How to Get the Most Important Things Done Every Day

How to Get the Most Important Things Done Every Day Is this a struggle? If we are honest, it is everyone’s challenge! The good news is that there are answers to this dilemma. The reason I know there is an answer is that it is an issue with almost every client and we, and others, have been able to find solutions to it â€" for them and ourselves! Working with these clients, in a wide variety of industries, across many countries, along with keeping in touch with many experts around the world, the challenges are all pretty similar â€" they may be articulated differently, but the underlying theme is the same. Today I want to just focus on two that come up time and time again. In fact I would venture to say that there is no one that these do not apply to they are: Not having one’s attention drawn away to other things Focusing on one thing at a time So basic â€" isn’t it? Were you expecting something a bit more cerebral? And, “anyway”, I hear you say, “aren’t they the same thing?” The answer is No â€" they are not the same! They can be connected but are not the same! I want to take each one of them separately, and give you tips and strategies to help you deal with them. This will also help to show the difference between the two. Not Having One’s Attention Drawn Away to Other Things: I have observed some of the best at this, have tried and tested their tactics, as well as others I have come across, and I can honestly say that, from my experience the following will make you really good at this: Have your own personal workspace  What I mean by that is that it is not the same place where you have meetings, interviews, have your lunch, your social chat with passers by. Have a space that is a true workspace â€" where when you sit there, the only thing you do is work! This may mean that all your meetings etc. are conducted elsewhere â€" meeting rooms, conference rooms, or coffee shop, depending on your circumstances. Have a clear desk  When working on an item, the item itself and any relevant documents should be the only things on your desk. If you have files and folders that relate to other activities, they are too easy to dip into to write a note on that you just thought of. They are a distraction and a certainty that they will divert your attention. I have never picked up a file for “just a second”! Ignore the old “open door” policy  In my opinion, it is a nice idea, but not conducive to getting things done. The fact of the matter is that if you have an open door policy then your message to everyone is that you are running to everyone else’s agenda, because you are available anytime! I believe it is also bad example to give your people. Be available to your people, but not anytime! You cannot be fully available and be efficient at getting your work done. Schedule tasks in your diary like you would any meeting This is really helpful to take on as a habit. So often we come back from a meeting and then start thinking about what to do next. What do we do? We check emails â€" not a good idea, and more of that later. You know your priorities, so have these items scheduled in your diary â€" and treat them as you would a meeting with your best client. Turn all devices off Anything that rings or pings, just switch it off. We have all become so “instant” â€" must read that email that just came in, must answer that call etc. This is the same as the open door policy â€" you are running to everyone else’s agenda. Be in control of your own! Once you have gone off to check that email or take that call your focus is now completely gone from the job in hand. Very inefficient! Schedule time to check emails Yes, back to emails again â€" great invention but a dreadful time stealer, if allowed. You have to be disciplined. Most executives I deal with admit to checking their emails 20 or 30 times a day â€" and maybe it’s more! Whatever it is it is too much. Just schedule say 4 times per day â€" in your diary, like an appointment, and that’s it. I know it will be like having withdrawal symptoms, but if you don’t you will spend your time hopping form one thing to another â€" at least mentally! Focusing on one thing at a time I am not a fan of multi tasking â€" somehow it has grown to be a virtue and something to be lauded. I totally disagree- and not because I am a man, and women are meant to be better at it! I have yet to meet a successful person who says that their key to success is having a cluttered mind! That is what multi tasking is! Successful people are laser focused â€" they start, they implement and they finish. You simply cannot have a cluttered mind and also great output. They just do not go together. Would you recommend having a cluttered mind to your people? Don’t think so! So, when approaching a piece of work, let that be the only item that occupies your mind and your thoughts. Give your full attention to it â€" until it is completed, or at least the portion that you planned on doing is completed. So, what to do? Well, I am not asking you to just accept what I say â€" test them out for the next 20 days, and make your own mind up after that. If you take on this challenge, you will be blown away with all the really important things you do get done.

Cyber Security Analyst Job Description - Algrim.co

Cyber Security Analyst Job Description - Algrim.co Cyber Security Analyst Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

