Ten Best Business Innovations of the Last 50 Years



Authored By: Richard A. Moran 

CEO, Corporate Director, Venture Capitalist, Author, Vintner

Innovation is everywhere. So much so that it is difficult to keep track of all the new tools that are making our lives easier. Based on a less than scientific poll, the following are what newsmakers are claiming to be those innovations that have truly changed the workplace and our business lives.

1. The Mute Button – Silence from both ends when you need it. Or, when you don’t want others to hear you clicking away on Facebook.

2. Texting – Don’t feel like talking? No problem. Also helped create a new shorthand language. The ultimate efficiency tool.

3. Yellow Stickies – To the office, what duct tape is to the rest of the applied world.

4. Wheelies – The back saving device that turned all luggage rectangular and too big to fit under the seat in front of you. Why did it take so long?

5. Virtuality – Allows one to be any where and work – or not. See Mayer, Marissa for debate on the issue.

6. Conference Calls – What other tool allows us to attend meetings without being there?

7. LinkedIn – Allows one to look for a job but “not really”. Also good for spying on former colleagues.

8. Bose Headphones – Allows one to concentrate while listening to the favorite rapper. Or, just shut out annoying co-workers.

9. Tablet devices – Tetris, solitaire, Sudoku and a million other games and time wasters that can be accessed whilst on delayed flights.

10. Email – Provides hope that something good can happen while at work. Any time an email could come in about that raise or promotion.

(Original Article Authored for Linkedin.com)

Four Requirements for a Job That Makes A Great Work Day, Everyday

If your company doesn't provide these 4 key elements every day, then it is time for a career move. Most indivudals tend to forget that vertical movement to another company is not "hard" or "unobtainable", it just requires the assitance of an executive recruitment consultant. Are you provided these four essential elements at your job, everyday? ~ William Thompson, J.D.

Article authored by Naomi Simson, Founder, RedBalloon and published via Linkedin.com on March 10th, 2013. All rights belong to the associated parties. This site claims no authorship.

Four things we need to have a 'good' day at work

Iregularly conducts surveys asking more than 3000 Australian and New Zealand employees what they desire to see in their workplace. Do you agree with what people are telling us about four simple things to ensure you have a 'good' day at work. One thing we do know is that for people to be highly productive - that is do his or her best work - they need to be in flow. And often 'management' or perceived bureaucracy get in the way.

What get's in the way of you doing 'your best work?'

Desire number one - More praise

One in five employees do not receive any praise or say, at best, it happens once per year. We want our managers to praise us more often, and more specifically. Although some bosses argue that employees only work for the money, it is far more than that. Do you feel more motivated when your efforts are noticed?

Desire number two - Better managers

52% of employees say they would leave a role because of their direct manager, and two thirds are convinced their managers don’t know what motivates them to be more productive. Everyone wants to work with a motivating, supportive manager. Have you ever left a job because of your manager?

Desire number three – More time with friends and family

Laptops, iPhones, Blackberries – it is too easy to work nowadays. The boundaries blur and employers need to recognise this. Business owners have a responsibility to shore people against burn out, and more time with friends and family plays a vital role in this. Have you ever worked somewhere that was all work and no play?

Desire number four – Greater trust

At RedBalloon, we call it ‘treating people like grown ups.’ Trust should be a given, not something that is earned. You trust that you have been given a role to do your best, and your boss trusts he has chosen the best person for the role. This ought to happen right from the start because it’s empowering starting from a place of trust. What’s been your experience of trust at work?

What does it take for you to have a great day at work?

