How to get ahead by being generous

Traditional wisdom says business is a dog-eat-dog world, but new evidence turns that old saying on its head: the people who rise to the top may actually be the most generous.

That uplifting finding comes from Give and Take, a new book by Adam Grant, a management professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Givers are a huge asset to the companies they work for because they make others more effective. They have larger networks that make problem-solving faster and easier. They take the initiative to mentor and train new hires. They pick up the slack when others are overworked. And they foster a sense of loyalty among employees and customers.

Grant also identifies two other groups of people: matchers and takers. Both have middling success. Takers put their self-interests first, which increases stress, lowers collaboration, and harms working relationships. Matchers give only as much as they get, so their relationships feel transactional and their networks tend to be smaller.

Anyone -- even matchers and takers -- can learn to become more giving. Here are five strategies to help you become more generous in your professional life: 

1. Reconnect with someone. Reach out to someone you've lost touch with, then ask what they're struggling with right now and how you could help solve the problem. By extending a hand, you reestablish a connection and deepen the relationship. Your generosity creates good will between you, a great way to strengthen your network.

2. Anticipate others' needs. Givers focus most of their energy outward. "They pay more attention to what other people might need," Grant says. To do that, ask your colleagues if they’re struggling with anything whenever you chat about work. You might know how to help immediately, or an idea might come to you later. Sometimes just listening is help enough, and the more you listen, the more you'll find proactive solutions that preempt future problems.

3. Practice five minute favors. Your time is valuable, so focus on what Grant calls "five minute favors," which are favors you can do very quickly, such as an email introduction. Dedicate a specific time for these favors, such as Friday afternoons or ten minutes at lunchtime. For more involved favors, ask yourself, "If I'm going to spend a lot of time helping this person, is this something I can help with uniquely, or could someone else do it as well?"

4. Give in ways you find meaningful. Sustainable giving stems naturally from activities you enjoy. "Giving is hard to sustain if it constantly feels like a chore," Grant says. Think about what you love doing, such as connecting two people together, sharing your knowledge, or mentoring others. Find ways to help that resonate with your values and interests.

5. Act like a matcher with takers. Givers need to be careful that self-interested people don't take advantage of their kindness. "Giving is most risky when dealing with takers," Grant says. When you help a taker, be assertive about what you want to get in return. Ask them to help you with a specific task, or pay it forward by getting them to help someone else.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226307

Time Scavengers- Wasting Your Time

Once of worse problems of working on the internet is the inevitable distractions, how much time do you waste on things you know you shouldn't but cannot quite help yourself.

It's not difficult to waste a whole day watching tv and video and then the spouse comes home and you reassure them  you have of course had a productive day.

And it is very easy to deceive them as well as most of the time what we are doing could be good or could be bad. The trouble is the person you deceive most is yourself  because you will have acheived a very expensive   nothing!!

Whats to be done can we try and change our habits over night schedule every second, this will make this a job and you might as well go and work the 9-5 with others if you are going to do that.

No you must decide the times which are the most likely to be productive for you, if you feel you can only work hard for an  hour or two hours then you must stick to it. Better to work extremely hard for a short period of time than to do nothing for 8 hours.

Luckily I found a free utility which can start addressing some of these issues its called rescuetime at rescuetime.com it monitors all your time on the internet and what you are doing so if like me you just spent 5 hours watching back to back episodes that you could not wait on. Then its there and if your really brave get your spouse to check up on what you did for the day. Maybe you can plan some reward in there.

But whatever you do if you do not get scheduling under control the you will eventually fail and the alternative is you would be better off staying at work.

Mike Bell

10 Questions to Ask Before Quitting Your Job to Start a Business

Giving up the security of a full-time job to start your own business is a risky, often stressful move. "The biggest reason people don't end up quitting is the fear of uncertainty. They don't know what might happen and they don't want to give up the security that they already have," says Sean Ogle, who quit a job in finance to live in Thailand and run a virtual search engine optimization and Web consultancy.

