I am two weeks into my yoga experiment, and I share the results…

Two weeks ago, I started yoga.

I was getting a bit fed up with neck and shoulder pain, brought on by tension and bad posture. It was becoming a pain in the neck.

Coincidentally, a buddy of mine was thinking of starting a yoga group for a bunch of guys and I agreed to join to experiment if it could be a solution to my problem.

The Class

Another buddy offered a room in his house for six of us to start the class. We begin the class at 7pm on a Tuesday evening. We committed to a four-week stretch, with an expectation we’ll continue in 2012.

The group is myself, Andy G, Andy D, David, Mike and Bob – a bunch of average guys from a Cotswold village.

Our instructor is Anne who has been doing yoga for 20 years, and the reason why we chose her is because she started yoga because she too suffered from back pain, and, she offers a simple and flexible style where we’re not expected to be tying ourselves up in knots. This yoga style is all about suppleness and flexibility.

So we got started, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

The ‘Moves’

We did a number of stretches and relaxation techniques. These were intended to stretch the back, legs and neck. Anne talks a lot about creating more room between our joints and vertebrae. They’re quite simple moves that anyone can do. A lot of it is about lying on the floor and concentrating on breathing. Easy!

Because I was doing it with a group of buddies, I didn’t feel self-conscious about some of the strange positions we were getting into. Sticking my ass in the air with a bunch of strangers might not have been as easy-going.

The Results

So I am two weeks into the experiment, and the results so far have been great. I have no pain in my back and neck, and I already feel looser and more supple. I really enjoy the class; spending time with my buddies and feeling great health benefits afterwards.

I am already confident that yoga will be a great solution, and preventative, for my back and shoulder pain.

But wait, there is an effect I hadn’t expected which is even more powerful. I can sleep better! Yoga has taught me how to relax and switch off my brain. Lying in bed, when I am not 100% exhausted, is a breeding ground for unhelpful thinking which keeps me awake. But practising breathing techniques through yoga has helped me learn how to switch them off and get to sleep far quicker than before.

So here’s the thing: yoga is wonderful for relieving and preventing pain, and getting a good nights sleep. At least it is for me. And in such a short time, too!

I’ll share my latest results at the end of the fourth week.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve just added a Google +1 button to my blog, and I need your help to test it out.

OK so I am a bit slow on uptake on Google+1. But I’ve taken the plunge and added a button to each post to test it out.

I am a bit cautious about adding yet another rating solution to pages as there are oodles of them already. I’ve added the google one because… Well it’s google.

Are these rating widgets just about vanity?

For some, perhaps, but the value of Google +1, and the like, is centered on providing great content. When I get feedback that gives insight into the content you like and find useful (and the content you don’t) then I then know what I should write more about. Simple!

So will you help me test it out please?

Please click the google +1 button next to your favourite posts.

Thanks!

[this post is also another breakthrough for me - it's the first post I have written completely on my new iPad 2]

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I’m getting a bit fed up of the shoulder and back-pain I’ve been carrying. Mostly through tension. So I am going to experiment with yoga to see if it can help me banish the ache, so I can continue with living and working!

If you’re anything like me, then you’ll know how much back and shoulder pain can be a grisly distraction. You see, I sit at my desk (or I should say, hunched at my desk), affixed on my PC monitor. My posture isn’t great. But, like many people, I often don’t know I am doing it.

But it’s not just bad posture that explains the pain. This year has been a tough one for me personally. I’ve separated, and divorced, from my wife. I’ve had to adjust to a new home and lifestyle – I’ve also been under pressure to keep the wheels turning in my job and, with the economic climate as it is, things have been tough. It’s been tough for most people this year!

So with all things considered, back pain isn’t a terrible consequence… but if you know me from my blog, I don’t just let things carry on or accept it as ‘the way things will be’. So I am going to try yoga, as a release for tension and a possible resolution for my back and shoulder pains.

Why Yoga?

Why not? I’m told it can be a great solution for these kinds of ailments.

Also, I’ll be starting it with a group of my buddies, too. So I will get the support and camaraderie from the guys, and it will be fun. Doing something new, like this, with a bunch of pals also means we hold each other to account and it’s healthy peer-pressure.

What Do I Want From Yoga?

I’m not interested in tying myself in knots. I’m also disinterested in achieving an ‘inner peace of mind’ through yoga – although if it happens, it will be a nice consequence. What I really want is just to loosen up. This will mean I can release my pain and stop it happening again. I don’t want to be distracted in important meetings any more by the constant ache. I just wanna be loose!

We’ve chosen an instructor whose style is just that – offering lessons in a type of yoga that aims to build suppleness and flexibility, without going over the top. I’m not sure if it has a name, but to be honest, I don’t think this style needs a label for me to know it’s what I want!

So I will keep you uptodate – when I’ve had my first class on Tuesday, I’ll let you know how it goes!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re like me, then you have the occasional sleepless night. I find myself tossing and turning and I can’t stop thinking about what’s troubling me. Most of these worries are work-oriented. What can we do about it?

The problem with a sleepless night is that we tend to be worrying about something we have no immediate control over. This is why many people worry about what’s going on at work. Lay in bed – we can’t fix the problem. We can sometimes make decisions, but we can’t put them into action. It’s frustrating.

And then we’re left tired the next day, with little energy and motivation to fix the problem! And the wheel turns again…

I hate this. Don’t you?

In the past, I’ve tried drinking beer and wine until I was drunk enough not to worry about my problems. But then wake up feeling like crap. Better, I try reading until I can’t keep my eyes open. This is a healthier option, but still it can take some time to get to the point of utter tiredness, especially if the book is stimulating.

These things don’t really solve the problem.

So What Do I Do To Avoid Sleepless Nights?

It’s something I’ve learned over the years. And it’s tried and tested by many people, too.

What I do now, is this.

Before I go to bed I get a notepad and pen, and write down what worries me. Or whatever is on my mind. That’s it.

But don’t think that this is too trivial to work. It’s not magic, but it is a mind-trick.

When we write something down like this, we can ‘dump’ our worries onto the paper. Our worries are captured in ink. The very act of doing this, somehow, makes the problem drift away from our immediate conscious. I guess because we know we can pick it up, afresh, in the morning.

And you know what, a good night sleep can result in the problems being fixed, anyway. When we sleep, our brains sort and file information – it’s a sleeping problem-solver.

How many times have you gone to bed with a problem on your mind, only for it to feel easy-peasy to solve the next day? I know I have, many times.

It really does work: Ivy Lee, a management consultant back in the early 1900s went to Charles Schwab and advised the management team to write down the six things they didn’t do each day before they went to bed.

There was such a noticeable improvement in performance, Ivy was paid $35,000 USD for this single piece of advice (millions in today’s money!)

So, get your notepad and pen ready before you go to bed tonight!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Looking at my Google Analytics stats, a quarter of visitors to my blog last month were in India. Welcome! So I was wondering, what would YOU like to see on this blog?

India is as an international power-house in IT and professional services (amongst other things), so it’s no surprise that my readership is growing in this country. So I’d like to know what you would want to see on this blog.

Are there any subject areas or problems that you face that are unique to Indian business and culture?

What would you like to know about doing business in the North America and Europe?

My Experience with Working with Indians

I’ve had the pleasure of working with colleagues from India on a number of occasions, mostly through IT outsourcing programs. When colleagues from the West and India work together, the difference in style, communication and culture were always evident, yet I always experienced a strong willingness (on both sides) to learn and bridge the gaps (often in tough times of organizational change). I found the challenge to ‘make it work’ refreshing and an enjoyable caper.

How do you find working with Western colleagues?

