Friday, December 27, 2019

Aberdeen Broadcast Services for Work-at Home Jobs

Aberdeen Broadcast Services for Work-at Home JobsAberdeen Broadcast Services for Work-at Home JobsAberdeen Broadcast Services, a California-based family captioning business, offers transcription services for video producers and broadcasters that go beyond captioning to cover such areas as digital file delivery, translation and voice dubbing. Formerly known as Aberdeen Captioning, the firm changed its name to reflect an expanding role in language services, including translation, multi-language subtitling, and voiceovers. The company operates three divisions AberFast,AberCap, andAberLingo. Work-at-Home Opportunities Many of the positions (caption editors, sales exec, translators) listed on its website are at its in-house in its facilities in Orange County, CA however, it does offer work-at-home jobs in Real-time captioning - Hires experienced freelance real-time captioners with speeds of 180-220 WPM for live captions or live-to-tape programming. Knowledge of Bible/Christian termino logy is needed for some positions. Freelancers should have their own real-time, closed-captioning software, a back-up computer and three phone lines (one can be a cell). Pays up to $75 per hour.Transcription - Hires transcriptionists for video clips. These jobs are very typical of the home typist jobs. You are required to have a foot pedal, transcription software professional headphones, and Windows media player installed. Excellent grammar and punctuation skills, as well as knowledge of Christian terminology, are required. Pays $1-$1.50 per audio minute. Translation - Hires freelance linguists who have fiveyears experience as a professional translator, a university degree and native fluency for translating subtitles, voice-overs and creating subtitles using subtitling software. Applying to Aberdeen Captioning Go the Aberdeen Captions careers page and search through the job postings. Notice how they are color coded for hiring, accepting applications and closed. Be sure to note w hether they are work-at-home positions. To apply, emaille your cover letter and resume to infoabercap.com, carefully following the application submission instructions in the posting. In the subject line, write your name and the name of the position. Aberdeen will only respond to applicants it wants to move to the next level. It will not respond to calls from those who have not been contacted.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Henry David Thoreau and why nothing is as it seems

Henry David Thoreau and why nothing is as it seemsHenry David Thoreau and why nothing is as it seemsIn 1845, Henry David Thoreau made a famous pilgrimage to Walden Pond in Massachusetts to live in a tiny cabin that he built in the woods. He went to the woods, as he wrote, to live deliberately to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. He would live on his own means- no electricity and no running water- and like a Spartan, he would suck out all the marrow of life and reduce it to its lowest terms.He recorded his experiences in a book calledWalden, which is assigned in high schools and quoted inHollywood moviesto illustrate the virtues of self-reliance and humankinds connection with nature.I have a confession I hateWalden. Ive been envious of Thoreau- and not in a good way- ever since I read about his pilgrimage to nature. The story reminds me of my own inadequacies.You see, I m a city boy, raised in the urban sprawl of Istanbul- home to 15 million people. I have the soft hands of a typist. I dont own power tools. My work injuries consist of paper cuts (theycanbe nasty). If you put me in a cabin in Walden Pond- cut off electricity, running water, and wi-fi access- I wouldnt survive. So I envy people like Thoreau who can deliberately expose themselves to rough conditions and survive- nay, thrive.A few weeks ago, when I was reading Amanda Palmers excellent bookThe Art of Asking, I discovered a few mora details about Thoreaus wild experiment with self reliance.It turns out that the cabin Thoreau built was less than two miles from his house- not in some remote woodland, as the story might imply. Almost every day, he took trips back to civilization, which was walking distance in nearby Concord, Massachusetts. He ate dinner at his buddy Ralph Waldo Emersons houseall the time. My favorite part Every weekend, Thoreaus mother and sister brought him a basket of fre shly baked goods, includingdonuts.The historian Richard Zacks sums it up well Let it be known that Nature Boy went home on weekends to raid the family cookie jar.I dont tell this story to poke fun at Thoreau (okay, maybe a little bit). I tell it because it highlights a far more important lesson The people we put on a pedestal often cant live up to their own legend.Long before social media, people were creating positive curated portrayals of their lives. If Thoreau lived in the age of Instagram, he may have been shooting selfies in front of his self-made cabin, while neglecting to snap photos of himself devouring baked goods freshly delivered to his doorstep.Much of what you see on the Internet isfake. You can purchase 5,000 Instagram followers for$40or get 5,000 YouTube views for$15. There are click farms, which are businesses where hundreds of computers and smartphones play the same content over and over to drive up fake engagement (heresa videoof one at work). People are even post ing fake sponsored content on social media, pretending to be brand ambassadors even though theyre not getting paid. Why? In the influencer world, its street cred,saidBrian Phanthao, himself a self-proclaimed influencer. The more sponsors you have, the more credibility you have.Gloss reflects more than it reveals. Nothing is as it seems.The next time youre tempted to put someone on a pedestal because of the story they tell to the world, just picture Henry David Thoreau- not sucking on the marrow of life- but feasting on his mom-made donuts.Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned law professor and bestselling author.Click hereto download a free copy of his e-book, The Contrarian Handbook 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, youll get the Weekly Contrarian - a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only).Thisarticlefirst appeared onOzanVarol.com.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