Why You Should Try to Be a Morning Person

 

You've it heard it before. Morning people get more done. Morning people are more effective at everything they do. Morning people win more often. They might as well just come clean and say what they really mean: Morning people do better in life.
Whether or not you believe this, the reality is that morning people do seem to get an awful lot done, and even night owls have reported that short periods of morning waking have made them feel more productive, even if they really aren't.
And this is my point: even if they really aren't.
As a self-professed genetic night owl who has worked hard to make myself a morning person (to varying degrees of success, depending on the season), I agree that waking up in the morning makes you feel you've done more.
Doing a lot between 1:00 and 4:00 am, like most night owls, invariably makes me feel behind when I drag myself out of bed, circa noon. In contrast, waking at 5:30 am, watching the sun rise (gasp!) and literally feeling that you beat everyone at the first competition of the day -- getting out of bed -- is a feeling that can't be beat.
So try it, even if you're a night owl. And tell me you don't feel you're doing more.
And, when you do try it, think about how to create a great morning routine. My free book, The Present Principle, will help you get there.

Written by: Claire Diaz-Ortiz
Photo: noppharat/Shutterstock

10 Job Interview Tips From A CEO Headhunter

By Russell S. Reynolds, Jr., with Carol E. Curtis

|

June 10, 2012

Whether you're being interviewed to be an intern or a CEO, you're going to run into a few notoriously tricky questions--here's a road map of what you'll be asked, and how to craft impressive answers to even the toughest questions.

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No two situations are ever exactly the same, but as a general guide, these are the types of questions that could come up in a typical interview.

1. Why don’t you tell me about yourself?

This question, often the interview opener, has a crucial objective: to see how you handle yourself in unstructured situations. The recruiter wants to see how articulate you are, how confident you are, and generally what type of impression you would make on the people with whom you come into contact on the job. The recruiter also wants to learn about the trajectory of your career and to get a sense of what you think is important and what has caused you to perform well.

Most candidates find this question a difficult one to answer. However, the upside is that this question offers an opportunity to describe yourself positively and focus the interview on your strengths. Be prepared to deal with it.

There are many ways to respond to this question correctly and just one wrong way: by asking, “What do you want to know?” You need to develop a good answer to this question, practice it, and be able to deliver it with poise and confidence.
The right response is twofold: focus on what interests the interviewer, and highlight your most important accomplishments.

Focus on what interests the interviewer

Do not dwell on your personal history--that is not why you are there. Start with your most recent employment and explain why you are well qualified for the position. The key to all successful interviewing is to match your qualifications to what the interviewer is looking for. You want to be selling what the buyer is buying.
Highlight Important Accomplishments

Have a story ready that illustrates your best professional qualities.

For example, if you tell an interviewer that people describe you as creative, provide a brief story that shows how you have been creative in achieving your goals.
Stories are powerful and are what people remember most.
A good interviewee will memorize a 60-second commercial that clearly demonstrates why he or she is the best person for the job.

2. How long have you been with your current (or former) employer?

This is a hot-button question if your résumé reflects considerable job-hopping. Excellent performers tend to stay in their jobs at least three to five years. They implement course corrections, bring in new resources, and, in general, learn how to survive--that’s why they are valued by prospective employers.
If your résumé reflects jobs with companies that were acquired, moved, closed, or downsized, it is still viewed as a job-hopper’s history. Volunteer and go to events where hiring authorities may be found. Ratchet up your networking to include anything that exposes you to hiring authorities who can get past your tenure issue because now they know you. Your networking efforts have never been so important.

3. What is your greatest weakness?

An impressive and confident response shows that the candidate has prepared for the question, has done serious self-reflection, and can admit responsibility and accept constructive criticism. Sincerely give an honest answer (but not a long one), be confident in the fact that this weakness does not make you any less of a great candidate, and show that you are working on this weakness and tell the recruiter how.

4. Tell me about a situation where you did not get along with a superior.

The wrong answer to this hot-button question is, “I’ve been very fortunate and have never worked for someone I didn’t get along with.”
Everyone has had situations where he or she disagreed with a boss, and saying that you haven’t forces the recruiter to question your integrity. Also, it can send out a signal that the candidate is not seasoned enough or hasn’t been in situations that require him or her to develop a tough skin or deal with confrontation.
It’s natural for people to have differing opinions. When this has occurred in the past, you could explain that you presented your reasons and openly listened to other opinions as well.

