Do you want to know how to motivate your team?

The success of any business depends on people, and the effectiveness of the people depends on their managers. Managers don’t just manage and control all the work that has to be done, but they also motivate the staff to get the best out of them.

Motivated employees will be more effective at their jobs and will “go the extra mile” for your company. Motivated employees will also be good team players and good teamwork is essential for any successful business.

It is never enough to have good business processes and procedures in place. For a chance of building a successful business, employees need to be well-motivated and work well together.

But just what are the best ways of encouraging and motivating people? There has been plenty of debate over the years and traditionally a carrot-and-stick approach would have been used. More recently though, it has been recognised that if you want people to be innovative and creative then the fear of “punishment” just won’t get the best out of people.

See Also: The New and Modern Way Companies Are Increasing Productivity

There’s a great book by Daniel Pink called “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” which suggests that the best way to motivate people is to enable then to develop to their full potential.

Here are some tips on how to motivate your team:

Identify Strengths

If, as a manager, you can identify your people’s individual strengths, then you are well on your way to motivating them. Give your employees tasks they are good at so they can enjoy their work and will have a better chance at succeeding.

Identify Weaknesses

Don’t shy away from highlighting weaknesses in individuals or in the team as a whole because acknowledging these weaknesses is the first step to rectifying them. Just make sure your methods are motivational.

For instance, someone has a lack of knowledge and experience in a particular area but a good training course can easily put this right at minimal cost and leave you with a much more motivated and enthusiastic team member.

Communicate

Always have honest and open discussions with everyone. Some conversations may, obviously, not be appropriate for a large group so it will be necessary to talk to individuals alone.

Don’t just do this once or twice a year at appraisal time. Find time in your schedule to talk more often to the whole group and to each individual. After all, their motivation and effectiveness at their job will reflect on you.

Support and Encourage

Develop a fully motivated team by supporting and encouraging, praising when a job is done well, and offering constructive criticism (and training if necessary) when work does not meet the required standards. Promote open discussions about how working practices could be improved, encourage a flow of ideas about how to tackle problems and make full use of opportunities that arise.

Set Clear Expectations

It is critical that your team members understand what is expected of them. Otherwise, they cannot deliver what is required, no matter how capable they are.

So when assigning tasks, be absolutely clear about timelines and the quality of work that is expected. People are not mind-readers so you must be explicit in your instructions. And when people know what is expected, they can deliver and that in turn motivates them to continue to do a good job.

There are a few major organisations that allow their employees a high level of freedom in what they work on, where and when – believing they will be motivated to succeed doing something they enjoy. And it works for some types of creative roles but isn’t suitable for every business.

Many businesses need structure because they have regular deadlines to meet for their day-to-day activities. In such businesses, a lack of structure could simply lead to chaos so be absolutely clear when setting expectations.

That doesn’t mean some people can’t occasionally work from home or start and finish early to avoid a tiresome commute. Just make sure it doesn’t cause resentment in other team members because clearly resentment is not conducive to a motivated team.

See Also: Motivating Your Team – What To Do (And What To Avoid)

In a nutshell, motivation is all about helping people develop  professionally so they can achieve their full potential in a working environment that has clear expectations.

The post What Managers Should Know About Motivating Their Team appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Buying a home is much more than just making a purchase. Since it’s a big investment, buyers need to be extra picky if they want to get the best deal out of their money. This makes short listing your home for sale a lot more difficult.

If you want to get ahead of the competition, you need to make a big and lasting impression to your potential buyers.

Here is a list that will show you what home buyers want when shopping around for a prospective property.

1. Revamped Kitchen

Most buyers insist on seeing a home’s kitchen first to get a good idea on how much they’ll need to spend on remodeling it. If it looks like it will need more than a few thousand dollars, they’re likely to give it a pass.

Revamping your kitchen doesn’t really mean spending a big chunk of cash. You can invest in low-cost renovations that can include updating its light fixtures, adding a few new countertops, and fresh paint.

2. Updated Bathroom

Buyers consider an updated bathroom as a hint of how well-kept a home is. If it’s dirty and grimy, it will make buyers think that the rest of the house could be in the same condition.