12 Obstacles That Affect Your Career Brand Voice

12 Obstacles That Affect Your Career Brand Voice12 Obstacles That Affect Your Career Brand VoiceEveryone is an authority at least in his or her household, or at the minimum, self. Right? Or maybe you are an insider and can speak authoritatively about your industry, hobby, or passion. Authority is essential in your career brand voice.People get psyched out when they hear a loud voice that is demeaning and demanding. Thats a career brand voice that these days most will pass on. Trust is earned and won, and that is what people will be drawn to at the end of the day.Your actions are also a key to establishing a professional brand and voice. I mean, you should do what you say you will do and people believe you. Or you dont meet your goals that you set for yourself. Its almost as if your words fall to the ground. Want more clients? Want more opportunities. If your voice doesnt have a brand, you give the control to someone else.I have 12 ways to identify why your voice lacks authority or cr edibility. This will help you connect with people much faster, with assurance, and open the doors to opportunities you didnt think existed before.Here are 12 obstacles that affect your career brand voiceLack of FocusYou can have too many influences, heroes, and mentors if you lack core beliefs and values. The overflow of your heart or lack thereof will surface. If people dont know where youre goingor are confused by the direction of your actions and words, no one will buy in. If your messaging is unclear and unfocused, eventually your network and (Lord forbid) those who consider you for jobs become uninterested. Its best to master one point and two sub-points at a time. Better yet, one point might be best.Trying Too HardLets say you meet someone that can put you in the right persons hiring radar. Instead of being patient, you abflug calling twice a day for a week to ask how things are progressing. What are the chances your contact is so annoyed he or she is now ignoring you?Incitefu l but Never InsightfulYou want to be seen as original, but at the cost of someone elses ideas or content. You rather erroneously quote or regurgitate others ideas as your own. When people hear you, or see your work, and it becomes obvious that you dont have an original thought, then people will lose respect or confront you until you give correct attribution. We have all seen people who suck up to people for other reasons than be valuable. It never ends well and the last thing they get is respect.Weak or Wrong Delivery MethodPeople think that a loud delivery for their ideas is the most effective when it only compensates for weak ideas. Great ideas need the right delivery, to inspire the right action, and by the right people. Sometimes, less is more, especially when we have the right solution. I have a soft voice, but I believe in the proverb, A gentle word breaks a bone. The secret is being confident in what I say (often preceded by much thought). You can do it tooLack of ExperienceI am turned off when people say they have a passion for a careeror task but lack the work, credentials, or research to demonstrate competence. The first few hundred times may not be enough to claim yourself as an expert. If thats the case, there are other questions and concerns you should have, and put in more reps (more work).Not Growing ProfessionallyTo use a fitness analogy, to grow muscles, they must be worked to failure every now and then. Reps are done until the muscle is overloaded with work until no more reps can be performed. You dont grow, because you havent been overloaded or worked to failure. Muscles must be challenged regularly to grow, and so do you. You want to grow, stretch, and show your usefulness. Create a blog and take people on that journey with youNot Asking Questions, Lacking DepthGreat questions come from great listening skills. Not asking an interview question is lazy, but lacking depth in asking a question says so much more negatively. People who succeed ob tain the job he or she wants over and over again, and ask simple but profound questions.Lacking InitiativeSuccessful career management is partly intuitive. There are hints as we go along that point us in the right direction. Sometimes, its weird but many times that voice inside should be heard, and to quell it requires initiation and action. Perhaps youre afraid to fail or to make a mistake. People are likely to forget the missed shot if you make the next shot.TemperamentIf you are easily frustrated, then people will find it easy to say no to you. Apply temperance to any area in life, but specifically to your career management or job search efforts.Your LifeAll unclear goals, objectives, and targets lacking in purpose will come into play in everything you do in your career. The pattern in your life shows that youre a shooting star vibrant at first, then dissipates like sparkles. Thats rarely a good thing.No Follow-UpThis is a must-have skill. Without it you will never thrive. Want t o work from home? Want to freelance? The follow-up is the money maker probably missing from your arsenal. To emphasize anearlier point, when you say youll do it, and you dont, no one takes you seriously.Dont Promote, Market, or Advertise YourselfI am not a big fan of wearing a banner or showing my face on a billboard, but I have a website for that. Its probably the difference between someone finding you and your uniqueness, or wondering why youre unique.This can be challenging if you are used to not being in control of your career. Job seekers have much more confidence and faith when he or she have a pliable attitude willing to pivot, turn, or turnaround even. Wherever your opportunities will come from, it will depend on how you develop a career voice that is recognized by the right employer, business partner, or client.Readers, is your career brand voice affected by any of these obstacles? How do you overcome them? Share with us belowMark Anthony Dyson is the founder of TheVoiceofJ obseekers.com, and a Career Consultant, Writer, Career Educator, Entrepreneur, Trainer, and Speaker. His goal is to give job seekers from all walks of life the voice that stand out in a crowded field of job competitors.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