5. Describe a situation where you were part of a failed project.

If you can’t discuss a failure or mistake, the recruiter might conclude that you don’t possess the depth of experience necessary to do the job. The recruiter is not looking for perfection. He or she is trying better to understand your level of responsibility, your decision-making process, and your ability to recover from a mistake, as well as what you learned from the experience and if you can take responsibility for your mistakes.
Respond that you’d like to think that you have learned something valuable from every mistake you have made. Then have a brief story ready with a specific illustration.
It should conclude on a positive note, with a concrete statement about what you learned and how it benefited the company.

6. What are your strengths?

Describe two or three skills you have that are relevant to the job. Avoid clichés or generalities; offer specific evidence. Describe new ways these skills could be put to use in the position you are being considered for.

7. How do you explain your job success?

Be candid without sounding arrogant. Mention observations other people have made about your work strengths or talents.

8. What do you do when you are not working?

The more senior the position, the more important it is to know about the candidate’s qualities that will impact his or her leadership style: is the person well adjusted and happy, or is he or she a company zealot?
Discuss hobbies or pursuits that interest you, such as sports, clubs, cultural activities, and favorite things to read.
Avoid dwelling on any political or religious activities that may create conflict with those of the interviewer.

9. Why did you leave your last position?

At high levels, issues that relate to personality and temperament become more important than they might otherwise. The recruiter wants to know if you will fit in with the client company. The recruiter may also be fishing for signs of conflict that indicate a potential personality problem.
Be honest and straightforward, but do not dwell on any conflict that may have occurred. Highlight positive developments that resulted from your departure, whether it was that you accepted a more challenging position or learned an important lesson that helped you to be happier in your next job.

10. Why do you want to work in this industry?
 
Think of a story to tell about how you first became interested in this type of work. Point out any similarities between the job you’re interviewing for and your current job. Provide proof that you aren’t simply shopping in this interview. Make your passion for your work a theme that you allude to continually throughout the interview.

Adapted from Heads: Business Lessons from an Executive Search Pioneer by Russell S. Reynolds, Jr., with Carol E. Curtis,  ©2012, McGraw-Hill Professional; reprinted with permission of the publisher.

7 Reasons I’ll Turn Down a Job After Interviewing With You

By: RRachel Dotson  |  March 5, 2013  |

Interviewing is an art-form for both the job seeker and the hiring manager. A simple mistake by either party
can raise enough doubt to leave the other looking elsewhere. After much reflection on what’s turned me off to a job in the past, I’ve come up with seven interview red flags that will leave me saying, “Thanks, but no thanks” to your job offer.
1. You’re Negative
If you’re bad-mouthing the company, other employees, your workload, or even yourself, then chances are slim that I’ll come on board as your newest employee. Why? Because negativity is toxic. It tells me that morale is low and that you don’t enjoy your job. I recognize it’s possible that you’re just having a bad day, but it’s just too big of a risk to take.
2. You Asked Me Obscure Questions Just for the Sake of Doing It
Yes, I know why manholes are round; what I don’t know is why you are asking me this question. Is it because Google asks it? Is it because you want to see if I can think on my feet? Or is it some other reason that neither you nor I am aware of? Rather than waste our time with such a silly and off-putting question, ask me a situational question that’s relevant to my prospective job.
3. You Talk Too Much
I’m delighted that you’re enjoying our time together, really, I am. But I’m a bit worried that I haven’t been able to get a word in edgewise. You see, if I haven’t done any of the talking, then you can’t possibly know if I’ll be a good fit for this position. That makes me nervous. How can I believe in my own ability to excel at this position if you haven’t properly assessed my abilities and fit?
4. You Talk Too Little
Let’s look at the opposite side of the point above. If you don’t tell me enough about the job, the company, and so on, then I cannot, in good faith, agree to devote years of my life to you. When I ask you questions about why the position is vacant, what a typical day is like, and what the goals of the company are, I expect solid, well-thought-out answers. It’s these answers that will help me determine whether our values and goals align.
5. You Don’t Tell Me About Your Company Culture
If I’m going to be spending more time with you than with my friends and family, I want to know I’m going to be in a fun and positive working environment. You don’t have to provide organic lunches or have a company bar to show me you’re a great company to be at. While these perks would be nice, I’d much rather know about the people and the culture. How do employees interact with each other? How are employees recognized for a job well done? Do colleagues go to lunch together or see each other outside of the office? If so, do they do this because it’s mandated or because they genuinely enjoy spending time together?
6. You’re Unprepared
I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy. I get it. People are spread too thin. But when I spend hours preparing for my interview and take time out of my day to attend said interview, I expect you to show me the same level of professionalism and respect that I show you. So please, don’t make me wait in the lobby for half an hour, don’t take five minutes to review my job application in front of me, and don’t make up the interview questions as you go along.
6. Your Interview Practices Are Illegal
So you want to know if and when I’m planning on getting married and you feel it necessary to let me know that you typically hire from a certain age group. The fact that you’re bringing these items up tells me one of two things: 1) you haven’t taken the time as a hiring manager to educate yourself on employment law, or 2) you’re discriminatory. The best case scenario here is that you don’t know how to do your job (and your company hasn’t bothered to train you how), and the worst is that the organization is sexist, ageist, or some other “ist” that I don’t care to be around.