To avoid creating this impression, you can do minor renovations in your bathroom. You can replace any worn out cabinets and faucets with new ones. You can also have it repainted or you can use well-designed and durable wallpapers as a temporary solution.

3. A Cozy Outdoor Space

Buyers prefer homes with good external features. It can mean having a clean outdoor space, a warm patio and a sturdy fence. Cleaning up the area and making sure that there are no overgrown shrubs can also help boost your home’s curb appeal.

4. A Separate Laundry Room

Having a separate laundry room means having a specific place to get your clothes washed, ironed and folded. It helps keep the living room and bedroom free from mess.

If you’re just about to install one at home, it’s a good idea to have it on the first floor of your home for added convenience and ease of access.

5. More Lightings

Exterior lightings can help scare potential intruders and burglars from your home. It can also boost your home’s appeal even after it’s dark.

Aside from your lawn, it can help boost your home’s value if you can increase the amount of natural light that can enter. You can invest in adding a few more windows or use curtains made of very light materials.

6. Well-organized Garage Storage Space

Buyers, particularly those with large families, prefer homes with a lot of storage space. However, unlike having an attic or a basement, keeping an organized garage storage space is more appealing since it’s easily accessible. It can practically be reached within just a few steps from the front door.

7. A Security System

Before a person actually buys a property, he would want to make sure the new neighborhood is safe enough for his family. Adding a security system is one good way to meet this preference. Aside from increasing your home’s potential, it can also boost its value in the market.

See Also: 10 People in Urgent Need of Smart Home Security Systems

In case you don’t have an existing alarm system yet, try to consider a wireless system. It offers the same benefits as a wired system but without the high cost and inconveniences of having wires around at home.

8. A spacious bedroom

People prefer large rooms where they can let their children play around without having to worry about them hitting their heads on the edge of the bed. If you already have a decent-sized bedroom, play it to your advantage and assemble your furniture in a way that would emphasize the room’s layout. Take out any clutter and free as much space as possible.

9. Low Maintenance Features

Young buyers are always on the lookout for homes that aren’t hard to maintain. It can either be because of their busy schedule or they just want a hassle-free time to spend at home.

Adding wood floors, instead of carpets, can make your home relatively easy to clean. Another good idea is to install granite counter tops since they are attractive but low-maintenance.

10. Energy Efficiency

With the increasing cost of electricity, making your home energy efficient can attract a lot of conscious buyers, particularly those who are aiming to go green. Investing in effective insulation can give your potential buyers the assurance of a lower energy requirement to heat or cool the house. Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps can also help lower your electricity consumption.

If you don’t have enough cash to make radical changes at home, you can simply plant shade trees in your lawn or add a few shrubs around the house.

See Also: 15 Budget Worthy Smart Home Improvements

Now that you know what home buyers want when looking around in homes, it’s time to look over your property and make some changes if necessary.

The post 10 Important Home Features That Home Buyers Want appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Ask a voracious reader why he or she makes time out of their busy schedule for reading a book. Have you ever wondered why they even read books?

What’s the importance of reading books for these bibliophiles? What makes those pages attractive to them? You can’t truly experience this feeling unless you have found the right book for you.

But if you are a beginner, here’s why reading books is an awesome thing.

1. Reliable knowledge base

When Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones is asked why he reads so many books, he says, “A mind needs books like a sword needs whetstone.”

Since ages, sages have read millions of books and even written many of them from their experience. The Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible are some of the religious books that have helped humans to establish peace in the world.

Moreover, while the Internet might give you erroneous information, officially published and vetted books are reliable sources of knowledge. Books (especially physical books) are thoroughly researched, cross-examined and edited critically. You can bank on the information given in books.

See Also: 9 Ways Reading Fiction Can Jump Start Your Career

2. Enhances imagination

Watching movies doesn’t enhance your imagination. You are visually served with the characters in the movie and this is where your imagination ends.

In books, a lot is left to the readers’ imaginations. Prominent writers such as Charles Dickens, Bronte sisters, Hardy and others are known for the descriptive portrayal of their characters in the books. You can even draw the portrait of those characters by going through the description provided.

When you continue this practice, your imagination is enhanced and to quote Einstein: Imagination is more important than knowledge.

3. Whole new experience

We become the books we read, says Matthew Kelly. When we hold books in our hand and read them in our mind, we are disconnected from the world. In other words, we go far from the madding crowd.

Living in an imaginary world of books is a set of new experience and everyone should experience this at least once in their lifetime. This experience cannot be stated in words and you should experience this by picking just the right book for you.

4. Genius read books

Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, once shared that he always reads books before going to bed. He is a hard working personality and he manages to make time for reading.

Swami Vivekananda, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela are other strong personalities who changed the world with their thoughts. They are also known to be avid readers.

If you’re a voracious reader of books, you might be changing the world in your own way too.

5. Book readers experience thousands of lives

You can be anything and everything you want if you read books. Whether you want to be Harry Potter or Oliver Twist, you can enjoy or suffer the hardship of any character in the book.

Book readers’ life never gets boring: they live millions of lives. On account of their rich imagination, they can dive deeper into the sea of the people from the story. Be an invisible man or time travel into the future, or you can just visit an ancient period and live your character there.

Be what you want if you are a reader!

6. Free Life Lessons

Books teach lessons. Experience is the most important key to success in life but what books can teach us is valuable to us. We can experience hardships and struggles, joys and pleasure even without actually experiencing it yet. Books teach us life lessons that we can apply in our life.

There is no one who can experience everything in life. It is practically impossible to learn from all mistakes. The best thing is to be prepared for every situation and books help us get ready for them.

7. Importance of self-help books

Self-help books don’t have a rich plot but these books inspire readers. Motivation plays a major role in our success. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill tells you the way how to get rich. The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama and Howard Carter expresses the true happiness. Books by Robin Sharma and Dale Carnegie have transformed the lives of millions.

See Also: How to Massively Increase Your Reading Comprehension

Books help you find the true meaning of your life. They are your companion. Laugh with them. Cry with them. Books will never judge you but books will teach you everything you want to achieve in your life.

Happy reading!

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Did you know that companies have a new way to increase productivity?

The working day used to be very different. A typical one used to be heaving ourselves out of bed after pressing snooze for the fifteenth time, eyes swollen shut with exhaustion, rushing to Starbucks to grab a coffee and chocolate pastry before reaching the office to tackle the mountain of emails which have accumulated between midnight (when we finally put our phone down) and 8am.

And this was the least stressful part of our day. Scoffing lunch at our desks, or worse, forgetting to have lunch, juggling 3 different meetings with phone calls, emails and general everyday tasks, all the while inhaling enough coffee to bring a small animal back from the dead.

Being permanently high on caffeine and frantically replying to all your emails over the course of a 24-hour working day used to be the road to productivity and career success. Raised eyebrows were directed at anyone who actually left work on time and even our commute was an opportunity to dive head-first into our ever-growing to do lists.

However, large tech companies are now beginning to see the unpleasant effects of the ‘work-hard-do-nothing-else’ company culture that was so prevalent. They’ve realised that yes, we may get a lot done, but the high-stress environment affects employees both physically and mentally. More sick days, less employment satisfaction and strained relationships with colleagues were just a few of the side effects that coincide with such a high-pressure atmosphere.

Now, a new method of increasing productivity is emerging — office meditations. It’s based on the notion that a happy employee is a productive employee and, I speak from experience when I say that surviving on caffeine and 4pm Snickers bars is no road to happiness.

Tech giant Google began recognizing the benefits of meditation for employees back in 2011 after a Zen monk visited their Silicon Valley headquarters. The internal course, named Search Inside Yourself, was designed to help employees manage stress and emotions. Greater happiness equals greater productivity which leads to company growth and yes, increased profit.

Google also introduced ‘mindful lunches’ where the only noise during the meal is that of a prayer bell, a far cry from swallowing our Pret chicken wrap whole whilst frantically stabbing at our keyboards with one hand.

