Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Communicate Like a Boss

How to Communicate Like a BossHow to Communicate Like a BossHow to Communicate Like a BossCommunicate like a boss and maybe one day youll become one. Heres how. TWEETToday, everybody has a million different method of workplace communication. Thanks to smartphones, social media and the workshifting culture, instant communication is easier and mora varied than ever. At the same time, our limited attention spans make us mora distracted and distant from each other. With a lack of clear boundaries between in and out-of-office communication, confusion is common.In this context, Id like to share a handful of workplace communication principles I think are most important. These cover both tried-and-true areas (like active listening) as well as 21st-century ones (like schmelzglas etiquette and when to use cloud-based messaging apps).Active listening in the workplaceLets start with old-fashioned conversation. One of the great misunderstood conversational tactics is active listening in the workp lace. Contrary to popular belief, active listening is leid merely the act of passively not speaking while someone else is speaking, but it is listening so carefully that you can jump in when necessary to help the other person complete a thought or move the conversation forward. Practice active listening, and you will have a greater impact in your daily interactions. Avoid the false choices of not listening at all or keeping your mouth shut the entire time.Email and instant-message etiquetteLets move to email. Consider one of the great workplace communication rules of Marsha Egan, a workplace productivity coach If its an emergency, dont email. She says in urgent situations you should pick up the phone or walk to the other persons work station. In fact, anything that requires a response in under 3 hours should not involve email because it reinforces the toxic idea that email is an appropriate emergency response system. Common sense, right?Another rule is dont automatically hit reply-a ll. Be more sparing in your use of it and be judicious with c.c.s by asking yourself whether a potential recipient really needs to see the message before hitting send. This prevents exponential wastes of time on the part of people reading unnecessary messages and recovering from interruptions to read these messages.Another great thing to remember about email and workplace communication is that its not a substitute for conversation. It is designed to send files and other communications, not have a dialog. If you need to have an actual conversation with somebody, you should get in front of their face, pick up the phone (if time/distance are an issue), or use a real-time messaging app like Slack or Salesforce Chatter. Real-time messages are less likely to be overlooked because unlike email, they do not compete with the outside world of customers/clients, partners and spammers for your attention. Its simple.Finally, with email, you want to be checking it periodically on your own time, n ot like a mouse pushing a lever for a food pellet (or a junkie perpetually looking for the next fix). Schedule your email checking time and dont waver from it, lest you fall into a deep email vacuum where all productivity ceases.Ill leave the subject of email with a question from another productivity guru I once read Is answering emails the highest and best use of your time? Put another way, do you want to be known for being good at reading emails, or the actual thing you were hired for? If the answer is the latter, you should keep email at arms length. Theres a place for it, but you generally have so many better things you can be doing with your time that constant interruptions dont serve. Dont fall into the trap of compulsive checking.The power of face timeAt the risk of stating the obvious, there is still no substitute for face-to-face conversation. The reason I call attention to one-on-one dialog is because in todays always-on virtual communication buffet, we have 1,000 differen t ways NOT to talk to somebody face-to-face. Skype and videoconferencing tools are your best friends when traditional physical meetings are impractical.Skeptical of whether meeting face-to-face still matters? Of all the new trends in higher-education marketing Chris M. Kormis (CMO, Georgetown Universitys McDonough School of Business) could have listed in a recent interview, she actually named the in-person visit as among the most powerful. Yes, the message is obvious Time spent in person with someone else is still crucial. By being able to exchange information personally, read body language, listen carefully to intonation and see other nonverbal cues, you get a fuller picture than any electronic media could offer. Taking it back to workplace communication, when you need to explore a complex subject with somebody, interact in a more sophisticated way or otherwise get deep, start talking more face-to-face.Organizational workplace communicationConsider the communication style of your organization. Is it largely open and erkennbar? Does it employ 360-degree reviews of people for comprehensive peer feedback across organizational levels? Is two-way dialog encouraged? Are employees given sufficient information about the direction and priorities of the business? If not, you want to be living by example and agitating for this change or joining the company whose culture already embodies it.Sometimes effective organizational