Interviewing: A Rational Way to Make a Gut Decision

Hiring is too important to leave to chance.

Over the past few months I’ve written about the Most Important Interview Question of All Time and The Complete Two-Question Interview. These were developed as countermeasures for managers who quickly dismissed strong candidates using flawed or biased information. As you’ll discover, facts can often pierce the veneer of superficiality and fiction. Some examples:
I remember the CFO of a Southern California public company telling me that my candidate for a cost manager’s position had less cost accounting background than his 16 year-old son. This was after a 15-minute interview. I then asked if he was aware that the candidate was selected to lead the implementation of an international state-of-the art cost system at one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies. He re-interviewed the candidate, hired him the next day, and personally apologized. Over the next two years the CFO assigned us eight critical senior positions to fill.
I remember the VP Finance of a major business unit at one of the largest entertainment companies in the world telling me my candidate for a Director of Accounting wasn’t aggressive enough. The candidate wasn’t hired, but went on to become the #2 financial executive of a major competitor in the entertainment industry. He’s still soft-spoken, but has a backbone of steel. I met the candidate when he was a young manager at one of the major accounting firms. I presented him to my client since he was given the most challenging assignments every year in public accounting, far above what would be expected for someone at that level.
I remember a senior recruiter questioning my judgment about presenting a young woman for a director-level HR position when the person was only a manager who didn’t have the requisite 10 years experience. When I mentioned that the person was leading a companywide initiative reporting directly to the CEO of a Fortune 150 company she reconsidered. I also mentioned that prior to this project she successfully handled a struggling union negotiation without any experience, and earlier, was assigned to take a lead role in an international compensation project as a learning opportunity.
When reviewing a candidate’s resume it’s important to read between the lines for facts and evidence of exceptional performance. Here are some ideas on how to improve your own powers of observation:
1) Being assigned the toughest projects in the candidate’s peer group. The best people are always assigned the most difficult technical projects, the hardest customers to sell to, and the most important business problems to handle. When interviewing candidates find out if they’re doing work above their expected experience level. They ask how they got assigned the project. Find out what happened next to validate the initial success or failure.
2) Being assigned to important teams. To assess team skills, ask the person to put together a 360° team chart for each position held, then track the growth and make-up of these teams over time. A 360° team chart includes everyone the candidate works with or is exposed to on typical projects. Consider bosses, subordinates, peers, external vendors and customers, executives and those in other functions. The best team-oriented people are typically assigned by their managers to participate in these types of projects early in their careers. If they’re successful the assignments continue and the scope and size of these teams expand.
3) Continuous exposure to senior management. During the interview ask candidates if they were ever involved in important business matters with top company executives. Strong managers want to give their most promising staff members this type of exposure. Ask about the focus of the interactions, the frequency of any contact, and if any advice was sought and if it was acted upon. It’s great when this type of exposure is typical rather than the exception. Find out the topics of discussion and you’ll typically uncover the candidate’s critical strengths.
4) Being promoted faster than normal. The common theme of the above, and my favorite overall assessment technique, is figuring out the candidate’s current level of responsibility vs. total years of experience. Part of this is getting promoted into bigger jobs or taking on bigger projects faster than normal. It’s even better if this growth occurred at different companies, in different industries, and with different leaders.
5) Receiving important recognition. There are a host of ways companies recognize their best employees. Seek this out during the interview. It’s not hard to spot. For sales it’s getting into Club or taking the annual trip. For everyone else there are fellowships, unusual training opportunities, honors, awards, special bonuses, prizes and letters of commendation. Some companies give these away too liberally, diminishing the value for those who are truly exceptional, so it’s important to benchmark whatever recognition is received.
There is more science to interviewing than most managers imagine. Part of this is understanding how other leaders who worked with the candidate rewarded or recognized the person for doing outstanding work. Since we reward and promote people internally based on their performance, we should look for these same signs when interviewing candidates from the outside. This is a rational way to make a gut decision.
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Article by (Brought by a Rss feed from Linkedin.com) Lou Adler (@LouA) is the Amazon best-selling author of Hire With Your Head (Wiley, 2007) and the award-winning Nightingale-Conant audio program, Talent Rules! His latest book, The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired, is now available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