So here’s your opportunity to influence the content on my blog!

Post a comment, or contact me using my details on the About page, or connect through LinkedIn.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Let’s give thanks to the good things we have in life today!

• Let’s give thanks for our families
• Let’s give thanks for our health
• Let’s give thanks for our home
• Let’s give thanks for our wealth
• Let’s give thanks for our friends
• Let’s give thanks for our job
• Let’s give thanks for our neighbors
• Give thanks for the food on our plates

Don’t eat too much today!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

This week in the US, the congressional debt committee disbanded. Parties can’t agree on the way forward. So what do we do next? We better find out because debt affects every one of us.

The hope was that the committee (which was granted unprecedented power) would address the tough problems facing the US budget; issues like the growing cost of health care. This failure means that Congress has let the opportunity go to address the long-term financial problems before they get worse.

The REAL problem is that the growing debt still grows, without a clear intervention. Congress has failed US citizens (this time, at least).

But it ain’t just Congress that are burying their heads in the sand. To a certain extent, every single one of us is.

• We still want to drive gas-guzzling autos
• We still want to sit at home in a t-shirt whilst it’s sub-zero temperatures outside
• We still want to eat high-protein, high-fat foods, and delicacies shipped from far-flung corners of the world
• We still want to wear cool apparel from designer labels
• We still want to fly everywhere
• We still want, want, want…

We don’t wanna change our lifestyles, really (do we?)

Until our consumerism is adjusted (I am not suggesting abandonment) we’ll carry on consuming the same old stuff, ignorant of the fact we can’t afford it. Consumer debt will continue to mount up.

There’s no need for revolution, just yet – we can evolve to adjust what we consume appropriately to our economic situation. I hope.

To do that, we’ve got to first admit that we can’t go on as before.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Just found out your pregnant? Way to go! When should you tell your employer the news?

I guess you want to tell EVERYONE. I remember when I heard that my first child was on the way… I had to bite my lip everytime I had the urge to tell someone. My wife was just the same.

Before you tell anyone at work, you need to understand your rights, and consider the health risks and hazards. You need to be armed with the knowledge, just in case the announcement doesn’t go to plan.

Will Your Pregnancy Affect Your Job?

Quite possibly. Before I go into your rights, I should mention that in some cases, early disclosure is very important.

If you’re in a job that involves hazards, then this may require you to tell your boss as soon as you can. I mean…

• Jobs that involve heavy lifting or operating heavy machinery
• Jobs that require you to be exposed to hazardous chemicals
• Do you work with animals? Then your baby is potentially at risk from the blighters bugs and diseases
• Jobs that require you to work for long hours
• Jobs that require you to stand or sit for long periods

In these cases, your pregnancy really will affect your job.

Even in jobs that are considered ‘safe’ compared to those listed above, it’s likely that you will have to make some adjustments in your work pattern and environment. Your body will be undergoing significant changes!

• If you’re in a desk-job, you must have your work environment checked over so that is setup for comfort and ergonomics
• You could suffer from ‘morning sickness’ which could impact your journey to your workplace
• If you work in an environment with strong odors, you may feel nauseous
• You’ll probably take many more bathroom breaks
• It’s likely that your speed of movement will be impaired later on in your pregnancy
• Discrimination aside, your co-workers will probably treat you differently

Your Rights

In the US,  the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission monitors discrimination and complaints against employers. Pregnancy-bias complaints recorded have surged to more than up 40% from a decade ago. The U.S. Federal law protects you from pregnancy discrimination – The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978) – passed to prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. The main points of this act are:

• An employer may not single out pregnancy-related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee’s ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor’s statement concerning their inability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements.
• If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job because of her pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same as any other temporarily disabled employee. For example, if the employer allows temporarily disabled employees to modify tasks, perform alternative assignments, or take disability leave or leave without pay, the employer also must allow an employee who is temporarily disabled because of pregnancy to do the same.
• Pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs. If an employee has been absent from work as a result of a pregnancy-related condition and recovers, her employer may not require her to remain on leave until the baby’s birth. An employer also may not have a rule that prohibits an employee from returning to work for a predetermined length of time after childbirth.
• Employers must hold open a job for a pregnancy-related absence the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave.

When MUST You Tell Your Employer About Your Pregnancy?

The general rule is that you should inform your employer 15 weeks before your baby is due. The Family and Medical Leave Act stipulates that pregnant women working in organizations of 50+ employees have the right to a combination of paid and unpaid leave of twelve weeks (equivalent) to care for a newborn. The act also emphasizes that employees have the right to a leave of absence in the case of pregnancy-related medical problems. Any time off MUST be paid at your normal rate of pay. It’s also against the law for your employer to refuse to pay you at your normal rate of pay, or reject your requests for reasonable time off for ante-natal care.

Can You Be Fired As A Pregnant Worker?

Yes! No more or less than any other worker. You can be fired for breach of contract. You can still be caught up in lay-offs.

However, employers cannot single you out for worse treatment.

Health Insurance

If you receive health insurance by your employer, then the policy must cover expenses for pregnancy-related conditions on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. If you incur medical costs related to your pregnancy, then they should be reimbursed just like any other costs incurred for other medical conditions.

Other Benefits

If your employer provides benefits to workers on leave, then they must provide you with the same benefits. If you’re also on leave because of any pregnancy-related conditions or illness, then they must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees, e.g. vacation calculation, pay increases, bonuses and temporary disability benefits.

Now You Know Your Rights…

Choose the right time to tell your boss – at least 15 weeks before your baby is due, unless you work with hazards that increase the risk to your baby. Have a smooth pregnancy!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t work late tonight! There are so many other things you can be doing, so take a break and relax.

I don’t know about you, but I find it so easy to work late, sometimes well into the night. Do you? I enjoy my work, so I don’t grumble about putting in a few more hours, but I am finding I am doing this almost every night now.

So it got me thinking; what else could we do tonight instead? Here are some ideas:

1. Go home, cook a quick dinner, and watch some TV. This isn’t something I do very well, but it is also something I enjoy. I am far from a tele-addict, yet I can find entertainment in a wide variety of shows. With the multitude of TV channels, as they are, there is certainly something on there so that we can sit back, relax, and switch off.
2. Take in a museum. If you’re city-based, there will be many museums to have a wander around. Get lost in the place. I find that museums have a calming effect. Not sure if it is the musty smell, or the echo of footsteps – it’s something – but we can immerse ourselves into a completely different world for a while here.
3. Take in a show. I am not a big show-goer, really, but since meeting my partner I have begun to watch more (as she is in the Performing Arts industry). Shows come in all varieties – musicals, tragedies, classical plays – you name it. What I’ve discovered is that I can enjoy a show I never thought possible I would do. All it took was an open mind! See what shows are going on near you – pick one – and go along and discover something new.
4. Watch a movie. Grab some popcorn and watch a movie. Try a genre you wouldn’t normally go for and see if you like it. Concentrate on the movie, and not your work – you’ll switch off just like that!
5. Take a walk. Instead of riding in your car, or taking a bus, why not walk home this evening? Go a different way than you would do normally, and see what’s going on in your neighbourhood. It’s a great way to discover new stores, enjoy parks and take in new sites.
6. Cook something new. Rather than throwing the usual ready-meal into the microwave tonight, you could go to a supermarket and buy fresh ingredients to cook yourself something spectacular. I find cooking a great distraction, it helps me relax, and it’s also far more healthy if done right.
7. Visit a friend. Don’t go straight home, but visit a friend instead. And then maybe do one of the above with them!
8. Browse a bookstore. I can get lost in bookstores, especially when there is a cafe in there. They’re treasure-troves of undiscovered passions. I like to browse all the shelves, even the stuff that I wouldn’t normally read. Time just melts away for me. Even if you’re not a bookworm like myself, bookstores have so much to offer. As much as I like Amazon, it will never replace the experience of browsing.
9. Fix something. I’ll bet you have something at home that needs fixing, right? There’s always small fixing jobs to do, that (if you’re like me) you never get around to. Why not fix it, tonight? Switch off the TV. Shut the door. Get out the tools/glue, and get fixing. Why? You’ll feel a sense of achievement afterwards, and it will immerse you into something other than work. And, just maybe, it might be fun!
10. Sleep. Yeah, sleep. Who isn’t overworked, and tired? Take this opportunity, once and for all, to get an early night and catch up on some Zzzzzzzzs. It will do you a world of good my friend!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Some tasks seem to take much longer than they should, don’t they?