How do you know when the time is right to make the leap? Here are 10 questions to ask before you quit your job

Are you just miserable in your current job?
Some people who think they want to be entrepreneurs are just unhappy in their current roles, says Pamela Slim, the Mesa, Ariz.-based author of Escape from Cubicle Nation (Penguin, 2010). Developing a thorough business plan can help you avoid any impulsive decisions. "In addition to wanting to quit, you have to have a viable business idea and an effective marketing and operations plan," she says. As you work on your plan, she advises, keep your job and income as long as possible.

What will your new day-to-day routine be like?
Instant freedom can be dangerous. Ogle recommends developing a daily schedule to follow, just as you did in your 9-to-5 job. "When you now have all of this free time it gets really easy to say, 'Oh, I'll do that later'," he says. The week after quitting his job, Ogle started going to the gym at the same time he would have arrived at his old office each morning. And after the gym, he worked the same hours that he did for his former employer. How will you raise money to keep the business going? 
Lack of capital is one of the main hurdles to entrepreneurship. Rather than figuring out cash flow as you go along, it's best to come up with realistic projections as part of your business plan before deciding whether you can afford to leave your job. Your business may not be profitable for three to five years, so it's important to be realistic about how you'll support yourself financially, says Sharon Lechter, author of Three Feet From Gold: Turn Your Obstacles Into Opportunities (Sterling Publishing, 2009) and a financial literacy expert in Phoenix. Anticipating your financial needs "allows you to focus your energy on building your new business rather than worrying how you are going to pay the bills," she says.

Have you factored in possible unforeseen costs?
When Jody Dyer launched Blackbird Tees, an apparel company in Richmond, Va., she was surprised by the many expenses her business plan hadn't anticipated. We spent "thousands of dollars experimenting with different fabric styles and inks, messing up screens, destroying shirts, making the wrong color choices," says Dyer, who sells her products on Etsy. "At the time, those errors were financially crippling." Rather than going out of business, Dyer fell back on freelance copywriting gigs to make ends meet. "Supplementing your income through freelance or part-time work can alleviate some of that strain," she says.

Are you willing to take on multiple roles?
Starting a business means you'll be wearing many hats. "One day you are the tech person, one day you are the salesperson, one day you are the cleaning person," says Shobha Tummala, founder of an eponymous chain of beauty salons in New York City. "You can't have an ego." So before leaving your job, you need to decide if you will be happy performing a variety of functions, from marketing to maintenance. 

What are your strengths and weaknesses?
As you consider the multiple roles, be honest with yourself about what you're best at and where you need to improve, Tummala advises. Perhaps you need to beef up your programming skills or understanding of finance--or find a partner with a complementary skill set. If you don't have a way to overcome your weaknesses, it may be best to stay in your current role. 

Who are your future customers--and competitors?While you may not be able to thoroughly test the market potential for your business concept, you should at least understand who your likely customers are and what kind of competition you would face. If you're not quite sure, consider pursuing your idea part-time, suggests Ellen Rohr, president of Bare Bones Biz, a small-business consultancy in Rogersville, Mo. "You can test your plan and adjust it in a soft launch before you sink too much into an unprofitable venture."

 Is your support network on board?
To help ease the transition, you should share your entrepreneurial plans with family members and see if they support the tradeoffs involved in starting a business. Be quite explicit about the risks, Slim says. "When one person goes into business, everyone in the family unit is affected." If your partner and other members of your support network are reluctant to back your idea, you may want to rethink quitting your current job.

Do you have a backup option?
Developing a plan B before going off on your own will help you avoid getting blindsided. Is there something you can do part-time if you need to temporarily bring in money, or will you need to seek new full-time employment and put your plans on hold? To keep your options open, stay in contact with recruiters, previous employers and other networking contacts.

How will you avoid burning bridges? 
If you decide to quit, remember that your employer could be helpful to you as you launch your new venture. Rather than resign abruptly, figure out a way to leave in good standing. Give plenty of notice to help your employer handle the transition. And be open about your future entrepreneurial plans, Ogle says. "Usually [companies] will understand it, and even offer to help out however they can." Employers can assist by giving you flexible time off or retaining your services as a consultant.

 http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226035

5 Year Goal Setting Why its crucial

People commonly overestimate how far they can get in a year, but grossly underestimate how far they can get in 5 years.

