The following are some ways you can communicate with power verbally:

Stick to the point

Powerful communication is not about saying as many things as you can in a given period of time. Rather, it is about sticking to what is relevant to the discussion, and getting your message across in the shortest — but most impact-laden — way possible. Get rid of fillers like “uhm…”, “you know”, or “actually” in your delivery, and avoid off-topic statements. Just provide the bare bones — the ideas your audience would be most interested in knowing, or the ones that promote your intentions best.

Don’t be too casual

Note that phrasing appropriate when talking with friends is not necessarily appropriate for business-related meets. The use of slang, street talk, and poor grammar can detract from your credibility, especially if you’re mingling with potential clients, employers, and business partners. Events that require you to come across as impressive may require the use of industry-specific jargon and a formal tone — so adjust accordingly.

Emphasize key ideas

Stress the highlights of your communication. For example, people who are delivering a sales pitch should emphasize the main features of their product or service. Those who are presenting their opinion on an issue should explain the crux of their arguments, and build from there. Even if you’re merely expressing interest or congratulations, make sure the person you’re talking to would remember what you have to say. Emphasis in verbal communication comes in many ways, including repetition of key points, giving specific examples, accenting particular adjectives or nouns, or even directly saying that “this is really a point I want to emphasize.”

Tailor-fit your communication to your audience

A powerful communication is one that connects with one’s audience. In this case, minding the readiness, attention, age, and educational level of your audience is very important, so that you don’t overwhelm or underwhelm them. Social skills are primarily about flexibility; the better you can adjust to changes in your audience profile, the better off you’ll be.

Connect

Power in communication is sometimes determined by the quality of your rapport with others. You may need to “warm up” your audience, make them comfortable, and show them that you sincerely want to talk with them. The more others see you as “one of them”, the better their reception of anything that you have to say will be. Your non-verbal communication can be a big help in connecting with others.

The post Communicating with Power appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Setting Up a Home Office

It is important to set up the home office properly in the beginning. A poor work environment will only harm productivity. So, make sure that you are comfortable and have all of the tools that you need to do your job well.

The Set Up:

• Location: Choose a separate room or a location that is out of the way. This will help prevent distractions and create a professional work environment. You also need to make sure that it is well lit.
• Equipment: Make sure that your equipment is functional and that you have everything you need.
• Clear out the office: Remove items from the office that are not work related. It is not a storage shed.
• Organize: Organize supplies so that they are accessible, easy to use, and functional.
• Make it a workspace: Limit the office use for work. It is not a play area.

Setting Boundaries

It is difficult to establish boundaries in a home office; people do not view a home the same way they see the work office. Because you do not have company policies to prevent distractions, you need to create your own boundaries. You can base these boundaries on the rules and boundaries of your old workplace. For example, do not take personal calls while you are working. Just like other boundaries, expect people to challenge them. You must stick to your boundaries, however, in order to be effective at your job and keep your work life in balance.

Dealing with Distractions

It is easy to become distracted while working from home. There is no one to supervise, and your family can easily forget that you are working. Fortunately, a few safeguards will help you avoid distractions.

Avoiding Distractions:

Limit access: Ask your family to stay out of the office while you are working. Family, children especially, can be very distracting.

Use a timer: Schedule breaks for activities like social networking. Do not constantly surf the internet.

Turn off the television: Even if you need a television for work, it does not have to be on all the time. Turn it off to avoid distractions.

Set aside time to talk on the phone: You cannot allow yourself to be distracted by every phone call.

Make a Schedule and Stick to It

Working from home gives you the chance to create your own schedule, but you do need to create it. If not, you will have trouble accomplishing tasks on time. Most people find a schedule that sets tasks for each hour helpful, but you may use any format or time block you like.

Example:

8:00 am – Breakfast

8:30 am – Return emails

9:00 am – Call clients

10:00 am – Research

No matter how you create your schedule, you must stick with it. It is too easy ignoring your schedule when no one is monitoring your performance.

