Speech Patterns - A person's tone, pitch, volume, inflection, rhythm and speech rate all carry hidden messages behind the words actually spoken. Sometimes more can be divined about a person's state of mind from the manner in which they speak than the words they produce.
4. Body Posture - How someone walks, sits, stands and how they hold themselves are subtle forms of nonverbal communication, ones often overlooked by all but the most discerning eyes. Most of us absorb and process this information subconsciously and file it away. For those looking for a better command over communication, however, body posture needs to be consciously absorbed.
5. Physical Gestures - How much more do you nod or wave "hello" and "goodbye" to another person rather than actually say "hello"? Probably a surprising amount. Day-to-day gestures make up a significant chunk of nonverbal communication, such as waving, pointing, beckoning and gesticulation during speech.
6. Physical Interaction - This includes handshakes, tapping someone's shoulder, hugs or a pat on the back. Placing a reassuring hand on someone's shoulder can sometimes say more than words. A skillful communicator knows when physical interaction will be a more powerful form of communication and how to employ it effectively.
7. Proximity When Speaking - Something as simple as proximity - how close you are standing next to the person you are speaking to - can add to the experience. Invading someone's personal space may read as an act of aggression, or perhaps as an illustration of intimacy.

Summary: The human body is an engine for communication, beyond just speaking. While writing and speaking will undoubtedly remain the king and queen of communicative methods, a lot more can be ascertained by observing the subconscious messages people send out through body language. The ability to interpret these signals will not only give you a leg up in the business world, but also in life.

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Tip #280: Dealing With A Disgruntled Employee

No matter what type of organization you work for or own, there is a good chance you know of at least one negative employee on the payroll. You know the type: Quick to complain about anything and everything, brings the rest of the team's morale down, always manages to find the flaws in a new initiative but never the benefits, etc.

A Negative Employee Is Not Necessarily A Bad Employee.

Trouble is, these same employees are often still hard workers who get the job done and even excel enough to climb the corporate ladder. Despite a good work ethic, however, their attitudes can still affect those around them and in turn the company. Naturally, this demands a leaders attention.

5 Ways To Handle A Negative Employee:

1. First, Observe And Document Their Behavior - Without any proof of an employee's bad behavior/negative attitudes, they will simply refute your claims. Also, keep in mind that one observed or documented case of negative behavior is not indicative of a negative employee. Do not approach someone unless their negative behavior has been persistent, and keep a log of their behavior for later reference.

2. Set Your Expectations On How Someone Will React - Very few people can handle being called out on something. And in the case of negative employees, most are unaware of their own cynicism/negative outlook. Your goal should be to bring their attitude to their attention, to make them aware of the concern, not fess up to it.

3. Extend A Helping Hand - Trying to understand an employee's negative behavior is the best way to break them out of it. Once made aware of their behavior, an employee may offer insight as to the cause. Others may prefer to speak with an employee assistance counselor, if available. Just remember that you cannot, and should not, force assistance upon the employee.

4. Include Non-Subjective Content In Their Performance Reviews - One way to help a negative employee is to include non-subjective information in their performance reviews. We also suggest gathering feedback by asking employees about the employee's attitude, and then presenting your findings to the employee. Be sure to keep a positive tone when you do.

5. Avoid Throwing Gas On The Fire - In other words, "fighting fire with fire" does not apply to dealing with negative employees. Being harsh or critical towards them will only exacerbate their own negativity. Every employee wants their manager to believe in them, even when being disciplined. To send that message, remain positive and thoughtful when you address your concerns over an employee's negativity.

Summary: Employees who display negative attitudes and behavior at the work place are common in the business community. Every company has at least one person like this on staff. But instead of taking their approach and griping about the negativity take a more proactive approach and attempt to root out the cause of the employee's negativity. Doing so will invariably boost morale and foster a more pleasant work environment.

Tip #279: Being A Team Player In The Business World

Being A Team Player In

The Business World

• Most jobs require teamwork.
• Most careers depend on teamwork.
• Most companies insist on teamwork.

If you were selecting a group of people to start a new division at your company who would you select? Would it be someone you get along with but does not contribute to the overall good? Or someone who is great at what they do but does not get along with most people? How about the person who gets along with mostly everyone, has above average skills and is willing to put the extra effort into not only getting things done, but also done right?

In today's business world leaders not only grade their employees (or keep you on their payroll) based on how well they communicate effectively, but also on how they get along with other team members and improve a team's performance. If you want to become better at being a team player, you might find this e-tip timely.