But it’s no surprise, when you think about it…

1. Tasks take too long because there are too many people involved. Too much subjectivity (opinions, tastes, preferences and the like). Too many diaries to get in sync. Too many egos. Too many jobs to justify the existence of.
2. Tasks take too long because they are too big, and unwieldy. Big tasks scare people. Tasks are not manageable in bitesize chunks.
3. Tasks take too long because of process. Process (i.e. bureaucracy) can stop tasks starting, continuing, and even stopping when they should. Too much process stops people actually executing (getting on with the work). Too much process means that tasks can be too expensive, or time consuming, so they don’t get done.
4. Tasks take too long because people don’t see the benefit of doing them. When workers can’t see the benefit of completing a task, it can be stalled or dropped in an unfinished state. If you don’t know what a task results in, why do it?
5. Tasks take too long because they are the  wrong task. Some tasks shouldn’t even be done in the first place, because they’re inefficient, unethical, or plain stupid. Workers know this, so they stall or delay in completing these tasks.
6. Tasks take too long because they are being performed alongside other tasks. Other tasks compete for time. Unplanned work gets in the way. Too many concurrent tasks creates complexity and uncertainty.
7. Tasks take too long because they are difficult. Difficult tasks (not to say impossible tasks) are delayed in favor of easier tasks. Difficult tasks require energy that people just don’t want to give, or have.
8. Tasks take too long because people don’t want to do them. Some tasks are just not pleasant, or interesting. Some tasks aren’t cool. Some tasks are below our pay-grades. Some tasks make us look stupid. Some tasks are embarrassing. Sometimes, we just can’t be bothered.
9. Tasks take too long because they are too badly defined. Too little information to know how to start, process or end. Too little data as input. Too much confusion about what a good result looks like. Too much ambiguity in the task’s definition. Some school examination papers are like this.
10. Tasks take too long because the people doing them are ill-equipped. Too little time, too little knowledge, not enough tools, money or resources. Incompetence.

Now when any number of factors are combined, the likelihood of the task NOT being done on time is exponentially greater.

Just imagine: a badly defined, difficult task performed by a large number of busy people who don’t have the tools to do it…… think it will be late?

Bet you’ve had a few of these in your time.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Consider yourself a superstar? Then tell the world by contributing to the third edition of my popular eBook!

My eBook “The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Professionals” was first released in 2008 and since then it has been downloaded 32,482 times (updated in a second edition in 2010). Three years on, it’s time for the third edition – and this time it will be launched on Amazon Kindle too!

Note got your copy of my eBook yet? Then subscribe to my free newsletter to get YOUR free copy today.

Since it was first published, the world has moved on…

• Recession, economic crises and job security are greater concerns
• Social networking has exploded
• Barack Obama is President
• China is the world’s dominant economic force
• Followed by India
• The Euro-zone is in crisis
• Outsourcing and temporary contracting is up…

So it’s time to update the book. Can you help?

I’d love to hear your ideas and stories about what you believe makes a really effective PROFESSIONAL:

• What do you do that makes you effective?
• How do you perform well?
• What do you see in role models that is inspiring?
• How do you win awards and accolades?

Please, send your thoughts or contributions to the email address as found on my About page.

Thanks!

Simon

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Good News! 80,000 jobs were added in October, but the U.S. economy is still growing at a snail’s pace.

I guess it’s better than nothing.

With unemployment at 9%, the economy is still sluggish.

The economy needs an additional 125,000 jobs a month to keep up with population growth. And even more to bring down the unemployment rate.

Private sector additions totally 104,000 for the month. 22,000 jobs were added by restaurants, hotels and entertainment companies. Professional and business services (including engineering and accounting) added 32,000 jobs.  Health care added 12,000. However the construction sector cut 20,000 jobs for the month (that’s the most since January of this year.)

Without a significant growth in jobs, the tax-burden rests on fewer people. Without more jobs and higher wages, consumers will probably curb their spending in the months ahead – especially over the holiday season. Consumer spending is critical for the US economy because it accounts for about 70% of economic activity.

But let’s take this as a small victory, yes? In fact the unemployment rate dropped to just 9% from 9.1%, but it’s the first time it has fallen since July this year, the government said.

The underlying momentum of the economy is better now than we thought it was a few months ago – Augustine Faucher, director of macroeconomics at Moody’s Analytics.

Is this a beacon of hope, or a damp squib? Only the next few months will tell. We’re all in for a tough ride, but this news at least is something to cling onto whilst we wait an see.

Sources: NY Times; Guardian Newspaper; Fox News

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Whether it’s saving for the holidays, or paying off the bills, we could all use some extra cash, right? Here are a few GREAT IDEAS for turning your skills and resources into cash, quickly.

So we’re unlikely to get a raise from our main job right now, and the pressure is on to maintain our income in an increasingly uncertain economic climate. A few extra dollars a week can make a big difference. There are ways to turn your spare time, skills and resources into cold, hard cash, right now.

Want to know more?

I’ve compiled a list of some of the best ways to generate some greenbacks quickly:

• FIVERR.COM is a rapidly growing exchange of ‘gigs’ people will do for a fiver ($5). For a bewildering array of tasks. Whether it’s writing a slogan, or balancing a tax return, almost anything goes. If you can do something worth a fiver, then publicize it here. It’s free to join! I love this site. I’m going to use it more and more to outsource those fiddly tasks that take up a lot of my time – tasks that other people are far better skilled and tooled up to do (like you!)
• Justafive.com is similar to FIVERR – not as polished but jobs are not limited to $5 chunks.
• GigMe5 is another FIVERR clone.
• Zeerk – another FIVERR clone (there are a few!)
• GigBucks – another FIVERR clone with jobs ranging from $5 to $25.
• Amazon Mechanical Turk is another labor exchange where small jobs are posted and agreed for small value. Publicize your services and get short-term interesting work on your terms!
• LinkedIn is a great place for finding small jobs. I am a member of several groups where gigs are regularly posted. Joining groups relevant to your niche, interests and area and check back daily. It’s also a good idea to make an announcement that you’re available to do small jobs there too.

And there is always…

• eBay – sell some of your old stuff. We collect a lot of junk, so why not do yourself a favour to generate some cash and free up some living space?

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Smartphones are meant to make us more efficient, right? Well DO they? I’ve got some data to share with you that paint a different picture!

I’ve had a smartphone for years. Have you? I started with a Blackberry, then moved onto an iPhone (until someone relieved me of it at an airport) and now I use an older Samsung handset, until I change to an iPhone 4S. I love ‘em. I can do my job from my smartphone, just like many people say they do, but does it make me more efficient? Does yours make you more efficient?

According to Nielsen, though, statistics on downloaded apps tell a story that we probably wouldn’t want our bosses to hear. Most apps downloaded today are games. See for yourself.

