Do you ever come home from work and feel like you just completely wasted your day? As though, no matter how much you got done it was just kind of pointless. This is something that a lot of us deal with at work for the simple reason that we’re not doing something that has all that much value. After all, it’s hard to feel fulfilled at the end of the day when all you’ve really done is put some extra money in the pockets of your employer. Of course, that’s not the way that things need to be. With that in mind, here are some careers that allow you to actually do some good in the world.
Education
What could be better than being able to shape the minds of the next generation and prepare them for all of the challenges that they are almost certainly going to face in the future? Think about the really great teachers that you had as a kid. The ones who made you feel passionate about their subject and instilled a love of learning in you. Why wouldn’t you want to provide that for other kids? Not only that but you get to form real bonds and connections with the kids that you work with and you have the satisfaction of watching them grow into intelligent and independent young adults.
Medicine
Few people would deny that saving lives is one of the most important things that you could choose to do as a career. A lot of people feel like medicine is impossible to get into because they just think about becoming a doctor which takes close to a decade of training. However, there are plenty of other options. Grand Canyon University Nursing offers degrees that take far less time and set you up for an incredibly fulfilling nursing career. They might not get the glory that doctors do but nurses are often some of the most important people in the medical profession.
Non-profits
Most of us have the charities that we support but how often do you think about the ways that you could be really helping them. plenty of non-profit organizations are looking all the time to hire people to help on a full-time basis. That way you get to earn a living helping to support a charity that you really care about and improve other people’s lives in the process.
The wonderful thing about these kinds of careers is that they are not only making a positive difference in the world but they’re also going to leave you feeling a whole lot happier and more fulfilled when you come home at the end of the day. That kind of positive energy is going to spill over into all different aspects of your life, improving in a whole variety of different ways. Sure, even these kinds of jobs can be stressful and frustrating at times, but knowing that you’re doing something that actually matters can help to make those moments worth it.
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As a project manager, one of the most important things you need to do is communicate effectively. This is something you will learn about extensively during your project management courses. You are going to be working with different people all of the time, and you need to know how to communicate to each one successfully. Of course, one of the most important people you are going to be dealing with are your stakeholders. Read on to discover some of the different ways you can communicate your project plan to them.
A project report – Let’s start with the most common communication method that is used for business project plans, and this is a report. There are lots of benefits associated with going down this road, as you can blend a good mixture of narrative and hard statistics. You can also easily flag issues, as well as create a history for the project and share detail. However, one thing you do need to keep in mind is that this is a one-way communication channel, so they are not ideal if you need stakeholders to contribute.
Conference – You could even hold a conference. Make sure you detail it online like the Michael A. Peck MAPA Group have. This is advisable for cases whereby there are lots of stakeholders and important matters to be discussed.
Gantt charts – Gantt charts are ideal for showing the status of the project in real time. They can also be added to your website if you are building one for your project. One of the main pros associated with this option is the transparency. However, you will have to explain these charts to most stakeholders, as not everyone will understand what they are looking at.
Conference calls – This is a good way to quickly give updates and share information with busy stakeholders. It works well for briefings, but it is not always ideal for productive discussions. For this to work, you need to make sure there are some ground rules in place, otherwise people will be talking over the top of each other and there will be typing going on in the background.
Face-to-face – Face-to-face communication is not required all of the time, but it is necessary to schedule this in from time-to-time. This is especially the case at the beginning of the project, and again when you reach critical stages whereby feedback is required. It is also effective for dealing with senior leaders and difficult stakeholders. Such meetings can be daunting, though, which is why plenty of preparation is a must.
Presentations and slides – Last but not least, slides with the correct data can make a powerful impact, especially if you are communicating to a big group of stakeholders. Presentations ensure everyone has the same message. However, this is only the case if you put together a good presentation, otherwise they can be dull and boring.
As you can see, there are many different ways that the project plan can be communicated, and you do need to consider the approach you go for with care. After all, all options have their pros and their cons, so you need to determine what is right for the project in question, as well as the people you are dealing with.