The post Working from a Home Office appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Simply put, soft skills are the personal attributes that allows us to effectively relate to others. These skills enhance our personal interactions and lead to greater job performance and satisfaction. Unlike hard skills, which are the technical and knowledge skill set we bring to our work, soft skills are interpersonal and can be applied in a broad array of situations.  Soft skills encompass both personality traits, such as optimism, and abilities which can be practiced, such as empathy. Like all skills, soft skills can be learned.

Definition of Soft Skills

Soft skills are personal attributes that allow us to effectively relate to others. Applying these skills helps us build stronger work relationships, work more productively, and maximize our career prospects. Often, we place the focus of our career development efforts on hard skills – technology skills, knowledge, and other skills that specifically relate to our ability to get work-related tasks done. This means we neglect to develop our soft skills. However, soft skills are directly transferrable to any job, organization, or industry. As a result, they are an investment worth making.

Soft skills include:

• Communication
• Listening
• Showing Empathy
• Networking
• Self-confidence
• Giving and receiving feedback

Learned vs. Inborn Traits

Because soft skills are talked about as traits of a person’s personality, it may seem as though you have to born with them. While some soft skills come more easily to one person than they might to another, soft skills are not inborn. Like all skills, they can be learned. Because we all have our own preferences and ways of moving through the world, some soft skills may be more difficult to learn than others. But if we think back, there are also aspects of our hard skill set that were difficult at first, though they now seem to come quite naturally to us.

How can we develop soft skills?

We develop soft skills in the same way we develop hard skills – we practice. Spending time with people who seem to be able to effortlessly demonstrate a soft skill that you find challenging is one way to build your soft skill set. Another way is to seek opportunities to practice in which the risk of failure is low, until you feel confident in your ability. You don’t have to be born a networker or an empathetic person – you can learn and build these skills throughout your career.

The post Why soft skills can increase your employability appeared first on Bridge Business College.

An Introduction to Kouzes and Posner

James Kouzes and Barry Posner asked thousands of people to rank list of characteristics associated with leadership, including the seven top qualities that motivated them to follow willingly. They gave this survey to over 75,000 people over a 20-year period.

In their book, The Leadership Challenge, the authors identified five abilities that were crucial to successful leadership:

• Model the Way: You must lead by example. You can’t come into work 10 minutes late every day if you want your employees to arrive on time.

• Inspire a Shared Vision: If you capture the imagination, you will inspire creative thought and increase loyalty. The vision doesn’t need to be grandiose, but it needs to be communicated effectively for others to adopt it as one of their own.

• Challenge the Process: Don’t continue doing something just because “We’ve always done it that way.” Situations change, and sometimes a policy or procedure never worked well in the first place. Think outside the box.
• Enable Others to Act: Truly empower people to act on their own within their level of authority. The famed Ritz-Carlton hotel empowers every employee at all levels to spend up to $1000 on behalf of a guest (who is informed reimbursement will be required for whatever request they make).
• Encourage the Heart: A positive attitude is infectious. If the leader appears passionate or excited about the vision, others will catch the enthusiasm as well.

A Personal Inventory

The results of the Kouzes/Posner study, with the most important quality at the top:

Interested in the leadership topic? Get qualified with Certificate IV in Leadership and Management or Diploma of Leadership and Management at Bridge Business College.

The post The Leadership Challenge   appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Networking is more than just a buzzword. Taking the time to network and build relationships is an important soft skill. Networking helps you create connections with others, which expands your circle of learning and support. Networking is more than meeting people or connecting with them on the internet. It involves building mutually beneficial links where you can learn from and benefit from each other and the relationship.

Redefine Need – what you bring to the table

When many people think of networking, they think of in terms of what they need or what they can get from the networking relationship. Networking can be more beneficial if we instead think of what we can give in our networking relationships. Think about what you have to offer people instead only of what you need from them. When you think in terms of what you can offer as well as what you need from others, it expands your network. You begin to seek out people to whom you can offer yourself, your expertise, and talents rather than just those who have something to offer you. Seeing yourself as someone with much to offer also helps to boost your self-confidence.

Identifying Others’ Interests

When you network with others, it’s crucial to identify others’ interests. This helps you identify common interests and goals, as well as areas in which you can offer of yourself. When you meet a new person, ask about his or her goals and interests. Ask yourself how they mesh with your own goals and interests.

