Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Involve Customers in Product Creation
NOVEMBER 24, 2010
The best way to get your customers excited by your product or service is to involve them in creating it. Instead of offering them what you think they need, ask them to help you design what they want. If you are a consultant, design the project with your clients, not for them. Leverage their deep knowledge about the company culture and personality. If you are in the business of selling products, hold an online contest to bring customer design ideas to the table. Customers who have a stake in the development process are far more likely to feel pride of ownership and be happy with the end product.
The best way to get your customers excited by your product or service is to involve them in creating it. Instead of offering them what you think they need, ask them to help you design what they want. If you are a consultant, design the project with your clients, not for them. Leverage their deep knowledge about the company culture and personality. If you are in the business of selling products, hold an online contest to bring customer design ideas to the table. Customers who have a stake in the development process are far more likely to feel pride of ownership and be happy with the end product.
Monday, November 22, 2010
2 Ways to Make the Most of a Crisis
Spectacular feats seem to happen in a crisis: people step up, productivity increases, and politics and red tape take a back seat. Unfortunately, this type of energy can't be sustained once the crisis dissipates. But, there are important lessons to take from this elevated mode of operation. Next time your organization has an emergency, do these two things:
1. Hold a post-crisis clinic. Ask everyone who was involved in the response what happened differently and why. Help people identify the new ways of working they adapted.
2. Focus the energy on a critical initiative. Ask people to apply the energy and dedication they mustered in the crisis to a stretch goal that you want to achieve in 100 days or less. This will help you determine which new ways of working are sustainable and can be integrated into a more routine way of doing business.
1. Hold a post-crisis clinic. Ask everyone who was involved in the response what happened differently and why. Help people identify the new ways of working they adapted.
2. Focus the energy on a critical initiative. Ask people to apply the energy and dedication they mustered in the crisis to a stretch goal that you want to achieve in 100 days or less. This will help you determine which new ways of working are sustainable and can be integrated into a more routine way of doing business.
Friday, November 19, 2010
New Guerrilla Job Search tip, called ... Stop Networking and Start Helping to Get Working
This tip involves the most-connected people in your network, who are called "hubs."
They can help you make connections that lead to a new job. But only if you help them first.
Here's how ...
It's simple: Ask a "hub" what their needs are and you can create a valuable bond with that person.
Deliver a connection or a bit of your expertise that helps a hub, and you've got a personal fan who can help you get hired faster!
Ask questions like these to the "hubs" in your network:
1. What 2 things do you need in the next 60 days?
2. What types of people do you want to meet?
3. What are two challenges are you facing? Who could help you resolve them?
In other words, "help a hub" to get more job leads faster.
This is a new take on the old adage, "give first to get later."
And it works!
Because far too many people think networking means sending an email to the first 10 names in Outlook and asking "Know anyone who's hiring?"
That's NOT networking.
That doesn't work.
Don't do that.
In fact, I hate the word networking.
It's got too many negative connotations, like "dieting" or "exercise."
So, for the rest of today, replace the word "networking" in your mind with something else.
Something more inviting ... like, "talking to 3 more people," or "meeting 2 new friends." Try that thought experiment and see where it leads you. It could lead to a new job! Especially now, during the holidays, when most job seekers scale back on their efforts.
Until next time ...
David Perry and Kevin Donlin
Co-Directors, Guerrilla Job Search International
They can help you make connections that lead to a new job. But only if you help them first.
Here's how ...
It's simple: Ask a "hub" what their needs are and you can create a valuable bond with that person.
Deliver a connection or a bit of your expertise that helps a hub, and you've got a personal fan who can help you get hired faster!
Ask questions like these to the "hubs" in your network:
1. What 2 things do you need in the next 60 days?
2. What types of people do you want to meet?
3. What are two challenges are you facing? Who could help you resolve them?
In other words, "help a hub" to get more job leads faster.
This is a new take on the old adage, "give first to get later."
And it works!
Because far too many people think networking means sending an email to the first 10 names in Outlook and asking "Know anyone who's hiring?"
That's NOT networking.
That doesn't work.
Don't do that.
In fact, I hate the word networking.
It's got too many negative connotations, like "dieting" or "exercise."
So, for the rest of today, replace the word "networking" in your mind with something else.
Something more inviting ... like, "talking to 3 more people," or "meeting 2 new friends." Try that thought experiment and see where it leads you. It could lead to a new job! Especially now, during the holidays, when most job seekers scale back on their efforts.
Until next time ...
David Perry and Kevin Donlin
Co-Directors, Guerrilla Job Search International
Thursday, November 18, 2010
3 Ways to Make the Most of Your Company's Social Platform
More and more companies are introducing social networking tools to help employees connect. However, these should not be considered "work versions" of Facebook or Twitter. These platforms are intended to support your work, not give you a place to post pictures of your poodle. Here are three ways to make good use of these tools to advance your work:
1. Narrate your work. Talk about your current projects: where you are, what you're struggling with, and what you're producing. This will help others who may be doing similar work find you.
2. Ask questions. There is often collective wisdom out there. If you're stuck, ask the crowd to help you out.
3. Talk about social stuff. If your company softball team won last night's game, put it out there. Socializing is an important part of work and these tools are perfect for supporting it. You may want to dedicate a specific part of the platform to socializing, however, so people can avoid it if they want to.