Only 21% of downloaders chose productivity tools, versus 64% of downloaders choosing games, and 34% of downloaders selecting video/movies.

Are smartphone users more efficient, or are they entertainment devices that distract us from work?

It seems that most users see them as entertainment devices. Especially those with iPhones, as this data shows:

But these figures are hiding something – that the growth of the smartphone is a consumer phenomenon as much as it is a business one. I don’t know about you, but I really struggle to do my job as efficiently when my smartphone isn’t held safely in my pocket. And one thing is certain, it isn’t the downloadable apps that make that so, it’s the very basic features of the smartphone that I use the most. For example,

• Email on the move is a feature I just can’t do without. I’m on the road all the time and I can’t wait until I get back to my desk to reply to important emails.
• Calendar functions; where would I be without them? Not at the meeting I am expected in.
• Contact Management – my smartphone contacts are my rolodex. My smartphone makes contact management easy, and saves me heaps of time.
• Document viewing – I can view most document types on my smartphone. OK the resolution isn’t great but I can work with that – it’s enough to review a document on the road.
• Messaging – I am not always contactable. Messaging enables communication that allows me to respond when I can do so.
• Google Maps – Essential when trying to find the offices of a client!

Then there ARE some apps that I use all the time, and the best one of all is Skype. It’s a life-saver if I need to bridge calls whilst on the move, or call internationally at cheap-rates. I also use a sat-nav app which is great because I don’t need a separate device, and, I can use the sat-nav whilst walking or cycling as well as in the car.

So What About The Games?

I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t have any. Some are for fun whilst waiting at the airport, and most are for amusing my 5-year old son (James) if we’re waiting around for something. He loves driving games and anything to do with monster trucks.

Other than that, my smartphone really is used as an essential productivity tool.

What About You?

Is your smartphone merely an extension of your body? Can you live without one to do your work or run your business?

Share your view:

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

When paperwork is piling up, and our boss is yelling at us, it’s easy to forget why we’re really working. Believe it or not, we work for selfish reasons. In this post we’ll take a look at exactly what those selfish reasons are.

I wrote this article because I’ve been at the grindstone so much lately, I’d begun to lose sight of why I am working in the first place. When I took the opportunity to stand back and examine the benefits of my graft, I saw something very different than what I normally look for and see. In other words, I hadn’t ‘lifted my head above the parapet’ for an age, and when I did I saw something surprising.

Rather than seeing a growing list of tasks, deadlines, email storms, project plans, etc. I began to see something else: time with family, a moving bank-balance, food on the table, warmth, fellowship, an exciting journey… it was these things that I was working for…. but I had forgotten about them. I’d become a slave to ‘work’.

What Needs Does My Work Satisfy, Anyway?

When I looked at why I work, I was asking myself what needs it satisfies, and which of my needs it satisfies the most.

We prioritize our needs (almost always without knowing we’re doing it.) Abraham Maslow conceived a model that demonstrates how we prioritize, and why – it’s known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Maslow’s model is drawn as a pyramid that depicts the levels of human needs, psychological and physical.

First Level: Our Basic Needs

At the bottom of the pyramid (where our needs start from) are our Basic needs or Physiological needs. These are: food and water and sex. (These needs not necessarily satisfied at the same time!)

These are the very ‘basics’ of life, as the name suggests. If our work doesn’t satisfy these things  (OK, perhaps the first two), then we’re in trouble. And, what’s more, if we feel that these needs are not being satisfied, then it creates the most worry, stress and excitement. Until these needs are satisfied, we’re unlikely to think about anything else.

Second Level: Safety Needs

We need security, order and stability to simply get on with the pursuit of life; otherwise we’re too busy erecting defence barriers or putting our environment into some kind of livable state. When we don’t feel safe, we are in a state of high alert. So we work to provide shelter and a safe environment for our families. We need order to make sure that when we’re not there, things will tick along. We must establish rules and control before we can even think about anything else.

These first two steps are important to our physical and mental well-being.

Third level: Love and Belonging

These are ‘psychological needs’. The degree by which we need these, and the layers above, vary between person to person. Some of us need to feel loved more than others, right? Still, we work to be part of something. Either directly in our work, or as a result of what our work provides (i.e. cash to spend with our family and friends)

Fourth Level: Esteem

Level 4 is achieved when we are content with our accomplishments so far. This is the Esteem level. Low self-esteem is when we don’t feel good about what we have done. Being recognized for our hard work boosts our self-esteem. As does just knowing we’ve done a good job. Sure, many people go through their whole lives without high self-esteem (so it isn’t essential for survival), but it is essential for the next level up.

Fifth Level: Self-Actualization

Way up at the top of the pyramid, self-actualization is satisfied when we reach a state of harmony and understanding with ourselves, our associates and our environment. And our jobs.

We Are Inherently Selfish

Often without knowing it, we are inherently selfish. We take resources from the world (mostly, from other people in a fair exchange) to survive, develop, procreate, enjoy, and relate. When we work, we take money from our employer in exchange for our time and effort. Maslow’s model shows that we prioritize our needs, and our work creates a means to satisfy these needs.

Thing is, we’re wired (most of us) to think about, and achieve, success in satisfying low-order needs first. Once one level is satisfied, we can seek satisfaction above. The point being, if we’re slaving away and forgetting to eat, or not creating a safe home for ourself and our family, we won’t satisfy higher-order needs. We won’t feel good about ourselves. We won’t feel satisfied in respecting others. We won’t get satisfaction from the respect of others. We won’t be fulfilled.

If we’re not feeding our own needs through work, then why are we working? Be Selfish: otherwise, there is no point.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

According to real-time US National Debt clock, the USA is nearly $15 Trillion in debt (at time of writing). So how far will this go?

Take a look at the current US National Debt… what does it tell ya?

The most scary figure of all is the Debt Per Taxpayer – right now at nearly $133,000. That means for everybody who pays taxes (that’s you, by the way) in the US, there is $133k debt outstanding. And growing. YOU are $133k, to someone else. Nearly $5Trillion is owed overseas.

How are you going to pay?

You’re gonna have to dig deep (my pockets aren’t that deep, are yours?) so what’s the plan?

Work hard? Spend more? Use less public services? Pay more tax?

Probably all of them.

So be prepared.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Older workers, we’re told, cost more to employ than younger workers.

It’s ‘easy’ for employers to pick on older workers because they have cushy retirement plans, right…? And older workers cost more money to employ because of ‘ill-health’, right…? And older workers stop younger workers getting jobs, right…? Older people are more distracted or less willing to embrace change, right…?

Let’s ask, where is the proof?

Older workers don’t have as many children (dependents) sucking on their healthcare plans. Older workers, on average, require less on their home repayments (if they require anything at all) – so they don’t require as much income. Older workers are more engaged and less distracted.

Where is wisdom, and experience, and a level-head factored into the equation? In the round, how more or less productive are older workers than their younger counterparts?

Employers mustn’t get away with discriminating against older workers. Age discrimination is illegal in most countires, so why is it still a problem?

Let’s not give credence, or a second thought, to what we hear about older workers. There is little proof that there is any difference in overall productivity or cost of employment. Why should we worry about it? Why should we care?

We must only worry about how old we are when we don’t have enough money or room for all the candles on our birthday cake!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I just found this great post on Mashable.com: 11 Excellent iPad Apps for Meetings & Presentations which provides a run-down of the best iPad apps to increase productivity and quality in your meetings and presentations.

If you have an iPad, then the apps in this article will be just the thing for making your meetings work better. All you need are cables to attach to a projector or LCD TV!