The tech industrys favorite visa program pushed down engineers salaries

The tech industrys favorite visa program pushed down engineers salariesThe tech industrys favorite visa program pushed down engineers salariesThe H-1B visa program has played a historic role in shaping who has access to specialized jobs- specifically, bytemporarily hiringforeign employees atAmericancompanies that sponsor them.But the program has also pushed down salaries for computer scientists, according to new research.A February 2017 working paper included in the April 2017 version of The NBER Digest found that, based on the researchers model using data from 1994 to 2001,in the absence of immigration, wages for US computer scientists would have been 2.6% to 5.1% higher and employment in computer science for US workers would have been 6.1% to 10.8% higher in 2001.The program changed the landscape of the American job market- manyof the effects are still being felt today.The H-1B visa created lower salariesThe number of people from other countries joining the US high-skill workforc e increased quickly during the Internet boom of the 1990s,according to the working paper.The document said that the amount of H-1B visas awarded every year by the federal government is capped, but that even though there was a big uptick in how many were given out to high-skill workers in the 1990s, people in computer-related occupations became the largest share of all H-1B visa holders,according to the U.S. General Accounting Office in 2000.Steve Maas wrote about the the working paper in the April 2017 version of The NBER Digest.some U.S. workers switched to other occupations, lowering the number of domestic computer scientists by between 6 and 11 percent, Maas wrote.He also pointed out that the researchers think that if immigration was more restricted during this time period, salaries, domestic employment, and, as a result, college enrollment in computer science would have grown even more rapidly than it did.Positive impacts from the H-1BBut while the H-1B, a non-immigrant visa, di sruptedthe climate of the computer science field, it also created positive, lasting change while those tech and engineering jobs paid less, there were more of them.Maas wrote that lower labor costs led to higher profits, so new businesses were able to sprout up in the computer science industry, and other advances led to expansion in related fields,raising wages for college graduates who were not computer scientists and for non-college graduates.The researchers also made the case that slightly lower salaries for workers under H-1B visas allowed technology companies to create lower-cost gadgets for consumers at a higher profit to the company.Big changes to todays H-1B visaThe visa of choice for the tech industry is very likely to change under President Donald Trump.The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, introducednew regulations announced at the end of March, that changed how the government distributes H-1B visas to immigrants in computer programming- businesses now have to prove that potential candidates are doing special, complex jobs requiring unique technical expertise,as reported by Recode.USCISannouncedyesterday that it is taking further steps to find and prevent H-1B visa fraud and abuse among employers.The H-1B visa program should help U.S. companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there is a shortage of qualified workers in the country. Yet, too many American workers who are as qualified, willing, and deserving to work in these fields have been ignored or unfairly disadvantaged, the news release said.The department willreportedly prioritize these factors and occasions to stamp out criminal behavior during visits to H-1B petitioners and workspaces employing H-1B visa holders.The news releasesaid that the policy changes arenot meant to target nonimmigrant employees for any kind of criminal or administrative action, but rather, to find employers who are violating the program.Googlereportedly weighed in on what yesterdays po licy means for its employees, according to an email secured by Recode.Wanted to quickly weigh in on behalf of the immigration team to let you all know that were following this and for now, dont anticipate an impact to Googlers, the email reportedly says. Our software engineering roles dont fall into the job categories included in the USCISs United States Citizenship and Immigration Services new guidance. Well continue to watch the H-1B visa space closely and keep Googlers updated on any changes they need to be aware of.The influx of specially-trained immigrants through the H-1B visa program has had a lasting impact on the American labor market for decades, but its influence may be waning.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Nursing Resume Example for Dummies

