TIPS: Are you ready to be a manager?

By NISHA T. NAIDU
editor@mystarjob.com

Who wouldn’t want a suave office, a fatter pay check, and more decision-making power?

While the big bump up the rungs of a steep career ladder might promise you all the above, the job of managing people and being key decision-maker is no walk in the park. The transition to the role is even more challenging.

The prospects can be intimidating enough for anyone to start doubting themselves. But challenges aside, being in a managerial role can be very rewarding once you’ve gotten the hang of it.

So, whether you are about to get that promotion, are pondering about your career pathway, or would like to prepare yourself for the future, here’s how you would know if you’re ready for the big responsibility of being in management.

You know how to let go

As a manager, your job is to deal with the bigger picture. You won’t have to deal with those tedious daily to-do tasks anymore.

The great challenge here is to let go of these responsibilities you once used to carry out on a regular basis. This means no micromanaging, and instead doing all it takes to focus and move your team toward a common overall mission.

You’re prepared to take responsibilities

Your job can be pretty sweet when you make the right decisions and the right moves. Likewise, it can get pretty ugly when you don’t. Being in a managerial position means a heavier weightage is put on your decisions, which would lead to bigger rewards but also bigger consequences.

Besides that stress, you now are also responsible for not just yourself, but for your team too. Any screw ups within your team will come directly to you to solve. Are you ready for all these responsibilities?

You have realistic expectations

As a leader, you have to be realistic in your expectations for yourself and your team. Set goals that are challenging yet achievable. Take on projects that align to your organisation’s goals. Say no to suggestions and proposals that don’t, even if they are good ideas.

Being realistic with your time expectations can save you time, stress, and drastically heighten your team’s quality of work.

Looking for the next big thing? Register and browse for job opportunities here

You know how to motivate and inspire

To get your job done in the most efficient way possible, you need to have a motivated team. This goes beyond dishing out instruction after instruction.

You know that in order to have a high-functioning team, you’ll need to exercise patience in coaching and guiding each of them. You’ll need to know each member of your team well enough to know what makes them tick, and leverage that to optimise your team’s performance.

You’ll need to communicate the vision that you have for your team, and the whys and hows of the matter. You’ll need to inspire.

You don’t let perfectionism get in the way

Yes, you want the job to be done well, but perfection is not always necessary, and often is time-consuming and stress-inducing. You specify the end result and let your team mates be in charge of execution.

The end result may not be as ‘perfect’ as it would have been if you did it yourself, but you know that perfection is sometimes subjective and in the end, the job is completed. Controlling every aspect of the task would mean micromanaging – which is a big managerial no-no.

You are idealistic

But not overly idealistic, in a pain-in-the-neck kind of way. You are clear about what is right and wrong, and you try your best to keep by your principles.

You are now the role model to your team, and you set the example of what goes and what doesn’t. Furthermore you realise that should you falter from your pedestal, the consequences can be quite dire for employee morale.

You are great with people

Great people skills are a hallmark of a great manager. You’ll need to have the ability to connect with others, especially your team, on a daily basis. This goes way deeper than simply giving out instructions to your team mates. Sometimes, you’ll need to let a little of your personal side show to your team, no matter how introverted you are.

As a leader, you would also have to face the prospect of being an advisor to your team mates, even on personal matters. You recognise that your compassion will gain you your team’s trust and respect not just as a leader, but as a human being.

You don’t let your position get to you

You don’t think of yourself as above the rest. Sure, your remarkable skills and talent may have got you to where you are now, but nobody likes a pompous leader. You know how to talk to your employees on their level while still commanding the respect that you deserve.

This helps you in forging a strong bond between you and your team, and makes you the go-to person for your team, thus reinforcing your position as a good leader.

You are not threatened by conflict

Part of being a leader is handling conflicts effectively. You understand that human emotions are bound to clash at the workplace, and that it is not the end of the world.

You are fair and just

Speaking of conflict, no matter how close or distant you are from your colleagues and team mates, you know that when handling conflict, you need to make a decision that is fair and just.

You will need to be able to step out of your own emotions and look at a situation objectively. In other words, you know how to separate logical thinking from your emotions.

Feeling confident? Getting intimidated?

Fear not, as no one goes into a managerial role knowing exactly how to carry themselves. The important part is to take every victory and mistake as a learning process towards your constant effort of self-improvement. All the best!