One word of warning: keep the meeting about the intended subject-matter, not a showcase of your cool gadget!

If you have any other apps you’re using in meetings or presentations, then please share what they are by leaving an opinion below!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I’m just trialing a new plugin which translates my pages into a wide number of languages! Have you tried it yet?

Hi guys, I am hell-bent on widening my readership – I’ve added a translation option on every page. PLEASE try it, if your first language is not English… I’d love to hear if it really works!

You should see it on the left bar on every page (as highlighted above!). Please leave a comment to tell me how it works for you.

Thanks!

Simon

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

The iPhone often is thought of as a consumer device, but if you use yours just for music, videos, and texting, you’ve missed out on a lot. Your iPhone has the capability of enhancing your career and boosting your productivity from wherever you happen to be. Here you will read about 10 iPhone apps for office managers that will transform the way you think of your iPhone.

1. SimpleMindExpress [Free]: a mind mapping utility that helps you brainstorm and organize your thoughts. You can open, edit, and share mind maps that help you stay productive while away from your desk or on the road.
2. Facebook [Free]: a useful business app (especially if your business is in the retail/consumer space), so make sure you can bring it with you wherever you go. The Facebook app for iPhone is free, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have it, especially if you’re away from your desk for a lot of the work day.
3. LinkedIn [Free]: perhaps THE essential business networking tool, and you can connect with new and existing connections easily using this dedicated app (using the LinkedIn website on your iPhone is a lot more fiddly!)
4. MyNetDiary [$2.99]: an application that helps you track your food and water intake, you exercise habits, and your weight as you work hard to stay healthy as a mobile worker. Track important measurements such as bone weight, body fat, and lean muscle. Good health is important to combating the stress of your demanding job.
5. ThumbJot [Free]: take notes quickly wherever you are using this simple but competent app that allows you to record information regardless of where you are. This saves time by letting you take notes and share them from the palm of your hand rather than trying to remember fact until you get back to your desk. Because ThumbJot is a free Web-based iPhone app, your notes are instantly available at your desk or via any Web browser.
6. iPocket Coach [$0.99]: helps you as a manager handled issues while on the job. Like a personal advisor it gives you tips for firing people, interviewing new applicants, counseling workers for performance, dealing with conflict, and other common workplace issues. Once you install this app on your phone for $.99, you will always have the resources you need to deal with the many challenges you face in the workplace.
7. QuickVoice2TextEmail [$2.99]: perfect for you if you don’t have the time to stand still long enough to tap out an email on your iPhone’s touchscreen. Just talk to your phone and this app will transcribe your message into an email, leaving you free to stay mobile during the whole process.
8. Bump [Free]: a must have for managers that need to maintain a tech savvy image. This app shares your business card with other iPhones by bumping phones together. You’re not just limited to cards both because Bump works to quickly and easily share pictures, contacts, calendars, become followers on Twitter or friends on Facebook.
9. ExpenseTracker – Spending [$2.99]: an expense tracking application that will help you record all your transactions while you are on the road. Real time tracking of your money helps you stay in touch with reality so you don’t overspend and not have enough money to get home. The multi-user support of ExpenseTracker – Spending makes it easy to use with your small business. You can also export to spreadsheets, too.
10. Invoices2go [$12.99]: gives you the power to create invoices, estimates, purchase orders, and credit memos remotely from a conference room or at a client site. Having Invoices2go on your iPhone can get your clients billed on the spot. Payment buttons even give you the option of collecting on the spot as well.

These 10 iPhone apps for office managers will help you get more done and work smarter, so try them all and let your phone be your partner in success. 

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

In today’s ecologically-minded society, one of the easiest ways to cut down on waste output and reduce your carbon footprint is to use less paper.

A great deal of everyday paper waste is due to carelessness and can easily be avoided. With 750,000 photocopies being made every minute in businesses across America and hundreds of thousands of trees felled simply to make paper grocery bags, it’s clear that daily paper choices have a great impact on the health of the environment. Simple changes at home and in the office can help combat these startling statistics. With these ten steps you can use less paper and even save a few pennies!

Using Less Paper at the Office

Cutting down on the amount of paper used at the office can minimize costs and increase efficiency. By going as paperless as possible, you and your colleagues can help reduce the overall waste output of your workplace.

1) Utilize email – Paper memos are often unnecessary in today’s workplace. Since most offices are networked for electronic efficiency, sending inter-office communications by e-mail is a quicker and easier option than old-fashioned memos.

2) Don’t print it if you can read it on your computer – Printing out websites or e-mails just so you don’t have to read them on a computer screen is a waste of paper, ink, and time. Browse or read the information you need on your computer and save a tree or two.

3) Print only what you need – When it is necessary to print information, don’t print what you don’t need. Search for printer-friendly versions of things to avoid printing entire web pages. If only a few paragraphs from several separate sources are needed, copy and paste them into one word processor document and print that instead.

4) Check your settings – Before printing or making copies, be sure to check your device settings. Few things waste more paper than setting up for multiple copies, pressing Start, and realizing too late that you aren’t getting the results you want. If you’re unsure about how something is going to copy or print out, make a single copy or print a test page before doing the whole batch.

5) Keep devices in working order – Dirty printer heads, empty ink cartridges, and low toner can all result in an inadvertent waste of paper. Be sure to keep an eye on the devices you use most at the office and alert the person in charge of maintenance when ink or toner appear to be running low. It’s also a good idea to print a test page before any large print job to ensure that the print heads are clean and your documents will print without horizontal banding. These tips can help you cut down on the shocking 650 pounds of paper that each American uses per year.

Using Less Paper at Home

Reducing paper use at home decreases waste and can save thousands of trees. By making a few easy switches and using less paper for everyday household tasks, you reduce your family’s drain on the Earth’s natural resources, as well as your pocket!

1) Choose reusable cleaning products – Consider switching from paper towels to cloth hand towels, dish rags, and sponges for common cleaning tasks. Using a cloth hand towel to dry your hands saves dozens of paper towels per week, and using a sponge and liquid cleaning solution instead of disposable wipes can drastically reduce the amount of paper you throw away.

2) Stop using paper plates – Disposable plates may make cleanup easier, but they only serve to contribute to paper waste. Investing in a few durable dishes for everyday use is a much greener choice.

3) Reuse your grocery bags – The next time you shop, don’t throw away the bags that your groceries were packed in. Instead, bring them back to the store on your next trip to use again. Most stores now offer a discount to customers who reuse bags. Even better, consider purchasing reusable bags to use whenever you shop.

4) Utilize scrap paper – Chances are, no matter how careful you try to be about paper use, you’re going to screw something up when you try to print it out at your computer. Instead of throwing these “messed up” printouts away, save them for use as grocery lists, coloring sheets for the kids, or tally sheets the next time you play a board game.

5) Manage money online – Bills and other mailings add up fast and are a huge waste of paper. In today’s technological age, just about anything you can do via paper mail can be accomplished on the Internet. Consider making your money management tasks electronic, including all major banking and billing transactions. Doing so saves time as well as paper.

For more information on reducing waste at home and in the office, visit PaperCalculator.org

How Do YOU Save Paper?

Do you have a nifty way of being frugal with paper? Care to share it? Leave your tip in the comment box below.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Yesterday I shared  7 Ways To Become Liked in Your Workplace and whilst I was writing it I remembered that shyness in the workplace is a big reason that a lot of people struggle to fit in. So I thought it would be a great idea to share 7 ways to conquer shyness too.

The problem is, shyness leads to avoidance of contact with other people, but other people often perceive it as aloofness, arrogance or being ‘snooty’. When in fact, it’s often very much not the case!

