Podcast Marketing – How to Promote Your Business Using Podcasts

Podcasting is blogging with audio instead of text. Essentially, you post an MP3 file instead of an article.

5 Reasons Why Podcasts Are Great
1. An increasing number of people are downloading new podcasts every day.
2. Unlike TV, podcast can be played whenever the listener wants.
3. People can listen to them in their cars on their way to work or when they go for a run. You will get their full attention.
4. There is a lot less competition in the podcast market than there is in the article market.
5. Podcasting is a lot easier and less time-consuming than blogging and getting your articles published.

5 Steps to Producing a Podcast
1. Download Audacity at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ or any other audio editing tool.
2. Get a good microphone.
3. Write the script (so the podcast doesn't sound improvised and amateurish).
4. Record it in a noise-free environment.
5. Apply the noise-reduction filter in your audio editing software and save the podcast file.

Where You Can Submit Your Podcast
PodOMatic - http://www.podomatic.com/
Podcast Alley - http://www.podcastalley.com/index.php
iTunes - http://www.itunes.com/
Yahoo Podcasts - http://podcasts.yahoo.com/
Digg Podcasts - http://digg.com/podcasts
Podcast Directory - http://www.podcastdirectory.com/
Podcast Pickle - http://www.podcastpickle.com/
PodFeed - http://www.podfeed.net/
Odeo - http://www.odeo.com/
Digital Podcast - http://www.digitalpodcast.com/
Podcast.net - http://www.podcast.net/
Singing Fish - http://search.singingfish.com/sfw/home.jsp
Blog Universe - http://www.bloguniverse.com/
All Podcasts - http://www.allpodcasts.com/
Big Contact - http://www.bigcontact.com/
Collectik - http://collectik.net/collectik/
PodNova - http://www.podnova.com/
PodTech - http://www.podtech.net/home/

How to Command Respect through Body Language

Some people are the center of attention wherever they go. They’re not glamorous movie stars, just ordinary people with excellent command over their body language. Here are some pointers to help you emulate these confident people and command respect from those around you. It may not work well in all countries, who are wearing a big attire or robe etc.

Improve your standing…

Posture can say a lot about a person. Confident people seem to naturally stand tall, while those who slouch look like they’re down on themselves. Be sure that you’re presenting yourself in a way that commands respect.

What to do:

1. Stand tall, even if you’re the shortest person in the room. Keeping your shoulders pushed back will lend you an air of confidence.
2. Spread your weight evenly on both feet instead of leaning on one. You don’t need to stand at perfect attention, just keep your feet apart so you balance well.
3. Take your hands out of your pockets, or you may be seen like you’ve got something to hide. Hold them loosely by your side.
4. Stand with your arms crossed behind your back. Your shoulders will get pulled back automatically.

What not to do:

5. Don’t stand with your hands on your hips if you don’t want to come across as confrontational.
6. Don’t shuffle your feet. Pick your feet up and move like you know where you’re going.
7. Don’t fidget with your feet. Drawing patterns with one foot on the floor shows you’re not interested in what’s going on.
8. Don’t lean against walls or tables. You’ll appear tired and lazy.
9. Don’t turn away from the person you’re talking to in the middle of the conversation, otherwise you’ll show you’re not interested in continuing it.

Eye contact…

When holding a conversation, the person you’re speaking with should focus on your eyes. They indicate your emotions and can show whether you’re paying attention or not. Be considerate of what your eyes tell about you: show others respect and you’ll get respect in return.

What to do:

10. Look directly at the person you are talking to in order to exude confidence.

What not to do:

11. Don’t shift your attention to other people or things in the room. It shows deceit.
12. Be careful not to glare at the person talking to you. You may think you look intensely interested, but you just look mad.
13. Don’t blink excessively. People will be distracted and wonder if there’s something wrong with you.
14. If you wear glasses, don’t look over the rim. It makes you look condescending.
15. Never wear sunglasses inside, especially during a meeting. Others will wonder if you have something to hide.
16. Don’t look at your watch unless you want to appear as if you’re in a rush.
17. Don’t rub your eyes with your hands: it signals disbelief at the situation.
18. When you pinch the bridge of your nose with your eyes closed, you’ll come across in a negative manner.
19. Keeping your eyes on the door will show that you’re ready to leave the room.

Sitting pretty…

Your posture while sitting is just as important as standing. Your level of interest in a conversation can be easily read by the position you sit in. Be careful to position yourself in a way that shows you’re powerful and actively engaged in what others have to say.

What to do:

20. Sit straight so that your shoulders touch the back of your chair. Slouching promotes the image of laziness.
21. Rest your hands on the arms of your chair, place them on your knees, or fold them on your lap so that they are not a distraction.
22. Make sure your chair is positioned so you’re facing the person you’re talking to. This will show that you’re engaged in what they are saying.
23. Lean slightly forward to appear interested in a conversation and stress what you’re saying.

What not to do:

24. Don’t cross your ankles. Some people think it’s a sign that you’ve got something to hide. Sit on your feet on the floor to minimize distractions.
25. Don’t tilt your chair back so that it’s standing on two legs. This shows a very casual, laid back attitude and does not earn you respect. You also run the risk of looking silly when you accidentally fall backwards.
26. Don’t cross your arms across your body. You may come across as disinterested.
27. Stretching your legs out shows you’re too relaxed and may also invade others’ personal space.
28. Never put your feet up on the desk in front of you. You don’t want to come across as condescending.
29. Ladies, be cautious when crossing your legs. If you’ll expose things that are better left to the imagination, refrain from doing so.

Heading for victory…

The position of your head, the frequency of your breaths, even yawning are indicators of your level of interest in a conversation.

Take care to avoid looking as if you’re bored or disinterested. If you seem to be involved in what others have to say, they will naturally offer the same to you and build mutual respect.

What to do:

30. Tilting your head to one side during a conversation shows you’re interested and thinking about what’s being said.
31. Take regular, even breaths. Heavy breaths are a sure sign that you’re nervous.
32. Be sure to nod your head so the person you’re speaking with knows you’re listening and interested.

What not to do:

33. Massaging your temples shows you’re either at your wits’ end or that you have a severe headache.
34. Don’t swallow too often; it gives away the fact that you’re not comfortable with the situation.
35. Yawning is an involuntary sign from your body saying that your brain’s bored. You may not have control over it, but yawning in the middle of a conversation will give away the fact that you’d rather be somewhere else.
36. A blank face conveys either disinterest or a lack of understanding.

Walking into the limelight…

Carrying yourself in a confident manner is key to commanding respect. Give the impression that you’re walking with a purpose so

that you’ll be admired by others.

What to do:

37. Walk, don’t run. Take even strides.
38. Look ahead or in front of you, not at the floor when you walk.

What not to do:

39. Don’t walk with a swagger; it indicates that you’re cocky and have an attitude.
40. Be careful not to shove people aside as you move across a crowded place: no one respects a rude person.
41. Similarly, avoid stepping on others’ toes.

Win, hands down…

Hand gestures are great for getting attention or making a point, but be sure that you’re not creating a distraction. You want attention to be on your eyes and face while speaking, not on what your hands are doing. Command respect and control the interest of the conversation by keeping your hands in check.

What to do:

42. Open, face-up palms signal honesty and straightforwardness.
43. Gesturing with your arms can help you make a point, but don’t do so much that it’s distracting.
44. When you stroke your chin, it shows you’re trying to make a decision. Be sure that you want others to know that’s what you’re doing.
45. Making a steeple out of your hands makes a good impression, as it demonstrates confidence.
46. Shake hands firmly: not too tight or too limp. You don’t want to crush the other person’s hands or come across as unsure of yourself.
47. If the situation calls for paperwork, be sure to keep your papers in order with easy access to avoid looking disorganized.
48. Make sure your palms are clean and dry. Sweaty palms indicate nervousness and are a turn off for most people.
49. If you’re trying to convince someone of your sincerity, touch your open palm to your heart.
50. Rolling up your sleeves signals a casual, get-down-to-work attitude. Roll them up or down according to the situation.
51. Removing your tie, top button, or jacket to indicate you’re getting comfortable in your surroundings.