Tips for job selection

In my job, I speak to executives everyday about their career goals and objectives. Building a career has never been more complex. Even managers and executives, who have spent more years in a job than most, change positions about every six years. If you're among this group, you'll face several potential forks in your career path and will likely need a new roadmap each time.

It takes on average six to 12 months to find a senior-level executive position if you're thinking of making a switch. That's a lot of time to waste if you set off in the wrong direction.

This could be a waste of time if it's completely wrong for you

Knowing your strengths, as well as what matters most to you at this stage of your career, will bring focus and clarity to your job search. In a competitive and turbulent job market, flexibility and creativity are essential to success. A sophisticated understanding of your professional skills and personal attributes allows you to be more imaginative about how and when they can be applied.

A good first step is a career audit. For every job in your past, make a list of what you liked and disliked most about your role and the work environment. What “non-negotiable” criteria are you looking for now? Creating a list of companies you respect might help narrow the scope of the job search.

Being clear about your “must-have” career criteria such as responsibilities, company culture, work-life balance as well as staying up-to-date on the latest industry and hiring trends, will make it more likely that every job will contribute to a positive career progression.

Next, take the time to understand the motivations behind your earlier choices and what inspires you now. Korn/Ferry utilises an online assessment tool called CareerView that divides professional decisions into four themes: experts, competitors, learners and entrepreneurs. Ask yourself which of these sounds most like you:

1. Experts: Generally stick with one field and often one employer and focus on deepening their knowledge and skills. They are motivated to become sought-after specialists. If you fall into this group, explore mentoring future leaders or becoming a thought leader by writing or speaking on your area of expertise.

2. Competitors: Are driven to gain influence and responsibility. They may frequently switch companies, functions, or even careers purely for more pay or a more impressive title. While it is admirable to seek advancement, it takes time and a wide range of experiences to become a mature leader capable of handling complex roles. If you are motivated by upward mobility, be honest with prospective employers about your intentions and realistic about your abilities.

3. Learners: Are curious and attracted to trying new things. They select a field and then move every five to seven years into an area that uses their previously acquired skills and knowledge in a new way. If you fall into this category, look for organisations where you will easily be able to change departments, participate in company sponsored training, travel, or contribute to new projects every few years.

4. Entrepreneurs: Seek the new and novel. They typically move into new fields every two to four years. If you are a natural-born entrepreneur, but want to work for a corporation, you will do best in a start-up or company with a progressive and even unconventional culture.

Which one are you?

Alternatively, you may thrive in roles where your job is to build a department from scratch or launch a major new initiative.

As you go about your job search, solicit feedback from as many people as possible to get objective views of your strengths. Write out your “personal brand proposition” and a detailed description of your dream job. It is then essential to begin practicing a 30-second to three-minute verbal “pitch” that encapsulates your personal brand.

Even if you believe you have effectively promoted yourself throughout your career, never miss an opportunity to practice selling yourself, whether you are actively looking for a job or not. Doing so may lead you to discover new ways of positioning yourself and also helps you to clearly define and attract what you ultimately want and give you feedback on areas where your approach may not resonate.

A job search can be stressful, but the first step is always the same. Take control explore not only new companies or industries, but your own interests and attributes. Hone your own personal brand, outline your work-related desires and seek out the position that is right for you. A healthy dose of introspection lays a strong foundation for marketing yourself with confidence. Good luck!

Reza Ghazali, managing director of Korn/Ferry International in Malaysia, believes that cultivating strong leadership and talent is the key to unlocking an organisation's success. Article extracted from Talking HR, Star Business.

@http://mystarjob.com/

Red Ocean VS Blue Ocean Strategy

Great Leadership in the company.. are YOU

Menjadi Seorang PEMBERI

Saya amat tertarik dengan buku MUKMIN PROFESIONAL karangan Ustaz Fahrol Mohd Juoi yang antaranya.. di antara karakter untuk menjadi MUKMIN yang Profesional adalah jadilah seorang PEMBERI.

Sungguh dalam sekali maksudnya. Mula-mula kita dibawa mengenali sifat Allah swt iaitu AL WAHHAB.. yang bermaksud YANG AMAT MEMBERI.. Allah sentiasa memberi nikmat dan rahmat tanpa syarat... samada kita kufur atau kita syukur.. IA tetap MEMBERI..

