Are You a Manager of Teams or a Leader of People

Are You a Manager of Teams or a Leader of People So you employ a group of guys who you proudly call your ‘team’ which you are the manager and leader of, and you are confident that they respect you as their boss but is ‘managing’ a team, the same as ‘leading’ a team? And will you get different outcomes from either approach? No doubt you do have great leadership skills and much of this will be second nature to you, but is there room for growth?  Lets assume your team performs relatively well, your staff turnover is no better or worse than most teams and generally everyone seems to give you the respect you feel you deserve. But could your team give you more, and is their performance a direct reflection of your ‘leadership’ capabilities? Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. famously quoted by Dwight D. Eisenhower, this surely is the key to having a super high performing team who will stop at nothing to achieve your goals? So how can we all be leaders in this way? Well first lets understand some of the key differences between ‘Managers’ and ‘Leaders’: A leader develops and builds, the manager maintains. A leader invests in his people, a manager invests systems processes. A leader inspires and originates, a manager imitates him and makes demands. A leader challenges the status quo, a manager operates within the existing situation. A leader isn’t afraid to anything the team do, and often will put aside his own work and get involved, managers feel this is not appropriate When times are tough a leader will stand on the front line of battle, a manager will step back and observe and instruct from afar A leader will have the team’s absolute support, whereas the manager might feel his team aren’t committed to the cause. A manager says ‘Go’, a leader says ‘Lets go’ Do any of these points ring true? I am sure many of us have felt some of all of these from time to time, I certainly have and have reflected on how I can be more of a leader than a manager. So, if you are a manager who does things right, now is the time to become a leader and do the right thing. Here are some tips that should help develop or sharpen your leadership skills: 1) Share your vision: Have a vision of how you see the team and its performance along with your organisational goals. Share this with your team so each and every one of them understand their role and yours, offer the opportunity for team members to step up and make them all accountable to each other creating a more cohesive environment. 2) Trust people and give them freedom: A leader trusts his people to deliver. He does not micro-manage or stand over the team. His job is to positively influence his people in order for them to deliver results. Delegate responsibilities and give people the opportunity to utilise their expertise to their best judgment. However, it is important that you clearly spell out the goals before delegating. READ MORE: What is the Biggest Mistake a Manager Can Make? 3) Listen, learn and understand: A leader knows that he does not always have all the solutions but will work to get the right outcomes to a problem. He will first take feedback (by listening carefully), asks questions, evaluates the situation, and then makes decisions. He knows that he can make mistakes and learn from them and he also knows that a brilliant idea can come from anyone in the team. Listen more than you talk, and when you make decisions you can be sure they are based on fact and evidence, your team will then respect your decisions. 4) Take action with responsibility: Leaders make decisions and act on them. The actions will be for the greater good of the team and you will explain to the team your rationale for your decisions. If the decision does not work, a leader will assume full responsibility. They then go back to the drawing board, learn what went wrong, and then make the necessary changes. Shoulder the responsibility, and show your team that you too can learn and grow. 5) The motivator and the backbone: The leader provides a cushion to his team members. He empowers and motivates, along with guiding and coaching them, and clearly outlines their individual goals along with the overall team’s goal. He creates an environment in which it is easy for them to succeed. And when they deliver, he rewards them by giving praise, recognition and after continued long term high performance he provides monetary and status reward through cash bonuses and maybe even offering a promotion along the way. 6) Be sincere and genuine: A leader is true to himself and to his team. He is passionate about the organisation’s goals and sincerely goes about achieving them. You too should be honest to your team and realise your own shortcomings. Be confident, honest and respectful of others; use your integrity as you lead your team towards the organisational goal. In summary, leadership is about having a vision, empowering the team to be a part of that vision and providing an environment in which it is easy for the individuals in the team to succeed. It is also about taking responsibility for your actions as the head member of the team and working with integrity, transparency, honesty and respect for each team member. If you can achieve all of this then you will be a genuine leader of people and you will reap the benefits by having a high performing team and your business will prosper. Author: Paul Simms is an executive recruiter with 15 years of experience across the Australian and UK markets. He is the founder of Wright Executive a specialist business within the Accounting and Professional Services sector. Image: Shutterstock