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If you have an employee that procrastinates, hopefully, you will have spotted the signs. They always have something else they must do first, or they will do what you are asking tomorrow. They may say they just do not have the time, or that they will do it in half an hours.
You want your employees to be as productive as possible, but there have always been procrastinators in most workforces. They can unsettle the other members of staff and generally make your workforce unhappy. If you have someone like this in your workplace, how can you deal with the problem to eliminate it?
Have A Chat With Them
The first thing to do is to try and find out why they are behaving this way. Have an informal but direct chat with them and ask the question. It could be that they have a personal problem, or that they do not know how to do what you are asking but are afraid to admit it. The answer could be any one of a hundred things, and most times it can be problems that are easily solved, especially if the issue is work-related.
How To Deal With A Procrastinator
Being forceful is often the wrong way to deal with this type of situation. Forcing the person to meet deadlines won’t work either, and usually, logic does not enter the equation.
It seems that it is much more effective if you use a bit of cunning with your employees. Chat to them about deadlines as though they do not matter too much, and get involved with the job they are doing. Your personal involvement can make a big difference, as generally. they are concerned about letting you down.
According to research, this is the best way to deal with procrastinators, as it becomes a habit for them and having their boss around much of the times breaks them out of their normal routine.
Remove Distractions
This should apply to all your employees, but even more so to those that procrastinate. If you have large windows overlooking a busy street, have blinds installed to block out the daily lives of those walking by. If you want to know how to block websites on a Mac – Setapp has the answer. This would stop them playing games or looking at social media on your systems, and should reduce the amount of time spent on these things during working hours.
Anything that distracts employees from their work should be removed, and then they will become more productive.
Hold Them Responsible
If you hold each person is held responsible for the job they should be doing, and a deadline is missed because one person procrastinates, the other staff members will not be too pleased and will try to make sure that it does not happen again. Sometimes, pressure from their workmates will do more good than anything a boss or manager can say.
If you have done everything you can to prevent the procrastinating and it carries on, there may come a time when you have to say enough is enough and in fairness to your other employees, replace that member of staff.
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Once, online business existed to complement physical stores. A company who went online had the best chance of standing out on the high street. That’s because most customers started heading online to get some idea of what they wanted before heading out.
Unsurprisingly, this trend has seen a real rise in e-commerce only stores in recent years. Many new business owners now choose to scrap physical business altogether. And, it’s easy to see why given how steep rental prices are now. By relying on nothing more than a website, it’s possible to start a business for half the price you’d pay otherwise.
But, we’re seeing something of a shift in the business world right now. Rather than physical stores heading online, we’re seeing e-commerce companies opting for physical spaces. The benefit here, of course, is that they already have an established reputation to go off. In most cases, they also have existing profits to cover those costs.
But, how exactly can a physical store compliment your online efforts, and is it worth your while?
Keeping up with the competition
Remember that physical businesses originally moved online to impress customers over their competitors. Now, though, opting for physical space is the best chance you have of doing that. After all, the online world is saturated with endless stores to choose from. Hence why companies like Amazon are heading to our high streets. This is your best chance to stand out from the online crowd and keep up with what the rest of your industry are doing. And, that’s the only real chance you have at making this last long-term.
Appealing to the masses
We’re told time and again that the majority of customers now come from online sources. And, there’s no denying that most do check out a website before anything else. But, consider that 60% of people who look online still prefer to buy in-store. A lot of the time, they simply check out their options on the computer. If you don’t have a physical store, then, you could lose a load of business this way. But, if you can direct online browsers to your retail space, you could see real success. This is especially the case if you blow them away with features like epoxy flooring and stand out displays for the products that they’ve already checked out. Just like that, you could increase your online conversion rates. All because you got physical.
Making online shopping easier
Returns are the worst part of online shopping. Long-winded methods may even stop customers from bothering. That leaves them unimpressed with your services and unlikely to shop with you again. Which leads us to one of the best ways a physical space could compliment your online efforts. By accepting online returns in your physical store, you can secure many more happy shoppers. That alone can turn an online disaster in a real-life success.
Get your head out of that screen, then, and think about making a REAL difference to your business efforts.
