A system for productivity

http://m.fastcompany.com/3053036/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/the-simple-technique-to-fit-a-40-hour-work-week-into-167-h?utm_source=facebook#

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249294

NANCE ROSEN
FROM PERSONAL BRANDING BLOG

Who you think YOU ARE is the key to success (or failure).

Success is not in the hands of the person with whom you are speaking, nor is it in the product, service or skill set you believe you represent.

Per the Carnegie Institute of Technology, 85% of the decision to hire you is based on your personal traits. Only 15% of the decision is based on your skills, experience or proof that what you do is better than other people who are competing for the position.

How does the interview or potential client learn about or experience your personal traits? Largely through how they see you relate to yourself.

Self-respect, self-worth and a self-positive attitude are what you must convey in an interview. Why?

Your attitude about yourself is like a cold. It’s contagious.

Related: Controlling Bad Habits for a Successful Career

If you believe you that you are lucky to have the interview, you are likely to lose the job or the deal. If you believe the recruiter, hiring manager or prospective client is lucky to have the interview: you are likely to lose the job or the deal.

If you see the interview as a meeting of two people with equal business stature – you are going to succeed.

Of course this does not mean that you can do the same work as your interviewer or prospect. Why would they need you to do that?

Equal business stature simply means you share the same profound interest in successfully accomplishing the goals of the job. It means you are someone who is bringing a solution-oriented mindset, resourcefulness, ingenuity, and commitment.

See the next interview you have as an exchange of like-minded people, equally interested in addressing the challenges of the position that needs to be filled. Don’t court, cajole, or toady; don’t undersell or overpromise.

Show up ready to engage in a business conversation, where your focus is on the problems that need to be solved – not simply on what you have or haven’t done in the past.

Simply put: show up ready to engage with clarity and confidence.

BY DRAKE BAER
"It is not uncommon for me to get 100 applications for one spot, so I'm constantly looking for reasons not to advance a candidate to the interview round," writes Slate editor Katherine Goldstein. "Writing a good cover letter is your best shot at getting noticed. If I hate a cover letter, I won’t even look at the résumé."

That noticeability, Goldstein says, depends on demonstrating that you know the organization and that you are the perfect fit and then distilling that detailed argument into a cordial few words.

It goes like this:

1. GET TO THE POINT"People typically write themselves into the letter with ‘I’m applying for X job that I saw in Y place.’" Knockout CV author John Lees tells the Harvard Business Review. "That’s a waste of text."

I'M CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR REASONS NOT TO ADVANCE A CANDIDATE TO THE INTERVIEW ROUND.The better move is to let the cat out of the bag. In the first sentence, state why you're excited about the job and why you're the right fit. As HBR argues, you want to open with detail. Here's an example:


I'm an environmental fundraising professional with more than 15 years of experience and I’d love to bring my expertise and enthusiasm to your growing development team.


A much stronger open than saying you saw the listing on LinkedIn.

2. GET THEIR ATTENTIONLet's try to gain some empathy for the pain of the hiring manager: they're getting slammed with stacks of applications every time they post a listing. Goldstein, the Slate editor, says she's read "something like 500" applications for entry-level media gigs. That's why a generic opening is so ineffective—it's just like everybody else's.

3. IF THERE'S A PERSONAL CONNECTION, SHOW IT IN THE FIRST FEW SENTENCESFriends hire their friends. As the New York Times reports:


Riju Parakh wasn't even looking for a new job ... But when a friend at Ernst & Young recommended her, Ms. Parakh’s résumé was quickly separated from the thousands the firm receives every week because she was referred by a current employee, and within three weeks she was hired. "You know how long this usually takes," she said. "It was miraculous."


Internal referrals account for 45% of Ernst & Young's hires. That sends a strong signal: expand the shape of your network to engineer your own nepotism. Then, when you write the cover letter, highlight those connections.

