This article, and the four that follow, will talk about improving communication in the workplace by knowing your DISC behavioural styles. In this discussion, we will explain what DISC is and its importance for influential communication.

In a perfect world, every co-worker, boss and staff member knows exactly how to communicate effectively to achieve the greatest result. However, in the real world everyone speaks a different language and sends ambiguous messages.

To improve communication efficiency in the workplace, many companies use DISC personality profiles. These profiles provide insights into an … Read more

In Part 1 of this series, we focused on defining a job interview and in Part 2 we talked about the importance of stating the right number. In this final part of the series, we will show you the rules of thumb for answering your own question “What is your expected salary?”

While we have shown that stating the right number is much more important, how we deliver the number, or not deliver it, is still a big question.

The short answer for this is: It depends.

Frankly speaking, it’s … Read more

There is a lot of emphasis on good leadership nowadays and we are never short of tips to take our leadership to the next level. A good leader knows how to take responsibility while at the same time empower their employees. He knows where he wants to take his people to in five years’ time.

Here are three other leadership tips less known, and yet very important to note.

1.     Help others

While it might be obvious that a leader or a manager’s job is to get as much profit … Read more

Every leader wants empowered employees. Managers want people who take initiative in solving problems and completing tasks that are given. We want our employees to take control without needing us to guide them 24/7.

That said, despite the advantage of empowering our employees, many leaders do not invest significant time in creating an environment of empowerment. Here are five tips to make your company a place where people feel valued and ready to step it up.

1.     Make your employees believe they are valued

People are a company’s most valuable … Read more

Depending on your workload and the type of job you currently have, you may need to attend anywhere from two to 20 meetings each week. And yet many leaders agree that meetings are mostly a waste of time. They are ineffective and dragging, and most often they are spent talking about random things other than the actual agenda.

While we can’t always refuse to attend meetings, we can increase the quality and effectiveness of our meetings so that our time is managed properly.

Here are 5 P’s to help you … Read more

In Part 1 of this series, we focused on defining what a job interview really is. In this next discussion, we’ll cover why the salary question is a vital part of an interview.

Chances are you are at the very least a little bit uncomfortable when getting to the interview question “What is your expected salary?” But most often, this is the stage when you make or break the decision to hire you.

The salary question

If you have reached this phase of an interview, it can mean: a) … Read more

The trend is clear. Companies no longer hire employees based only on their brilliance or intelligence level. Today, companies put more emphasis on emotional intelligence to determine an employee’s effectiveness in the workplace.

Intelligence Quotient or IQ used to be the only acceptable benchmark to predict a person’s success in the business world. Back in high school, we were taught by our teachers that those high performing students with IQ 140 and above will be the future lawyers, doctors, and CEOs. Fast forward twenty years and suddenly we realise that … Read more

This article, and the two that follow, talk about how to approach the interview question “What is your expected salary?” In this first discussion, we’ll cover what a job interview really is.

According to 2012 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement by SHRM, compensation or pay is the third most important aspect in job satisfaction (60%), right after job opportunities (63%) and job security (61%).

This report shows that being overworked and yet underpaid leads directly to job dissatisfaction. The catch is, unfortunately, this fixed amount of money you receive was … Read more

As humans, we face problems every day. Your client can suddenly file a complaint on that project or your boss can suddenly pick up on an error that has actually been there for months.

While addressing problems, we sometimes go into the fight with a hot head which can cause more damage than good. Here are the 3 steps to act as your guide when solving problems.

1.     Acknowledge the problem

Even though it is obvious, many people find it hard to actually admit that they have a problem. When … Read more

As an employee, we will encounter some problems while trying to successfully deliver our projects.

At times, the solutions easily come to mind. At other times, we may need to consult our leaders on how to best address the issues at hand. However, there are times where we get stuck, as if there is no other alternative to save the project from collapsing.

Before we cry in self-despair and get scolded by our boss for failing that project, take a deep breath, grab a coffee, and go back to addressing … Read more