Nursing Resume Example for Dummies Theres nobody right approach to structure a resume. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously provide you an advantage. Once your resume is prepared to go, you will wish to be sure to receive it in front of as many employers as possible. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. Try to remember, youre likely to require a companion cover letter to truly increase your odds of landing the interview. The mora specifically it is possible to relate your experience to the necessities of the open position, the better your odds of scoring an interview. You simply obtain a very brief volume of time to yield an effect and a well written job application summary can earn a large difference. Make certain you have a minumum of one case of a time you demonstrated every one of the top five skills listed here. A management resume should demonstrate that, whether youre a restaurant manager or an operations manager, you comprehend the importance of your position. Furthermore, you can learn more on the subject of executive careers and hunt for executive management jobs on Monster. The overall manager is 1 step up the corporate chain from a shop manager. If youre an assistant manager whos seeking to be a shift manager, then youll require a management resume that shows off your value to the company, and a management resume that shows your professional development also. The Hidden Truth on Nursing Resume Example Dont forget, the introduction isnt an essential element. You merely will need to to decide on the one which youll need to use and then work with your resume example in order to make the perfect letter for your resume. There are a number of good formats. When there are some formatting alternatives to pick from, like chronological, functional, and a mix, there are specific basics common to all. Even though the nursing field demands specific technical abilities, employers start looking fo r different abilities, called soft skills-the type of skills that make you a superb employee. Practicums and internships can likewise be considered experience. Writing general duties is a typical mistake because applicants think that nursing is comparable to various hospitals and departments, but in fact, your duties will differ between different facilities. Various healthcare organizations provide thousands of nursing vacancies each year. Therefore, if youre asking for a Head Nurse profile and right now youre at Supervisor-Nurse level. If youre asking for a management position, your resume needs to showcase your management-related abilities and experience. When you prefer to find a job, you should make sure that you have correct skills concerning the positions whereby youre interested. Nursing is somewhat of an exceptional field, as securing that job will be dependent on your soft abilities and personality along with your experience. Wherever youre in your nursing career, wev e got a resume sample that may help you write or update your nurse resume. Firstly, youll need to have in your nurse resume the duties youve got experience with and are mentioned in the work description, attempting to match them as close as possible. A superb nurse has the ability to empathize with patients and knows the way to create the experience more comfortable and pleasant. Finding jobs as a registered nurse requires a combo of the proper mindplatzset and a particular set of job seeking skills. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Nursing Resume Example Is Wrong The recruiter shouldnt be confused and wonder about the info in the resume. You also ought to share your customer service abilities. Transportation jobs involve a lot of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can manage that. Our customer service will also be available to assist you, over the telephone, by e-mail or by means of the desktop. Becoming skilled at work usually means that your e half successful. Unprofessional Email Address There isnt any excuse for not having an expert email address when youre applying for jobs since there are a lot of completely free email service provider and itll take you less than 2 minutes to make a new email address. Additionally, there are a few helpful methods to help you craft a successful resume. Managing stress as it happens is imperative if they wish to lead a prosperous moment. Savvy resumes are anchored by a thorough summary that permits the reader to rapidly find salient details about the applicant. Even if your information is in bullet format, it may still be hard to quickly recognize the pertinent abilities and accomplishments which are important to the prospective employer. Make sure that you include all perfect information thats related to the job posting. Important information is called out and simple to find.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