Why You Are Unhappy At Your Job

Unhappy at work? Time to make some changes.

A whopping 60 percent of Americans would choose a different career if given the chance. That says a lot about our happiness levels.

Finding a fulfilling career is, in itself, hard work. We all want the security of a job that fulfills our creative aspirations, but many employees across the U.S. are struggling. So what’s the solution? Undoubtedly, you don’t have complete control over factors like your boss, money, co-workers, and assigned tasks. But there are reasons you hate your job that you can change.

Here are five reasons you don’t love your job:

1. You’re unorganized. Organization clears your head. When’s the last time you organized your inbox, updated your computer and mobile device software, or cleaned your workspace? Disarray causes anxiety, so get organized if you want to feel fulfilled creatively.

2. You’re stressed. By nature, work causes anxiety. But we all have to do it. If you aren’t taking time to step back and breathe, your stress will only get worse. Take the time to relax every day, not just on the weekends.

3. You’re not taking care of your body. Are you finding yourself reaching for junk food in the office vending machine? Are you overcaffeinated? Hitting up happy hour too frequently? Taking care of your body is the first step to unwinding, so pay attention to what goes in it.

4. You don’t like your colleagues. You see your colleagues each and every day. If you don’t get along on a personal level, it can be difficult to be in the same office together each day. Try to practice empathy when dealing with your coworkers, and understand that they have a lot going on in their personal life, too. If someone seems angry or upset, take it as a sign that they need space.

5. Your finances aren’t in order. Just how much do you pay attention to your spending? Are you throwing money away on unnecessary items like clothing, expensive coffees, or new gadgets you don’t need? Getting your finances in order will afford you security. If you can’t reconcile your finances even after addressing your own spending habits, talk to your boss, or band together with other workers who are feeling the same.

In addition to the above reasons, it is necessary to consider the big picture. Before you automatically assume it's just your job, consider if you are in the right industry or with a company that matches your core values.

Before throwing in the towel, consider which aspects of your job you can change in order to make your work life less stressful and more enjoyable. Learning to love your job -- or just falling back in love with it -- is hard work, and it often takes a level of introspection and self-awareness that some of us inadvertently lack.
(Image courtesy kalexanderson, Flickr)

About Ilya Pozin:
Founder of Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur.