HOW MARKETING IS BECOMING MORE CREATIVE

Creativity is intelligence having fun! - Albert Einstein

Today the world is dealing in creativity. The more creative you are, the more you earn. Creativity cannot be bounded to a particular domain rather every single domain has a scope of doing things in a creative manner. When we talk about marketing, there are some traditional methods being followed since a very long time and some hackneyed digital methods. But now-a-days, marketing is becoming more creative. Use of social media has turned into a complete revolution in the marketing trends. Once a thing gets viral on media, there is nothing that can stop it. Therefore use your creativity to do things and you will see success reaching to you.

·         Use social power – Use of social media has increased today exponentially. The primitive modes of advertising like radio or television has turned really old. People are relying for their marketing schemes totally on social media. Once a thing gets viral on media, there is nothing that can stop it from getting popular.

·         Let people market themselves- Instead of training your employees how to market, better give them the chance to use their creativity to market stuff. Every mind is different and ideas in every mind will be different too.  The more creative ideas you will have, the more your product or service will prosper.

·         Begin a conversation – When you engage people only then you can see your marketing schemes working. No one is interested to hear about your product if you just talk about it. only when you keep in touch with people, their requirements and then generate the product you can get your product to be sold.

·         Be everywhere – You should be present everywhere. Be in as many different places as possible. While you shouldn’t try to create brand experiences for millennial on every available platform just for the sake of it, you must create an Omni-channel experience. In such a hyper-connected world, you have to be able to create a brand experience that operates in multiple locations.

·         The concept of Mass Individualism – The idea behind mass individualism is that millennial refuse to be defined by logos. They don’t want to be placed into a box. Their goal is to be defined as individuals. They want to be in control. That’s why getting creative and thinking up something new is the key.

ATTITUDE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN INTELLIGENCE

Attitude is everything! What exactly do we mean when we state this single statement? Why do some people soar high and some just can’t even maintain what they already have and fall down. The difference is of attitude. The way we perceive things and the way we work upon it, make us different from the rest. Intelligence is important but without a will and a positive attitude even intelligence cannot perform. Here are some ways that could help you build a positive attitude towards whatever comes your way.

·         Don’t stay helpless: There are downfalls in everyone’s life. The situation might occur leaving you helpless but always remember, the glory is not in never falling but rising every time you fall. So, instead of feeling helpless and worthless, better work upon the things you lack and see the difference.

·         Always be passionate: Life is a gift of God. You can either waste it being lethargic or become passionate about things around you. Search for what you like to do and make it your passion. Passionate people often reach where they want to.

·         Take action: Castles in the air could be made by anyone, but the real challenge is to act on it. Don’t be passive towards things; take action according to the requirement. If you don’t like what you do, quit it and start doing what you really like.

·         Walk an extra mile: Efforts should be taken is all I want to quote. It won’t harm you if you walk an extra mile to get things done. Leaving things just because they require more of your efforts will get you nowhere. Take an extra effort and see miracles happening.

·         Be flexible: Everyone encounters unanticipated adversity. People with an empowered, growth-oriented mindset embrace adversity as a means for improvement, as opposed to something that holds them back. When an unexpected situation challenges an empowered person, they flex until they get results.

·         Do not complain if things do not turn up as expected: Complaining is an obvious sign of a fixed mindset. A growth mindset looks for opportunity in everything, so there’s no room for complaints.

WAYS TO KEEP POSITIVE

Here are few ways that will help you be positive always and in what you do.

Separate Fact from Fiction

The first step in learning to focus on the positive requires knowing how to stop negative self-talk in its tracks. The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that -- thoughts, not facts.

When you find yourself believing the negative and pessimistic things your inner voice says, it’s time to stop and write them down. Literally stop what you’re doing and write down what you’re thinking. Once you’ve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity. Evaluate these statements to see if they’re factual. You can bet the statements aren’t true any time you see words like never, always, worst, ever, etc.

When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brain’s natural threat tendency inflating the perceived frequency or severity of an event. Identifying and labeling your thoughts as thoughts by separating them from the facts will help you escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive new outlook.

Identify a Positive

Once you snap yourself out of self-defeating, negative thoughts, it’s time to help your brain learn what you want it to focus on -- the positive.