Local Resume Services

Local Resume ServicesLocal resume services are great resources for any business looking to improve its professional image. Everyone has a resume, and they need to be kept current. But the ones that have updated, well-organized files usually work in the long run.All of these companies and their professional resume writing staffs are faced with the same problems, one major disaster after another. They've spent years and lots of money developing these resumes, keeping them current. The hiring managers are continuously trying to figure out how to make them more attractive to a prospective employee.This is one key advantage of a local resume service. They already have the inside scoop on where you have been and what's new at your current job. They also know what has already been done and what's still being done by other companies, so they can tell you what's working and what's not.One of the best services online is NewSkills.com. They are one of the leading providers of resumes and cover letters, as well as curriculum vitae and letterheads. Their online resume services include:A small fee may be required for local resume services, but it's well worth it. It's very expensive for a resume service to send it all over the place just to find out that an employer likes a candidate or doesn't like a candidate, based on a short list of guidelines provided by the resume services. Many of the best resume services give you the best resume possible, but even a good resume is no good if it doesn't land you the right job.Good local resume services will provide comprehensive advice, and a personal touch, so you'll be able to make the most of your resume, while at the same time, presenting it in the best possible way. With the current economy, those are the two most important things that get noticed in a resume.This is why professional resume services are so helpful. They offer the tools that help an employer decide if he or she wants to do business with you, or not.They are out th ere looking for business, and they're not afraid to say so. Plus, by doing a little research, you can find out exactly which resume services are the best in your area, and you can work from home if you have to.

How to identify someone who is giving you bad advice

How to identify someone who is giving you bad advice The worst career advice I ever gave was to my brothers college roommate, Robert Buckley. He was one year out of college when he asked me if he should quit healthcare consulting to become an actor. I said, No, thats the dumbest idea I ever heard. He told me he thought he had talent, and then (like I wasnt against the idea enough) he told me he was dating some girl he met in Vegas, and she is going to be an actress, and she said that he had talent. I actually questioned how my brother could be such good friends with someone who was so stupid. I tried to be patient, but mostly I told Rob that everyone in LA has a girlfriend who thinks he has acting talent. I thought maybe his best career move might be to find a girlfriend who was impressed with his healthcare consulting talent. But really, he did not think he had any future in healthcare consulting. So I became a largely useless advisor to him. And then my brother forwarded me a trailer to Lipstick Jungle and there was Rob: naked, with Kim Raver. And he looked so good. Who knew? And more importantly, who knew I could give such poor career advice? I think the reason that I gave such poor advice is that I had such strong preconceived notions about the acting career. But I actually dont know anything about making it big as an actor. I only know that when I played professional beach volleyball in LA we were constantly surrounded by casting agents and entertainment industry types. And I learned that the competition to get anywhere in acting is so tough that you should buy lottery tickets instead. Its ironic, though, because Im a writer, where the odds are not much better. And both actors and writers generally ply their trade because they love it, not because they think the odds are great. If someone asks me if they should become a writer, I repeat the advice I received in graduate school: No. Try anything else first. Writing is too hard. And I was thinking the same thing with acting: No. Big no. But I needed to adjust my advice. I needed to be able to see when I was looking at someone who could not feel fulfilled if they did not do this type of work. So every week I watched Lipstick Jungle (I loved it, by the wayfor the writing, of course) and I thought about how I could have given such misguided career advice. And I figured out that the hallmark of a bad advisor is to not understand where she is coming from, what preconceived notions she brings to the table. I didnt think much more about this until I was in Menlo Park last week for the roundtable organized by Ben Casnocha and Chris Yeh. They posed questions to the group of entrepreneurial types: What makes good advice? What makes bad advice? The answers were interesting, and each shed more light on why I gave Rob such bad advice. Here are some ideas that came from the group: 1. A good advisor asks good questions. Mostly in order to understand the goals of the advisee. No advice is given in a vacuum. Understand that an advisor can probably give you great tips on how to get to your goals, but really, the hardest part of making any decision in life is understanding your goals in the first place. So your advisor needs to be very attuned to your goals and where you are in your life. This is why the best advisors ask questions rather than make proclamations. Often a good advisor is more sounding board and less Magic-8 ball. 2. A good advisor is a good listener. Advice is so much about understanding the particular situation that if she is not listening most of the time, then you are probably receiving advice based on incorrect assumptions that actually apply to a different circumstance. But its hard to listen when you are a subject matter expert. In general, all situations sound the same when you give advice to the same types of people all the time. The trick for the advisor is to stop focusing on the similarities, which make her job easier, but to focus instead on the differences, which is more challengingbut makes for better advice. 3. Good advice is not fly-by-night. Advisors are best when they really know you, and they really know the arena where the issues live. So cultivate a relationship with someone who is a subject matter expert, and then he can give you ongoing advice that is relevant to your particular circumstances based on both what you are telling him, and on the relationship that provides a context for your questions. Wondering how you are going to attract this kind of advisor? Be one yourself. Giving good advice is the same thing as giving a good kiss. You attract what you deserve. Not in a Secret sort of way, but in a way where if you are practicing good behavior then you will attract good behavior. And, while I hesitate to give advice at the end of the piece about how advice should not be in a vacuum: You usually get in life what you expect to get. So expect good advice. And good kisses. And they will come.