communication entails addressing a darker side. New research from Harvard Business School shows companies can save serious money by avoiding the wrong hires and cutting bad actors. Indeed, contrary to conventional wisdom, just hiring superstars is actually 50% less valuable than removing bad actors in the workplace. When a company recognizes cultural fit as a top priority and regulates accordingly, you want to make sure you fit that culture before you start and determine behavioral expectations for what people at Company X do or dont do.Then, once youre integrated into the organization, raise concerns about any violations of company culture you see. Ask questions about values that need clarification as applied to daily work life. You can avoid potential damage to your reputation as a good corporate citizen by actively addressing any questions about your relative influence on intra-office harmony. This kind of personal diplomacy and intimate understanding of a companys cultural values can go a long way toward finding and keeping your dream job.Fighting workplace bulliesSpeaking of removing the cancers, watch out for workplace bullies all 3 kinds of them, as outlined in an insightful Graziadio Business Review article. Bullying represents a destructive behavior that is an innovation- and competiveness-killer. Id also recommend reading The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene to help identify clear patterns in how people use (and abuse) power. The lessons imparted in this book can help you defend yourself against those who would us e their status to harm you, your colleagues, or ultimately, the organization.Emotional I.Q. (E.Q.)As management thinkers are starting to point out, another underrated bestandteil of both business and general communication is emotional intelligence. In addition to keeping your feelings in check under pressure, the so-called soft skills like listening, massaging egos and managing conflict are traditionally undervalued in corporate environments, but in todays knowledge economy are prized. Why? Because in order to successfully collaborate, you need to be able to read people. You need political skills. You need to know when to push and when to hold back. You need to be able to deal effectively with the inevitable stress that accompanies any job. Understanding the volatility of peoples emotions (including your own) and being sensitive to interpersonal dynamics goes a long way toward maintaining composure and leading with a steady hand.The best leaders are not necessarily the most visible or vocal in fact, quiet leadership and background support is now recognized as an integral component of a high-functioning vermodern workplace. And some people just prefer to assist behind-the-scenes without putting their name in lights. These people are usually experts in active listening in the workplace and other workplace communication methods. Executive management may now have greater appreciation for the work of these silent contributors, thanks to the higher profile of E.Q.Moral of the story If you communicate like a boss, then theres a good chance youll end up being one. And a good one at thatNeed help with your resume? Our TopResume writers can help

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Diverse Career Opportunities in Safety Engineering

Diverse Career Opportunities in Safety Engineering Diverse Career Opportunities in Safety Engineering There are many career options for safety engineering professionals, whose main focus is to protect workers, the general public, and the environment from injury and illness. In todays age of rapid technological and scientific advancements, it has become a challenging and rewarding career field.Safety engineering is concerned with preventing accidents and lessening opportunities for human error in engineered environments or in engineering entwurf and it can be applied to most every discipline. Some projects apply safety engineering principles to existing products or within completed environments to improve safety and ensure code compliance. Others design features into the system engineering that make safety an integral consideration from the start.With new legal and regulatory requirements being introduced by safety organizations and government agencies almost daily, safety engineering is evolving continuously. Safety engineering requires interpretation of new information and innovative technologies, adapting programs and policies, and implementing procedures and products to meet the social and industrial needs of changing business environments.Colleges and universities provide bachelors, masters, and doctorate safety engineering degrees, as well as certificates for specialization in various areas of safety engineering. Here are a few examples of safety engineering careers.Occupational Health and SafetyOccupational health and safety engineers help prevent harm to workers, property, the environment, and the general public. For example, they might design safe work spaces, inspect machines, or test air quality. In addition to making workers safer, safety engineers aim to increase worker productivity by reducing absenteeism and equipment downtime, and to save money by lowering insurance premiums and workers compensation payments, and preventing government fines. Some specialists and technicians work for government agencies, conducting safety inspections and imposing fines where necessary.Industrial SafetyIndustrial safety