See Also: 5 Quick Fixes To Improve Your Mental Health

As usual, Google are onto it. More than 1000 employees have completed their Search Inside Yourself training, Meditation and mindfulness have officially replaced caffeine. They have become the new fuel, with quiet contemplation the key to a successful day.

Other tech giants have getting in on the action. Steve Jobs reportedly allowed employees 30 minutes breaks in the official meditation room and he also provided on-site yoga. Many believe Jobs’ love for meditation actually helped him become so successful.

HBO has also implemented free yoga classes and meditation sessions into their working days. Device free rooms are opening in offices and in France some companies are banning employees from checking or sending emails during the weekend and evenings.

But not everyone has jumped on the meditation bandwagon and, as with any new ‘trend’, there are sceptics. Some believe integrating Buddhist values into our high-pressure, high-speed lifestyles is counterproductive. As Buddhism is traditionally about renouncing material possessions and feeling content with what you have, it seems backward to use it’s techniques in a workplace where employees have targets to meet and must constantly strive to achieve more.

See Also: 6 Tai Chi Benefits That Will Surprise You

Dan Nixon of the Bank of England recently argued that widespread mindfulness meditations could actually effect a growing economy thanks to the ‘less is more’ values that it promotes. It teaches contentment, the opposite to the common view that ‘economics is all about consumption’. Perhaps if everyone becomes content with what they have, businesses will cease to grow at the rate they have been.

Yet taking time to focus on the present or setting aside a moment to relax during our working day doesn’t equate to Buddhism. Whilst the effect employee meditation may have on company growth counters the anti-material Buddhist teachings, the effects of mindfulness meditations on general well-being cannot be denied. Besides, anything is better than that 3pm coffee crash.

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Succeeding in the workplace involves a mix of many different skills but the one you probably forget about is writing. You’d be surprised at how much you’re asked to write in your day to day duties even if you rarely put pen to paper anymore.

Here are 10 tools that will help you improve your business writing skills and put you on the fast track in your profession.

1. Pro Writing Aid

This app is a great editing tool for you. Simply paste your work into it and it will show you an analysis of your writing. Flick through the different pages and it will show different types of errors. This is a great way to improve your writing skills.

See Also: Seven Things You Need to Know About Writing for the Web – Whatever Your Job

2. Email Excellence

Sending an email that people will want to respond to is an art and if this is something you struggle with, you’ll see sales fall. Luckily, this tool has the answer.

There’s a plethora of templates to choose from. Whatever you need, you can pick a template from their collection and write the perfect email.

3. Boom Essays

Writing emails, presentations and proposals can take up a lot of time and effort. If you’re short on time, the last thing you need is to have to sit at your desk and hammer out yet another paper. This service can write it with the information you give them and get it back to you in time for delivery.

4. Scrivener

This is an entire writing package within one program. You can organise, plan, and execute your writing within the same app. It even lets you keep your plans on the same page, so you can check them while you write.

If you’re a fan of the iPad, you can download the app for that machine, too.

5. Readability Test Tool

The most important part of any piece of writing is that it’s easy to read. This tool will give you a score for the readability of your work, based on the average reading age needed to understand it. Because Google gives preference to content that is easy to read, this Readability tool becomes a must to use.

6. Wridea

This is a tool that allows you to mind map and collect ideas all in one place. This way, you’ll never lose an idea again. You can even share them with colleagues, which is perfect if you’re working on a group assignment.

7. Hemingway Editor

If you want to improve your writing, this tool can help. Paste in your work, and the app will instantly highlight all of the issues with your writing.

It is color coded so that each colour of highlighting will show up a different type of issue. This feature helps you see exactly what you need to work on.

8. Verbix

This tool helps you conjugate verbs in a huge array of languages but it’s often very useful even using it in your native English. Ever found yourself stuck for the term for having been hang gliding in the past? This app can tell you what it is.

9. Essayroo

Editing is a good way to learn how your writing needs improving and lets you polish up your work to a high sheen, but sometimes, you simply don’t have the time to do it yourself. This writing service can take in the work you need to be looked over, and then proofread, edit, and rewrite it. Using this service, you’ll have quality writing every time.