What not to do:

52. Don’t clench your fists. You’ll come off as aggressive.
53. Never point at someone, be it the person talking to you or anyone else in the room. It’s rude.
54. Don’t play or fidget with your mobile phone when someone’s talking to you. It shows avoidance and a lack of interest.
55. Don’t wring your hands: it signals despair.
56. Don’t scratch your head. You’ll come across as being unsure of yourself.
57. Don’t touch your nose, play with your hair, or rub your eyes when you’re being asked for an honest answer. They’re all signs that say you’re lying.
58. Don’t tap your fingers on a table or arms of a chair; you’ll seem anxious.
59. Don’t run your fingers through your hair. It shows frustration.
60. Don’t doodle on the notepad in front of you, as this indicates boredom.
61. Closing an open mouth with your hands shows you’re shocked at what’s been said or what you’ve seen.
62. Never bite your nails. It will make you seem nervous.
63. Don’t fidget with objects lying on the table in front of you.
64. Don’t chew on a pencil or pen when talking to someone. It’s unattractive and distracting.
65. Don’t sit with your palms on your cheeks. It shows you’re deep in thought about something else.
66. Don’t clench the arms of your chair or your handbag too tightly. You’ll portray yourself as nervous.
67. Don’t rub your hands together: it shows you’re too eager.
68. Avoid a two-handed handshake. It’s usually connected to politicians who are not very sincere.
69. Do not wipe your palms on your clothing. Use a handkerchief instead.
70. If you pull at your ear, you may indicate that you’re lying.
71. Don’t shake your fists at someone, as it is extremely aggressive.
72. Clenched fists raised in the air will indicate that you’re overjoyed or thrilled. Avoid doing this when situations call for restraint.

A matter of manners…

Practicing common courtesy is a basis for earning respect from others. If you’re rude, people will avoid talking and working with you. Be polite to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward.

What to do:

73. When you need to offer comfort, a one-armed squeeze, gentle hug, or a pat on the shoulder helps, depending on how close you are to the other person.
74. Open doors and allow others to walk before you.
75. Cough and sneeze into your hands or a handkerchief, not into the face of the people around you.

What not to do:

76. A handshake that goes on for an extended period of time may be considered inappropriate.
77. Ruffling someone’s hair may seem like you’re being genuinely affectionate, but in a formal setting, it suggests you’re being

condescending.
78. Don’t shout when you’re on the phone. Talk in a calm, volume-controlled voice.
79. Don’t huddle into a corner with your mobile phone while in a crowd of people. Get out and mingle instead. Keep your private conversations for a time when you’re alone.
80. Don’t mock someone’s mannerisms when you think they’re not watching.
81. Avoid taking a phone call when you’re in the middle of a discussion.
82. If you have a cold, don’t blow your nose loudly in public.
83. Never wipe your nose with your hands or sleeves.
84. Don’t scratch your itches, not matter how much you’re tempted to. You’ll make people wonder if you have a rash.
85. Don’t multi-task in the middle of a conversation. It doesn’t show dexterity, only callousness.
86. Don’t slam doors, no matter how angry you are.
87. Don’t snap or clap your hands to call someone over.
88. Don’t burp/belch loudly in public.
89. Don’t lick your lips too often. You may jut be wetting them, but it indicates nervousness, or worse, sexual aggression.
90. Don’t make faces or stick your tongue out behind someone’s back. It’s childish and rude.

Take a good look at yourself…

Carefully examining the way you present yourself can help you discover areas in which you may need improvement. Carefully groom your mannerisms and outward appearance to make your best impression and command respect.

What to do:

91. Practice your mannerisms in front of a mirror so that you can discover your weak areas.
92. Additionally, try videotaping your actions so you can find out where you’re going wrong.
93. Look at others who command respect and imitate their actions.
94. Look good. You don’t have to be conventionally handsome or beautiful; it’s enough to dress neatly in clothes that suit both you and the occasion.
95. Smell good. Use deodorant and perfume, but go easy on it. You don’t want to overpower the room with your scent.
96. Keep your fingernails clean. Close cropped nails show you’re neat and orderly, but if you prefer to wear them long, make sure they’re groomed neatly.
97. Wear footwear that allows you to walk comfortably to avoid making a fool of yourself.
98. Keep your work area and personal space neat and tidy. Avoid clutter and dust.

What not to do:

99. Avoid revealing, dirty or wrinkled clothing.
100. Don’t wear too much makeup. Keep it to a minimum.

101. And last, but not least, always smile. Smiles are contagious. When you smile, others can’t help but smile back and feel positively towards you. ;-)

How to improve oneself?

First you need to set a personal agenda, where you want to be in a certain period, like 5 years. See whether your qualification allows to do that. Next you have to see whether the work environment allows it. Obviously in IT co's it would be tough to expect so personal development time in current economic downturn related with USA biz.

People do say stick to a certain employer, which obviously you can do, if they reciprocate based on what you give to them, in taking care of you in terms of development, leadership and mentoring.

Talk to friends, and also by asking them on forums like this, make the right connections.

Look back and see how your peers and managers have perceived you as an individual, and identify the core strength and improve on it.

Good Luck.

Seven Surefire ways to Communicate!

1. Demonstrate enthusiasm - everytime “Inspiring leaders have an abundance of passion for what they do. You cannot inspire unless you’re inspired yourself. Period. Passion is something I can’t teach. You either have passion for your message or you don’t. Once you discover your passion, make sure it’s apparent to everyone within your professional circle.”
2. Tell clearly a compelling course of action. “Inspiring leaders craft and deliver a specific, consistent, and memorable vision. A goal such as "we intend to double our sales by this time next year," is not inspiring. Neither is a long, convoluted mission statement destined to be tucked away and forgotten in a desk somewhere. A vision is a short (usually 10 words or less), vivid description of what the world will look like if your product or service succeeds.”
3. Make sure people understand the benefit. “Always remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them. In my first class at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, I was taught to answer the question, "Why should my readers care?" That’s the same thing you need to ask yourself constantly throughout a presentation, meeting, pitch, or any situation where persuasion takes place. Your listeners are asking themselves, what’s in this for me? Answer it. Don’t make them guess.”
4. Give more examples till people understand. “Inspiring leaders tell memorable stories. Few business leaders appreciate the power of stories to connect with their audiences… No amount of data can replace that story… Stories connect with people on an emotional level. Tell more of them.”
5. Make sure people ask more questions. “Inspiring leaders bring employees, customers, and colleagues into the process of building the company or service. This is especially important when trying to motivate young people. The command and control way of managing is over. Instead, today’s managers solicit input, listen for feedback, and actively incorporate what they hear. Employees want more than a paycheck. They want to know that their work is adding up to something meaningful.”
6. Always believe it would work. “Inspiring leaders speak of a better future… Extraordinary leaders throughout history have been more optimistic than the average person. Winston Churchill exuded hope and confidence in the darkest days of World War II. Colin Powell said that optimism was the secret behind Ronald Reagan’s charisma. Powell also said that optimism is a force multiplier, meaning it has a ripple effect throughout an organization. Speak in positive, optimistic language. Be a beacon of hope.”
7. Thanks and Good Wishes for people helps. “Inspiring leaders praise people and invest in them emotionally. Richard Branson has said that when you praise people they flourish; criticize them and they shrivel up. Praise is the easiest way to connect with people. When people receive genuine praise, their doubt diminishes and their spirits soar. Encourage people and they’ll walk through walls for you.”

Baggage and some points on Project Activities

All project activities don't have baggage and no challenges that you may face in your project.... :-)) Here are some really stupid, incomprehensible and unintelligent suggestions!