10 Qualities An Effective Team Player:

1. Is Consistently Reliable - Good team players not only get their work done on time, but also are willing to get things done when deadlines are looming.

2. Communicates Positively - Business leaders want people who can motivate others around them by clearly articulating what needs to be done.

3. Has Good Listening Skills - Team players should not only understand and consider new ideas, but also new points of view from other people without arguing every point. They also know how to listen first so they can fully understand each angle before giving an opinion or trying to solve a problem.

4. Is An Active Participant - Good team players play an active role and are willing to become engaged in solving any type of problem.

5. Shares Key Information Openly And Willingly - Good team players are willing to share key files and documents to help the overall good of the team, from research data to sales history and everything in between.

6. They Get Their Work Done - An effective team is comprised of team players who work well together and get their work done. They respond openly to requests for assistance and take initiative to assist others in solving their problems.

7. They Are Flexible - The business world is always changing, from new government regulations to new products or services. Great team players not only accept these changes but embrace them, too.

8. Is Committed To The Overall Good Of The Team - Strong team players know when not to put their personal goals ahead of the team goals. They know the business is better off if they consider the overall good of the team, not themselves.

9. Helps Proactively To Solve Problems - Face it, problems happen everyday in business. And often times we see people dwelling on who caused the problem instead of fixing the root cause and thus the problem itself. Good team players put the problem on the table and then work out cost-effective solutions.

10. Is Supportive Of Others - Quite simply, great team players deal with people in a professional manner and are willing to support an ally even when they have nothing to gain.

Summary: Team players look beyond their world and their personal stakes to focus on what it takes so the team wins. Team players are the ones who step up and take charge to ensure things get done in a timely and cost-effective fashion. Most importantly, team players always leave the channels of communication open to help facilitate the company's success.

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Tip #278: 6 Communication Tips For Leaders During Turbulent Times

Communication in the workforce is a crucial element to the success of any business - especially when a company is facing tough economic times. What many owners and executives seem to forget is whether news is good or bad, what matters most is how they deliver that news.

Effective Communication Can Mean The Difference Between Good And Bad Team Morale.

When it comes to the morale of a company, bad news delivered ineffectively can dismantle a team's unity. However, that same bad news delivered effectively can drive a team towards success. The key to making this happen are the leaders who deliver it.

6 Communication Tips For Leaders During Turbulent Times.

1. Mean What You Say - Do not just be a communicative conduit; make what you are communicating personal. Have just as much of an investment in what you are saying as the listener does. Believe what you say. Mean what you say. Being a good communicator means constantly working to maintain and improve the communication process, whether it is written, oral, contextual or intuitive.

2. Rely On Information Channels - Waiting for news to reach you is unwise. Chances are when it finally does fall on your lap the news will already have reached critical mass. Stay ahead by actively gathering information using various information channels - both formal and informal. Use any open doors you have in the company to paint a complete picture for yourself.

3. Talk More, Not Less (and keep your office door physically open) - We live in a world where communication has taken over and is readily available in a multitude of ways. There is no excuse for anyone to be kept in the dark, and attempts to keep anyone in the dark are mostly futile. We communicate so frequently that employees will quickly forgive mistakes, but will not forgive the absence of communication. Not communicating at all will result in irreparable loss of trust.

4. Strike Up Proactive Conversations - There is almost no downside to talking to people, especially face-to-face. In times of uncertainty and change, displaying a willingness to field questions, listen carefully and respond to concerns is a surefire way to build and establish trust, honesty and dependability.

5. Be An Investigative Reporter At Your Business- As mentioned earlier, passively gathering information is not enough. Great leaders get out of the chair and into the field, like an investigative reporter. They actively seek to learn what is being said around the office and they give others the chance to be listened to. Maybe you don't have all the answers, but showing that you are willing to listen and learn will go a long way.

6. Promote The Flow Of Positive Things - You want to create an atmosphere of effective communication, not manipulated information. Worry less about keeping the lid on any news and more about facilitating the flow of information. Better something come from you, the leader, than build mass as a rumor. More importantly, when bad news is delivered candidly it minimizes demoralization.

Summary: Just because these tips are geared towards "turbulent times" does not mean they are not useful all the time. It is said that in real estate "location, location, location" is what sells properties. If that is the case, in business "communication, communication, communication" is what sells management initiatives and keeps a team banded together.

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