5 Things You May Not Know About Working in the Insurance Industry

5 Things You May Not Know About Working in the Insurance Industry According to an industry trend report, 63 percent of insurance companies plan to increase their staff sizes in the next 12 months. By 2020, there are projected to benearly 400,000 open positions in the insurance industry. The high number of openings coupled with the fact that only about a third of all millennials have any interest in working in the industry means there has never been a better time to consider a career in insurance.February is recognized throughout the industry as Insurance Careers Month, a chance for insurance companies to showcase the benefits of a career in the field. In light of the low levels of interest in insurance careers among young talent, now might be a good time to survey some of those benefits1. Jobs for All Professionals of All BackgroundsOne of the most appealing parts of working for an insurance company is the wide variety of jobs that are available acr oss a very broad spectrum of career paths. For instance, an insurance company usually employs people in all the following areasAccounting and financeActuarial scienceAdministrationClaimsCustomer serviceData scienceHuman resourcesLegalMarketing and communicationsMedical (including clinical)OperationsProduct developmentSalesTechnologyProfessionals in virtually any function can also advance in the field to key management and executive-level positions. Regardless of your career path, there is a strong likelihood theres a job opportunity for you in insurance. Better yet, the compensation for jobs in the insurance industry often exceeds that of other entry-level jobs, with an average starting salary of more than $50,000 per year.2. Commitment to Diversity and InclusionIndividuals of all backgrounds, languages, and economies need insurance.Because of this, professionals in the insurance industry often serve and work with a broad spectrum of people from across social groups.The insurance in dustry not only provides products and services to meet theneeds of diverse people, but its top employers also strive to cultivate very diverse workforces. In 2018, 69 percent of insurance executives felt diversity and inclusionwere important issues.3. Access to Professional Development OpportunitiesOne advantage of working for an insurance company is the high level of training and professional development companies in the field offer. You can expect to be thoroughly trained in all areas of insurance when you work at an insurance company. Topics your training may cover include understanding and administering Medicare benefits, understanding state health care regulations, and even learning some medical coding and billing practices, depending onyour specific role. Professional development is a priority in the industry, and you can expect to participate in continuing education, professional seminars and workshops, and other opportunities for growth within yourrole and the insurance fiel d in general.4. Flexible SchedulingWorking from homeis an option for many in the insurance field. Insurance agents in particular tend to have a lot of control over their own work schedules. As freelancing and independent contracting grow in popularity, the insurance industry will only become even more responsive to workers demands for flexibility and work/life balance.5. A Strong Sense of PurposeThe insurance industry prides itself on being purpose-driven, and insurance professionals strive to make positive impacts on the individuals and communitiesthey serve. In fact, the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit thatpromotes and facilitates the charitable work of insurance organizations, has distributed more than $31 million in community grants and helped to arrange more than 300,000 volunteer hours by more than 110,000 insurance industry professionals since it was established 25 years ago.This high level of charitable giving makes sense, given that the coregoal of the insurance industry is to help people live better, healthier, safer lives. If you want a career that makes a difference, you would be hard-pressed to find a better industry for it than the insurance industry.Michael Z. Stahl is executive vice president of HealthMarkets.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