engineers are most concerned with the way in which a production process is carried out, with a heavy focus on the safety of people and machines during manufacturing. This type of industrial engineering involves the development and monitoring of safe production systems and the assessment and correction of risky work situations, such as hazardous exposures and employee accidents. An industrial safety engineer plans strategies to control work flow safely, creates and communicates these plans to others, and assesses the success of these organizational goals.Product SafetyProduct safety engineers often work in manufacturing environments to ensure new product designs do not create unnecessary hazards. Their main concerns are to develop and conduct tests to evaluate product safety levels and recommend measures to reduce or eliminate hazards, conduct research to evaluate safety levels for products, and evaluate potential health hazards or damage that could occur from product misuse. They may also investigate causes of accidents, injuries, or illnesses related to product usage to develop solutions to minimize or prevent recurrence in the future.Failure AnalysisFailure analysis and prevention are important functions to all of the engineering disciplines. The materials engineer often plays a lead role in the analysis of a component or product that fails in service, in manufacturing, or during production processing. In any case, one must determine the cause of failure to prevent future occurrence, and/or to improve the performance of the device, component, or structure. They also provide technical analysis, investigative research and development, and assistance in making the right material choices, particularly where the environment may be a consideration.There are a multitude of career opportunities in safety engin eering. Other related disciplines include homeland security and safety engineering, dam safety engineering, mining safety engineering, fire and safety engineering, environmental health and safety engineering, safety and chemical engineering, and collision safety engineering.The American Society of Safety Engineers offers extensive career resources for future safety engineers.Tom Ricci is the owner of Ricci Communications.With new legal and regulatory requirements being introduced by safety organizations and government agencies almost daily, safety engineering is evolving continuously.

15 Non-Tech Jobs Paying Over $100k Hiring Now

15 Non-Tech Jobs Paying Over $100k Hiring Now 15 Non-Tech Jobs Paying Over $100k Hiring Now Think you have to be an engineer or computer scientist to earn six-figures? Think again. Thanks to Glassdoor’s Salary Estimates every job seeker can check out what a job pays   before applying. And we’ve used that transparency to dig through millions of jobs to unearth 15 cool roles that pay over $100k. Looking for a bigger paycheck from your next job? Look no further. You’re one click away from a high-paying position. 1. Physician Assitant (Anesthesia), US Department of Veterans Affairs Nashville, TN Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $51k-$156k Details: ”He/she will be authorized and given access to all clinical tools necessary to complete pre-anesthesia evaluations. He/she will also be authorized to evaluate patients under the supervision of an Anesthesiologist as documented by appropriate co-signatures where required.” 2. Strategic Program Manager of Learning and Development, Atlassian Austin, TX Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $109k-$160k Details: ”We’re looking for an experienced leader to mature and spearhead the strategy behind our technical training program for our global Customer Success and Support (CSS) Organization. Within the CSS Organization, were defining and building a team focused on the development of every employee and leader within CSS.” 3. Director of Human Resources, Snap! Raise Seattle, WA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $43k-$117k Details: ”As the Snap! Raise Human Resources Director, you will work directly with our Executive team and lead the HR function for the entire company; elevating and administering our processes around compensation, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, training, community, brand, and culture.” 4. Business Analyst, McKinsey & Company Miami, FL; Lima, OH; New York, NY & more Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $87k-$121k Details: ”When you join McKinsey as a Business Analyst (BA), you are joining a firm that will challenge you and invest in your professional development. In this role you will work on the best teams to help the best organizations in the world in private, public, and social sectors solve their most difficult problems. You will also work with many experts, from data scientists and researchers to software and app designers.” 5. Art Director, Gusto San Francisco, CA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $105k-$157k Details: ”Your role will be to lead creative projects as well as inspire and manage a team of designers. This is a highly collaborative role that will require you to work closely with the creative director, marketing leaders, product teams, and the rest of the Brand Studio team to ship effective marketing projects and campaigns. We’re looking for a creative problem solver who can think strategically but also loves getting into the details that take design from good to great.” 