JUnjungan kita Muhammad SAW adalah seorang yang PEMBERI.. yang rela berkorban nyawa dan raga demi memberi hidayat dan petunjuk kepada ummat  manusia agar mendapat keredhaan ALLAH swt. Baginda sentiasa MEMBERI contoh yang baik untuk diikuti, malah harta Baginda sentiasa diberi kepada yang memerlukan. Sungguh hebat sekali akhlak baginda.

Demikian juga para sahabat baginda r.a serta para tabi' dan tabiin semuanya adalah seorang pemurah yang sentiasa membuat kebajikan, mengorbankan diri demi kebahagian orang lain. Sebagai contoh imam yang masyur Hanbali, Maliki, Hanafi dan Syafei yang mengorbankan hidup untuk menterjemahkan ilmu syariat Islam untuk petunjuk dan pencerahan ilmu umat akhir zaman di mana, hingga sekarang belum ada lagi manusia abad ini yang dapat menandingi kehebatan ilmu yang ditinggalkan. Sungguh hebat sifat PEMBERI mereka.

Bagaimana dengan kita , apa yang mampu kita BERI? Ilmu? harta?
Jika kita ada harta.. berilah atau sedeqahkan walau sedikit... jika ada ilmu sampaikan.. samada menulis atau berkongsi melalui laman sosial, sms, facebook, whatsapp atau sebarang media.. moga ia menjadi jariah kepada kita.
Paling tidak pun, jadilah pentazkirah di tempat kerja kita walaupun sekadar renungan ringkas.

MEMBERI adalah MENERIMA!

Dengan sifat memberi ini, ia adalah pembuka untuk kita MENERIMA rezeki dari Allah swt. Percayalah, lagi banyak kita memberi, lagi banyak kita akan menerima...

Makin kita menjadi kedekut dan rasa sayang, ia akan menyempitkan rezeki kita..

Jom jadi PEMBERI...

8 Tips for People Who Will Retire in 2015

Retirement is a major life transition that requires changes to your income and lifestyle. Here are the final preparations you should be making if you plan to retire in 2015.

Decide when to sign up for Social Security. When you sign up for Social Security drastically affects how much you will receive each month. Most baby boomers are eligible to receive full benefits at age 66. If you sign up before age 66, your monthly payments are reduced, and if you delay claiming up until age 70, your payments increase. "You want to consider the penalty for taking it early and the benefit of delaying it beyond full retirement age," says Christopher Rhim, a certified financial planner for Green View Advisors in Norwich, Vermont. Members of married couples may also be able to claim spousal and survivor's payments and strategize ways to maximize their benefit as a couple. You can get a personalized estimate of your benefit by creating an online account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Take care to sign up for Medicare on time. It's important tosign up for Medicare as soon as you are eligible to do so. "You should start submitting the paperwork for Medicare up to three months before age 65," Rhim says. "It's not something you want to wait and delay on because there are some financial penalties if you sign up later." Also, take a look at Medicare's premiums, deductibles, copays and coinsurance so you can get an idea of how much you will need to pay out of pocket. If you retire before age 65, you will need to find another source of health insurance until you qualify for Medicare, perhaps through your state's health insurance exchange or your former employer.

Assess your workplace retirement benefits. Make an appointment with your human resources department to determine which workplace retirement benefits will carry over into retirement. Some fortunate employees get traditional pension payments and retiree health insurance after leaving their jobs. You should also check when you vest in your 401(k) plan and get to keep your employer's contributions.

Consider rolling over your 401(k). When you leave your job, you have the option to roll your 401(k) balance over to an individual retirement account. To decide if this is a good move, you need to compare the fees and investment options in the 401(k) plan with those in an IRA. "If they do roll it all over into an IRA, they get certain benefits from it," says Laura Mattia, a certified financial planner for Baron Financial Group in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. "A lot of times when you consolidate, you can take advantage of price breaks and lower fees." However, if you leave your job at age 55 or older (or age 50 for public safety employees) and plan to dip into your 401(k) balance immediately, you may want to leave the money you will need in the 401(k) plan. You can take penalty-free 401(k) withdrawals from the 401(k) associated with the job you left at age 55 or later, but if you move the money to an IRA, you will have to wait until age 59½ to avoid the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.