How to project leadership presence in a virtual environment

How to project leadership presence in a virtual environmentHow to project leadership presence in a virtual environmentBeing perceived as a leader is the essence of leadership presence. While most of my coaching focuses on helping leaders enhance their presence in face-to-face encounters, I also realize that a different set of skills is required for projecting leadership presence when communicating virtually.Communication mediums run a spectrum from purple drank to rich. A lean medium transmits less information than a rich medium. If you are emailleing, texting or typing in a chat window (lean mediums), there is notlagehing that gives added clues to the meaning of what you write. A communication channel becomes richer as you add human elements. Telephone calls and teleconferences give listeners access to vocal clues. Videoconferencing allows participants to view facial expressions and hand gestures.Whether in an email, over the telephone, or on a video conference, you can project lead ership presence.EmailA recent report estimated that the average business person gets over 100 emails a day. Here are four ways to break through the clutterStart with a specific subject lineUsing a generic subject line like What do you think? or Checking in has much less impact than a specific Need suggestions for the meeting agenda by end of the day.Make your message clear and conciseBrevity makes a positive impact. People are more likely to read short, concise emails than long, rambling ones, so make sure that your emails are as short as possible and try adding details in bullet points.Proofread your messageBefore you hit send, take a moment to review your email for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. Your email messages are as much a part of your professional image as your body language. Dont diminish your leadership presence by sending out a message that contains typos.Wait 24 hours when youre upsetIts never a good idea to send an email when youre angry or in the throes of any strong negative emotion although weve all done this. If you compose an email in anger (or frustration or disappointment), wait a day before sending it. Then read it over and see if its reflective of how you want to be perceived. (Does it enhance or deplete your leadership presence?) In almost all cases, youll either re-write or delete the original.Telephone callsOn a telephone call its all in your voice. The words you choose, your speaking pace, volume, tone, inflection, pauses all communicate their own messages. When you want to sound like a leader, here are my top four tipsLower your vocal pitchThe quality of your voice can be a deciding factor in how you are perceived. Speakers with higher-pitched voices are judged to be less empathetic, less powerful and more nervous than speakers with lower pitched voices.One easy technique to use before joining the conference call involves putting your lips together and say, Um hum, um hum, um hum. Doing so relaxes your voice into its optimal lower pitch.Stay focusedYou may think you are fooling people when you check your messages or file your fingernails during a teleconference, but you are not. People can hear the disconnect in your voice and it reduces your leadership presence.Sit up and smileSitting up, squaring your shoulders, and keeping your head straight gives you vocal energy and smiling puts warmth in your voice.Build virtual trustUse inclusive language we, us, together as much as possible.Take a few minutes for small talk at the beginning of the call. The more you and your caller get to know one another on a personal level, the more likely you are to trust each other.Instead of just reacting to what someone says, acknowledge her first by saying Thats an interesting point you just made , or What you said reminds me of . . . or Building on your idea about Video conferencingIn video meetings, you project leadership presence visually. And what people see is often more impactful than anything you say. Here are for things to remember when on cameraLook like a leaderIt takes less than seven seconds for people to make judgments about your confidence, competence, professional status, and warmth. While a face-to-face meeting gives you added opportunities to create a positive impression (the way you enter the meeting room, shake hands, and so on), on the screen, its all about your visual presence. So be sure your grooming and wardrobe send the right message.Start off with the right attitudeRegardless of how tiring or frustrating your day may have been, before you go on camera pull your shoulders back, hold your head high, take a deep breath, and smile. Think about showing up as your best self - exuding ease, confidence and warmth.Make eye contactEye contact is hugely important in nonverbal communication. If a speaker actively seeks out eye contact, she is judged to be more believable, confident and competent. In person this involves looking directly in someones eyes. In a video meetin g, you have to maintain eye contact by looking into the camera when you talk and at the screen when others are speaking. Its a good idea to lower the monitor camera a little so that you dont have to tilt your head back to gaze up at it. (And if you use notes, attach them at camera-eye level.)Watch your gesturesIf you use open gestures, youll be perceived more positively. But be aware that too much hand movement can look jerky on screen so slow your gestures down for the best effect. Gestures that are so large that your hands go out of view are useless, so keep your hands in the frame.Remember, too, that regardless of how comfortable you may be crossing your arms, this gesture is almost always perceived as a sign of resistance. And, since the human brain pays more attention to negative messages than it does to positive ones, people are unconsciously on the alert for signs that something is wrong.One final thought As important and pervasive as virtual communication is, when it comes to projecting leadership presence, nothing beats the impact you can make in person. Massari is a Vice President at Ceasars Entertainment. His advice If its not that important, send an email. If its important but not mission critical, pick up the phone. If its critically important to the success of your organization, go see someone.Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D., is an international keynote speaker and leadership presence coach. Shes the author of The Silent Language of Leaders and creator of LinkedInLearnings video series Body Language for Leaders. For more information, visitCarolKinseyGoman.com.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