If you actually want results, make a 5-year commitment to a particular path, like building an online business, developing your social skills, becoming a world traveler, etc. A lesser commitment is largely pointless.

When I began blogging in 2004, I expected I’d still be blogging in 2009. If I didn’t have that expectation, I wouldn’t have started blogging.

Many other bloggers quit within their first year, which is largely a waste of effort. If they were going to quit within such a short period of time, they were never serious about it to begin it. The best results come well after the first year. If you can’t make it at least 5 years, why bother with it at all?

Sure there’s some experiential value to be gained from dabbling, but there won’t be much value in terms of results. If you just want to rack up a bunch of short-term experiences for the fun of it, then by all means feel free to dabble. That’s fine. It’s not a mistake to do that if that’s your intention.

But if your intention is to actually generate some meaningful results, like strong new relationships, a commercially competitive skill set, a fulfilling career path, or some significant income streams, then forget about dabbling.

If you notice that you keep starting over every 6 months or so, you’re being way too noncommittal. As soon as you reach the point when you’re just about to transition into moderate results territory and get into the long run of nice results, you’re pulling the plug and erasing your progress.

In the first year, a new website will just begin to get some links, search engine placement, social networking recognition, and some moderate traffic. The seed has grown to a sapling. Then the owners look at the sapling with disappointment because they wanted a full-grown tree by that point, so they yank it out of the ground and start another project from scratch. This is nonsensical. After five years of this pattern, they have little to show for their efforts.

After a single year on a new path, it may look like you’re barely getting anywhere. Transformation often looks that way at first. But fast forward five years and look back, and the total transformation can be profound.

In 2004 I also joined Toastmasters to build up my speaking skills and experience. After a year of membership, I had switched to a stronger club, but I was still doing mostly 5-7 minute speeches and just beginning to do occasional 20-minute talks. I had done a few speech contests too. To prep for a 20-minute talk would take me a full day. I was gaining skills, but results-wise I didn’t have much to show for my efforts.

However, after I’d been in Toastmasters for 4 years, I was doing my first paid speeches, earning $3000 for 90 minutes on stage, and they paid for travel and hotel expenses. That’s a result.

And a little over 5 years after joining Toastmasters, I was doing my first public workshop, for which I earned over $50,000 for 3 days of speaking. That’s a result.

Now I can do weekend workshops whenever I desire and earn tens of thousands of dollars for each one. I’ve done 9 of these so far. Every workshop I’ve done has earned more money that I earned in my entire first year of blogging. That’s a result.

It used to take me a month to prepare a new workshop from scratch. Now I can do it in about a week. Today I can also prepare a new one-hour talk in about 15-30 minutes, and the delivery is better than when I used to prep for a full day just for a 20-minute talk.

This isn’t the result of luck. It’s the result of practice and commitment. Not a 6 month commitment. Not a year. But 5+ years.

I only left Toastmasters in 2010 when I felt I was well beyond the point of needing it anymore. Over a period of several years, I went from doing 5-7 minute speeches for free to doing my own 3-day public seminars and earning tens of thousands of dollars for each one. Again, that’s a meaningful and measurable result, not just a learning experience.

And this was my commitment all along. I knew I’d make it to this point if I stuck with it. If I didn’t expect to be in Toastmasters for at least 5 years, I probably wouldn’t have joined in the first place.

The first year of any new commitment is invariably the most awkward. Your skills are weakest then. You don’t know what you’re doing. You make a lot of mistakes.

That first year is also the time when you learn the fastest. However, that 5th year of 5 is typically when you enjoy the best results.

Deep down we love shortcuts. If one happens to come your way, take advantage of it. But don’t enter into a serious line of personal growth if you aren’t willing to make at least a 5-year commitment — assuming you’re interested in gaining some actual results.

Don’t force yourself to commit to something random for the next 5 years. But do put some thought into decisions that can rack up long-term results if you stick with them. This requires a degree of self-awareness, i.e. knowing what you’ll stick with and what you won’t. If you know you won’t still be into something 5 years from now, don’t bother putting 6 months into it.