If you’re shy, then I bet it’s very frustrating. I know, I am shy too. Most people who know me well wouldn’t say I am – perhaps they would say I am the most ‘un-shy’ person they know. But the fact is, I don’t easily just walk up to someone and start chatting about stuff, full of charisma. It’s frustrating for me, because my job demands the charisma of me.

Do you feel this way too?

There is good news – there is a way through it. Over a number of years I’ve learned how I can conquer shyness (I am not there yet, but it’s a lot better for me). There are 7 things you can try, like I did, to get over the shyness.

1. Recognize you’re shy, and accept the responsibility to overcome it – it starts by accepting it, and taking responsibility for it. Only you can make you less shy, nobody else. So unless you’re prepared to take full responsibility for it, you’ll fail in your goal. The best way to start taking responsibility is to tell people about your shyness.

2. Watch how ‘non-shy’ people are, and learn – take some cues from non shy people and try replicating them. Be prepared to fail at first – this is part of the learning process. Having a role model (even if they don’t know they are) really helps.

3. Talk to somebody new every single day – it’s a small goal, but it will make a massive difference. You probably address many people in your day – the guy at security when you walk into your office, or the barista when you’re buying coffee, but instead, really talk to them; ask these people how they are, or say ‘Good Morning’ – anything that gives you an opportunity to speak clearly and positively.

4. Forget about YOU – one of the characteristics of shyness is a belief that everyone else is staring, or is judging, or harboring thoughts about us. Chances are – those people have too much going on in their own lives to be doing this, or are shy and are thinking the same about you too. The trick is to forget yourself – don’t even consider that other people find you interesting enough to stare, judge, or harbor thoughts. So take the focus off yourself, and place it on something else.

5. Accept the worst – if you must, try this. It’s a rough way of doing it, but it does work very well. When you face a situation (like a meeting) where your shyness will flare up, because you think people are going to laugh at you, talk about you, think bad of you, then accept that they already are. Face this truth you have created before you put yourself into the situation. Feel the hurt, and deal with the pain. When you’ve been through that, you’ll feel so much better about it that when you step into the situation, your shyness will have reduced by a mile.

6. Mix with non-shy people - OK, you’re stepping into the breach, but associating with non-shy people will help you learn by osmosis. It’s easier to learn something new when you’re mixing with the people who exhibit the skill. This might only be possible by mixing with folks outside of your core team. It’s the antithesis of mixing with shy people; you might feel more comfortable at first in this group, but in the long-run, you won’t be learning the skills and behaviors you’re trying to develop.

7. Don’t give up on people - one thing shy people tend to do (that is, if they haven’t accepted responsibility for their shyness) is to dismiss people outright if they have a bad experience. It’s a way of coping. But a bad experience is a good learning opportunity, and often, a single encounter is not a good measure of a person’s character. Don’t give up if someone rebuffs you or gives you a hard time because of your shyness. The workplace can be a harsh place at the best of times, but don’t let one exchange result in a dysfunctional team!

I hope you find these tips useful. They won’t all work overnight. Some might not work for you at all. But you won’t know until you’ve given them a go!

Please share your story about your shyness by leaving a comment below.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I’ve just received an email from a ‘web entrepreneur’ (putting it kindly) with the most laughable and highly dumb disclaimer I have ever read….

Yeah this is off topic, but I gotta share it before I burst. Some dumbass has just sent me an email to provide me with an excellent opportunity to learn a Highly Guarded Secret Video Shows Me How To Make Money Fast And Start Earning An Easy $1,200.00 Profit TODAY! Never Before Revealed (apparently). It comes complete with an easy-to-click, shortened link (hiding the destination, of course) and then this total corker of a disclaimer…

** Disclaimer **
The author is not responsible for the
content of this email,
and anything said in this e-mail does
not necessarily reflect our views.

Ain’t that a laugh?

TO: The guy who sent me this email (you know who you are)…

You are Officially a

Just keep in mind, folks, that if you recieve an email with a disclaimer like this, chuck it in the trash!

Have You received a ‘funny’ email like this? Share your story!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Do you have talent as a writer and have a passion to share your knowledge and experiences in the workplace? Then Write for Me!

I’ve just opened the doors again to ask new writers to join my team of bloggers (see ‘Write for Me‘).

Do you have something to share?

I would love to attract new talent to blog about their experiences in their workplace, and how they have progressed (and failed). If this is something you would like to get involved in, then get in touch with me today.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Most wallpapers that our IT departments add onto our desktops are… well… lame. And who wants a desktop that looks like that loser’s over there too? Now you can download exquisite wallpapers from the National Geographic website.

You can download these for free from the National Geographic website here. Some of them are simply stunning.

Before you download, make sure you can change the wallpaper settings on your PC. Some organizations lock this down to prevent changes that could compromise the machine.

[I should also thank Kevin Purdy from Lifehacker for sharing this link so I can share it with you. Thanks Kevin.]

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Whether it’s to kill boredom, impress your buddies, or to find that unique Secret Santa gift, desktop gadgets are without a doubt COOL. How many times have you seen one on a colleagues desk and thought ‘That’s awesome!’? Here is a round-up of ten such gizmos.

1. Funny GIFT! The Butt Station -Desk Accessory : Tape Dispenser Pen Memo Holder Clip Storage.

A funny tape dispenser shaped liked a guy on the pan. He even holds your pen in his mouth for that extra fun-factor.

It takes standard tape reels and standard pens too. It makes the perfect gift to a buddy or even yourself.

$9.97 – Buy Now

2. Lego Calendar

When I saw this I felt I just had to have one. I love lego – just like 99% of other grown-up kids. It’s compatible with standard lego pieces too so it’s ripe for the odd embellishment once I’ve raided my son’s lego set.

The best excuse for lego on the desk that I have ever seen!

$22.99 – Buy Now

3. Miniature File Cabinet for Business Cards with Built-in Digital Clock, PI-9617

Rolodex’s are dead. When somebody gives me a business card, this is where I want to put it. It even has index cards for easy retrieval.

It’s much better than those faux leather wallets that come as standard from the stationary room.

It doesn’t have room to hide a bottle of bourbon, but apart from that it looks and feels like a regular filing cabinet!

$10.82 – Buy Now

4. Decision Maker

Put those important business decisions in the lap of the gods.

Perfect if any decision is better than no decision. Which is often a very true statement.

At least you can blame fate!

It will certainly help me to decide what to have for lunch.

$12.88 – Buy Now

5. USB Office Fairy Lights

Bring the magic and splendor of fairy lights to your cube.

Perfect for those long winter days.

It fits directly into your USB port so no external power needed. It also means you can store it away at the end of the day without electricuting yourself.

$12.99 – Buy Now

6. Desk Dots…Magnetic Ceramic Spheres

These things are addictive. The sound they make when they clang together is melodic! They make great business card holders or note holdholders – basically use them for anything feasible that you can justify keeping them around to play with…

$19.00 – Buy Now

7. USB Missile Launcher with 3 Foam Missiles

I probably don’t need to say much about how cool this really is.

The picture speaks for itself.

Just beware of hitting your boss in the face with it. They don’t like it.

It plugs into your USB port and requires no additional power!

$34.30 – Buy Now

8. Digital USB Microscope Video Camera

Examine the crumbs on your desk or the beauty of the coffee stain on your report with this amazing microsocope that plugs into your USB port.

It has a million of uses. All of which can be justifiable in the pursuit of gainful employment, no doubt.

Use your imagination…

$99.99 – Buy Now

9. USB Office Glitter Rocket Lamp

Relieve your stress and tension with this desktop glitter lamp. Watch your productivity sky-rocket!