5 Reasons Your Feedback Is Hurting, Not Helping

5 Reasons Your Feedback Is Hurting, Not Helping5 Reasons Your Feedback Is Hurting, Not Helping Feedback is an important tool for managers and leaders to help employees grow. Its also something employee want. A 2016 Clutch survey found that 68 percent of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled in their jobs. There are two important words in that statement accurate and consistent. Not all feedback can be described as such, which is just one of the many reasons it often hurts, rather than helps. When giving feedback to your employees, keep the following tips in mind to enkoranvers its both heard and helpful.Dont take it personally doesnt take away the sting of critical feedback . Why? Thats because hearing critical feedback strikes at the heart of two core human needs- the need to learn and grow, and the need to be accepted just the way we are. Consequently, even a gentle suggestion to do something differently can leave us feeling wounded , explains Margie Warrell, leadership expert for Forbes .To avoid being too critical, use these tips from Emma Seppala , Ph.DYour feedback needs to be specific for it to be effective. This notlage only helps the person on the receiving end, giving them a clear idea of what they need to do to improve, but allows you to be thorough and better prepared. Are you trying to acknowledge someones good work? Identify behaviors youd like the person to change? Or share how he or she ranks compared to the rest of the team? When you know the why behind your feedback, youll be able to better organize your thoughts, your message, and the conversation, says Lea McLeod, with The Muse .Create a templated a pre-feedback sheet. This can be used by leaders and managers, even employees doing peer reviews, to structure the information and meeting. With an outline and a plan, its easier to stay focused in both preparation and execution.Instead of assuming everyone wants to get feedback face-to-face , s urvey the employees you manage to get an idea of how theyd like to receive the information. For introverted people, feedback via online chat or schmelzglas may be easier to take than in person. If the person is too nervous, theyll have a hard time digesting and absorbing the information, rendering it useless. If you have too many employees to learn and remember each of their preferences, poll your team about what format they prefer. Give the top two group preferences as an option for every feedback meeting. For example, if you need to speak with someone, you might email and say, I want to give some feedback on your last project. Would you prefer via email or in-person? This extra step may take time, but your feedback will resonate better with each employee when its received in a way thats most impactful for them.For feedback to be effective, it needs to be given in a timely fashion- when it makes sense for the employee If its not delivered at the right time, the value of the message depreciates. Think of praise and encouragement. Even they lose their effect, if delayed. So, when is the right time? Its simple when people need to hear it, says Emilia Bratu, COO and Co-Founder of Hubgets .One way to ensure feedback is timely, is to keep it consistent with weekly feedback meetings with all employees that you manage. This ensures that theres an opportunity to provide timely feedback each week. It also gives employees a chance to ask for feedback and advice on a regular basis, despite your busy schedule. Feedback without an action is just criticism. If you want employees to improve based on feedback, there needs to be two things accountability and support. The two work hand-in-hand to make your feedback effective and useful. For example, when the meeting is done, ask how the employee believes he or she can improve to get back on track and make a plan together. The plan can be as simple as, I will ask you if Im uncertain about giving a discount, rather than making the judgement myself. By letting them come up with the plan, theyre empowered to hold themselves accountable. You then need to support their plan by providing further accountability and offering to help as needed. You can provide that support in a number of ways, the easiest being a weekly check-in to make sure your employee is sticking with it.Feedback is important, so make it effective . When you have a plan, a why and a way to support the employee while holding them accountable, you help employees grow- rather than simply hurting their feelings. Use these tips next time you need to provide an employee with feedback to be sure youre heard and they find value in it.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Preventing Workplace Violence