• Managing change in project, scope-creeping and changes that are not handled in a systematic fashion. Hah...
  
• Non-constructive work environments, racial abuse included (like Indians getting abused in USA, but still they work 'coz Money dude!)
• Not getting right balance between when to make decisions stupidly and simply make the decision yourself, by each guy in team! Duh!
  
• Get good metrics fudged for project success which is an all roudn effort!
• Getting BAD customer requirements, balancing cost of project expectation, poor quality and time. This usually centers on the client requirements communicated but the usual issue is what he has not communicated.
• Poor motivation of the team, is a problem but when it becomes an issue, projects may miss their deadlines and you are out of business.
• Communication issues – Email, Talk, Documents and Heresay(!)
• Indecent behaviour with team members, with lots of smirks around owing to hygiene, food habits (cut that Garlic dude!) etc.
• :-)) Dont ask, if you dont succeed. Start a company called Enron!

21 ways to assure quality in everything you do (50th Post!)

Doing everything with quality increases your chances for success, enhances your reputation and saves you time in the long run. People typically equate quality with skill, but quality is a by product of time, thoughts and systems.

Here are 21 ways to assure quality in everything you do. See where you can apply a couple of these rules to your life. In a few weeks, review the impact.

Review

* Review Everything
Review everything you touch before you hand it off. Proof read your documents one last time, double check that package to make sure everything is included, triple check your bullet points on your presentation.

* Review Help: Enlist a 2nd set of eyes
Even after you look things over, you may miss some glaring mistakes because you are used to your work. Having someone else look it over will give you a new perspective on your work and may even lead to new, better solutions.

* Review Other's Contributions
Don't take it for granted that others can do the job well or even that they know what they're doing. Trust but verify. Remember the saying, "Don't expect what you don't inspect."

* Review your mistakes
Sometimes you make mistakes. Learn from them and move on.

* Review Accomplishments
A lot can be learned from your past accomplishments. Take the the time to go over your past work and look objectively at what you did well and didn't do so well. There are many lessons to learn.

Control

* Control Your Task List- Don't Drop Anything
Keep track of your commitments. If you don't know what you need to do, you can't do it well.

* Control Your Commitments: Just Say No
With a heavy workload, it may be hard to get everything done right. This may mean saying no to new projects.

* Control Your Understanding
Find out deadlines and requirements. Ask questions. Make sure you know what's expected. If you don't know what you're shooting for you can't succeed.

* Control Expectations
Provide feedback at the beginning of a project of what you will be delivering. Set the scope of the project early so there aren't any misunderstandings.

* Control Yourself
Don't try to do everything yourself at one time. Break projects apart and succeed through layering one success on top of another. This will enable you provide progress and ensure you are on the right track.

Learn

* Learn From Others
The people around you may be doing some tasks better than you. How are they doing it? Look at colleagues, bosses and definitely don't neglect learning from subordinates.

* Learn Through Research
Look at industry groups, books and blogs- all may have some good tips on helping you do better.

* Learn Through Education
Are there ways to enhance your skills? Take an extra course? How can you learn more?

* Relearn
If you frequently do a task but it isn't consistently perfect, take some time to analyze the steps you should be doing. Start the process from scratch. Consciously do one step at a time making sure you're doing it right.

Think

* Commit to Quality
Decide that with anything you do, you'll do it the right way. Just committing to quality will cause you to reconsider sending out a half-baked project and increase your quality.

* Brainstorm
Think of ways you can do it better. Think of ways to put systems around your tasks.

* Envision Success
Ask yourself "What would perfect execution look like for this task?" Now go do it.

* Be Proud of Your Quality
If you take pride in your quality, you won't release non-quality items.

* Solve the Problem, Not the Request
Sometimes a "simple" request is not so simple. Find out what the requester really wants, then give it to him.

* Think big picture
Don't just solve the problem by applying a quick fix. See how it fits in the big picture and determine if you san solve a big problem with just a little more effort.

* Don't Wait for Deadlines
It's inevitable that people rush to finish a task at the deadline. This only leads to more problems. The solution is simple- start early and plan your schedule so that you finish early. Which leads to:

* Exceed expectations
You've understood the expectations and you've set expectations- now do your best to exceed them. Everyone loves good surprises!

You're not going to be able to implement this in one day but refer to this list often to ensure you're always thinking of quality. With good quality, work doesn't need to be reworked and problems are minimized.You can remember these using the mnemonic Review-TLC (TLC= Think, Learn, Control).

Six Attributes of Leadership

Does leadership have an effect on success? Is there a difference between management and leadership? Can leadership be learned? The answer to all these questions is yes. In this article, I will look at six attributes of project/program leadership. This is certainly not a complete list, just a start - one that I believe can help leaders achieve success.

1. Lateral thinking

The first attribute, lateral thinking, covers a variety of methods to get us out of the usual line of thought. It is this kind of thinking that cuts across the instilled and predetermined patterns we all too often employ when working on a problem. With this type of thinking we try different perceptions, different concepts and different points of view, as well as consider multiple possibilities and approaches. This does not mean that we automatically forget the way things have been; it means that we make sure we consider all options: the simple to the complex, the direct and indirect, and the straight and the circular path, leaving no stone unturned. Many problems we face as project and program managers and leaders require different perspectives to solve them successfully.

2. Empowerment

Often, there is little or no recognition for people who spend time on elementary problems - it's the big problems that receive all the attention. Yet, big problems usually start as minor problems. Because of personal and interpersonal attitudes of the leader, participants may develop the habit of ignoring problems until they explode, at which time they become big problems. Then, leaders want to go on record for being a problem solver. Heroics like this not only tend to be self centered, they can take away from the work of members. Empowered project teams correct this attitude. They focus on getting the job done while solving or preventing problems while they are still minor.

The ultimate paradox of leadership power is that to be an effective leader, one must turn all team members into leaders. In this way, relationships and the issues of leadership and empowerment become important. Successful leaders are able to motivate, to energize and to empower others by giving the team the authority, responsibility, tools and resources it needs. When people are excited and empowered, it affects both their task initiation and task persistence. That is, empowered people get more involved, take on more difficult situations, deal with issues as soon as possible and act more confidently. Empowered people expend more effort on a given task and are more persistent in their efforts.

3. Optimism

The third attribute is optimism. Leaders are optimistic. They think positively. They extend this attitude from the present to the future. Positive thinking is more than just avoiding negative emotions; there are actions and forethought involved. It is an attitude, a view to life, an orientation. It manifests in the successful leader's words, actions, relationships and values. When negative events happen, excellent leaders purposefully look for something positive. Instead of feeling that they can't do something, they look at the problem as an opportunity for their and the team's development and growth.

4. Demand better

On-going self-assessment and self-evaluation are critical for ensuring growth for an individual and the team. It helps the leader and the team to meet objectives and have a positive impact. Demanding better is actually a simple idea; all one has to do is ask, "What are we doing now and what can we do even better?" Humans actually need to grow, it is vital to life! The process is based on feedback, self-awareness, openness and trust. Essentially, that's all there is to it. Asking the question over and over again focuses leaders on challenging themselves and team members. Further, it sets into motion an on-going self-evaluation and a focus on the development process of achievement. In return, this focus on the process brings positive results and eventually becomes a normal part of everyday life.

5. Encourage delegation

Delegation is one of the most important roles of a leader's job; the excellent leader's job isn't 'to do,' it is to gain or accomplish things through team members. The leader's time should be spent on such things as visioning, motivating, controlling and goal setting, and not on trivial jobs such as fighting fires or responding to interruptions and correcting errors.

Delegating relieves time-pressures, it provides the time to vision and create. It provides team members with an opportunity to expand their own skills in decision making and problem solving and encourages their creativity and initiative; it gives them the necessary ingredients for growth. At the same time, it motivates them to become what they are capable of being.

It forces the leader to spend time with team members, thus developing interpersonal relationships and skills. The feedback and attention will encourage team members on to greater things. It helps set performance standards based on member's accomplishments or results rather than purely on their activity and helps to increase results by releasing the leader from some day-to-day activities. Delegating allows the leader to step back and take a look at the bigger picture rather than get caught-up in the internal activities of the organization. The leader will then be able to think outwards for the better of the organization and not lose sight of the real goals.

6. Reside in the future

To meet future challenges, leaders must reside in the future. Only then can leaders set a vision with reasonable goals and promote the process of developing effective strategies to achieve them. Considering the future enables leaders to think constructively about it and, along with team members, do the things that contribute to achieving visions. Proactive future-oriented thinking can lead to greater team and organizational success. The future will happen, no matter what we do. If one wants a successful future, one needs to work at it.

A successful organization has a successful leader who demonstrates these traits:

• Lateral thinking
• Empowerment
• Are optimistic
• Demand better
• Encourage delegation
• Reside in the future

A Good Product Manager

Here is nice article you should read!

http://www.goodproductmanager.com/2008/09/25/lack-of-complaints-does-not-equal-success/

Interesting!

Dont come back to me saying that the article wasnt good. It was my view! :-))

Shiv Khera : Fire of Motivation

Fire of Motivation

I believe in two premises:

(i) most people are good people, but can do better; and
(ii) most people already know what to do, so why aren't they doing it?

What is missing is the spark--motivation. Some self help books adopt
the approach of teaching what to do; we take a different approach. We
ask, "Why don't you do it?" If you ask people on the street what
should be done, they will give you all the correct answers. But ask
them whether they are doing it and the answer will be no. What is
lacking is motivation.

The greatest motivation comes from a person's belief system. That means he
needs to believe in what he does and accept responsibility. That is
where motivation becomes important. When people accept responsibility
for their behavior and actions, their attitude toward life becomes
positive. They become more productive, personally and professionally.
Their relationships improve both at home and at work. Life becomes
more meaningful and fulfilled.

After a person's basic physical needs are met, emotional needs become
a bigger motivator. Every behavior comes out of the "pain or gain"
principle. If the gain is greater than the pain, that is the
motivator. If the pain is greater than the gain, then that is a
deterrent.

Gains can be tangible, such as: monetary rewards, vacations, and
gifts. They can be intangible, such as: recognition, appreciation,
sense of achievement, promotion, growth, responsibility, sense of
fulfillment, self worth, accomplishment, and belief.

Inspiration is changing thinking; motivation is changing action.

Motivation is like fire unless you keep adding fuel to it, it dies.
Just like exercise and food don't last long, neither does motivation.
However, if the source of motivation is belief in inner values, it
becomes long--lasting.

- Shiv Khera

(He has started a Political party to save some big barons money ....
Black to White? What is the Fire of Motivation?)

Welcome!

Let me talk more on the Software Development....

PMI, PMBOK and PMP

I was one of the fortunate in 2002 to get a certification in PMI, when I was having lots of time in Birmingham, I studied.

It was valid for 2 years only, and need to keep the PDU's accumulated, to be active and renew it in 2 years. Now it is 4 years with a diluted pass score (81 to 65).

Too much of theory and no one can understand how is the practical way of Project Management.

But the certification helps. Atleast the recruiters notice.

Too many coachers and coaching institutes.

Hope it helps for all.

Basix of PM

Basic of Project Management as different groups....

1. Initiation Process Group
2. Planning Processes Group
3. Execution Process Group
4. Controlling Processes Group
5. Closing Processes Group

Well I hate the first. And also the second. And also the third. :-)

But as a true Manager, I like the 4th and the 5th, and quite like to question 1, 2 and 3.

Source - PMI.org and my own experience

Key Traits for a Manager

Read the presentation and immerse yourself.

Very nice.... http://www.20minuteitmanager.com/sessions/06040211KEYTRAITS/

Creativity

1) In corporate contexts, societies and countries having environments suitable for engendering useful creativity, is instrumental having an influential leadership with the courage, willingness and passion to get through an inspiring vision to be followed for engaged and committed professionals working in projects which outcomes may be beneficial for an enterprise, community or society.

2) Companies that are leaders in innovation typically encourage an creative mindset as integral part of a corporate culture where true collaboration, effective knowledge sharing and systematic practices of innovation are fostered, supported and developed by the influential action from Senior Management who believe faithfully in the value of promoting innovation to achieve competitiveness in a business context highly volatile and uncertain.

3) The most innovative companies apply an aggressive policy of incentives when rewarding and recognizing those ideas with the potential of becoming in innovative products and services. Google, offers the opportunity to its engineers of using 20% of their working time to create, promote and develop personal projects of innovation. This practice of nurturing environments of useful creativity may be similarly applied in universities, societies and countries with minor modifications and additions to produce true innovations of great commercial value.

4) Those companies, societies and countries that have created state-of-the-art environments to nurture processes of useful creativity consider that the investments in education, training and capacitation are the key strategies to empower, motivate and engage the best talents around important projects with transformational value for a company, country and society. The companies that excel in this discipline have developed systematically as part of their Employer Brand Management practices career exciting development plans and excellent succession plans to assure that human talent relevant to the corporate projects will have the right mix of knowledge, skills and competences to succeed in today´s highly demanding and competitive business context.

5) The professionals who generate, share, disseminate and improve by applying their creativity the knowledge relevant in investigation projects and transformational projects to produce innovative theories, processes, products and services are the main asset of a company, society, community and country where the strategic guideline of encouraging, supporting and promoting environments propitious to apply creativity and transform it in useful innovation is enthusiastically encouraged, visibly supported and explicitly promoted by the incumbent leadership.

Art of Interviewing

Recently I was interviewing some candidates for a Senior Level position for the new venture that I have started.

I was happy and comfortable to deal with managers, with 3 to 4 years of leadership experience, and very good technology hands-on approach. This was going from the tradition of looking at more expeience, which would cost more money, that a startup venture cannot afford.

With more than 18 years and also with the experience of handling labours in my Father's factory, I believe that was a right choice. Social designation would be there and I expect the sincerity of candidates to show that they are capable. We are willing to pay the right money for the right candidate with right experience.

I interviewed so many candidates, mostly referrals from friends, and they were taking it so light.

One guy a development manager in a financial software co. based out of USA at Bangalore (In...t), talked to me once for the job. Now the badger starts. He is keeping on calling me and this has become a pain now to answer him. I couldn't just cut him off. He threw a new ball doosra at me saying that "I am ready to take a plunge in untested waters ...","I am actually the key guy in this company, and willing to leave it for you.." etc etc

Tell me should I hire this candidate? Or based on his attitude, should I report to his manager, who happens to be a good friend of mine? Time would tell.

Motivation

The Motivation Mistakes Managers Make

I. Too much emphasis on pay, benefits, and perks:

The Saratoga Institute reports that 88% of employees voluntarily leave their jobs for other reasons, such as misalignment of mutual expectations, person-job mismatch, insufficient coaching and feedback, perception of poor career-advancement prospects, work-life imbalance, and both distrust toward and low confidence in senior leadership. Still, most managers refuse to acknowledge the "push" factors, preferring to see the "pull" factor of more money as the prime motivator.

The truth is, both push and pull factors come into play, but companies make a big mistake by hanging their employee-retention strategies solely on the easier-to-manipulate tangible factors of more pay, better benefits, and flashier perks. It's not that these factors are unimportant; they're very important. In fact, most employers of choice typically offer better pay and benefits than their competitors. But what sets them apart are positive, caring cultures where most managers know how to provide the everyday coaching, feedback, and recognition that keep employees engaged.

II. Blindly following other companies' best practices:
One of the disadvantages of reading Fortune magazine's "100 Best Places to Work in America" list each year is that we become so enamored of great employers that we think their best practices will work equally well for our companies. Sometimes they do, but often they don't.