The New Era of Company Culture

The New Era of Company Culture Company culture  should be the number one positive force  behind your brand. If its not, youre seriously missing out on an easy way to shape the perception, reputation and retention numbers in your company. A  good  company culture isnt about Sandra from IT offering you a slice of birthday cake or the occasional after-work drinks. Company culture actually delves much deeper into the actions and psychology of employees. Having a good company culture means that an employee feels safe and needed in the work environment, meaning more employees stay with your  brand for longer. One of the key factors of a good company culture is the inclusion of employee growth in the future visions of your company, and whilst your brand grows, so should your employees. Are you looking for some inspiration to take your company culture to the next level? Well look no further! Brands have recently been taking to Slideshare to present their company culture in a simple, yet very effective manner. Often a company culture document is kept internally, but game-changing brands have been sharing their values publicly in a bid to attract and retain employees. Its interesting to  see  that sharing such intimate details regarding the basis of your company can really place you as a thought leader in such a saturated field. Top 3 company culture slide decks: Netflix: Netflix were one of the first companies to publicly release their company culture on a slidedeck. Its titled Freedom Responsibility and discusses 7 key aspects of the Netflix company culture. Highlights: Page 5 Demonstrates why buzzwords should NOT be used to describe your company culture. Page 27 Honesty is a must. Apparently you should periodically ask your manager: If I told you I were leaving, how hard would you work to change my mind? Page 35 Some companies tolerate workers who are Brilliant Jerks. Netflix do not. Its all about getting on with your team. Page 70 There is no clothing policy at Netflix, but no one comes to work naked. Page 103 Explains why Netflix always pay top of the market.   Hubspot: In 2012, Hubspot moved their internal culture code into the public eye via Slideshare. The  Hubspot  document outlines how Hubspot is and intends to continue creating a company that they are proud of. Highlights: Page 8 Whether planned or not, all companies have a culture why not create a culture we love? Page 77 GSD is important for Hubspot. Page 91 Fantastic  explanation about how you should hire. Page 121 Its nice to see that Hubspot have targeted everything they need to work on, as well as the positive stuff.   Buffer: Buffers company culture Slideshare is shorter than the previous two, but effective nonetheless. Buffer set out their Top 10 Buffer Values and have a slide for each value. Highlights: Page 6  Positivity is definitely the key to success and happiness.  Page 7 Honesty is a recurring theme running through all of these company culture decks. Page 9 You are humble. Page 10 Listen rather than preach.  If youve seen any other great examples of company culture, dont forget to share them in the comments!

Top 5 Priorities of a Newly Appointed CEO

Top 5 Priorities of a Newly Appointed CEO Recently I undertook some work with a client  who is a newly appointed CEO of a large company. He had been working in the company for a number of years and when the previous CEO resigned he threw his hat in the ring for the job. To his surprise, and indeed others, he got it! He really immersed himself   talking to staff, clients, his direct reports all laudable things to do. But the result? He felt completely overwhelmed and was becoming increasingly frustrated as he felt he was not making any progress. To his credit, he recognized that he needed some external help and that is how he and I started to work together. Interestingly, we first connected on LinkedIn the power of social media! His first conversation with me started with him bemoaning his time management which always raises a flag to me. I genuinely believe people blame time management, when the management of time is not the issue. Poor use of time can be a consequence but I digress! He said: To be honest, I am not totally clear what are the really important things to do now that I am CEO. A brave admission, and one I really admired him for saying. For the purpose of this article, lets call my client Tom (obviously not his real name!) and I thought the work we did together was worth sharing with you, as I think it will help others in similar situations. So, I asked Tom to share with me what was on his list. The answer to his challenge was in his response. He shared his list with me and it ran to over 30 items! It is no wonder he was suffering from overwhelm and frustration. The consequence of his list was that Tom was splitting himself into little pieces and sharing that around the organization, and was simply dipping in and out of situations. There was no real focus to his work. So, we set about creating his dashboard of the important things to do. Research has clearly proven that for any business, no matter how large or small, there are only 5/6 things that need to be on your dashboard to ensure that your focus is on the right things.  Those 5/6 items will be different depending on your role â€" whether it is CEO, CFO, Sales Director or COO. So, back to Tom â€" what are his important things to do? What must be on his dashboard? Having worked through a process we ended up with 5 items that would shape his planning and solve his “time management” challenge. They are: 1) Figures: Tom will now review the top line figures on a weekly basis. We agreed what figures he will be focusing on and developed reports to keep a focus on those figures alone. We also made certain that these were the key figures not all the figures! 2) Strategy implementation: We created reports that clearly showed progress on the implementation of the key strategic initiatives, where any deviation was occurring, and the remedial action being taken. Again, the focus was on the key initiatives. 3) Tom’s team: Tom now has a weekly meeting with his direct reports that lasts no more than 45 minutes to update him on any key issues. We also agreed that every month Tom will have individual coaching sessions with his people â€" and the emphasis is on coaching! 4) Organizational culture: We all know that having the right culture has a direct impact on the performance of a business, so Tom needs to spend time on how he influences the culture of his organization, and how that culture is cascaded down the business. 5) External market: As CEO Tom must spend time analyzing and researching the market so that he is fully aware of the external environment he and his business is operating in. Tom committed to focus on these 5 items as his important things to do for a month, and his schedule reflected that. (Will tell you how we did that in another piece, but it worked wonders for him!) Why a month to start with? Well after a month of doing it every day you have developed a habit! His results? Well, Tom is now clearer on what is important and what is not. His diary is worked around these 5 key items and he is now feeling a lot less overwhelmed and his “time management” has greatly improved. He really feels much more in control, and the feedback from his team has been so positive. Most importantly, Tom is now operating as a much more effective CEO. I am working with quite a number of CEOs right now to help them get absolute clarity on their dashboard and how to make it really work for them. This is a simple, straightforward process that, if adhered to, ensures that you are not overwhelmed in your role and will be much more effective in the process. Would love to hear your thoughts! Leave them in the comments below.