Harvard Business Review Blog Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Do's and Don'ts for Your Work's Social Platforms" by Andrew McAfee.
1. Narrate your work. Talk about your current projects: where you are, what you're struggling with, and what you're producing. This will help others who may be doing similar work find you.
2. Ask questions. There is often collective wisdom out there. If you're stuck, ask the crowd to help you out.
3. Talk about social stuff. If your company softball team won last night's game, put it out there. Socializing is an important part of work and these tools are perfect for supporting it. You may want to dedicate a specific part of the platform to socializing, however, so people can avoid it if they want to.
Harvard Business Review Blog Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Do's and Don'ts for Your Work's Social Platforms" by Andrew McAfee.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
St. Hubert's Job & Networking Ministry Digest Number 4363 - Inbox - Yahoo! Mail
St. Hubert's Job & Networking Ministry Digest Number 4363 - Inbox - Yahoo! Mail: "Golden Corridor Manufacturing Open House
Thursday, November 18, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Fanuc Robotics
1800 Lakewood Blvd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Discover career and job opportunities in the Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg
industrial sector by attending an Open House at the world's largest
producer of Industiral Robotics - Fanuc. Hear from the President of the
world's largest Precision Toolmaker - DMG/Mori Seiki. This is a great
opportunity to see live robot demostrations, get close up and program
the robots, meet with representatives from Harper, ECC, NIU and Illinois
workNet. You will also network and meet with community college and
university graduates employed in the manufacturing field.
Please register by email to mfrank@ci.schaumbur g.il.us
for a chance to win an IPOD Apple
TV.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Thursday, November 18, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Fanuc Robotics
1800 Lakewood Blvd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Discover career and job opportunities in the Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg
industrial sector by attending an Open House at the world's largest
producer of Industiral Robotics - Fanuc. Hear from the President of the
world's largest Precision Toolmaker - DMG/Mori Seiki. This is a great
opportunity to see live robot demostrations, get close up and program
the robots, meet with representatives from Harper, ECC, NIU and Illinois
workNet. You will also network and meet with community college and
university graduates employed in the manufacturing field.
Please register by email to mfrank@ci.schaumbur g.il.us
for a chance to win an IPOD Apple
TV.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Golden Corridor Manufacturing Open House
Golden Corridor Manufacturing Open House
Thursday, November 18, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Fanuc Robotics
1800 Lakewood Blvd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Discover career and job opportunities in the Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg
industrial sector by attending an Open House at the world's largest
producer of Industiral Robotics - Fanuc. Hear from the President of the
world's largest Precision Toolmaker - DMG/Mori Seiki. This is a great
opportunity to see live robot demostrations, get close up and program
the robots, meet with representatives from Harper, ECC, NIU and Illinois
workNet. You will also network and meet with community college and
university graduates employed in the manufacturing field.
Please register by email to mfrank@ci.schaumbur g.il.us
for a chance to win an IPOD Apple
TV.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Fanuc Robotics
1800 Lakewood Blvd.
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Discover career and job opportunities in the Hoffman Estates/Schaumburg
industrial sector by attending an Open House at the world's largest
producer of Industiral Robotics - Fanuc. Hear from the President of the
world's largest Precision Toolmaker - DMG/Mori Seiki. This is a great
opportunity to see live robot demostrations, get close up and program
the robots, meet with representatives from Harper, ECC, NIU and Illinois
workNet. You will also network and meet with community college and
university graduates employed in the manufacturing field.
Please register by email to mfrank@ci.schaumbur g.il.us
TV.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Steer Clear of One-Size-Fits-All Management
NOVEMBER 8, 2010
Steer Clear of One-Size-Fits-All Management
When the job market picks up, the first to leave are often a company's most valuable employees. Unfortunately, you may be inadvertently encouraging these future leaders to say their goodbyes by treating them as cogs in a wheel rather than the individuals that they are. Instead of managing everyone the same way, do these two things to manage your stars person-to-person:
1. Customize the position. Know what each employee's strengths, weaknesses, and preferences are. If your star performer doesn't want to manage people, don't make her do it. If she hates to travel, don't put her into a sales job with a large territory.
2. Customize the rewards. Employees want different perks. A parent may want flex time while an ambitious, recent college grad may be looking for outside training or a mentor. Give people what they want, not what upper management has decided is best for them to have.
Steer Clear of One-Size-Fits-All Management
When the job market picks up, the first to leave are often a company's most valuable employees. Unfortunately, you may be inadvertently encouraging these future leaders to say their goodbyes by treating them as cogs in a wheel rather than the individuals that they are. Instead of managing everyone the same way, do these two things to manage your stars person-to-person:
1. Customize the position. Know what each employee's strengths, weaknesses, and preferences are. If your star performer doesn't want to manage people, don't make her do it. If she hates to travel, don't put her into a sales job with a large territory.
2. Customize the rewards. Employees want different perks. A parent may want flex time while an ambitious, recent college grad may be looking for outside training or a mentor. Give people what they want, not what upper management has decided is best for them to have.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
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