The best employers thoughtfully match their cultures, benefits, and management practices to the needs and desires of their workers. FedEx gears its workplace to the short-term work-experience needs of younger part-timers, while American Express focuses on long-term career development with a strong emphasis on gender equity. SAS Institute has created an employment brand that says, "Come to work for us and enjoy a campus-like environment, and have a life outside of work." This software-development company is famous for its 3% turnover rate in an industry where 20% is the norm.

Most companies can't-or won't-invest the up-front dollars to do what SAS has done. The good news is they don't have to. But by asking their particular workforce what they most want and need, companies can usually provide what it takes to keep employees-and keep them engaged.

The danger of benchmarking against others in your industry is that it may keep you from tailoring an innovative benefit or practice to meet the needs of the 20% of the talent that's creating 80% of the value in your company or department.

III. Failure to train managers and hold them accountable:
Studies of employee turnover consistently show that the direct supervisor builds or destroys employee commitment. Yet, how many companies select executives for their ability to manage people, train them in effective people-management skills, and then hold them accountable? You could probably count those on the fingers of one hand.

Many employers of choice carefully monitor their managers' voluntary-turnover rates, new-hire retention rates, and employee-engagement survey scores, and reward those who score highly with bigger bonuses. Managers with low scores get lower bonuses and are called into meeting with their superiors, which may lead to more training, coaching, reassignment, or termination.

In other words, smart companies know that as the competition for talent heats up, they can no longer afford the luxury of another bad manager.

Reputation

Found this article on net, published in 2 or 3 websites. Nice one!

When you' join a company for the first time, you want to establish a good reputation, and that's especially true if you're a new professional in the workforce.

Below are several tactics that should complete your game plan for winning favor and starting a good foundation for your career.

Earn Respect Before a Special Request

Life sometimes gets in the way of everything, including work. On occasion you may need to ask your boss for an extra privilege -- but it's best not to do so straight out of the gate.

Hallie Crawford, a certified career coach and owner of HallieCrawford.com, agrees. She says, "This generation has been pegged as one that expects everything up front at the beginning. That's not always accurate, but new graduates should remember that they'll have to pay their dues before they can have it all."

She recommends adhering to company policies and endearing yourself to your boss before asking for flexibility. "You want to prove that you perform well and it's worth it to keep you content," reveals Crawford. So, if your hours are nine to five, make sure you're at your desk at nine and at least until five. Down the road, after you've demonstrated your reliability and value to your boss, you may be able to negotiate more flexibility in your arrival and departure times or lunch hour or take a vacation before you're technically due one.

Tackle Something Without Being Asked

One of the best ways to gain the gratitude of your supervisor is showing initiative. "So many people get into a new job and think their supervisors are going to say, 'This is exactly what I expect you to do.' But this isn't school. You're not going to get clear-cut homework assignments. You have to ask, 'What can I help with?' or you can just dive into a task," shares Crawford, whose practice is based in Atlanta.

She recommends taking on a project that everyone is avoiding. Perhaps the supply closet is a shambles. Or there's a major backlog at an important filing cabinet. Maybe an important database is woefully out of date. Put in a few extra minutes each day so your pet project doesn't interfere with your primary responsibilities. When you're done, you'll have won your boss's admiration and your coworkers' gratitude. "You have to step up if you want to get ahead," states Crawford.

Offer Opinions With Tact

You've been hired because your boss and others at the company saw promise in you and your skills. Your opinion is valuable to the organization's growth and future. However, remember to offer it up gently and with respect. Crawford reminds new grads, "Blurting out things as if you're a seasoned consultant isn't the best approach. It's great that you have a fresh perspective, but you need to present it in the right way."

Rather than inquiring why something is done a certain way, ask if management has ever considered doing it another way. Suggesting a new process rather than questioning a current one highlights your forward thinking without insulting your boss's or the company's approach. "You don't want to come off as a know-it-all," she says.

It's Business, Not Personal

Work friends can become some of your best friends, in and out of the office. But, as Crawford reminds her clients, "You need to remember that these are professional relationships first." Even if you work for a hip company where fun is a part of the company culture, she says, "It's not a frat party."

If you're invited out to lunch or an after-work drink, don't overindulge in alcohol and don't be an "over-sharer." "You have to be smart," says Crawford. "If you don't want other people to know about it, don't do or say it." Over time you'll learn a lot about your coworkers and they you, but it will happen organically.

Figure It Out

It's important to ask a lot of questions when you're new to any job, and your boss understands that. But don't pepper her with queries all day long. Crawford points out, "You have to know when you need to go to your boss and when you don't. She's really busy and can't always hold your hand."

Crawford urges new employees to learn to work independently of their supervisors by reaching out to other key people related to their jobs and get to know them. Your supervisor will appreciate the fact that you've figured out how things work and that you've begun to build relationships throughout the company. Adds Crawford, "You don't want to keep falling back on the fact that you're new -- because that gets old."

Do you want to win the Website war?

1. Buy an e-mail list from any random provider.
Marketers (and content-generators such as CIO.com! Did I mention we have some great newsletters of our own?) understandably want to disseminate the company's information to as wide an audience as possible, as quickly as possible. One common way to extend a company's reach (a leftover of the print catalog era, but less effective online) is to buy a mailing list of qualified buyers or people who have expressed interest in similar services.

E-mail is expected to be opt-in; that is, someone must explicitly give permission to receive unsolicited commercial mail from a particular sender. Almost by definition, anyone who sells a list of e-mail addresses is distributing those identities without the users' consent. Permission can't be bought, sold, bartered or assumed. It must be acquired directly from the only person who can give it: the owner of an e-mail address. Savvy spam fighters intentionally sign up for some lists with "spam-trap" IDs just to see if the e-mail ID will be abused.

If you're thinking of buying a list, you'd better be sure that the IDs were acquired properly -- which is rare. The Spamhaus Web site tells people never to buy a list of e-mail addresses for bulk distribution. Otherwise, Bam! Straight shot to a blacklist.

2. Don't follow industry best practices for mailing lists.
Any newsletter you send should use confirmed opt-in (sometimes called closed-loop opt-in) to ensure that the person who signed up is the person to whom the e-mail will be sent. This is a biggie. If your newsletter doesn't follow this rule and you get onto a blacklist for any reason, you won't be removed from the list until the confirmed opt-in issue is addressed.

Make it easy to unsubscribe from a mailing list. Even when you do make it a one-click action, entirely too many people fail to unsubscribe and instead stab angrily at the "This is spam" button in their e-mail client. Big e-mail service providers such as Yahoo Mail won't block your newsletter for a single spam report, nor will they list you in an RBL because of one lazy newsletter recipient, but you don't want to get anywhere close to the line.

Related Story8 ways to fight spam-filter frustration
False positives are the scourge of spam filters. Whether you're sending or receiving, here are some steps you can take to keep good e-mail out of the slush pile.
Another express ticket to the blacklists is to repurpose addresses. "Don't store a user's e-mail address for one reason and then send them bulk e-mail for a completely different reason," explains Richi Jennings, lead analyst for the e-mail security practice at Ferris Research.

For example, a hosted antispam service allegedly mailed its customers' technical contacts a marketing message. When customers signed up for the service, they provided a technical contact for messages about service outages, trouble-ticket updates, etc. "The technical contact has a clear expectation of the types of messages they'll receive, and that doesn't include marketing," says Jennings.

3. Let anyone use content-sharing features, willy-nilly.
Many sites (yes, including CIO.com) encourage readers to participate in some way. You might comment on an article (we writers do appreciate it, not that I'm hinting or anything), e-mail the article link to a friend or, with modern social networking tools, create your own page.

Those are great. But blog comments can generate comment spam, which points right back at your domain. Many sites' "e-mail this article" feature is malformed -- for example, spoofing the "from" address -- leading to bounce messages if not the land of blacklists. And so on.