6. Director of Communications, Boston Public Schools Roxbury, MA Employer Salary Estimate: $85k-$150k Details: ”The Director of Communications is responsible for strategic oversight and management of internal and external communications for the Boston Public Schools (BPS), to ensure that BPS families, students, staff, partners, and other constituents are informed about and engaged in district priorities, policies, practices, challenges, and opportunities.” 7. Claim Counsel of Bond & SI, Travelers Companies Hunt Valley, MD Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $95k-$145k Details: ”Fulfill Bond and Specialty Insurance (Bond) Claims mission by conducting thorough investigation, analysis, evaluation and disposition of claims to achieve superior customer service and claim results at the most reasonable cost. Effectively manage all assigned Bond claims, typically of moderate severity or complexity. Interact and collaborate with claim and underwriting colleagues as well as with external business associates.” 8. Client Service Manager, Fidelity Investments Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA; Covington, KY; Dallas, TX & more Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $72k-$121k Details: ”The Fidelity Family Office Services (FFOS) team serves the single-family office, multi-family office and ultra-high net worth investor segments. FFOS provides custody, brokerage, investment services, reporting and administrative capabilities to these clients. The team provides products and services to support the needs of family office executives so they, in turn, can exceed the expectations of their family member clients.” 9. Senior Director of Campaign Management, K12 Insight Herndon, VA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $70k-$124k Details: ”As Senior Director of Campaign Management, you will create and execute successful marketing campaigns to power awareness and sustainable lead generation programs. Your thought leadership will inform our strategies, optimization approach, campaign architecture and partner relationships. Both highly collaborative and analytical, you execute effective campaigns, leveraging your deep experience with SEO, paid search, display advertising, video, mobile and social.” 10. Studio Operations Manager, Amazon New York, NY Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $97k-$130k Details: ”Amazon’s video group is creating interactive streaming shows and is looking for an exceptional Studio Operations Manager focused on inventory management, booking and supervising crew, and studio maintenance. We offer a creative, fast paced, entrepreneurial work environment where you’ll be at the center of Amazon innovation.” 11. Director of Sales Operations, Glassdoor Mill Valley, CA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $138k-$208k Details: ”You will own the overall strategy for Sales Comp and Territory planning as well be accountable for flawless execution. Being successful in this role will involve working with others leaders across the organization including Finance, Sales, Sales tech and the Executive Team to rapidly scale compensation and territory planning, design, implementation and administration, along with a value-add perspective using reporting and analytics to drive constant improvement.” 12. Regional Manager of Facilities Maintenance, Eurest Services Edison, NJ Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $95k-$152k Details: ”This position will manage existing accounts at a Regional level and grow the territory through new business development. Requires strong business presence and client influencing skills. The ideal candidate will have extensive Facilities Management knowledge, polished presentation skills, strong financial management acumen, and experience leading successful teams that exceed client expectations in all facilities scope of work.” 13. Program Manager of Patient Experience, Blue Shield of California San Francisco, CA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $137k-$201k Details: ”The Program Manager oversees research on members’ perceptions of experience of care and leverages results of the research to identify areas for improvement. Incumbent will deliver results-oriented solutions that will improve patient satisfaction. The PM assists in defining strategic approach to improve patient experience in areas including (but not limited to) appointment availability, promotion of appropriate use of primary care, urgent care, and ED, access to health care delivery in non-traditional settings, PCP selection/assignment, and physician-patient communication.” 14. Operations Manager, Boston Scientific Alpharetta, GA Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $101k-$127k Details: ”Tasked with leading Operations for our Infection Prevention group. Successful candidate will manage multiple production areas while establishing a culture of accountability to improve plant performance and drive toward continuous growth.” 15. Environmental Health and Safety Manager, Kellogg Company Rossville, TN Glassdoor Salary Estimate: $87k-$141k Details: ”You will lead the environment compliance activities and ensure our facility is adhering to regulations You can also use your training skills to provide key safety insights and increase knowledge and understanding across the plant. In addition, you can innovate with us as you inform and influence at all levels and functions to ensure that health and safety is a value and continuously improved upon.”