Tell your boss that the relaxation therapist isn’t necessary.

If possible, put this through as an expense claim!

$12.99 – Buy Now

10. USB Powered Paper Shredder

Information security is paramount in today’s enterprise. So what better than to have your own shredder that plugs into your USB.

Just don’t shred your hair, or pig-tails.

Feel free to shred parking fines.

$8.95 – Buy Now

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

We all want recognition as a great colleague, employer and corporate citizen, don’t we? (Even if it isn’t the ONLY thing we want recognition for!) Getting noticed is a sure-fire way of creating golden opportunities later on. This is the first of five simple tips on getting noticed.

Simple Things to Get Noticed #1: Get You and your colleagues discounts in local stores.

This is real simple, and very effective. Everyone loves a discount, especially if it’s on the things we buy the most. So why not visit your local stores, especially delis and coffee shops, and negotiate a discount for people from your organization.

The most effective way is to agree with the proprietor that anyone who produces a company id cards gets the discount.

Typical discounts range from 5% to 20%.

The best kinds of stores to approach are:

• Coffee Shops
• Delis
• Restaurants
• Clothing/apparel
• Travel
• Electronics
• Music

How To Approach Proprietors

Take a walk into a local store and ask for the proprietor, and mention that you believe that you can drum up more customers if they were to offer a discount to colleagues who produce an id card (show them yours). You won’t be able to guarantee an influx of customers, but it does mean that the effect of the discount can be measured. You should offer (at least) to send an email to your colleagues about the discount, or better still, have your HR dept or office manager do this.

Tell the proprietor that you will come into the store regularly to update them on the progress, and to see how many of your colleagues have come in to take advantage of the discount. You could offer to provide the proprietor with a printed spreadsheet to record custom from your organization.

If the proprietor rejects your offer to start with, then you could try to negotiate discounts on specific products or product-lines. This gives the proprietor an opportunity to discount high-margin produce and also cross-sell high-margin produce. For example, coffee can be bought with a 10% discount, but not pastries.

Securing Your Recognition

Whether it’s your personal email, or from a central department, make sure that it’s YOUR name that is associated with getting the discounts. Also, see if you can get this mentioned on your company intranet and posters on your office walls. Oh, and tell people about it!

If you enjoyed this tip to gain recognition in your workplace, then make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed to be informed when Simple Things to Get Noticed #2 is published!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Have you ever texted (SMS from your cellphone) the person you’re moaning about, rather than to the person you intended? If you have, then you’ll know what an embarrassing, toe-curling nightmare it is.

I have done this several times in the past. I nearly did it today… I wanted to send my buddy a text message to tell him why I was annoyed by someone, but almost sent the text to that ‘someone’ instead.

Why does it happen?

I know why. I’ve done this in a highly emotional state. It’s almost always because I am pissed off with someone, and their name is emblazoned in my mind through the red mist. So when I begin to write the text, I’ve accidentally selected their name from my cellphone’s address book.

In some circumstances, this could be a career-limiting move. What if I am upset with my boss, and then text my boss to that tune?

It can cause untold embarrassment.

Talk about embarrassment: check this quick story out where a teenager accidentally texted her dad about her ‘first time’…

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, heed my words. Make sure, for pete’s sake, you don’t text your message to the wrong recipient! Before you hit that send button, make a quick sanity check.

It’s a cautionary step you won’t regret.

Texting is very popular in Europe and the East, and is growing in popularity in North America. Infrequent users of SMS/texting are at the highest risk of making these kinds of mistakes. Here is a great book that tells you all you need to know about the language, culture and style of texting – Txtng: The Gr8 Db8

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes, a story is so unbelievable it must be true. Occasionally, we’ll read something that sounds so ridiculous, that you couldn’t make it up! Here are ten stories that will make you laugh and cringe…

Here is a link to an article from a great blog I found JobMob. If you don’t laugh, you’ll probably cry!

Top 10 Funniest Job Horror Stories.

Some of these stories make me think what the heck were they thinking? (Especially the one where the company fired the married couple…)

Do you have a funny story that you’d like to share? Then please tell us by leaving a comment below.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Do you know how to distinguish between job ads/offers that will bring you genuine income from those run by sheisters who will take what little cash you have left off you? Here are some tips to help you. (And check out my recommendations for 2 superb books that share genuine home-based business ideas and guidance, at the end of this post…)

In tough economic times where unemployment is on the rise, there grows a population ever more desperate people to earn an income to keep themselves and their families in food and shoes, and with them, comes unscrupulous blockheads that try to rip them off.

Actually, they’re not blockheads at all. Most of the scammers that prey on desperate people are intelligent, creative people who have chosen the dark side of the force.

If I can help just one person avoid being ripped off, this article serves its purpose.

Most of the common scams you’ll find on the web today involve an offer of easy work with high pay, yet you need no skills or experience to do the work. Work like that is typically one of two types:

1. Work that no rational person would ever do – dangerous, unethical or distasteful jobs like a naked janitor in a high-security jail, or a food taster for Osama bin Laden.
2. Work that isn’t work, just a reason to get money from you – the job is fake and offered to get some upfront cash from you

OK – I assume that you would spot which jobs fall into category 1, yes!

Jobs in category 2 are often just as easy to identifiy too. As I said, these jobs are often listed as lucrative, but you don’t need experience and skills, and you can work from home. Sounds great, huh? But these ‘jobs’ come to you with a ‘registration fee’ or some kind of upfront payment. It’s this money that the scammers want from you.

Some of these jobs, instead, require you to buy raw materials from the scammers to produce a physical product and then sell back to them. Great! But of course, their ‘quality control’ rejects your product, no matter how great it is.

You might have seen some ‘data entry’ jobs advertised. These are a scam too. The offers are designed to get you to impart some cash, and the work doesn’t materialize… well the cash certainly doesn’t. The same goes for the jobs where ‘all you have to do is post links on Google’.

There is a ‘filter’ I want you to develop in your mind, and it looks like this:

Why sell these amazing money-making schemes to us when they can keep them, and the money they generate, for themself?

If the ‘systems’ and ‘jobs’ that so many people are telling us about (and they want us to buy the information to learn how), are so lucrative (those that say you can earn $45,067 in less than 5 days) then why don’t they keep them quiet and use them just for themself?

These people are not community-sprited and small-time philanthropists. That’s for sure!

If you’re still not convinced, maybe some simplified economic theory might help explain it.

Economic Theory: Perfect Competition

In economics, there is a theory called ‘Perfect Competition’ which I will explain by discussing carrot farmers. (Yes, carrot farmers) The thing about carrots is that there is very little to differentiate the carrots from one farmer to the next. A carrot, is well, a carrot. Not just that, but the practices used by one carrot farmer and the next are pretty much alike too. And then the raw materials are the same – carrot seeds, muck, water, sunshine and maybe some way of getting rid of the bugs.

So from any carrot farmer, you would expect the same product, the same farming practices, and the same raw materials. Once you know this, anyone can become a carrot farmer. The barrier to entry is just making sure you can get this stuff and some land to grow the carrots in. Demand will typically track supply, unless there is some kind of major disaster.

If one farmer decided to hike his price up, then he wouldn’t last long. Because the market (carrot eaters) can get carrots from other farmers at a lower price, then nobody would buy at his price.

This is perfect competition. No farmer can distinguish their product to allow a rise in price. The cost of a carrot will be very little above the production costs.