Catherine Hampton Jefferson at SpamBouncer explains: "If you're a news site, for example, and want to let people forward a news story to someone, you should restrict them to sending it to a small number of e-mail addresses. I'd also check the IP they're connecting from against the CBL and perhaps other carefully selected block lists."

4. Use a dubious service provider.
It's astonishing how often companies choose an Internet service provider or Web hosting service without doing due diligence. Before you sign up, find out how often the company was blacklisted in the past year. Discover if they're known to route hijacked network space or if they have a history of spam abuse. One recommended resource for this is SenderScore.org.

This is especially important when companies use a shared mail server or host a Web site on shared hosting, adds Jefferson. "If you are [doing so], and one of your 'neighbors' spams, you can end up listed," she points out. "It stinks, but if you share the same IP with a spammer, IP-based block lists have the unpalatable choice of listing the IP and thereby blocking innocent bystanders as well as the spammer(s), or not listing the IP and letting the spammer spam away."

5. Tick off your technically knowledgeable staff.
If someone is on the inside, and they have been nodding along at each of the points I've already made, it's not all that difficult for them to get a company blacklisted. (I'll avoid examples here, because I don't want to make the job too easy for any disgruntled employees who might be reading this article.)

I'm sure that you treat all your employees well, that they are qualified for their jobs and that you have trained them on acceptable-use policies for e-mail (you do have them, don't you? Please tell me you do). Yes, sure you treat every employee with unrelenting positive regard and gobs of respect -- and I am the Queen of the May.

Someone, somewhere in your organization will eventually decide that he is being pushed to the limit -- and then you'll end up in a situation like the city of San Francisco's rogue network administrator. What technology do you have to make it difficult (it'll never be impossible) for an upset insider to give his manager a Very Bad Day?

6. Run a sloppy mail server.
Mail servers that don't follow the rules have a myriad of ways to get their feet caught in a spam trap, some of which were enumerated in other CIO.com articles. Some of them are technical and under the purview of your e-mail admin, such as "The HELO/EHLO string should ideally match the full domain name."

Bottom line, here: Follow the standards.

7. Ignore the security on devices that may be compromised by spambots.
Your e-mail server may be pristine in its behavior, but if one of your end user's computers has been taken over by a virus that is sending spam, your domain is still responsible for polluting the Internet. Pay attention to software installed on your desktops and servers, either by staffers (using social engineering or deliberate malfeasance) or when users visit compromised Web sites.

Don't cast your hairy eyeball only at stand-alone PCs. One e-mail admin told me he once flagged an open relay that turned out to be an electron microscope at a Belgian university. Hewlett-Packard printers have been used as zero-day warez (pirated software) FTP servers. The more gizmos that are connected to the Internet, the greater the possible venues for spam and viruses. (Doesn't that thought just brighten your day?)

8. If you do land on a blacklist, threaten to sue and make angry demands.
It is possible to find your site on a blacklist because of an innocent mistake. But when you go to resolve the situation, assume that it was your error or ignorance that caused the problem, not someone else's fault. Do not threaten.

Otherwise, you might find yourself on the "permanent block list" with no chance to be removed. One e-mail admin says he blacklists for life anyone who tries to sue, including legal firms handling the cases. "Since they support Internet abuse, they really don't need to have the privilege of using it," he adds.

Matthias Leisi, project leader at dnswl.org, a "whitelist" of known legitimate e-mail servers, says, "We once had a guy threatening to sue us at dnswl.org if we would not immediately list all his IP addresses with highest trust score. When we told him that this is not the way we operate, he went into ALL CAPS MODE, telling us what a bunch of incompetent losers we are, and that he still insists to be listed, 'or else.'"

In point of fact, there is no "or else." Like a baseball player who disagrees with an umpire, the umpire may be wrong, but his decision is final. If you argue, you'll just be thrown out of the game.

Marketing skills right!

You should be capable or marketing your skills right, to whatever client you have.

They should appreciate your biz acumen.

Next the delivery comes.

Smooth talking owners are always despised by clients or empty names, just bcoz they hold a stake will not help.

Comparing Online CRMs

Here is the link

http://www.zohoviewer.com/docs/fccU4h

There is a big opportunity in this space. Customized solution is the key.

What is Leadership?

When a skilful and operationally driven manager gains influence in his/her workplace, he/she is beginning to develop his/her strategic thinking, and this manager has a growing number of followers and enjoys of the progressive recognition from Senior Management, the transformation from a plain manager into a nascent leader, simply has begun, and thereby his/her growing influence, power and authority that become in differentiating factors to encourage business transformation, corporate innovation and a strategic mindset.

This desirable metamorphosis typically happens when this manager, aside of having the right personality traits that are characteristics in a leader: passion to excel, innovative mindset, communicational skill-sets and strategic thinking, he/she has had a progressive career development path in different job positions and industries where he/she has learned the art of managing in highly complex business scenarios, has had the proper modelling of influential and recognized leaders and has been coached and mentored at the right time by influential professionals in the science of modelling business scenarios beyond from operational constrains, financial limitations and talent shortage.

In most of these transformations the blend of a corporate culture, an inspiring leadership, a motivating vision and a corporate attitude that is appreciative and supportive to encourage the assortment of skills, competences, expectations and initiatives of a valuable and proactive professional makes true the promise of becoming an excellent manager into an influential and empowered leader.

Leadership may be identified in function of the following attributes:

1. Empowerment in sharing an inspiring vision and creating empathy in managers and co-workers: A true leader, should be passionate professional and a charismatic individual with the willpower to create and develop an inspiring vision and generate empathy, full commitment and due admiration in others.

He/she should have strong skills, knowledge and intuition to understand those cultural issues that could be favorable for proper strategy execution and influential in managing all the enterprise changes that should be deployed by effective Senior Management commitment.

This leader should possess an outstanding capability to communicate pragmatically the scope, results and goals of the business strategy, in a way that generates due respect and trust.

2. Being credible and communicating effectively even in the most adverse circumstances: Other key factor of success is the role assumed for the leader of communicating effectively to managers and subordinates the advances and results obtained during strategy/project execution, by promoting feedback when necessary, sharing relevant information with stakeholders, generating employee’s engagement and making corrective actions when convenient.

This attitude helps to create confidence and trust from the whole organization toward their leaders, while being crucial to reduce those feelings of uncertainty, doubt and fear that in processes of profound transformation could create disengagement and demoralization in the workforce.

3. Integrity and Accountability: A leader should have solid values and reliable ethical principles that applies consistently as a value inherent to his/her professional engagement in the enterprise, being able to inspire virtue, correctness and righteousness in his/her followers and having the willingness of assuming the repercussions, consequences and effects of a mistaken decision, by identifying new opportunities and courses of action from learned lessons arisen of a failed experience.

For that matter other than Empowerment, Inspiring, Credible, Communicating, Integrity and Accountability - leading by example on what is needed makes a whole lot of difference.

Sathyameve Jayathe! सथ्यमेवे जयते!

Every new hire is a gamble!

As Donald Trump figured it out, Every new hire is a gamble!

So what best can one employer look into a person.

Obviously people prepare for interview. Setup the situational stories, and make it or flunk it.

It also depends on the interviewer to take care.

Personally, I have never hired a candidate, making sure doubly, and also look into the aspect of learn ability.

It is very important.

(people who wish to be part of my new venture indiarealestventure.com, please email me at vijayashankar@indiarealestventure.com)

How Did I Make It? Sad Story any IT guy says!

Lots of guys who were lucky to make it big on IT world (says 2% of all who ventured), thinks that they can brag about making it big, and live like N.R. Narayana Murthy, they want to invest his experiences in teaching (politics I think) once they has turned the company into a money-spinner. (Let them wish, but they have to be careful on bloating the stock and bringing it down to 25% levels than peak!)

They also forget that, they stepped on other software companies, by not paying the right royalty for the software use and building the biz.

They should be shot at. Put in ICU.