This will come naturally after some practice, but first you have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your brain’s attention. When things are going well, and your mood is good, this is relatively easy. When things are going poorly, and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge. In these moments, think about your day and identify one positive thing that happened, no matter how small. If you can’t think of something from the current day, reflect on the previous day or even the previous week. Or perhaps there is an exciting event you are looking forward to that you can focus your attention on.

The point here is you must have something positive that you’re ready to shift your attention to when your thoughts turn negative. Step one stripped the power from negative thoughts by separating fact from fiction. Step two is to replace the negative with a positive. Once you have identified a positive thought, draw your attention to that thought each time you find yourself dwelling on the negative. If that proves difficult, you can repeat the process of writing down the negative thoughts to discredit their validity, and then allow yourself to freely enjoy positive thoughts.

 Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the “right” thing to do; it reduces the stress too. Research; found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy.

You cultivate an attitude of gratitude by taking time out every day to focus on the positive. Any time you experience negative or pessimistic thoughts, use this as a cue to shift gears and think about something positive. In time, a positive attitude will become a way of life.

HOW TO MASTER SKILLS FOR FIRST IMPRESSION

Everybody knows that the first impression is the last impression but very few know how to master the skills to leave a remarkable impression. While making business deals, or meeting someone for the first time all that will benefit you will be how you met that person, what kind of image did he or she made of you after meeting you. Here are some ways that can help you leave an excellent first impression.

1. Let the person you’re meeting speak first – Try to be a good listener. Everyone has a lot to talk about that requires listening. Instead of talking try listening and see the wonders. When you let the other person speak they will be more comfortable talking to you and will leave a nice first impression.

2. Use positive body language – Body language speaks a lot for you. Always try to project positive body language and never let your body language say something else and your mouth uttering something else. In short try to be genuine.

3. Put away your phone – People who use phone while talking to another are likely to put the conversation in danger. It seems that you are not interested in talking. Use your phone only when it is necessary or important. Put away your phone while interacting with other person.

4. Make time for small talk – You don’t have to exaggerate. Try to keep your talk short and sweet. Use limited words to describe but do leave an impact.

5. Practice active listening- Be active to what other person has to say. Showing interest in someone else and remembering about what they said will help you leave a remarkable first impression.

Since it only takes seconds for someone to decide if you’re trustworthy and competent, and research shows that first impressions are very difficult to change, the pressure that comes with meeting new people is justifiably intense. Master these skills and create a great first impression with whomever you meet.

TRAITS TO FOLLOW IN A COMPANY CULTURE

The companies who have enduring great cultures are the ones that don't necessarily ignore the bells and whistles of culture. On the other hand, they understand the most significant component: the right people. Here are three traits that cultural keepers must possess -- and that businesses cannot afford to overlook.

1. Look for friendly professionals.

Never underestimate the power of surrounding yourself and your team with friendly personalities. If your entire team were warm-hearted, naturally friendly and happy, imagine how much more pleasant your work environment would be. All of sudden, people actually look forward to Mondays and employee retention soars. Friendliness is infinitely more transmissible and merits greater attention than indifference. With the right people, a culture of "nice" can quickly develop. This translates to how customers are treated, which impacts new sales, repeat business, customer service and beyond.

2. A willingness to go the extra mile.

Like most characteristics you desire for your business, this one starts from the top. When was the last time you went the extra mile for an employee? And, I'm not necessarily talking about grandiose gestures such as exorbitant bonuses or lavish gifts. Did you wish someone happy birthday, take them to lunch to celebrate closing a good deal or better yet, offer them a helping hand when they were swamped? Going the extra mile for an employee is a simple way to set the tone for the entire organization. It's also how you gain lifelong employee loyalty and the benefit of the doubt when the going gets tough.

Having a team of employees who go the extra mile consistently helps to minimize any constraints in your organization. Going above and beyond the call of duty can win new customers and retain ones you may have otherwise lost. The extra mile leads to customers for life. It's amazing how good old-fashioned extra effort can be a difference maker and serve as a cure-all for the inevitable mistakes -- or ill-timed missteps -- that can plague even the most whip-smart teams.