Make a long-term investment plan. Investors obviously want to keep their nest egg safe, but you also need to make sure that it lasts the rest of your life and keeps up with rising costs. "You really don't want to get too conservative because your portfolio has to overcome inflation and management fees and trading costs," Rhim says. "If you are looking at 20 to 25 years of retirement, that is a long-term planning horizon and you need a competitive return. That really is a call for stocks. You simply can't get that type of return with bonds and cash." You also need to develop a plan for how you will spend down your assets in a way that minimizes taxes and penalties. "You should list all your financial assets, where they are and identify what the strategy is behind them," Mattia says. "You want to make sure you are reacting according to your strategy and not making decisions emotionally."

Remember required minimum distributions. Beginning after age 70½, you will typically be required to withdraw money from your traditional retirement accounts every year and pay income tax on each distribution. The penalty for failing to withdraw the correct amount is 50 percent of the amount that should have been withdrawn.

Develop a plan for emergencies. Covering your basic monthly costs in retirement isn't enough. You'll continue to need an emergency fund in retirement to cover unexpected bills. "I always tell people to keep between six months to a year's worth of expenses in a liquid interest-bearing account that you can get to whenever you want," Mattia says. "Having some cash out at all times also gives you flexibility, so if investments are not going in the right direction, you can leave them alone for a while to get back on the right track."

Decide how you will send your time. What you decide to do in retirement will have a big impact on your costs and quality of life. "Certainly you will spend less on gas and don't have to spend as much on work clothes, but some people are also going to spend more money now because they have the time and don't just want to sit around the house," says Craig Schmith, a certified financial planner in Durham, North Carolina. "If you've got pent-up demand to travel, especially internationally, and you haven't had time to do that, you need to think about budgeting that in." 

By Emily Brandon | U.S.News & World Report LP

Decide what you want, this will give you the map to get there!!

BY JEF MILES

The Power of Objectives

You have probably heard many successful people telling you that starting with the end in mind is the most important tool to achievement. This may seem counter-intuitive, how can you get where you to want to go without knowing the path to take? I used to think similarly, however I am changing my mindset and realising the importance of figuring out where you want to go first. Why is this important?

1. It will give your brain a goal to achieve
2. This will create accountability
3. You will be able to measure your progress
4. It will enable others to help you achieve your objective more effectively
5. If done effectively taking action will develop routine, which will create habit

Objectives for individuals are like employees a business

Imagine that you run a business that has 10 employees. When those employees come into work, you will give them direction on how they are to go about their days. If you are to run the business successfully, you are likely to have tactical, operational and strategic goals, even as a small organisation. It is amazing then though for those who expect individual success to set only operational (or day to day) goals such as catching up with friends, going to work, getting to bed on time. Yet we seem to avoid or delay setting the operational (medium term) or strategic objectives. The strategic objective i.e. become a qualified doctor is the map or end game, which provide direction on where you want to head.

The objective (map) is only the beginning

While I say that knowing where you would like to head is a great starting point and if you want success this is likely to put you in the top 20% of the population, this is only a part of what creates positive results. Imagine if Martin Luther King Jr had his dream or vision of how he wanted to create a more equitable society but never took any action. Without concrete or operational and tactical objectives, he would have been unlikely to achieve all that he did.

The point that I am getting at here is the importance of having all 3 types of goals. The strategic give you a wide view from space, the operational zooms in and the tactical gives you a microscopic view of the actions you need to take to achieve your overall objective.

Take action and create more success!!!

Take Out Questions

What map do you have for your future?

How can you start today to plan for tomorrow?

What can operation success do for you?

http://www.operationsuccessonline.com/

9 Tips For Growing A Successful Business

By Chris Seabury

To succeed in business today, you need to be flexible and have good planning and organizational skills. Many people start a business thinking that they'll turn on their computers or open their doors and start making money - only to find that making money in a business is much more difficult than they thought. You can avoid this in your business ventures by taking your time and planning out all the necessary steps you need to reach to achieve success. Read on to find out how.

1. Get OrganizedTo be successful in business you need to be organized. Organization will help you complete tasks and stay on top of things to be done. A good way to do this is to create a to-do list each day - as you complete each item, check it off your list. This will ensure that you're not forgetting anything and you're completing all the tasks that are essential to the survival of your business.

2. Keep Detailed RecordsAll successful businesses keep detailed records. By keeping detailed records, you'll know where the business stands financially and what potential challenges you could be facing. Just knowing this gives you time to create strategies to overcome the obstacles that can prevent you from being successful and growing your business.

3. Analyze Your CompetitionCompetition breeds the best results. To be successful, you can't be afraid to study and learn from your competitors. After all, they may be doing something right that you can implement in your business to make more money.