Why Popularity DOES Matter in the Office (And How to Get It)

Why Popularity DOES Matter in the Office (And How to Get It) Editors Note:   Good morning! Todays guest post is from Katheryn Rivas, a writer for online universities.   Have a wonderful weekend! So you’re the new guy (or gal) in the office. While you may just naturally be on the shyer side or tend to be a loner, if you want to create job stability you need to quickly acclimate to your new environment and get people to like you. While going to work shouldnt feel like youre participating in a popularity contest, you do want to ensure that you are a well-rounded, likable employee. This is because experts say when times get rough and the head honchos are forced to give someone the ax, those who are well liked at the workplace are the least likely to be let go. While yes your performance level will always be taken into account, being well liked can definitely help your chances. Not to mention having friends in the office can make the long 8-hour work days fly by. To learn how to quickly win your new co-workers over, continue reading below. 1. Introduce Yourself The first thing you need to do is make your rounds and introduce yourself. If its a large company, a mass email may suffice, but introducing yourself in person is highly recommended. Even if your boss introduces you by just telling your team, here is our new [insert job title here] you need to formally introduce yourself to individuals. At this time you want to make a good impression. Smile, actually listen when a co-worker says their name, and give the co-worker a compliment (if its sincere)â€"flattery usually wins people over quite quickly. 2. Accept Invitations One of the easiest ways to earn acceptance with your co-workers is to simply say yes every now and thenâ€"yes to lunches, yes to happy hours, and yes to other work-related events and parties (especially in the beginning). Your coworkers are surely to invite you to join them to lunch for example during your first two weeks, but if you refuse from the start theyll think you want nothing to do with them and they will eventually stop asking you. So even if you brought your wholesome peanut butter and jelly sandwich to work, save it for later and go with your co-workers to lunch. That’s not to say that you have to say yes to everything, but every now and then give-in. 3. Know Your Place While you may be highly ambitious and have some great ideas on how your new employer can modify and improve business, you dont want to start off as a Mr. or Ms. Know-It-All. Follow protocol and orders, meaning dont constantly question instated procedures and motives, especially those given to you by your superiors. People will start to think, Who is this outsider trying to tell us how to do our job? You have plenty of time to suggest new concepts and ideas once you finally become an insider. 4. Do Not Get Involved in Cliques High school may be long over but cliques still thrive strong, even in the workplace. While these groups alienate some fellow co-workers by excluding them from lunches, happy hours and other non-work related activities, you want to steer clear from being a member of any clique. Your goal, on the other hand, is to strive to become what some refer to as a floaterâ€"someone who can bounce from clique-to-clique. You want to be friends with everyone not just one particular group of people. Besides, being too cliquey isnt a good idea anyway. Like the expression goes, you are who your friends are and you can be judged just by your association with a particular group. For example, if an employee is terminated and leaves in a rather hostile manner, you risk being labeled as hostile too. On a similar note, you always want to refrain from gossiping at all costs, no matter how tempting or how badly you need to vent. This is the fastest way for you to make enemies. Remember, you want to be like Switzerland: neutral. 5. Give Positive Feedback Lastly, its important that you support your co-workers and congratulate them whenever they accomplish something great. Its also equally as important that you give them credit whenever it is dueâ€"did your coworker help you do research for a project you boss recommended you for? Tell your boss you couldnt have done it without [insert name of co-worker here]. It will make your co-worker(s) feel appreciated and in-turn they should appreciate you as well. Your Turn What tips do you have for getting along with coworkers in a new environment?   Please share in the comments below. image courtesy of evz.ro