"Remember, in the end, it's not the years in your life that count but the life in those years," says an eminent Philosopher.

Do Social networking sites help business?

Do Social networking sites help business?

This is an interesting question. I don't think social networking is being adequately addressed by businesses although it is more closely aligned to the way humans interact than traditional business methods or software. Just look at the massive growth of all social networking sites - there is a lesson to be learned there that is currently either not being addressed or considered an
afterthought.

In regards to recruiting/job hunting/etc., there is definately a place for social networking although there needs to be some sort of control or controlling structure in place to streamline the process and/or ensure its success. If I compare the traditional recruiting process (a company contracts with a recruiter who then works with the company to access the role's requirements,

etc., and then conducts a search) versus what I have seen as the process for social networking sites (company assesses need for a role internally, approaches several professionals online, makes an immediate decision - or NOT many times) I see many weak areas in the typical approach via social networking sites, such as: the company does not have the means to correctly

assess the role, the company doesn't have a firm outlook on the "pulse" of the job market, the company cannot translate business needs to recruiting requirements correctly, or the company is not really serious about filling the role.

Unfortunately, the end result could be that a professional contacted within a social network for a role could just be wasting time by communicating directly with a hiring company who has bypassed the traditional recruiting process. If I were to ask why a hiring company that is looking for a key position would decide not to include a recruiter, I can only assume one of two things - 1.

They are not really serious about the hire (and are merely "kicking tires" and seeing what is out there), or 2. They actually don't have the budget to use a recruiting agency (and therefore clearly don't have the budgetary commitment for the role in question to ensure its success). Either one is bad news for the new hire!

I am not going to address why a company would chose to fill a key role based on lowest cost versus best fit for a role. Maybe that should be addressed in a different post.

While I have heard many horror stories which follow the example above, I am not saying that social networking is not a good avenue for recruiting, but instead needs to have some form of control to ensure the following:

1. Companies posting roles on social networks are ACTUALLY hiring these roles within a designated time frame.
2. Companies posting roles on social networks understand the current job market, including current salary ranges, packages, etc.
3. Companies posting roles on social networks have the budget to ensure the role is successful.

I believe all of these are initial hurdles tackled between a hiring company and the recruiter that contract to perform the search.

Similar checks & balances also need to be incorporated in professional social networks. I believe recruiters working through social networks are a good initial move in this direction, but would like to see the professional social networks extend tools for both hiring companies and professionals who use them.

In regards to the software market, I see similar (if not greater) issues in regards to the lack of social networking integrated into them. Using CRM software as an example, most CRM companies either don't address social networking at all (even though their

customer base is asking for it), or have nominally addressed it in the form of an applet or two within the software (which have no real value for the user). Given the well publicized weaknesses of CRM to enhance the end user's experience and/or productivity

(CRM does well in providing data for management, but is less useful for end users), I am surprised they have not completely reworked the way users interact with their systems. If I use opportunity tracking in an SFA system as an example, social networking strategies follow human interaction much more closely than traditional systems that impose artificial systems of rules

on the user (either carrot or stick approaches are common). Why not mimic natural human interactions? This would allow users to intuitively use the system without training and/or the feeling they are spending more time to track data? I use sales as my example because salesmen are infamous for not tracking information effectively and/or sharing it with their team. Could it be the method of tracking is not correct?

If you are still not convinced, remember that millions of teenagers, who have been raised on social networking sites, will be entering the job market in the next 2 - 5 years. This will only exacerbate the issue!

****

What can your Social Networking Site Network do for you?

1. Get introduced to the people you need
When you need to reach a professional, Social Networking Site will tell you who can introduce you to the person you need.
2. Find professionals your friends can vouch for
Don’t just search the web for people. Search the people your friends know and can recommend.
3. Keep up with friends and colleagues
Social Networking Site makes it easy to hear news about their careers, projects and professional lives.
4. Don’t miss professional opportunities
With Social Networking Site, you hear about opportunities in your network, even if your friends don’t tell you about them.
5. Build your relationships
When a connection asks you to make an introduction, you build that relationship.

Jobs and Satisfaction!

You might work in big co's of small co's, but the experience you gain matters a lot.

Just by having a name tag of a particular co. may not help, even if it is once upon a time a big co. I know some folks who have worked with Enron (debacle!) and recently from JD Edwards to Oracle and out.....

Ethical biz is always going to survive. Few company's that I have worked with has put me into depression, which I have overcome.

I started Sharon Software Systems http://www.bifidium.com at Coimbatore during Nov 2001, with my hard earned cash (blowing half my earn't savings till that point of time), and could not get the necessary funding, hence shut shop during July 2002. Now in stealth mode for want of cash. I am sure of reviving it! I did start bifidium during May 1999, but gave up owing to fear!

That's was the reason I have come back to mainstream, and search of Job Satisfaction.

I am very sure I will make it big one day! Just waiting for the right VC/Angel and funding and necessary push....

I will start another venture soon!

Project management ability

Software development does aid in ones own ability to manage projects.

As an IT leader myself, I've seen and worked with many newly minted managers- and minted a few myself. I'm not going to try to classify managers here- but I will say that a good manager is a mix of many qualities- subject matter expertise, people skills, political skills- all are important. What does *not* seem to be important, across many managers I've worked with, is where and how those skills were developed. How they are applied is. If the manager is to be in charge of a highly technical IT environment, and that manager only knows a small portion of that environment, it will be harder- but, if that person has solid leadership skills, and is willing to do the homework, most of the 'downside' will be internal to the individual- they'll feel like they're drowning, for a couple of months, until they develop a network.

On the other side, some people just cannot break out of their mold- they're solid technology people, perhaps even gifted in a certain area- but lack people skills, or political savvy. Sometimes, a new manager will make the assumption that they're now the expert in everything, making themselves look foolish- and they seem to have no idea how foolish they look.

So, to get to your question directly- if you are considering a career in IT management, first assess your abilities in leadership- preferably, have someone external make that assessment, and determine if you have the requisite leadership skills first. After that, remember to stay humble and rely on your network- and you'll be on the right path. It's no detriment to be limited in a given skillset- IT is a huge area, with many sub specialties- and you will never be expected to cover them all more than superficially.

****

I'm making the assumption that the "software experience" you refer to is "hand coding software", or "the software that the company I work for might make" - and not specific pieces of software that are endemic to any IT department, like AntiVirus, Inventory management, CRM, Office tools, Document management, email, webserver software, etc. If this assumption is incorrect, then I absolutely think it would be a detriment to the manager's career in IT.

If the assumption is correct, then I believe the best option might involve seeking a position with a company outside of the tech space, like Law, Healthcare, Academia, etc., and of a significantly large size; where there may be several folks with specialized knowledge and responsibilities over their fields that could minimize your interactions with their areas of software.

I would generally counsel against this approach though, because IT management is generally a business function - and understanding your customers needs is a critical component of success in this career. An IT manager that understands the company's software is uniquely positioned to tailor his/her skills to the environment, which results in better process and prioritization. Demonstrating this ability at one organization after another is likely to advance the manager's career quickly, as any hiring manager would quickly see the obvious value.

So it isn't necessarily a roadblock, but it just changes the opportunities the manager might have to pursue.

****

No... but they had better have some tech skills (as you indicated) and some solid project management bonafides ( or be able to show me they are VERY willing to learn).

A PM in picture form!

Treating employees like customers

From the day an employee joins you, you have to ensure

(1) he or she is taken care
(2) whatever talent was measured and judged, is nurtured
(3) enough inputs provided regularly, without expecting employer to ask for
(4) ensure the day to day projects/activities are not affected and also provide inputs
(5) Technical enhancements in the department in terms of resources etc to be provided

If you miss the above,

(1) employee gets disgruntled
(2) cumulative effect of retention issues appear
(3) the group which was close mingled one, leaves very fast
(4) stock market picks up the news and you loose heavily

So take care, treat employees fairly and ensure that every penny due to them is given all the time, including the promised bonus is given, without any mismanagement.

