Give It Your Best Shot

I have been working in the workforce for more than 31 years. My first three jobs lasted around three months each. The fourth one lasted more than 30 years, when I climbed up the ladder from secretary to executive.
Many people asked how I managed to stay in the same company for so long, I told them my motto was: Everyday is a new day. But most of all, it was because I learned to be positive.

To Learn
To remain employable, you have to learn new skills. Make it a point to look out for courses relevant to your work, such as computer and communication skills, negotiation techniques and ask your company to sponsor you for them.
On a personal level, consider taking courses on wellness. These will improve your health and well-being. Or take up a new sport to keep fit and make new contacts.

Observe Others
By observing others, especially your supervisors and bosses, you can pick up many tips, including leadership traits. Adopt the good qualities and avoid repeating the mistakes. You will also get along with your colleague better, especially those from other departments. Networking with people at different levels helps you to get things done faster.

Select Your Friends
You spend a lot of time in the office. So, it is good to have a few "positive" friends who will support and give you encouragement in times of crisis. They could also be your lunch mates, with whom you share your joys and woes. This is also a good time to de-stress and enjoy meals together. Avoid people who project low energy levels and are not receptive to new ideas. They will hinder your progress.

Influence Others
This refers to getting others on your side, especially if you are on a project. Influencing others in the team can lead to common goals being achieved and time-lines observed. Being influential also shows your leadership qualities that your supervisor and bosses will appreciate.

Trust Your Instincts
When you have new ideas, when things go wrong or when you are in a dilemma about making a decision, go with your gut feel. But make sure you consult your supervisor or boss. Explain why you are taking the approach and get their approval before proceeding.

Invest Your Time Well
Prioritise the tasks allocated to you. If need be, delegate some to those who are the "experts" in specific areas. Striking a balance between work and family. By having quality time at home and at work, you will be able to perform your tasks better.
Do not fall into the trap of just concentrating on your work and neglecting your family. The price you pay may be too high.

Value Yourself
Learn to feel good about yourself. When you value your achievements, you can tap on your strengths and develop then further. If you have low-esteem, it will show in your performance. High self-esteem makes you keen to take on new challenges.
Even if you make mistakes, learn from them. Many successful people have failed and picked themselves up to achieve greater height.

Enjoy Your Works
Last but not least, enjoy what you do. When you are unhappy at work, it is time to move on. So, while you are on the job, take pride in it and give it your best shot.

Source: ST/ANN

*Article contributed by June Goh, a certified professional trainer with the Quest Group.

Dos and Don'ts

To stay in your boss's good books and succeed in your career, consider some dos and don'ts in the workplace:

Do:

• Understand your boss's temperament and work style;
• Be the first one to tell him when things go wrong;
• Be on his side, as far as possible;
• Respect your boss's time; and
• Give your boss credit when it is due. It rarely costs you anything.

Do not:

• Give your boss surprises. Make sure you keep him informed about important issues;
• Be seen as a problem child who puts personal interests ahead of getting the job done;
• Sound negative;
• Avoid or deflect problem issues. Hiding can be effective avoidance technique, but once your boss realises what is going on, it is the end of your career progression within the company;
• Give impression that you are better than your boss, or more capable and enlightened than he is; and
• Shirk responsibilities. Treat them as challenges.
  

Are U an Asset to Ur Company?

If you posses special talents and qualities that set you apart from other employees, you will be an asset to your company which will value your contributions. The bottom line in today's workplace is that your talent your employer is paying for is translated into an actual value based on the work and demonstration of potential in your performance.

Identify your talent
All if us have hidden talents and abilities. Do not go through corporate life short-changing yourself, underestimating your abilities and worse still, under-utilising and wasting your abilities. Think about what could be one thing you can do better than most other people in your company. Here are some tips to identify your talent:

• What do you yearn for?
• What gives you the greatest satisfaction at work?
• What are the skills you pick up in the quickest time?
• Which are of your work have you shown excellence in?

Reflect on what you are good at, which need not be directly related to your job scope. For example:

• Training, coaching, mentoring others.
• Your own natural abilities and skill.
• Activities pursued outside working hours.

Some question to ask yourself when you want to find out if a work performance area is your talent:

• Do you always know how to do it?
• Do you get better at it after some time?
• Do other applaud you after you do it?
• Do you feel pride and pleasure when you do it?

What does "high potential" mean?
You can demonstrate two kinds of potential. The first is to improve effectiveness in your current role, and the second is the potential to move to a higher, more complex work level.
Just as we gauge a company's performance, an individual's performance can be judged by the same way:

• Demonstrate competencies or capabilities of the next level of business performance.
• Consistently demonstrates exceptional performance over an extended period of time.
• Consistently demonstrates drive, influence and judgment.
• Achieve business results.
• Has significant capability and capacity to take on more duties.

So when your talent consistently translate into higher actual value of work or demonstrate potential in performance, that makes you a valuable asset to your company. And you, as an asset, will also grow in value as you develop your talent. - Source: ST/ANN

* Article by Chia Weng Lee, a consulting partner to the Results-Based Leadership Group.

Tips - How To Cool A Home Naturally

Keeping cool doesn't have to mean an outrageous electricity bills. Plan ahead when building a new home, or make some changes that can keep your home cool to the existing structure.

• Coat the roof of the house with an energy efficient material that reflects the sun & blocks heat absorption.
• Paint the house a light colour. White, off-white and yellow reflect more sun than darker colours and absorb less heat.
• Paint the interior walls a light colour. If the walls are in a lot of sun, use a light colour paint to reflect the rays. The dark walls warm up a room much faster.
• Buy windows with reflective sun barrier that allow less heat into your home. Or invest in coating for your existing windows.
• Block the sun before it gets to the house by planting shade trees.
• Install shades on all windows. Open up the windows and get a breeze on those cool nights and mornings. Just shut the windows before it starts heating up outside.