IF I HATE A COVER LETTER, I WON’T EVEN LOOK AT THE RÉSUMÉ.4. KNOW WHO YOU'RE WRITING TOSpeaking of personal connections, let's do away with "To Whom It May Concern"; between LinkedIn, Twitter, and the company's site, the actual name of the person doing the hiring should be discoverable.

5. KNOW THEIR PROBLEMS"Do some research beyond reading the job description," says Lees, the author ofKnockout CV. To do that, figure out the challenges the company (and their industry) is facing and where they see their growth sectors. This can be done by reading the news, yes, but as Extreme Productivity scribe Bob Pozen tells us, the best way to know what people's working lives are like is to talk to them.

Getting someone's ear is easier than you think (journalists do it for a living). You could ask for an informational interview at the outset, or failing that, try and grab coffee(and remember to take notes).

6. KNOW THEIR TONEA startup might love your goofy-casual cadence; the aforementioned Ernst & Young may not.

7. KNOW YOUR VALUEAfter doing all this research—combing through their website, reading every scrap of news, and talking to a few people in the company and industry—you should have a solid sense of what skills the company is searching for.

"Show that you know what the company does and some of the challenges it faces," Amy Gallo writes at HBR. "Then talk about how your experience has equipped you to meet those needs; perhaps explain how you solved a similar problem in the past or share a relevant accomplishment."

Telling the story of how you saw a problem, how you solved it, and how you can do the same for them is a reliable strategy. In fact, it's the only thing that Google has found is consistent among successful hires.

To develop exceptional listening skills and advance your own leadership abilities, understand these common barriers to effective listening and use that knowledge to adapt to them on the fly:

1. ACTING LIKE A SAGEA leader is inherently in a position of power, and it’s easy to let that power get in the way. Before the thought or conversation is complete you already think you know the answer.

This type of barrier is a prejudgment. Rather than having all the answers, it is your job to coax the answers to the surface.

2. HASTY PROBLEM SOLVINGIt sounds counterintuitive, but solving a problem too early in the process of conversation can cause an emotional barrier between the leader and his or her team that is difficult to reverse. Instead of prematurely attempting to solve a team member’s problem, give yourself the opportunity to fully understand and learn from the discussion.

3. COMPETITIVE LISTENINGThis is a mode of dominance in which the leader assumes control of the conversation by interrupting. A competitive interruption occurs in order to challenge an assumption, provoke a response, influence the conversation, or impress.

4. REACTING TO RED FLAG WORDSReacting to red flag language—anything that can be deemed inflammatory or emotionally difficult—can derail a conversation and short-circuit a learning opportunity. The best path is to be unbiased, let the moment occur, and respond appropriately rather than in an emotionally charged outburst.

5. OBVIOUS PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONSClearing the decks of all distraction should be the first step in an important one-on-one conversation. That means curtailing access to the Internet, waiting to eat lunch, powering down the device, and closing the door to the office. Physical distractions, the ones a manager can control, need to be handled mindfully.

In general, a good leader needs to practice handling emotions while listening. Instead of impulsively reacting, wait a moment, be silent, and see what bubbles up. This pause enables you to appropriately assess a situation and suspend the emotional reaction.

Good listening is crucial leadership tool and arguably one of the most essential skills to continually develop and keep in your arsenal. It’s a skill that a manager can constantly improve upon by reminding herself of the barriers to effective listening.


By Scott McDowell

"...Higher self-esteem functions like an emotional immune system. When our self-esteem is higher, we are less affected by stress and anxiety, we experience rejections and failures as less hurtful, and we recover from them more quickly. In this way, our self-esteem functions like an emotional immune system that buffers us from emotional and psychological injuries. Obviously we should be doing everything we can to protect and boost our self-esteem, and yet...

Most of the damage to our self-esteem is self-inflicted...."

-Guy Winch

by Peter Voogd

Zig Ziglar said “Money isn’t everything , but it’s right up there with oxygen.” The topic of wealth, income, and making money is often discussed and viewed in a negative light. Our society is afraid of being labeled as greedy or money hungry, but what must be understood is that money is a crucial part of freedom. I personally know what it’s like to have nothing, to stress about paying my next bill, and to feel hopeless. I also know what it’s like to thrive, and I’ve been fortunate enough to create some great income as well. Having money is a lot more enjoyable and fulfilling, but most importantly it gives you options.

Related: 8 Reasons Why 'More Money' Must Become Your Mantra

Have you ever heard anybody say any of these?

“Money is the root of all evil.”

“Rich people are greedy.”

“Money won’t make you happy.”

“You don’t want to be one of those people.”

“I don’t need money.”

It's usually those who claim they don't care about money that are broke. Why not get wealthy? Why not become a millionaire? Why not focus on making as much money as you can?  As entrepreneurs, I know you have goals of increase your income. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so those thriving financially  must be doing something different, right? Better yet, they must have a better perspective about money and how it’s earned? 

Let me give you eight very tactical and straightforward tips that can be used right away to catapult your income.

1. Stop doing what you’re doing. We all know the saying “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a difference result.” If you aren’t satisfied, the first thing you must do is stop doing what you’ve been doing because what you are doing is what is creating your dissatisfying, current reality.

What’s great about life is the opportunity to completely change your story and direction overnight. Regardless of your past decisions, you’re always one decision away from making the right one.

2. Don’t let money define you. Your self worth has nothing to do with your finances. Whether you have a negative bank account or $5 million in the bank, your confidence must never waiver. If anything, your confidence needs to increase when you are stressed so you are motivated you to never feel that stress again.

Being wealthy is a state of mind, but so is being broke. You are what defines you, not what you possess.

3. Start prioritizing your profits. When you set up your weekly schedule make sure you start with income producing activities. Of all your activities, 20 percent will account for 80 percent of your income. Figure out what those are. Really think about the the top two or three things you need to do to create income. Now put those in your schedule consistently to assure you are creating income.

Constantly ask yourself if what you’re doing is profitable. Focus on doing what you should versus what you feel. Never forget that impact drives income.

Related: Want to Make More Money? Understand the Multiplying Effect.

4. Start placing a higher value on your time. Time is more valuable than money. You can always get more money, but you can never get more time. It is possible to become twice as valuable, and make twice as much money in the same amount of time. There is nothing more valuable than time invested wisely. We all have the same 24 hours, and it’s what you do with them that determines everything.

5. It’s Ok to say no. Steve Jobs once said, “It’s what Apple said “no” to that ultimately made them successful.”

If you’re over-extending yourself and committing to too many things, this word will change your life. Say "no'' to everything that doesn't create income for you until you get your income to a place you feel confident and secure. Make a commitment to yourself that you will focus on income-producing activities versus tension-relieving activities. 

6. Proximity is power. Most broke people hang with other broke people and they usually stay broke, together. Elevate your peer group by reaching out to those playing the game of life at a higher level than you.

Find those people because you’ll become a lot like the people you spend the most time with. Their belief systems, their ways of being and their attitudes are contagious. You're either surrounding yourself with those who hold you accountable, or let you off the hook. Choose wisely.

7. Lower your excuses. As the excuses go up, the bank account goes down. The best excuse makers or “validators” have the smallest bank accounts. The energy and time you spend on creative excuses is better invested in thinking of actual solutions that move your life forward. Excuses are a disease and those who continue making them will continue to have money issues.

8. Shift your focus from victim to leader. Stop blaming the economy, stop blaming your past, stop blaming your boss or company, and stop thinking the world is out to get you. Charge more, switch jobs, become more valuable. My friend Hal Elrod says, “The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life, is the moment you can change anything in your life.”

The difference between ordinary income and extraordinary income is fast implementation. How quick will you get on your grind to start increasing your income? I assure you if you take these tips seriously, and want it bad enough you will create an income explosion the next couple months. I want you to realize that your bank account isn’t who you are, it’s who you were before you made the decision to focus on wealth.