take a break…

life is demanding. yes, i have heard about that and realized as well just like you. we spend every moment that we have to get things in-place and in-order. have you considered taking a small break this holiday season…?

We are slaves to our computers and mobile devices and love being forever accessible. even a national holiday sometimes is not enough to stop us from checking our work emails several times a day!

one more year has passed while we were busy replying those ever overflowing inbox and answering buzzing blackberry. we hardly had time to look out of the window as alerts and reminders kept popping up to keep us glued to the desk.

the world is celebrating Christmas on high note and look… New Year is already around the corner. take a break. its time to celebrate your achievements. cease and desist with the inbox refreshing for at least one day this holiday season.

okay, people, take a break. enjoy. relax and recharge yourself. i am sure you have good reasons to stay log off on your off-days. happy holidays!

source: CNN.com Netiquette

celebrate your hard work…

with 2010 coming to an end, it’s time to evaluate all you accomplished throughout the year. sure, there’s always going to be more you wish you could have done, but take this one moment to celebrate your hard work and all that you were able to achieve.

all the sacrifices, long days, and sweat equity invested in your business, has definitely earned you a guilt-free day, week, or month to do nothing but celebrate your success up to this point. it may seem impossible to get away from your business, but that time away can give you the boost you need to take your business to the next level.

here are 10 ways to celebrate your hard work… and to motivate you to push your business even further.

Source: Brandmaker News

you can avoid the pitfalls…

your greatest strength is my ability to learn. learn through navigating different situations that you find yourself in. learn by falling and learn by failing. you don’t have to have all the answers. and if you know where to get the right advice to keep going strong, you can avoid the pitfalls and knock others down.

The least I could do is share some powerful tips...some of the best advices that you'll ever receive. take notes and don’t forget to share your own tips as comments.

You know what real power is? Real powers when you are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing, the best it can be done. And nobody has to tell you, “You go, girl,” because you know, you’re already gone. - Oprah Winfrey

Delegate with confidence. Surround yourself with people who are wise and competent. Empower them to perform and do not become intimidated by their expertise. - Bishop T.D. Jakes

Know who you are dealing with and do not offend the wrong person. There are many different kinds of people in the world, and you can never assume that everyone will react to your strategies the same way. Choose your victims and opponents carefully.  Robert Greene

Consider making your life one long gift to others… All that lasts is what you pass on. The rest is smoke and mirrors. – Stephen King

Those three things autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward – are, most people will agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying. - Malcolm Gladwell

Everything you want is out there waiting for you. Everything you want also wants you back. But you have to take action to get it. - Jack Canfield

Look around. You’ll see the marketplace (every marketplace) rewards innovation: things that are fresh, stylish, remarkable, and new. - Seth Godin

There’s a redemptive power that making a choice has, rather than feeling like you are an effect to all the things that are happening around you. Make a choice. Just decide who you’re going to be, how you are going to do it. Just decide and from that point the universe will get out of your way. - Will Smith

I learned the way to get stories you actually want is to treat the reporter as your customer. You can’t control the press, and you can’t expect reporters to tell a story that obviously serves your self-interest. You need to become the expert in your field, the person who is quoted day in and day out. - Barbara Corcoran

Experience taught me a few good things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you’re generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don’t make. - Donald Trump

We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction. - Bill Gates

be a true professional...

once there was an old sailor, a mariner. he was regaling a group of people who had gathered around him down by the shipping docks. “i have been a mariner all my life,” he proclaimed. “for over 40 years I have sailed the seas and learned all there is to know about the ocean…”

a young man questioned the mariner by asking, “you know the ocean do you? what really lies beneath it? What is contained in the ocean’s depths?” “i don’t really know the answer to that,” said the mariner. “so you have just skimmed the surface all these years,” the young man replied as he walked off…

often as a professional, we just skim the surface of what lies before us. just going through the routine motions of our duties and being reactive, is not sufficient to truly achieve our potential. we need to delve deeper and push ourselves to more fully explore the true limits of our capabilities.

what does it truly mean to be a professional? take a moment. think!

the power of social media…

take a minute and watch. this clip takes a look at the true impact Social Media has on our businesses and our lives…

take that risk...

to laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
to weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
to reach out for another is to risk involvement.
to expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
to place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk their loss.
to love is to risk not being loved in return.
to live is to risk dying.
to hope is to risk despair.
to try is to risk failure.
but, risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing,is nothing.
he may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love—live.
chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.
he has forfeited freedom.
only a person who risks is free.

—Anonymous

risks must be taken! don't take the risk of not taking any risks...

negotiations at work...

In an office, as in a war, negotiation is won much before the first battle is ever fought. But unlike in a war, successful negotiation has both parties walking away as winners. Negotiation is the skill of reaching an agreement, be it with the boss and colleagues in office, or clients and vendors outside the organization.

Like any other skill, negotiation requires learning and practice. The key issues often boil down to reaching an agreement that is mutually beneficial and seeking a working relationship that permits the benefits to flow. This process can be made profitable and enjoyable for all concerned if some basic steps are followed.

The three cornerstones of successful negotiation are homework, homework and some more homework. The better prepared you are with factual data before heading into a negotiation, the more effective you will be. Try and prioritise the needs of both parties and you can plan towards a mutually advantageous solution. Always listen with an open mind, focus on receiving and communicating with maximum clarity, and maintain sufficient emotional distance.

While negotiating with a client/vendor, enter the discussion with a win-win mindset. Understand that both the parties need to walk away with gains. Try and be the first to make an offer. It will help anchor the client to your view and the final agreement is more likely to end closer to your proposal. Do not compromise on your ethical standards. Most clients/vendors would be happy to work where they perceive the other person to be fair. While the client has the right to ask and know before paying, both parties are entitled to take time to think through their reactions.

Below are some negotiation nuances:

• ACBD - Always Consult Before Deciding;
• Work on Real Benefits: Think about the real needs, priorities and interests of each person;
• Hard on Problem, Soft on People: Solve the problem and look after the relationship. Don't let your personal feelings affect the agreement;
• Multiple Solutions: Think out of the box. Most problems have more solutions than you can count;

At the end of the day, every interaction with a client/vendor teaches us something new that adds to our negotiation experience. It is a skill that takes years to master. Know that negotiation with clients is often focused on money.

Source: Expert View, Money Today December 21, 2010