How to Write a Human Resource Profile For a Resume

How to Write a Human Resource Profile For a ResumeWriting a human resource profile for a resume is very important. It serves as a starting point to the applicant when it comes to building their resume.Before you start writing a resume, you should look at the applicant's accomplishments in terms of work experience. Be honest. When in doubt, skip the 'remember me' lines and do your best to highlight the applicant's best skills and talents. This will make the applicant feel better about themselves and will leave them more comfortable when they are sending you their resume.One of the first things that should be listed on the resume is your career opportunities. Make sure that you list what you have been doing to land these positions. You can also consider including any job highlights such as an outstanding performance review or even a letter of recommendation. However, don't forget to also give them your skills in relation to their job openings. Make sure that your resume includes those specific skills that match their needs.Once you have written the career highlights, and your resume is ready, you will want to apply for a position. Be sure to be concise and to include all of the important details about the company you are applying for. Just remember to include your cover letter and to wait until you get a call from the hiring manager to send out your resume.Following up is a key factor when writing a human resource profile for a resume. Send the employer a follow up email if you haven't heard back within 24 hours. This will allow you to be proactive and catch the employer's attention if they missed your application. Don't forget to put a date in your follow up so you can look forward to getting a response.After you have received a call from the hiring manager, you can then begin to work on writing your resume. Be sure to write each section carefully. If you are new to resumes, do some research online to learn how to properly format resumes. Remember that resumes a re only one part of your resume, and they need to be written carefully so that they come off as professional.Be sure to take your time when compiling your resume. If you are a new hire, make sure that you show that you have the necessary knowledge and skills for the position that you are applying for. Your resume needs to reflect a good fit between you and the company. If the company accepts your resume, they will be more likely to hire you.Finally, be sure to send the employer your resume in a timely manner. You don't want to be the first person to send in a resume. It is better to be the first person to apply for a position than the last person to apply for one.

What to Do Immediately after an Interview to Ensure you Land Your Dream Job

What to Do Immediately after an Interview to Ensure you Land Your Dream Job Congratulations.You search a job site and a job that appeals to you.You sent in your resume and you have been invited for the job interview. Everything seems to be just perfect like the meal Goldilocks had prepared in the fairy tale Goldilocks and The ThreeBear. So you pick up every single advice on how to prepare for an interview and you seem to be just ready.evalBut wait just a minute!Are you prepared for the set of things you need to do immediately after the interview?Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comYou know the interview process does not end when the recruiter ask you if you have any questions.The interview process ends when you either get the offer letter or not.While lots of people focus so much on the processes before the interviews, the actual steps you take immediately after an interview can make a significant difference whether you will get the job or not.This guide is to help you consolidate your great achievement on the things you need to do immediately after the interview so you increase your chance of been hired.Ready?evalLet’s dive in1. Ask the interviewer what the next steps are:evalLike I said earlier, the interview does not end immediately the interviewer stops asking questions or after you asked your questions. Once you are done with the questions sessions and the interviewer has thanked you for coming, the next thing is to ask the interviewer want the net steps are. Some of the most important things you want to clarify areHow long the process is?When are you likely to get feedback?Ask them if it is okay to keep in touch with them and if the answer is a yes, then you want to ask for their contact information or business cards.2. Access your performance:Once you step out of the room, you need to go to a quiet place and access your performance. Try and recollect as many questions that you were asked as possible and what your answers where. You want to evaluate your performance and give yourself a score if you did well at the interview.This is imp ortant for future purposes so you can know the areas where you need to improve.3. Review Your Online PortfoliosevalIf you are just doing this, then that means you were not adequately prepared for the interview. Despite that, it is not a bad time for you to immediately review your online portfolio at this stage. If the company is interested in hiring you, they may now want to seriously check your online portfolio out especially your social media pages.While most recruiters uses LinkedIn, and this is why it is important to make your LinkedIn page as professional as possible, some may go further and check your Facebook and Twitter pages.Review your online portfolio and make sure there is nothing in like that might embarrass your future employer4. Contact your references:Immediately after the interview is the right time to contact your possible references and keep them in the known that they might be contacted by your prospective employer and to know if they are willingly to provide not only useful but also positive information about you.Giving your references a heads-up ensures that they are not caught unaware and therefore are able to provide accurate and correct information about you.5. Send Your Thank you Letter:evalA few hours after the interview usually not more than 48 hours, you want to send a thank you letter to your interviewers.Sending a thank you letter is very important for the following reasonsIt shows you are appreciative of the opportunity given to youIt sets your apart from the rest of the packIt gives you an opportunity to restate your skills and why you are the best candidate for the roleYou have a chance to reinstate unique point of interestGives you a chance to mention a particular strength you neglected to mention during the interviewHere is a copy of a thank you letter you can send after your interview.evalIf possible, you can send your thank you letter via post but if not, sending it through an email is just fine.What is worse is not sendin g a thank you letter at all.6. Follow up:Following up after an interview when you have not heard from them especially after the timeframe for the feedback has expired can be an important strategy if well executed.Following up does not mean you are desperate. It only shows you are interested in the position and can be employed as a light tough communication to remind them of continued interest.Here are some rules to guide you when following up after an interviewevalA phone call or email is usually the best way to follow-up on a prospective employer.Follow up a week after the period for a specified next step has elapse and you have not heard back from themIf you are asked for additional information of any kind, respond as quickly as possible, usually within 24 hours after the request was made.Learning the important steps to take after an interview can make the difference between you becoming the desired candidate for the role or just one of the potential candidates for a role.Remember that the more prepared you are for your interview, the greater the chance of you succeeding. If in doubt about anything, at least, send a thank you letter to your interviewers.