4. Understand the Risks and RewardsThe key to being successful is taking calculated risks to help your business grow. A good question to ask is "What's the downside?" If you can answer this question, then you know what the worst-case scenario is. This knowledge will allow you to take the kinds of calculated risks that can generate tremendous rewards for your business.

5. Be Creative

Always be looking for ways to improve your business and to make it stand out from the competition. Recognize that you don't know everything and be open to new ideas and new approaches to your business.

6. Stay FocusedThe old saying that "Rome was not built in a day" applies here. Just because you open a business doesn't mean that you're going to immediately start making money. It takes time to let people know who you are, so stay focused on achieving your short-term goals and give the rest time to come together on its own.

7. Prepare to Make SacrificesThe lead-up to starting a business is hard work, but after you open your doors, your work has just begun. In many cases, you have to put in more time than you would if you were working for someone else. In turn, you have to make sacrifices, such as spending less time with family and friends in order to be successful.

8. Provide Great ServiceThere are many successful businesses that forget that providing great customer service is important. If you provide better service for your customers, they'll be more inclined to come to you the next time they need something instead of going to your competition.

9. Be ConsistentConsistency is key component to making money in business. You have to consistently keep doing the things necessary to be successful day in and day out. This will create long-term positive habits that will help you make money over the long term.

ConclusionStarting and running and running a successful business can be rewarding and challenging. Success requires focus, discipline and perseverance. However, success will not come over night - it requires a long-term focus and that you remain consistent in challenging environments.

http://www.investopedia.com/

Tips to Calmly Manage Your Time at Work

Managing time at work isn’t always easy. Poor time management can lead to stressful situations and unwanted pressure. Learn how to stay calm and manage time efficiently with these great tips!

Prioritize Your Work

• An effective way to manage your time is by making a list of your daily priorities. If you have a project with a longer deadline, work on it after other tasks are completed.

Stand Up For Yourself

• You’re being unfair to yourself if you say “yes” to everything. If you work in a high-stress environment, work on tasks that only your boss assigns to you. Your colleagues may take you for granted if you say “yes” to every favor.

Put Away All The Distractions

• It’s easy to get distracted by social media while you’re working. Other things might seem interesting at the time, but it’s best to put everything away and focus on the task at hand.

Challenge Yourself With A Time Limit

• If you have multiple tasks to complete by the end of the day, challenge yourself by setting a personal deadline. Make it fun by rewarding yourself when you meet your goal!

Focus On The Current Situation

• If you find yourself stressing about what you have to do instead of actually doing it, you will lose control of time management. Try to focus on the current situation and worry about the other problems later.

Take Care Of Yourself 

• A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Getting enough sleep and exercising will give you energy for the next day and reduce your chances of getting sick.

http://www.kavaliro.com/

“Does my business even need a marketing plan?”

Is it worth the time and effort to develop a marketing plan for my business?Yep, it’s a great question, one our clients are constantly dealing with here at TSL. Truth be told, here’s your answer:

It depends.

While that answer might not thrill you it’s probably the most accurate response to this question.  Every business has their own DNA and some may respond favorably to developing a plan and using the plan to discipline everyday activities. Others may spend time, energy and money to develop a plan and then resort to tactical maneuvers that quickly veer off the prescribed path.  Yet others may not have any plan and still manage to hit their numbers.

Get a quick read on whether a written plan may help by answering the following questions:

1.       If you had specific goals or strategic objectives – did your marketing efforts significantly contribute to their achievement?
2.        Does your company struggle with determining what the best performance metrics are?
3.       Are your marketing expenditures heavily weighted to a specific area – even though that area is showing declining performance?
4.       Does your company seek marketing performance improvement but is unsure of how to best achieve it?
5.       Are your functional department leaders – for example, sales, marketing and operations – all on the same page as to what marketing performance should be?
6.       Would a written plan keep everyone more accountable for results?

If you’re thorough and brutally honest in your answers to these questions, you may find that it makes sense to have a plan. One of the challenges in developing a plan is making it match the culture of your organization.  Your plan has to fit the culture and the flow of how “things get done.”  Because of the pace of change today, shorter is better because the plan has to be revisited and evaluated on a regular basis in order to fine tune it.

If you’d like to talk to us about helping you develop a plan that’s right for your company and will provide the foundation for better marketing performance, contact us today using the yellow form below.

http://www.thesaleslion.com/

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