10. Stoodle

Want to learn more about improving your writing skills? This site may have the answer. It offers interactive, online classrooms, that allow you to learn at your own pace. You can even save your classes afterwards, letting you revise over them and spend time taking in those new skills. There’s even a community, so you can get in touch with others who are looking to do the same as you.

See Also: How to Organize Your Writing Workplace for Better Productivity

These are just 10 tools that will help you improve your writing skills. There are hundreds more online if you’ve caught the bug to learn more.

Try these out for yourself, and you’ll see that your skills will improve drastically. Now get out there and get ahead in your career!

The post 10 Tools To Improve Your Business Writing Skills and Grow In Your Career appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Do you suffer from back pain? Do you want to avoid back injuries?

Here are some tips to help you avoid and prevent back injuries in the workplace.

1. Lift Wisely

If you’ve got to lift heavy objects at work, then it’s important to do so wisely. Warm up and stretch your muscles beforehand if possible.

Let your arms and legs do most of the work rather than forcing your back to support the weight. Bend at the knees, rather than bending your spine, and avoid moving with quick or jerky movements. Smooth, fluid actions are much safer, and it’s best to go slow rather than hurrying yourself.

If you can, carry the object between waist and shoulder level. Holding things at this level helps you keep strain off of your back and shoulders. Avoid twisting around while you’re holding something heavy, and try to keep your shoulders and hips aligned.

2. Test Before Committing

Lifting is one of the main low back pain causes. Before you grab a hefty object, take a moment to make sure you’ll be able to handle the task.

Do you know how heavy the object is? Don’t assume–this is one area where surprises aren’t welcome.

Check to ensure that you’ll be able to safely grip the load, that it’s balanced well, and that you know where you’ll be able to set it down. If you have to carry the object somewhere else, make sure you know where to go and double-check to see that your path is clear and free of any tripping hazards.

3. Use Equipment Properly

Taking advantage of the equipment available is important. Take the time to get a dolley or forklift when something is too large or too heavy for you to manage manually. If these tools aren’t available, find another person (or multiple people) to help you out.

If you have to lift something off of or onto a high shelf, use a ladder. Arching your back or lifting something heavy above your head is not wise, and can easily lead to injuries in your back or shoulders. Upper back pain causes many problems, so do your best to avoid this.

4. Wear Supportive Shoes

Causes of back pain sometimes include poor footwear choices. If you’re going to be standing or walking, make sure you’ve got shoes which are suitable for your activities.

Sandals and flip-flops don’t offer much in the way of support, so they aren’t good choices. High heels are also bad for your back, and shouldn’t be worn any longer than is necessary. Shoes with heels less than an inch and a half are best, and they should also have support and shock absorption to help keep your back from pain.

5. Watch Your Posture

Whether you’re standing or sitting at work, it’s important to have good posture. Balance your weight evenly when standing, and don’t slouch.

Do you experience back pain when sitting? This can be caused by an uneven surface, so if you’re sitting down for an extended amount of time you should empty your back pockets. Find a chair which supports your back, and adjust it so that your feet can rest flat on the floor.

See Also: 6 Tai Chi Benefits That Will Surprise You

6. Stay Healthy

Obesity, illness, and a poor physical condition are all elements which can contribute to back pain as well as make you far more susceptible to injury. Eat a diet with plenty of calcium and vitamin D to help keep your bones from becoming weak and brittle. Exercises that increase your balance and stability, as well as exercises which increase your strength, are helpful as well.

Smoking can contribute to back pain, so quitting can help. Constant coughing can lead to back pain, and the habit also reduces blood flow to your lower back. This can cause injuries to heal more slowly.

Following these tips won’t guarantee a lack of injury, but they can greatly reduce your risk. Taking care of your body and being wise while working is important.

See Also: Five Simple Ways To Beat Low Back Pain

If your workplace prevents you from exercising proper caution and you get injured, it’s wise to seek the help and advice of injury compensation lawyers. You shouldn’t have to suffer due to the carelessness of others.

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