3. A team-first mentality.

Many businesses are obsessed with attracting star players. They believe strongly in the 80/20 rule and given that, do whatever they need to accommodate the top performers, sometimes at the sacrifice of camaraderie and teamwork. Great organizations value excellent performers, certainly. But by putting the team before the individual, they actually attract and develop more of them than their competitors do. As Jim Collins wrote in "Good to Great," Level 5 leaders are ambitious first and foremost for the company, not themselves.

An emphasis on the team creates an atmosphere where no single person is looking for individual glory, which helps to offset unhealthy competition and ruthlessness within your organization. The team win is all that matters. And the right people on your team are the ones who are driven more by helping their teammates succeed rather than their own career ambition.

TRUST BUILDING TIPS TO USE IN A BUSINESS

The best way to learn if you can trust somebody is to trust them. – Ernest Hemingway

When it comes to business terms trust is the most important commodity. Getting clients and employees might not be a tough job than retaining them. In retention, trust plays the vital role. The relation build on trust can shake even on the slightest breaching of the trust. It might take years to build the trust but seconds to ruin it. Here are some tips to use in a business to build trust.

·         Demonstrate that you trust others: Disappointments often lead to judgments. Sometimes people don’t show up to your expectations and that leads to a negative impression but instead of taking some contrary steps one must try to forgive and give chance to rectify the problem. Showing trust in someone during tough times help pave the road of mutual trust.

·         Create mutually beneficial relationships: Customers or employees should have faith in you and your work. Creating relationships and highlighting the mutual benefits will help them to trust your services and they will invest in their relationship with you. Show them that they are important to you and they will trust you.

·         Directly address issues: Issues are inevitable. Directly addressing issues and resolving those helps in building trust. If you want people to trust you, you have to care. Address complaints fast. Share information. Gain their confidence. Exude pride and passion about your business. Resolve conflicts quickly. These actions separate you from the pack, while also building and maintaining trust.

·         Tell the truth: Sharing the correct information will help you become more reliable source. Keeping your promises is also a part of telling the truth. Don’t commit to a promise you can’t deliver. Think about what’s realistic, and do your best to live up to your word.

·         Be flexible and patient: Patience is the key to success. Keeping your procedures more flexible and when some fault occurs, being patient can help in building mutual trust. As it is said only the one sticking with you even during your high and dry time, is the one worth trusting for life.

·         Deliver the unexpected: To get someone to trust you, do more than that required of you. Surprising the clients with something new and better will make them happy and the trust begins to instill. In short deliver the unexpected.

Gaining trust isn’t a single night game. You have to be true, always on your feet during the times of need, do things genuinely and give out the best output you can. 

WAYS TO GIVE EMPLOYEES MORE OF THE CONTROL THEY WANT

Employee engagement turns out to be very beneficial for a company. When an employee starts thinking about loss and profit of a company and works to benefit the company, the company prospers. But what could be the driving force to engage more employees? Giving charge to employees helps them feel their importance. When a company acknowledges the work of the employees and gives them more control over things they will definitely feel appreciated and will work to benefit the company. Here are some ways to give employees more of the control they want.

• Let employee choose their domain of expertise: Instead of you deciding their work domain, training or area to get an expert in let them decide their approach. They know the best about themselves and reliving the right to choose will make them more responsible and answerable too. They will obviously perform better because they are doing what they like to and not what they are told to.

• Let employee choose everyday work: A daily checklist of the work needed to be completed, how to approach and the deadlines should all be loaded to their shoulders and not you assigning them. Let them choose how much work they are going to complete in a day and what will be their approach.

• Allow flexibility: Flexibility must be there. The work environment should not be that formal. In fact, a survey shows that people wish to work in an informal work environment because that makes it easy for them to interact and work in a better way. Work from home sometimes must be given to employees.

• Give employees a voice: Giving employees a voice means to be aware of their demands and their suggestions. Giving them more authorities to take decisions for the company or listening to their ideas help them to show more involvement towards work. Only when the work is acknowledged and appreciated a person likes to continue and become better each day.