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Digital technology has had a huge positive impact on business – software has helped to automate tasks that were once mundane and time-consuming, whilst the internet has helped to make the world more connected making it easier for niche businesses to find new customers.
The downside of all this is that business is starting to lose touch with its human side. Whilst many of us appreciate the convenience of modern technology, many of us still need human interaction both as a customer and an employee. Here are several ways in which you can inject a human element into your business whilst still using digital technology to its advantages.
Don’t over-rely on AI
There are many jobs that artificial intelligence is better at handling than us humans. This includes complex calculation tasks such as accounting and repetitive tasks such as building machinery.
Some tasks however are still performed much better by humans. These are jobs that involve creativity and emotion.
As this article at Harnham delves into, relying on AI for marketing can be damaging. Whilst analytics can uncover useful marketing strategies, there are times when you need to react emotionally to people’s demands.
Similarly, customer service still benefits from a human touch. As this article from Forbes suggests, human chatboxes are becoming a big problem – most customers find them irritating as they’re not able to deviate from their script when asked difficult questions and a lack of empathy towards customers’ frustration can only add to the anger.
As for using AI to help employees, it shouldn’t be used as a tool to replace in-person training. Many employees feel neglected when forced to learn everything via e-learning. Whilst it can be a useful supplement, relying wholly on digital training could demotivate new employees.
Show your face
Whilst the internet has helped to connect people, there are times when it can form a barrier. Long conversations with strangers can be had via chains of email, whilst we can buy products online without ever having to talk to a person. However, as this article at QuickBooks suggests, face-to-face interaction is still something we need in business to build trust.
In-person physical meetings may be the best way to do this, but they’re not always possible. Fortunately, there are ways to use technology to still show your face. Video communication tools can help to replace in-person meetings allowing you to still have a face-to-face meeting digitally. Meanwhile, it could be worth sharing photos of you and your staff on your website to help develop a human connection (you can even embed a video of you introducing yourself to clients).
Be playful with tech
Another way to stay human when using digital technology is to use this technology beyond it’s purely functional form. Many of are engaged by technology when it is used as a toy and many businesses have started to embrace this. Examples include Ikea’s use of AR to allow users to see what an item of furniture would look like in their home or Pizza Express’s delivery app that allows users to play a video game whilst they wait. Some may view this as gimmicks, but it can actually be a way of appealing to customers with technology whilst also showing a human appreciation for fun.
StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Management Article | Digital Technology| Keeping Your Business Human In Today’s Digital World
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Use Your Career To Help The World!
/in Practices for Professionals/by StrategyDrivenEducation
What could be better than being able to shape the minds of the next generation and prepare them for all of the challenges that they are almost certainly going to face in the future? Think about the really great teachers that you had as a kid. The ones who made you feel passionate about their subject and instilled a love of learning in you. Why wouldn’t you want to provide that for other kids? Not only that but you get to form real bonds and connections with the kids that you work with and you have the satisfaction of watching them grow into intelligent and independent young adults.
Medicine
Few people would deny that saving lives is one of the most important things that you could choose to do as a career. A lot of people feel like medicine is impossible to get into because they just think about becoming a doctor which takes close to a decade of training. However, there are plenty of other options. Grand Canyon University Nursing offers degrees that take far less time and set you up for an incredibly fulfilling nursing career. They might not get the glory that doctors do but nurses are often some of the most important people in the medical profession.
Non-profits
Most of us have the charities that we support but how often do you think about the ways that you could be really helping them. plenty of non-profit organizations are looking all the time to hire people to help on a full-time basis. That way you get to earn a living helping to support a charity that you really care about and improve other people’s lives in the process.
The wonderful thing about these kinds of careers is that they are not only making a positive difference in the world but they’re also going to leave you feeling a whole lot happier and more fulfilled when you come home at the end of the day. That kind of positive energy is going to spill over into all different aspects of your life, improving in a whole variety of different ways. Sure, even these kinds of jobs can be stressful and frustrating at times, but knowing that you’re doing something that actually matters can help to make those moments worth it.