Preventing Workplace ViolencePreventing Workplace ViolenceGovernment employees must remain alert to workplace violence, particularly those employees who perform work away from government office buildings. Because of this and of the potentially volatile situations they find themselves in, police officers and social workers must always be on the lookout for potential violence. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It is not limited to employee-on-employee altercations. Workplace violence includes all forms of violence in the workplace, such as a criminal robbing a convenience store at gunpoint or a belligerent drunk threatening a bartender who refuses to serve him more alcohol. Workplace violence can be fatal. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), homicides accounted for more than 11 percent of workplace injuries in 2010. Homicide is the biggest killer of women in the workplace. OSHAs Role in Preventing Workplace Violence OSHA is the U.S. governments oversight agency for workplace issues. It is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. OHSA inspects workplaces and provides feedback to employers about what they can do to prevent workplace injuries. This includes inspecting for and providing information on workplace violence. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA provides workers with several rights To request an inspection of the workplaceTo obtain inspection resultsTo exercise their legal rights without retaliation and discrimination by the employerTo receive training about OSHA regulations and how they apply to their particular workplaceTo see records on work-related injuries and illnessesTo see their own medical records Generally speaking, private employers and governments fall under OSHAs jurisdiction. According to OSHA, the Act does not cover the self-employed, immediate family members of farm employers that do not employ outside employees, and workplace hazards regulated by another federal agency. Adopting a Workplace Violence Policy OSHA recommends that employers adopt a zero-tolerance policy against workplace violence that covers employees, contractors, customers, and anyone else who may come in contact with the organization. Such a policy not only protects employees from violence, but it also protects the employer if violence occurs. Employees should be trained on the organizations policy, ways to mitigate the risk of violence, methods for spotting violence about to occur, and ways to handle violent situations. Depending on the company and the position a particular employee holds, the appropriate course of action may differ in handhabung violent situations. For example, a retail clerk and a police officer would follow very different protocols when faced with a violent situation in the course of performi ng their job duties. While the retail employee would be expected to avoid violence at all cost, the police officer would likely confront a violent situation. Examples of Workplace Violence in U.S. Government Workplace violence has had dire consequences in relation to the U.S. Government The American idiom going postal was coined in reference to a string of incidents beginning in 1983 wherein United States Postal Service employees went on killing sprees at post office locations.Los Angeles police officers faced the task of quelling riots in 1992 after a jury acquitted four LAPD officers accused of beating African-American truck driver Rodney King.Terrorist attacks on government properties, such as the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, and the September 11 airline hijackings and subsequent crashes in 2001, can all be classified as workplace violence. The September 11 attacks constituted workplace violence for airline employees, business travelers, Pentagon staff, and World Trade Center employees.