• How do they line up with the goals and interests of your organization?
• How can you integrate your interests with others to find common ground?
• What common goals do you have?
• What can you offer of yourself to help others reach their goals?
• How can they help you reach your goals?

Focusing on ways in which your goals and interests integrate with others’ helps create a strong, powerful network that goes beyond simple friendship.

Reach Out

To be able to network, you have to reach out. There are many ways to do this, both online and in person. One of the easiest ways to reach out is to join professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn, and look for people in your industry or who share your interest. Join groups, both online and in person – professional groups and associations, groups which promote skills you want to develop (such as Toastmasters) and groups that work for causes you value are all good choices.  No matter what you choose as a method of meeting people, the important part of networking is to talk to people. Approach people and start a conversation, and cultivate a presence that makes you approachable. Be responsive when people contact you via email or phone. Make time in your schedule each week to work on networking – schedule it as you would any other important task. Use your soft skills – listening actively, projecting self-confidence, build others up, as you network.

When to Back Off

As important as knowing how and when to reach out is knowing when to back off. If it becomes clear that the person you are trying to connect with is not responding, it is time to move on. The last thing you want is for someone to feel pursued. Be willing to back off if a person appears to be trying to distance him or herself. Also, be aware of being too self-promoting, this can be off putting. Know that you have much to offer to others and that someone not wanting to build a networking relationship with you is not a reflection of your worth as a person.

Enroll to any of the Bridge Business College Courses and gain access to LinkedIn Learning video contents, publish your successful completion certificates on your LinkedIn profile and network with people interested in your skills.

The post Power of Networking appeared first on Bridge Business College.

The post Leadership and Influence appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Introspection – What inspires you?

Introspection is the process of self-examination, which helps people understand what inspires them. Introspective individuals are in tune with their feelings, thoughts, and what motivates their behavior. The art of introspection requires people to take the time to question what they want and how they feel, which is easy to overlook in today’s fast paced society. Activities such as journaling and meditation will help facilitate the process of introspection. Once people become aware of their thoughts and feelings, they will be in a better position to increase their creativity and achieve their goals.

Read More to Feel Inspired

Reading stimulates thinking and is an important tool to improve creativity. When choosing reading material, be sure to include fictional works because they engage the imagination. Look for stories that you find inspirational, and carve out the time to read them. Begin your reading regime by setting realistic goals. If goals are not realistic, you will not read more. You do not need to carve out hours of reading time. Simply set aside 15 minutes a day to read and find your inspiration.

Remove the Mental Block

Everyone faces mental blocks from time to time. These blocks will prevent focusing, finding answers to problems, discovering inspiration, and achieving goals. Overcoming mental blocks is difficult but it can be done. If you find yourself blocked, stop and refocus by doing something distracting. Consider the following techniques to refocus and overcome the mental blocks:
• A change of scenery (someplace relaxing or inspirational)
• Meditate
• Read
• Busy work
• Exercise

Art Inspires Art

Art is inspirational, and throwing yourself into art will inspire your own creativity. Simply exposing yourself to random art is not enough to inspire you. You must find the art that speaks to you. Whether you choose photography, sculpture, painting, dance, theater, music, or computer graphics, there is something to inspire everyone. The art that inspires you does not need to be directly connected to what you do; it simply needs to be inspiring. Once you find the art forms that inspire you, immerse yourself in them. Listen to an inspirational song on the way to work or flip through pictures during lunch breaks. Taking the time to immerse yourself in art will help you find the inspiration that you need to think creatively.

The post Inspiration drives creativity appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Choosing Your Vision

What do you want to accomplish, and what do you need to do to get there? Determine attainable goals and focus on them. King Arthur sought the Holy Grail. Lewis and Clark mapped much of the United States. NASA took us to the moon. What is your vision?

Your vision will provide a sense of direction for you and your followers. In the military, focus is on “the mission.” Whatever the mission is, everyone is dedicated to it. Let your vision be like a lighthouse on a hill, guiding ships to safety and warning them away from the rocks.  