When an employee works whole-heartedly for the company the company rises to the great level. Focus less on when employees work and what they get done. Give them control of their schedule and environment to make work more productive and enjoyable. Instead of telling employees what they have to work on, then, allow them, whenever possible, to take on responsibilities that relate to their goals. When projects have the same priority, let employees choose which one to tackle first. These decisions may seem small, but they can make a big difference in employee happiness and motivation.

HOW TO EARN AND KEEP A CUSTOMER'S TRUST

The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary. – Sam Walton

Earning a customer is a great deal but retaining is more important. Customer satisfaction is the new marketing scheme. This is a simple logic, a customer will keep asking for your services only if the services are up to their requirements. It’s not about what you think is right for your business, it’s about what a customer demands. If the supply is according to the demands they will continue with same supplier and the moment you are not able to show up to their expectations, you lost a customer. Retaining an old customer is better than earning a new one. Here are some ways to earn and then retain the customer’s trust in you.

·         First Impression: As it is said, the first impression is the last impression. If you attend the customer well, provide them services according to their needs and show up as soon as possible they will definitely rate you high. For example, when  we order something online, if we receive the ordered product just the same as it looked, also good in quality and delivered to us in no time, we are definitely going to revisit and order more from the same site because their delivery services, their products were good enough to win our trust.

·         Social Proof: Trusting a total naïve might be difficult for people. Social proof can be helpful at that time. Social proof is nothing but testimonials or recommendations. This has become a trend, people go through the reviews given by people who are already the customers and according to those reviews make a virtual image of our services in their mind. If the reviews are good they will surely imbibe a sense of trust towards our services. Make sure that you render good services to all and during some discrepancies help the customers in whatever way possible.

·         Risk Assessment: Once a customer starts believing in you, the next thing they are going to analyze is the risk factor. Whether their information is safe with you or not, whether the services you are offering is up to the mark etc. Make your customer comfortable working with you. Keep your procedure transparent enough for them to understand and trust you.

·         Turning from a new customer to a client: Now that you earned the customer’s trust, your responsibility increases. Earning a customer is good but retaining a customer is what that matters. Never ignore a customer’s need and render services up to the mark. A new customer turns into a client when you never fail to give what they require.

·         Keep updated: Remaining updated is the most important of all. Market trend changes and so do the needs of people. If you keep following the traditional method without updating according to the market trends, you will lose your customers. Keep yourself updated at all times.

Last but not the least,  the secret of running a successful business is to keep your customer happy and satisfied with your services. After all, a happy customer is a loyal customer.

START TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. – T.S. Pilot

With time being passive overlaps the vigor and enthusiasm inside us. We always keep saying that we don’t get enough time to run certain activities or plan an outing with the family. Aside from those who really have a hectic schedule there are many who uses the scarcity of time as an excuse to escape. It’s high time now! Life is meant to be lived fully and not with compromises. Stop ignoring and prioritize your life because what matters in the end, is you and your happiness. Everything else can be taken care of once you put your life into line. Stand up and take charge of your life and here are few ways that can help you for the same.

·         Stop ignoring and try to be an opportunist: For all this time you treated your plans as secondary and valued other things more just because you afraid of failure. Afraid that things might not turn out as they were planned and what you have right now might become vulnerable too. Stop ignoring and fearing. Only when you do things you’ll get better. Take advantage of the opportunity and try to turn it to your benefit.

·         Don’t keep high expectations: You know best about yourself. Expecting high than what you can achieve will obviously lower your confidence when things do not turn up to your expectations. As said Rome wasn’t built in a day, you cannot reach the destination in a day. Plan your path, analyze the loopholes and then devise a method to cover for them.

·         Stop complaining about the time scarcity: As rightly said, if it’s important to you, you will have the time to do it. Adopt time management measures. Instead of wasting time in activities that are not benefitting you utilize the time to do something that really matters. Entertainment is necessary to refresh us but that does not mean that we spend hours every day watching series or movies.

·         Maintain a balance: You cannot ignore any of your responsibility or your work. In such situations, people tend to ignore their own self. Self-care is the must. When you will be mentally, emotionally and physically sound then only you can approach towards a right decision. Try to balance your life and keep a room for everything.

·         Start with small changes: Everything cannot change in a blink of an eye. It will take time. Better to start with small changes. For example, change your routine a bit to make space for alone time that could be used to meditate or analyze about what you want from life.