Resume Cover Letter Template Free

Resume Cover Letter Template FreeThere are many different resume cover letter templates that you can download for free. However, it is important to remember that the format you use to create your own cover letter will be determined by the company you are applying for. Whether they use the word 'objective'business'.For example, if you are looking for a job at a company that is new to your area, you should always include a letter in your cover letter, which states that you are completely qualified for the position. In addition, you can also provide a great deal of information about yourself, such as your skills, educational background, and work experience. This will make the application process go much smoother for the interviewer.However, if you are already employed and are applying for a job where your resume should be on display, you should also take into consideration how you can make your letter more professional. A good resume cover letter template will help you do this. One way to do this is to update your resume information and make sure it includes all of the relevant information the interviewer is looking for.If you are interested in finding a resume cover letter template free, there are several places you can find these templates online. However, keep in mind that there are many sites that offer very generic templates and some do not contain any professional formatting information. You need to be careful about choosing the right template.Sometimes, they may contain information that is outdated or wrong. Many people use templates to customize their letter, but the drawback is that many sites do not come with the proper formatting information. If the layout is incorrect, then the person who will read your letter will most likely not understand what you are trying to say.To avoid this, it is important to make sure you have the proper formatting information on your resume cover letter template. If you are not sure how to go about creating your own letter, make sure you ask the company that will be reviewing your letter to provide you with some helpful guidelines. When you have an idea of what you need to include, it will make the job much easier for you.In addition, the main problem with a free resume cover letter template is that it will usually not be very user friendly. Even if the information is available online, you should still make sure that you can edit it. The reason being is that you do not want to make the mistake of submitting your letter, only to have the details changed because you did not read it carefully.Some of the programs that are used to create the templates, such as Microsoft Word, should be able to read a document and make any necessary edits. It is important to remember that the layout and content of the letter are going to determine the outcome of your letter. If you are not happy with the layout, then you should consider contacting the company in order to request a revision.

Online Business Tools

Online Business Tools At our career coaching firm, we work with a lot of people considering opening their own business. We also network with other organizations like therapists, lawyers, financial planners and so on. Thus, we interact regularly with other people trying to run service-based businesses. We spend a lot of time developing and improving our business and this strengthens our ability to guide people in building their business or just understanding if running a business is right for them. This week we are sharing a few of the technologies and services we use that have made a big difference in our business and we feel can make a big difference in yours. Zoho CRM A CRM (customer relationship management) tool is invaluable to a business that sells to individuals or individual companies. It is the hub of your customer data including contact information, communication history, and appointments (in our case). It is an online service which is extremely handy in sharing all the information with our team and making it readily available from just about anywhere. Zoho is rather affordable theres a free version and a very well-equipped professional edition. The interface is very friendly and comes with decent support. Google Apps Google apps is a suite of related online tools that you helps your employees connect and your business run smoothly. Our calendar system, internal file system and email run on Google Apps. Plus, Google Apps ties into a number of other online applications through their ecosystem, for example, mail chimp, spanning backup, survey monkey, docusign and so on. Gmail Google Apps uses Gmail for its email service. Gmails interface, search ability, talk feature and massive storage is a huge benefit. We found that using our website hosting provider for processing our email was a liability because there was a lot of additional work to setup email addresses if we switched hosts. Also, its great having everything stored online it means our business is with us, on our phones, at all times. Google Drive Its not easy (or cheap) to share files with other members of your company. Its even more challenging to collaborate on documents, spreadsheets and presentations with co-workers and clients. Google Drive has simplified this by letting us store any type of file in a shared, secure folder. Additionally, Google documents and spreadsheets are one of the best collaboration tools available where you can share access to a file and even watch other users edit a file in real-time. Google Calendar Sharing calendars with Microsoft Outlook and an Exchange server is expensive, requires maintenance and isnt fun for business owners. Google calendar makes it easy to see others calendars and allows us to create calendars for resources (like meeting rooms) that make life manageable. The setup is fast and the functionality is very comparable to calendars large corporations use. Spanning Backup After Zoho CRM and Google Apps, we consider Spanning Backup our most important tool. Earlier in the year, we struggled with how to effectively backup Google Apps if we lost that data (calendar appointments, email, documents on drive) we would lose our momentum and countless hours trying to replace it. Google doesnt ensure your data so an additional step is needed. We found Spanning Backup and they take care of daily backups of email, calendar and Drive. It gives us peace of mind. Plus, the tool is very good at making those backups accessible and enabling you to restore individual items. Its really a management tool to make sure we can undo a change we didnt want and verify information from the past whether thats for internal or client purposes. Heres a link to signup https://spanningbackup.com/s5m5/UVNWN7. If you use this promo code youll save $5/license: UVNWN7. These were just a few of the tools we use to run our business. These tools have enabled us to make tremendous strides in efficiently running our career coaching business. We can directly see the positive impact on our bottom line and hope you benefit from these tools as well. What tools do you use that are essential to running your service business?  