Communicating Your Vision

Communication is more than just the words you say or the memos you write. Remember, actions speak louder than words. Take every opportunity to communicate your vision in words and deeds. One of the best ways to communicate a vision is to sum it up in a simple catch phrase.

Post your slogan, catch phrase and mission statement in prominent locations. When you send out emails, list it in quotes below your signature block. Hold meetings occasionally or hand out “Visionary Awards” to people who exemplify your vision. Above all, lead by example.

Identifying the Benefit for Others

Answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” as if you were one of your own followers. The answer might not always be obvious. Certainly, performance bonuses and awards work, but most followers enjoy being part of a larger, successful organization. Everyone loves a winner. When the home team wins at the stadium, you would think the fans in the stand were the players by the way they share in the victory and excitement.

We are social creatures who like to feel like we belong. We crave acceptance. If you can get your followers to accept your vision as their own, and excite them about being part of it, they will often excel beyond what you (or they) thought possible. Be sure to reward loyalty and performance above and beyond the call of duty.

To learn more on the leadership topic, take Enterprise skills course Leadership and Influence.

The post Leaders Inspire a Shared Vision appeared first on Bridge Business College.

This blog will explore the STAR acronym in conjunction with the six roots of open questions:

• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• How?

S = Situation

First, state what the situation is. Try to make this no longer than one sentence. If you are having trouble, ask yourself, “Where?”, “Who?”, and, “When?”. This will provide a base for message so it can be clear and concise.

Example: “On Tuesday, I was in a director’s meeting at the main plant.”

T = Task

Next, briefly state what your task was. Again, this should be no longer than one sentence. Use the question, “What?” to frame your sentence, and add the “Why?” if appropriate.

Example: “I was asked to present last year’s sales figures to the group.”

A = Action

Now, state what you did to resolve the problem in one sentence. Use the question, “How?” to frame this part of the statement. The Action part will provide a solid description and state the precise actions that will resolve any issues.

Example: “I pulled out my laptop, fired up PowerPoint, and presented my slide show.”

R = Result

Last, state what the result was. This will often use a combination of the six roots. Again, a precise short description of the results that come about from your previous steps will finish on a strong definite note.

Example: “Everyone was wowed by my prep work, and by our great figures!”

There you go, now you can speak like a STAR!

The post Speaking Like a STAR appeared first on Bridge Business College.

Exercise

Everyone knows that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is also a key aspect to managing stress. Exercise affects people mentally as well as physically. It produces endorphins that will improve your mood and prevent depression. In order to reap the benefits of exercise, however, you must be consistent with it.

Tips for Success:

• Choose an exercise you enjoy: You will not repeat an activity that you hate doing.
• Start slowly: If you over do it, you will simply become tired and discouraged.
• Schedule it: Exercise must be a priority or you will never get to it.

Eating Well

Diet has a strong impact on our emotions and the way that we handle stress. Eating well is an important factor in stress management. Unfortunately, our bodies crave fatty, salty foods in times of stress. Rather than giving in to fast food cravings, focus on getting healthy.

Tips:

Avoid sugar and caffeine: Their highs may give you more energy, but once you crash, you are left more exhausted than before.

Focus on nutrition: Be sure to include whole grains, lean protein, and leafy green in your diet.

Eat frequently: Increase your focus by eating small healthy snacks throughout the day. This will balance blood sugar and increase energy.

Getting Enough Sleep

Many people are sleep deprived. Experts recommend sleeping between seven and nine hours a night. Sleep deprivation increases stress, weakens the immune system, and raises the risk of having an accident. Given the important role that sleeps plays in physical and mental health, it only makes sense to do everything in your power to improve sleep.

Ways to Improve Sleep

Avoid electronics before bed: Studies show that the light of the television, phone, or computer may make falling asleep difficult.

Relax: Unwind with a relaxing routine before bed.

Exercise: Exercise will make it easier to fall asleep.

Have a bedtime: A regular bedtime will train your body’s internal clock and help you fall asleep.

The post 3 Best Tips to Reduce Stress appeared first on Bridge Business College.