WORDS TO USE TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” - Michael Jordan

The way we interact with people does leave an impact on them and is somehow responsible for the results too. Many strive to get what they want but only few reach their destination. There are many things one has to follow or do to get what they want in which includes the words one uses while communicating. We think that what words we use hardly matters but you will be shocked to know that they really do. Here are some words that will help you mark a deeper impact on your audience and get what you want.

• Thanks: The ultimate word to show gratitude. When someone does something for you or helps you in some ways, there is always a desire to be acknowledged. Use the word thank you and appreciate them for the help. They are always going to be there when you need them.

• We and Together: These two words show that you aren’t self involved and believe in team work. When the word we is used it refers to the whole lot and people feel involved in a certain task and will give the best of their inputs. The word together fills people with a spirit of combined effort and once they feel on board they are obviously going to give their best.

• Fact: A study shows, people using the facts and backing up the same with some kind of research are able to influence people more. As soon as something that is stated as fact before is referred in context of what in present scenario you wish to do, people believe in you but the fact must be true and not some false information.

• Use Positive words: Avoid using the word no, never etc. Human mind is prone to suggestion. The moment the word no enters their head it starts to create negative effects. Obviously you cannot say yes to everything but choose your words wisely to keep the positivity on. For example when you are not satisfied with a certain idea instead of saying “No, it is not worth”, you can say “I am open to the idea but I feel that there is still scope of exploring more.”

• Will: Will is the world that opens the whole new world of opportunities in the future. Ending the conversation with the word will like after we are done with the meeting, we will start working on the plan. The use of will helps people in believing your plan and that it is worth executing.

So next time when you are making some deal or trying to convince people that your idea is worth or simply interacting with your employees for future expansion of the company, keep in mind these golden rules that will help you get what you want!

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE CHASING A DREAM

Everybody has a dream but few possess the courage to follow their dream. But is chasing a dream just require handful of courage or there are many things to keep in mind while chasing a dream. Of course there are many other things that are required apart from courage while chasing a dream. Sometimes, people start following their dreams but leave it in middle due to fear of failure or a small setback and sometimes loss of interest. There are many points to keep in mind while chasing a dream that includes the following.

1.       Draw the blue-print of your dream: Before starting, one must write down the entire plan of pursuing the dream. Analyzing where you stand now and where you want to reach and the way to follow to reach your target should all be prepared before chasing a dream. In short, draw the blue-print of your dream.

2.       Relaxation of time: Keep in mind whatever time you have decided to reach a particular target, it will surely take more time. The journey must be planned where there is a room for relaxation of time according to the requirement.

3.       Believe in yourself and don’t expect from others: People will call you crazy, will not have faith in you and your dream. Never let the spirit in you die because someone said your plan is crazy. Believe in yourself and keep going. People who criticize you now will be the first one to change their opinions when they see you doing a good job.

4.       Save yourself from the fear of failure: I am not saying that while chasing your dream you’ll never fail, there might be times when you fall so hard that there is no scope of return but don’t give up. To enjoy the beautiful day, you have to struggle through the night. Remember, nothing comes easy!

5.       Welcome opportunities with open-hearts: Never miss an opportunity though however small. Try to grab every opportunity that comes your way while moving towards your dream. You don’t know what a missed opportunity can worth be.

6.       Always have a plan B: While drawing the path to reach the destination, there might be some happening that demands the change of the predefined plan of yours no matter how good and perfect it is. Always have a plan B. When plan A does not work, follow plan be but never quit. Things might take time to turn around but they will surely do if you are persistent enough.

7.       Don’t negotiate when it comes to loved ones: Giving your 100% effort while chasing your dream is good but never neglect your dear ones who without being noticed are your biggest supporters. Opportunities will come and go but if you lose your loved ones, you will never get them back.

WAYS TO STAY POSITIVE

“To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.”
Peter McWilliams

Staying positive help us to achieve more and work up to our potential. Here are some ways that can help you to stay positive.

Have the desire: First thing first, to become a positive person one must have a strong desire to be positive. And the desire will come only if you are convinced that becoming a positive person will enhance the quality of life. Positivity is like an aura, and you know you are a positive person when people start trusting you, random people become polite with you, colleagues at work start patronizing you, and you start building rapport easily.