Career choices made easier with a simple tool - Hire Imaging

Career choices made easier with a simple tool - Hire Imaging As with many decisions, it sometimes helps to put thoughts down on paper or screen; and play with the answers. Mix it up. Be honest. Here’s a career choices tool that can help you identify what you want   and do not want in functions or tasks (your professional goal), field or industries (your target market) and other factors (work environments and logistics related to work). Awareness is power Writing down options and possibilities helps you see how to transfer skills into other functions or industries; and then to define short-term and long-term goals. It’s good to remember that the jobs or tasks you performed in the past are not necessarily the best ones for your future. A job should maximize your best skills, but should also cover other important factorsâ€"your values, interests and preferences to name a few. It worked for Brian My client, Brian told me he felt like a deer caught in the headlights. For the last 18 years at a software company, he had worked his way up the corporate ladder, earning an MBA in marketing along the way. In his last position as a regional vice president, he was accountable for one of his company’s largest and most profitable business units. Brian loved the autonomy and diversity of his responsibilities. He considered himself a hands-on but quiet leader, good at wearing many hats. He took great pride in his ability to motivate and challenge staff to do extremely well. Then the acquisition was announced. Brian had to decide whether to move his family or stay in his current city. A community leader, active in many organizations, Brian decided not to relocate, accepted the separation package and set about finding another position. He had loved his career, but was uncertain about what direction to take. Brian’s written words You could put this in a chart or table format, but here’s the gist of Brian’s written discoveries: Professional goal / job functions or tasks: What kind of work do I want to do? Do not want: Heavy sales or financial responsibilities Might want: Marketing, consulting, managing operations or supervising people Do want: To run the show Target market / fields or industries: Where do I want to work?   Do not want: Financial services, insurance, transportation, retail or a mammoth company Might want: Computer industry, own a business, non-profit Do want: Small-to-medium-sized organization Other ingredients / work environment: What’s the culture? What are the logistics? Do not want: Relocation or excessive travel Might want: Something new and different, moderate travel Do want: Remain in current location, making a difference, a challenge, time for outside interests Brian tweaked and modified as he continued in his search. The career choices tool helped him with some metrics to find the best overall fit. Combining his leadership and marketing experience with his love for community outreach and making a difference , Brian accepted a position as Marketing and Membership Director of a mid-sized non-profit headquartered in his hometown. Now seven months into his new job, Brian is feeling confident that he chose wisely. He credits putting thoughts to paper (or screen) as being very helpful. Photo: Mike Licht

Now Might Be The Time To Ask...

Now Might Be The Time To Ask... Did you have a seasonal job over the holidays? Did you love that job and wish it could last longer? Now might be the time to ask if there are any openings in a full- or part-time position. Heres why: You have been a part of the team as a temp worker, so you know the ropes You are a familiar face hopefully, a good impression has been made You can suggest ways your assets can be a good fit for their goals Your paperwork is already on file Even if they do not have a way to fit you in right now, ask that your resume be kept on file and that you be alerted to openings in the future. If there is a way to stay in touch with what is happening at the company like a newsletter get on the list.  There are common mistakes to avoid in a job search, like  neglecting your current temporary job to try and snag a better one. Just because a job is temporary does not mean it is unimportant, and the networking effects of doing a good job linger. The reality is that everything you do the interactions you have and the memories you leave behind at a seasonal job still count. Its part of your resume, and its part of your reputation. If you have been doing a good job at a temporary position, you will be remembered positively when you submit your application for a permanent one. Good luck!