Ask yourself what interests and goals of yours are still likely to be very important to you 5 years from now. If you’re reading this in 2012, then what will you still care about in 2017? Look to your past. What were you interested in 5 years ago that you’re still into today? What goals and aspirations keep resurfacing year after year? Can you expect these pattern to continue? These long-term interests will give you a hint about where to double down and commit bigger.

When I committed to blogging, I’d already been writing free articles for 5 years prior (from 1999 to 2004), so I could reasonably expect I’d continue this pattern. I just hadn’t committed to it in a big way yet.

When I committed to speaking, I’d already been speaking for free at software and game developer conferences for several years prior, so again, I had established a pattern there.

Even if you’re in your 20s or younger, you have patterns that you’ve established. What are the threads that you keep weaving into your life? How far could you get if you actually got serious about these threads and made a genuine 5-year commitment to generating some real results?

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2012/11/5-year-commitments/

The 5 Biggest Twitter Marketing Fails of 2012 and how it can help you.

Social marketing  media can be difficult to do but when done right, it can strengthen your brand value and ideally even your bottom line. When done wrong, it can alienate consumers and thrash your reputation.

Here's a look at five of the worst corporate mistakesover Twitter this year, and what other business owners can learn from them: 

January 18: McDonald's hashtag gone wrong.McDonald's (@McDonald's) created the #McDstories hashtag on Twitter to inspire customers to share personal stories about their favorite McDonald's moments. What McDonald's didn't bargain for was that customers would share both good and bad stories. And share they did -- everything from allegedly crunching on fingernail clippings in Big Macs to getting food poisoning. The fast food mammoth yanked the #McDstories campaign only two hours after launching it, but a quick search on Twitter shows that the hijacked hashtag still goes on strong.

Lesson: You can't control what consumers will say using your hashtag, and they can be hijacked by negative comments that can never be taken back.

Related: What to Do When Customers Get Mean on Social Media

January 27: Snickers gets caught paying for celebrity tweets. Marketers from Snickers' U.K. branch (@SnickersUK) were hungry for retweets when they hired British model and reality TV start Jordon (aka Katie Price) to tweet about topics she likely would never normally tweet about, including Eurozone debt and China's gross domestic product. Jordan followed up her rash of out-of-character tweets with a message about feeling like herself again thanks to Snickers. The stunt left many of Jordan's followers reeling for thinking her Twitter account had been hacked.

Lesson: Pranking consumers in clever ways can draw attention to your brand, but usually not the right kind.

February 5: Toyota Camry drives away potential drivers. The Japanese car giant created nine Twitter accounts to get the word out about the new Camry during the Super Bowl. Toyota (@Toyota) then tweeted -- in this case, spammed -- unsolicited messages about a Camry giveaway contest to anyone using a Super Bowl-related hashtag. The ensuing consumer backlash prompted Toyota to close all its "The Camry Effect" promotional Twitter accounts and issue an apology.

Lesson: Impersonal mass marketing tweets can alienate customers. Stick to unique, personalized messages that engage consumers one-on-one.

Related: 5 Tips for Talking About Politics on Social Media

October 3: KitchenAid cooks up a half-baked political tweet. On this day, KitchenAid's Twitter feed (@KitchenAidUSA) wasn't about cooking with the company's famous kitchen appliances. It was about politics. After Barack Obama mentioned his late grandmother during a presidential debate earlier that evening, the person running KitchenAid's Twitter feed tweeted an insensitive comment about her and his campaign. The individual responsible for the inappropriate tweet was relieved of his duties and the company was forced to clean up the mess.

Lesson: Your social media manager should adopt a tone that reflects your company's image and keep his or her personal (and political) opinions out of your social media marketing.

October 29: Retailers' Hurricane Sandy sale slip-ups. During the storm, Urban Outfitters (@UrbanOutfitters) tweeted: "This storm blows (but free shipping doesn't)! Today only...bit.ly/S8fADV #frankenstorm #ALLSOGGY" An email promoting the sale included an image of Frankenstein with the word "Frankenstorm" on it. American Apparel, The Gap and Sears got in on the Sandy storm sale action on Facebook and Twitter, too. Angry reactions to these inappropriate sales still continue on Twitter.

Lesson: Attempting to make money on and exploit others' suffering in times of crisis can cause serious backlash. Just don't do it.
 

http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/225303