Be realistic: Do not try to become a saint. Becoming a positive person does not mean you can never have any negative emotion or encounter any negative situation. It is the overall attitude that matters. Don't get bogged down by failure, and disappointed when your expectations are not met. Mentally, you should always be calculating a way out of difficult situations come what may.

Experiment: Be a keen observer. Use everyday life incidents to see how you can manage them in a more positive manner. These will serve as perfect instances to turn your outlook more positive. For starters, contemplate how you could have better handled a situation by being less hostile and more indulgent. Come up with five ways that could have saved the day, and learn to take things at face value sometimes. Remember, your ability to trust the other person also reflects your genuineness.

Speech and body language: Try and make positive words a part of your daily lingo, and work on your body language in way that you come across as friendly and approachable. Look amused when something is amusing, laugh when something is funny, congratulate when someone's bought something new, and give others a chance to narrate their side of the story. Never think you are the only interesting, knowing one around.
 


Company: One way to becoming positive is to seek positive company as both positivity and negativity are infectious. If the people you spend most of your time with are grumpy or have a pessimistic standpoint, you'll find yourself mirroring the same emotions before a different set of people inadvertently. In order to inculcate positivity it is imperative that your friend circle is a positive, energetic, and a happy bunch. You'll find yourself carrying the same positivity everywhere you go.

WAYS TO TAKE INITIATIVE AT WORKPLACE

There are so many people working around you so what makes you exceptional. What is the key skill in you that differs you from the rest?  The skill that make you recognizable! Initiative and creativity of a person makes one to foster and another to degrade. To get recognized, to grab better opportunities and to get a career hike, one has to take initiative. Here are some ways one can take initiative at workplace that will help them grow.

1.       NEVER STAND STILL: Keep moving forward, even though a little. Achieving a position is easier then maintaining the position. One has to work really hard even to maintain a certain position achieved. Stagnancy must be avoided. One must be flexible enough to try new things and to learn more all the time.

2.       DO MORE THAN REQUIRED OF YOU: Every employee has a described role and responsibility. Taking initiative to do more than require of you is a way you can be recognized. Benefit your company with the skill-set you possess even though it isn’t your responsibility.

3.       THINK AS A TEAM MEMBER: When you are on board for a company, never think yourself to be an employee and rather work as a team member. When we work as a team member we have a better chance to interact with the other members and we start thinking of benefiting our company and not just completing our job.

4.       SPEAK AND SHARE YOUR IDEAS: Human mind is very creative. There are many ideas that keep running in our mind. Speak up and share the ideas. Boost your confidence level and trust your own ideas because only when you will trust them people around you will.

5.       CONSIDER EVERY OPPORTUNITY: Never miss an opportunity whether small or big. Opportunities lead you to the way of success. You might not realize now but an opportunity missed can cost you way more than you think.

6.       ALWAYS BE-PREPARED: There is never a perfect time to start. It’s now or never. You have to be prepared all the time. Opportunities don’t knock the door before coming.

Taking initiative at workplace helps you gain recognition not among your seniors but among your own colleagues. Unknowingly you start to benefit the company in a much better way and in return you might get a hike in career. Being proactive helps in constant development of the company and also as an individual.

THE EFFORT EFFECT

“A river cuts through a rock not because of its power but its persistence!”

To get something extra, we have to put in something extra. At times everyone faces downfall or failure, but the way we react to our miseries makes us known or just an anonymous. The problem with us is we aim really high but does not put in the amount of effort required. The word effort means to put in more energy or ideas in order to get something better and more promising.

We start towards our goal with zeal and enthusiasm but as soon as we encounter some difficulty or failure we give up. The role of effort is to be enacted before we give up and after the problem occurred. Setting destination is good but the journey to reach there is more important because that teaches us everything that we require to know. To the way to our destination we might get distracted or mislead or might even lose hope due to constant failures but keep in mind that the sun shines after the darkest hour of the night.

Persistence pays! It might consume some time, might require more of your skills and energy but it will pay you back with double of the input it required. All that is required is to keep moving forward. When we start our journey, we are naive and raw but at the end of the journey we become a veteran, polished and refine. From the start to the end, the ups and downs faced by us make us better in our work.