5 keys for success if youre leading a startup

5 keys for success if youre leading a startup Being an entrepreneur starts with an idea and a vision of the future. These can be enough to get a new company started, raise money, and bring on the first few employees. The real motivation, though, the one that keeps you going after a tough day or two, is the recognition that customers are genuinely excited about your product or service. Ellen Rubin, CEO of ClearSky Data, an early-stage company building a breakthrough solution in enterprise infrastructure, knows this well. Rubin, a three-time entrepreneur, explains that it’s easy to keep your internal team moving when prospective customers are as excited as you are. “As much as startups are fueled by an entrepreneur’s ambition and goals, making customers happy â€" and keeping them that way â€" is the real driver,” she said. However, a startup’s longer-term success demands more from its founder than just some excited customers. I spoke with Rubin to get her advice and best practices for entrepreneurs to guide their young companies to success. Here are her five tips: 1. Team Communication Is Everything At the beginning, it won’t be difficult to keep employees informed of every decision. With every new addition to your team, it’s important to take a look at different processes and adjust them to ensure they’ll work as your company grows. Functional silos can form quickly if founders aren’t proactive. Good communication and transparency are the hallmarks of any successful organization. These actions keep employees engaged and support strong team collaboration. As a business grows, Rubin recommends maintaining a commitment to open forums also makes it clear to managers they need to interact with their teams and keep everyone engaged. Employees need to know they can always ask questions and suggest better ways to do things, and it’s up to the company’s leaders to make that clear. 2. Trust the Hard Data and Execute The decisions a founder makes will determine the success and direction of her company. Employ hard data to inform decisions large and small in order to focus employees on demonstrating real value and to keep all decision-makers on the same page. This practice also prevents bias from clouding the decision process in the face of tough choices like investments and roadmap decisions. Instead, using hard data to determine which position to hire next or which technology tradeoffs are warranted will ensure you make the best possible decision. 3. Follow Your Instincts and Stick To Your Core Values Unfortunately, you won’t always have hard data. The data might be inconclusive or simply unavailable, and at the end of day, you still have to make a decision. When this happens, you have to trust your gut â€" the same gut you trusted when you decided you could turn a great idea into a viable business. In the absence of hard data, draw from your instincts, as well as your company culture, values, and goals. You may not always be right, but there’s merit in sticking to your core principles and standing behind your choices. 4. Find a Business Partner Who Complements Your Strengths “This is a common one that’s shared among entrepreneurs, but it begs repeating because it’s the truth. And it can make or break your early-stage growth,” said Rubin. Does your co-founder pass the “Chicago airport test?” In other words, could you find yourself delayed in an airport with him or her for long hours and still be able to arrive at your destination and deliver a powerful presentation together? Your founding partner and other early team members are people with whom you’re going to spend a lot of time. Think about the characteristics that complement you professionally and as a person, and seek people who can help you challenge your assumptions and contribute different ways of problem-solving. 5. Never Stop Learning It’s okay to admit that you don’t know everything. Rubin says that when she learned this in her own career, she became a better employee, manager and, eventually, founder. It’s not uncommon for young executives and others to think not knowing the answer to a question is a bad thing. Key milestone events, successes, and mistakes are all learning moments. As any company starts to grow, it’s likely that “holes” in expertise and domain knowledge will appear. This means that you and your management team need to create a learning culture to encourage everyone to keep growing along with the company’s needs. The best way to do this is to encourage people from different functional areas to sit with each other and share their different areas of expertise. It’s amazing how much great input can come from applying cross-functional knowledge to a complex problem. But it’s equally important to encourage employees to look outside the company for experts and advisors who can help wrestle a tough issue to the ground. When people understand that ongoing learning is a company norm, everyone wins.