Communicating Your Project Plan With Stakeholders
/in Project Management/by StrategyDrivenA project report – Let’s start with the most common communication method that is used for business project plans, and this is a report. There are lots of benefits associated with going down this road, as you can blend a good mixture of narrative and hard statistics. You can also easily flag issues, as well as create a history for the project and share detail. However, one thing you do need to keep in mind is that this is a one-way communication channel, so they are not ideal if you need stakeholders to contribute.
Conference – You could even hold a conference. Make sure you detail it online like the Michael A. Peck MAPA Group have. This is advisable for cases whereby there are lots of stakeholders and important matters to be discussed.
Gantt charts – Gantt charts are ideal for showing the status of the project in real time. They can also be added to your website if you are building one for your project. One of the main pros associated with this option is the transparency. However, you will have to explain these charts to most stakeholders, as not everyone will understand what they are looking at.
Conference calls – This is a good way to quickly give updates and share information with busy stakeholders. It works well for briefings, but it is not always ideal for productive discussions. For this to work, you need to make sure there are some ground rules in place, otherwise people will be talking over the top of each other and there will be typing going on in the background.
Face-to-face – Face-to-face communication is not required all of the time, but it is necessary to schedule this in from time-to-time. This is especially the case at the beginning of the project, and again when you reach critical stages whereby feedback is required. It is also effective for dealing with senior leaders and difficult stakeholders. Such meetings can be daunting, though, which is why plenty of preparation is a must.
Presentations and slides – Last but not least, slides with the correct data can make a powerful impact, especially if you are communicating to a big group of stakeholders. Presentations ensure everyone has the same message. However, this is only the case if you put together a good presentation, otherwise they can be dull and boring.
As you can see, there are many different ways that the project plan can be communicated, and you do need to consider the approach you go for with care. After all, all options have their pros and their cons, so you need to determine what is right for the project in question, as well as the people you are dealing with.
Eliminating Procrastination from Your Company
/in Talent Management/by StrategyDrivenYou want your employees to be as productive as possible, but there have always been procrastinators in most workforces. They can unsettle the other members of staff and generally make your workforce unhappy. If you have someone like this in your workplace, how can you deal with the problem to eliminate it?
Have A Chat With Them
The first thing to do is to try and find out why they are behaving this way. Have an informal but direct chat with them and ask the question. It could be that they have a personal problem, or that they do not know how to do what you are asking but are afraid to admit it. The answer could be any one of a hundred things, and most times it can be problems that are easily solved, especially if the issue is work-related.
How To Deal With A Procrastinator
Being forceful is often the wrong way to deal with this type of situation. Forcing the person to meet deadlines won’t work either, and usually, logic does not enter the equation.
It seems that it is much more effective if you use a bit of cunning with your employees. Chat to them about deadlines as though they do not matter too much, and get involved with the job they are doing. Your personal involvement can make a big difference, as generally. they are concerned about letting you down.
According to research, this is the best way to deal with procrastinators, as it becomes a habit for them and having their boss around much of the times breaks them out of their normal routine.
This should apply to all your employees, but even more so to those that procrastinate. If you have large windows overlooking a busy street, have blinds installed to block out the daily lives of those walking by. If you want to know how to block websites on a Mac – Setapp has the answer. This would stop them playing games or looking at social media on your systems, and should reduce the amount of time spent on these things during working hours.
Anything that distracts employees from their work should be removed, and then they will become more productive.
Hold Them Responsible
If you hold each person is held responsible for the job they should be doing, and a deadline is missed because one person procrastinates, the other staff members will not be too pleased and will try to make sure that it does not happen again. Sometimes, pressure from their workmates will do more good than anything a boss or manager can say.
If you have done everything you can to prevent the procrastinating and it carries on, there may come a time when you have to say enough is enough and in fairness to your other employees, replace that member of staff.
The Strategy Behind Complementing Your Online Store With A Physical Space
/in Entrepreneurship/by StrategyDrivenUnsurprisingly, this trend has seen a real rise in e-commerce only stores in recent years. Many new business owners now choose to scrap physical business altogether. And, it’s easy to see why given how steep rental prices are now. By relying on nothing more than a website, it’s possible to start a business for half the price you’d pay otherwise.