Never miss an opportunity just because it requires more effort because you never know what a missed opportunity can cost you in future. If you feel that you don’t have the required knowledge to complete a certain task, seek guidance from a professional or make your own research. Internet is flooded with lots of information on any subject and it has become very easy to acquire information to execute any type of work. If you feel that you require more polish and unable to make things happen on your own, get yourself enrolled in training.

An effort never gets wasted. Even if you failed to have the outcome desired, it will teach you something that will be helpful to you if not today than may be in future. Lastly, to reach the heights desired by us, we have to give in every ounce of ourselves and no matter how many times we fail; we must have the courage to give a comeback in a more prepared way than before. And remember effort will release its reward only after we release to quit!

WAYS TO BUILD A STRONG TEAM

Quality is always better than quantity. While hiring people, instead of having a big team with low productivity it is better to hire less people with more productivity. Team work plays an essential role for the growth of the company or business. No one can execute everything but now the problem is how to get a strong team? How to recruit people and make them retain? Here are ways that can help us building a strong team that will help the company to grow exponentially.

1.       Focus on roles: Hiring should be turns into an exclusive process and not like hiring anyone. You might not realize this at initial period that how much does it affect the company’s overall success ratio but in the near future you will. So, no matter how much time does it require recruiting a right person for the job, don’t just hire anyone. After all quality matters!

2.       Value each role: When a person offers you a service, he or she wishes to be acknowledged for the work done. Therefore, each role has to be valued. No team member should feel left out. They all must feel as a part of the team and work with team spirit. If a person’s role is not acknowledged, sooner or later he or she will prefer quitting.

3.       Communicate: Communication is the key to healthy environment. There must be enough interaction between team members that could help them to work in a better way and learn from each other. Often where communication is less process take a lot of time to get completed and also not up to the expectation.

4.       Set goals: Walking without destination will mislead you. Same goes with working without setting goals. Setting goals help the people to know how to work and also complete work in time. There should always be a written plan of how the work will be executed and the time consumed in each activity.

5.       Know each other: No one is telling you to become the best friend of your colleague but knowing them a bit on personnel level always helps. To know each other better socializing outside office or office parties must be organized where people can interact with each other apart from the work matters.

6.       Celebrate success and failure: Appreciation always leads to more input from the employee’s side. Celebrating success and motivating in failures help people to be inspired to work harder and with dedication. Thank you notes, appreciation notes etc must be given to employees to make them feel worth.

CHALLENGES FACED BY A LEADER

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way!” – John C. Maxwell

With the role come the responsibilities. The major your role becomes, the more you’re accountable for. The same comes with the tag leader. No matter how good you have done, one mistake or failing to fulfill one responsibility, you’re done! We just talk about the charisma, the leverages and the popularity of a leader no wonder at how small level but we fail to recognize the never ending struggle of an individual to achieve and maintain the tag of a leader.

A leader has many challenges to be fulfilled and among them the most important and difficult one is to instill confidence in the people. One can teach you to be confident, but cannot spoon-feed you. So what is the secret behind leaders instilling confidence among people? What a leader do, the followers follow due to which it becomes essential for every leader to cover the deep down insecurities and portray the bold and kind face. Telling people that they are worth something, inspiring them, appreciating their work and motivating them from time to time help them to feel good about themselves which indirectly fills them with confidence and a better motivation to work through a difficult situation.

One might think that a leader never criticizes but it is not true. No one is perfect and if a leader is not correcting the followers, he cannot be termed as a leader. Although the way they correct is very different from a person who pertains a superiority complex. A leader will always take help of constructive criticism while dealing with mistakes of people. They will never use a bitter language and will always be open to help the people working with them.

A leader has many roles. A leader speaks for all so he or she has to make sure that none of the followers are offended or left out. Another thing is to see that the work pattern being followed is right or not. A leader is accountable for everything. If something good happens, he or she has to answer. If something bad happens, he or she has to take the responsibility. It seems easy to become leader but when the question arises about the responsibility that comes tagging along; one can feel the contribution of a leader to its team or to a company. A leader is someone that can see in you the potential that other’s can’t.

In the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower  - “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”