This goodwill will go a long way!

Utopian IT company and USP

Here's my business idea towards an IT corporate in India which would have an USP for itself. He he Utopia!

-A corporate that's actually an institution that integrates into its culture- the fine arts from India.
-Laid out on a nature-filled campus, virtually every other known art form in India must be taught and practiced here.
-Talented artists from across the country are contractors/employees who belong to a support function just like HR/finance/admin.
-The regular software employees get to learn arts of their choice. They are recruited after an aptitude test for art as well.
-Both employees and artists stay on campus and function in a gurukul-like system.
-The best of facilities in terms of food, infrastructure, accomodation with family etc. must also be available to all.
-This would also give a great fillip to many greatly talented but underpaid artists all over India.

Firstly, why this idea only for IT?

-Because that's where you have knowledge workers, and you need to keep the brains well oiled to be creative and innovative. Art can greatly propel lateral thinking.

-Stress levels in this industry are high and the quality of life is fairly low, which can also be addressed through art for relaxation and an enriched quality of life.

-Being part of an exclusive institution like this could also arrest attrition and the proposal made attractive even with less pay. Most techies prefer a campus like lifestyle and value belonging to a reputed institution.

Sa***n have been one company who might have readily embraced some such idea. But unfortunately I think the timing of this idea may be wrong, as we are now a growing company having its own drivers.

How could both art and business combine into a single company vision? (Remember theory of constraints, there is only one goal and the rest are constraints :-( ) So how would one guarantee that neither art or business gives way to the other at some point of time. Don't tell me Chaos theory!

-Why restrict such an idea to a single company, why not expand the idea to an industry wide thing that many companies can benefit from?

-Art is only one aspect of life. Companies like Google provide a multidimensional approach to work-life balance. Doesn't that have a greater USP? So stupid. They don't know to suc\k blood like Indians 24/7/365.

-How many people would really be interested this? What if I'm a brilliant programmer and poor at aptitude for art? Can I get employed here?

-What kind of an existing organization can morph into this? Perhaps not a startup as it requires huge investment and no assurance of returns, perhaps not a Mic*****t as they already have their USP.

-Why would art necessarily contribute to better business results? hm...hmm... try it.

Any further thoughts to strengthen this idea are welcome.

It's Money all the way Honey!

• Compensation - This means a fair and competitive wage. An occasional bonus or other reward is nice, too. However, money alone will not result in job satisfaction. If all the other factors are out of whack, employees will still walk.
• Opportunity - Give employees the chance to show what they know and do what they can. Yes, much of this has to do with individual skill sets and someone's motivation to reach out and grasp opportunities when they're presented; however, it is also up to management to create an environment in which opportunities are available.
• Recognition - Employees are willing to do a good job as long as someone recognizes the effort they put in. A pat on the back or an occasional "Good Job" can go a long way in adding to an employee's job satisfaction.
• Environment - A large part of employee job satisfaction comes from working with people we like and respect in an environment that, well, for lack of a better word, is pleasant. No yelling bosses or freezing cold offices. No ball and chain keeping employee's tied to their desk 16-hours a day, six days a week. If you can't imagine your family working there, why would your employees want to?

Extreme Project Management!

1. "The management of creative people and processes demands creative management processes." Project managers need soft skills that reflect the environment they're working in and the people they're working with.
2. "The less the project manager knows about the technical issues of the project, the better." The project manager should focus on business concerns and ensure that the necessary processes are in place so that the technical work can occur. In other words, managers manage.
3. "What happens after the project is more important than what happens during the project." Many traditional project managers ignore the post-development issues and costs to support and operate their systems. Agile project managers, however, consider a project's entire lifecycle.
4. "A project plan developed without full participation of stakeholders is nothing more than one person's fantasy." Planning is a team effort—it isn't something that a single person does using a sophisticated planning tool.
5. "The more time the project manager spends with the stakeholders, the better." Agile project managers focus on the organizational, social, political and financial aspects of a project.
6. "If you haven't defined project success at the start, you'll never achieve it at the end." Understanding the stakeholders' expectations is crucial for success. You should achieve stakeholder satisfaction; meet the functional needs, budget and deadlines; add value; meet quality requirements; and achieve team satisfaction.
7. "Show them the money—nothing else matters." The benefits your system provides should outweigh the costs.
8. "Stakeholders can be your best allies or worst enemies—you decide." Agile project managers know their stakeholders and their needs, and maintain effective relationships with them.
9. "If you can't predict the future, don't plan it in detail." Traditional project managers often assume that a primary aspect of their job is to develop a detailed project Gantt chart, but you can plan in detail only for the near term. Agile project managers know that they'll need to plan and then replan constantly.
10. "If your project hasn't changed, be afraid; very afraid." If your project isn't changing, it has probably slipped off track by "staying on track."
11. "In e-projects, a day is a long time." Change happens—sometimes very, very quickly.

Some interesting (basic) Q&A, you will be asked!

• Tell us about yourself.
• Why do you want to join this company? 
• Where do you see yourself five years from now? 
• Who is your role model and why? 
• What do you think about the current economic/political situation? 
• What are your hobbies?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses? 
• If not selected, what will you do?
• Questions about your background and academic record.
  
• Questions about your habits, likes and dislikes.

Job Satisfaction in industry!

Profession	Percentage of Executives Satisfied With Current Job
CFO/Comptroller	68%
HR	65%
Marketing	63%
General Management	61%
Sales	54%
MIS/IT	53%
Source: ExecuNet 2008

THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

Below are the Interview Questions, which were asked in HR Round.....

No one will GET second chance to impress....

Very very Impressive Questions and Answers..... ...


Question 1: You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night, it's raining heavily, when suddenly you pass by a bus stop,

and you see three people waiting for a bus:


An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

An old friend who once saved your life.

The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.


Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing very well that there could only be one passenger in your car?

This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.


* You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first;

* or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to ! pay him back.

* However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. Guess what was his answer?

He simply answered:

"I would give the car keys to my Old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with

the partner of my dreams."

Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."


Question 2: What will you do if I run away with your sister?"

The candidate who was selected answered " I will not get a better match for my sister than you sir"

Question 3: Interviewer (to a student girl candidate) - What is one morning you woke up & found that you were pregnant.

Girl - I will be very excited and take an off, to celebrate with my husband.

Normally an unmarried girl will be shocked to hear this, but she managed it well. Why I should think it in the wrong way, she

said later when asked

Question 4: Interviewer: He ordered a cup of coffee for the candidate. Coffee arrived kept before the candidate, then he asked

what is before you?

Candidate: Instantly replied "Tea"

He got selected.

You know how and why did he say "TEA" when he knows very well that coffee was kept before.

(Answer: The question was "What is before you (U - alphabet) Reply was "TEA" ( T - alphabet)

Alphabet "T" was before Alphabet "U"

Question 5: Where Lord Rama would have celebrated his "First Diwali"? People will start thinking of Ayodya, Mitila [Janaki's

place], Lanka etc...

But the logic is, Diwali was a celebrated as a mark of Lord Krishna Killing Narakasura. In Dusavataar, Krishnavathaar comes

after Raamavathaar. So, Lord Rama would not have celebrated the Diwali At all!

Question 6: How do you make a road wide?

The candidate answered, but a b (alphabet) before road to amek it broad (= wide). My relative has answered this in a Civil

Service Interview.

Question 7: The interviewer asked to the candidate "This is your last question of the interview. Please tell me the exact position

of the center of this table where u have kept your files."

Candidate confidently put one of his finger at some point at the table and told that this was the central point at the table.

Interviewer asked how did u get to know that this being the central point of this table, then he answers quickly "that sir u r not

likely to ask any more question, as it was the last question that u promised to ask....."

And hence, he was selected as because of his quick-wittedness. .........

This is What Interviewer expects from the Interviewee. ....