But, we’re seeing something of a shift in the business world right now. Rather than physical stores heading online, we’re seeing e-commerce companies opting for physical spaces. The benefit here, of course, is that they already have an established reputation to go off. In most cases, they also have existing profits to cover those costs.
But, how exactly can a physical store compliment your online efforts, and is it worth your while?
Remember that physical businesses originally moved online to impress customers over their competitors. Now, though, opting for physical space is the best chance you have of doing that. After all, the online world is saturated with endless stores to choose from. Hence why companies like Amazon are heading to our high streets. This is your best chance to stand out from the online crowd and keep up with what the rest of your industry are doing. And, that’s the only real chance you have at making this last long-term.
Appealing to the masses
We’re told time and again that the majority of customers now come from online sources. And, there’s no denying that most do check out a website before anything else. But, consider that 60% of people who look online still prefer to buy in-store. A lot of the time, they simply check out their options on the computer. If you don’t have a physical store, then, you could lose a load of business this way. But, if you can direct online browsers to your retail space, you could see real success. This is especially the case if you blow them away with features like epoxy flooring and stand out displays for the products that they’ve already checked out. Just like that, you could increase your online conversion rates. All because you got physical.
Returns are the worst part of online shopping. Long-winded methods may even stop customers from bothering. That leaves them unimpressed with your services and unlikely to shop with you again. Which leads us to one of the best ways a physical space could compliment your online efforts. By accepting online returns in your physical store, you can secure many more happy shoppers. That alone can turn an online disaster in a real-life success.
Get your head out of that screen, then, and think about making a REAL difference to your business efforts.
Keeping Your Business Human In Today’s Digital World
/in Marketing & Sales/by StrategyDrivenThe downside of all this is that business is starting to lose touch with its human side. Whilst many of us appreciate the convenience of modern technology, many of us still need human interaction both as a customer and an employee. Here are several ways in which you can inject a human element into your business whilst still using digital technology to its advantages.
Don’t over-rely on AI
There are many jobs that artificial intelligence is better at handling than us humans. This includes complex calculation tasks such as accounting and repetitive tasks such as building machinery.
Some tasks however are still performed much better by humans. These are jobs that involve creativity and emotion.
As this article at Harnham delves into, relying on AI for marketing can be damaging. Whilst analytics can uncover useful marketing strategies, there are times when you need to react emotionally to people’s demands.
Similarly, customer service still benefits from a human touch. As this article from Forbes suggests, human chatboxes are becoming a big problem – most customers find them irritating as they’re not able to deviate from their script when asked difficult questions and a lack of empathy towards customers’ frustration can only add to the anger.
As for using AI to help employees, it shouldn’t be used as a tool to replace in-person training. Many employees feel neglected when forced to learn everything via e-learning. Whilst it can be a useful supplement, relying wholly on digital training could demotivate new employees.
Show your face
Whilst the internet has helped to connect people, there are times when it can form a barrier. Long conversations with strangers can be had via chains of email, whilst we can buy products online without ever having to talk to a person. However, as this article at QuickBooks suggests, face-to-face interaction is still something we need in business to build trust.
In-person physical meetings may be the best way to do this, but they’re not always possible. Fortunately, there are ways to use technology to still show your face. Video communication tools can help to replace in-person meetings allowing you to still have a face-to-face meeting digitally. Meanwhile, it could be worth sharing photos of you and your staff on your website to help develop a human connection (you can even embed a video of you introducing yourself to clients).
Be playful with tech
Another way to stay human when using digital technology is to use this technology beyond it’s purely functional form. Many of are engaged by technology when it is used as a toy and many businesses have started to embrace this. Examples include Ikea’s use of AR to allow users to see what an item of furniture would look like in their home or Pizza Express’s delivery app that allows users to play a video game whilst they wait. Some may view this as gimmicks, but it can actually be a way of appealing to customers with technology whilst also showing a human appreciation for fun.
StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Management Article | Digital Technology| Keeping Your Business Human In Today’s Digital World