You might be wondering where I am going with this. Well here goes…

In the jobs where skills and experience are not required (just like the scammers say) then many, many people can provide the labor. The raw materials (your time, maybe a PC with an internet connection and some electricity) are available to most people too. Everyone, to draw a parallel, can grow these carrots. There is a massive labor pool willing and able to do these jobs. So…

… why would they pay so much? Surely they would pay just to cover your costs and a little bit more? If it was a genuine job, then they would pay little, and be honest about it. Because the ‘employer’ could gain such a massive labor force then they wouldn’t need to pay much at all. There is perfect competition for the jobs.

But they tell you that you can earn mega-bucks, don’t they?!

So walk away. It’s a scam. Leave well alone. Look for that janitor or food-taster job instead.

As Rachel Zupek quotes on the CNN Living blog :  if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Two great resources for genuine home-based businesses

1. Start & Run a Real Home-Based Business is a full-on practical guide that avoids the hype and is based on sound business practice, especially on the marketing side.

2. 450 Home Business Ideas is jam-packed full of inspirational business ideas to run from home and in your part-time.

Stay Tuned…

I’ll soon be discussing the things you can do that are genuine ways of supplementing your income. Subscribe to my RSS feed to find out when!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Do you know what the unemployment rate is in your State? Here are the results of current research. It could reveal to you the extent of the challenge you’re facing in your job search.

I found a revealing article on blog Applicant.com which shares the current employment rates across US States.

The range is between 4% to 12.9%, with Michigan being suffering the worst rate of unemployment and North Dakota enjoying the least unemployment.

If you’re statistically minded, you’ll also spot in these numbers that Oregon has suffered the worst jump in unemployment since 2008 to 12%, up 6.4% from last year.

Are YOU one of these statistics?

Have you found yourself to be one of these numbers? How does it make you feel, and what are you doing to become more than a number? Tell us YOUR story…

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I need your help! Last year I raised over $1,000 for Cancer Research Charities, and this year I’d like to raise more funds.

You see, I became a cancer survivor myself last year – so I am grateful to these charities for all their hard (and often un-noticed) work; please help me help other people survive this disease too by taking just a few moments to write your own review of my blog on Technorati .

For every review written about this blog, I will donate $10 to Cancer Research charities on your behalf.

How To Contribute

It’s quite simple, and takes only a few minutes.

You can add your review by going to this page on the Technorati site: http://technorati.com/blogs/www.simonstapleton.com/wordpress

Add your review into the box (see image right) by typing a title for your review and then your thoughts about my blog in the Body section.

And please don’t forget to choose the Twitter This option too!

If you don’t have a Technorati login then you will be prompted to set one up which takes a matter of seconds.

The Money Raised

I will send the funds raised on the first day of each month to the Association for International Cancer Research (www.aicr.org.uk)

Please Help

Charities suffer big time during recession. Donations to charities are often the first things cut when household income comes under strain. Let me source the funds – all you need to do is write a review!

MANY THANKS in ADVANCE

Simon Stapleton

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Thanks to everyone who has left great comments on this blog and sent me private messages. I really appreciate your support in keeping this blog alive and kicking.

I just love it when I see repeat commentators (the guys listed on the top commentator leaderboard – keep it up!), and I am also overjoyed to see new commentators coming in and sharing their views and asking questions.

Comments make this blog. I just wanted to show my appreciation!

Simon

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I launched the eBook ‘The 10 Habits of Highly Effective IT Professionals’ and since then it’s been downloaded over 3,000 times. If you haven’t downloaded your copy yet, then enter your name and primary email into the form on the right of this page and I will send it to you right away.

So I hope you’ve been able to read the book through, and…

Can I Get Your Feedback on This Book?

Please tell me what you think about this book. Maybe you could answer one of these questions:

• What did you like about the book?
• What did you dislike about the book?
• What changes would you make to this book?

I’m all for transparency! Please leave your thoughts by commenting against this post.

Thanks!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I am a Sony Fan, but if you are a true Sony brand aficionado then you won’t want to see this extremely funny video I found on YouTube.

It’s a spoof news rip off which will split your sides!

Check out the guy outside the store!

To counter the balance, I did do a favorable review of the Sony Reader, right here!

http://www.simonstapleton.com/wordpress/2009/01/05/who-else-got-a-sony-reader-from-santa/

Warning – some major profane language in it – if you’re easily offended, try ToysRUs.com instead.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I just noticed that I’ve hit the 300 post mark. So it’s a landmark day. (Any excuse to break out some champagne). But what next?

I started this blog in it’s current guise a year ago, and it’s been quite a journey. Like most bloggers, I started by dabbling, and then when onto rambling, progressed onto babbling, but then it got serious. I realized how much I was enjoying it, particularly when I would get an interesting reaction from a commentator.

Now I have hit the 300 post mark, I am thinking about What Next? I won’t pretend that I am machivelian and that ‘this belongs to my readers, not me’. No, this is my blog. But the readers of this blog make it what it is, and I am always keen that I write about subjects that add value and solve problems for readers.

More recently, I refocused on recession survival. If the economic climate changes soon, I’ll refocus again towards building on the upturn . Only if I enjoy writing about it, and that readers value that.

The next step is to build more authority on the subjects that matter to IT professionals, leaders and freelancers. These are the groups of people I have the most affinity with and enjoy solving problems for.

Guess what though, knowing what your problems are takes a lot of time and a lot of research ! Because of that, I am always on the prowl for the interesting stories and problems that matter to you…. so let me hear them!

Solve problems with my help. Let me know what bugs you, frustrates you, pisses you off… and I promise to give it my best shot in solving the problem with you and all readers!

You know how: leave a comment, or contact me using the details on my About page!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I could be setting myself up as a spam target now….

In January of 2009, this blog received 1,455 comment spamming attempts, which my spam filter (Akismet) foiled. The most attempts in one day, so far, is 105. Thank God for spam filters!

I’ve been lucky – nothing has gotten through yet. There are messages that don’t look like spam to Akismet: with a little bit of wisdom and a Google search, I catch the rest. If a comment looks generic, I use Google to search for the text of the comment (in quotes) to see if other bloggers have fallen foul. If I get a search hit, then I know it’s spam!

If you blog, then follow that tip to avoid your reputation being sullied by some tricky sheister!

Here is a graph of the amount of spam caught by day:

So thanks, spammers, for giving me the data to create a pretty graph like this!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Hi everyone! I’ve been tweaking the look and feel of my blog and during the process I wondered if I should consider a different theme entirely. What do you think?

You can influence my design choice! Tell me what I should do to my theme.

So, should I…

1. Change the theme entirely? Any ideas to which theme?
2. Change just some elements of the current theme?
3. Leave the current theme as it is?

Your opinions will rock!

Simon

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Another installment of Sh..IT Happens, and another trip through the blogosphers for some of my favorite picks of the week.

1. Brand You: how do you come across at work?

   Elizabeth Harrin writes a great post on her blog A Girls Guide to Project Management about personal branding in the workplace. She interviews Salma Shah who share her views on the importance and value of your personal brand, your ‘emotional fingerprint’ and asks what supermarket do you liken yourself as a brand?

2. Free Agents in the workforce

   An interesting view from Jeffrey Phillips on his blog Thinking Faster . He ponders the concept of the free agent, or what we might normally call a freelancer or contractor. He argues that freelancers are great for business because they add flexibility and are lower cost, overall. Business, though, won’t be controlling their talent in an oppressive way, I suggest, that binding employees into the organization offers. I wonder: will the future organization retain highly-skilled, core team members and then buy services from lower-skilled agents, or the other way around?

3. 7 Tech Innovations That Changed The World

An interesting collection of ‘innovations’ according to Diann Daniel at CIO.COM. First listed is RFID – eh? Maybe I missed somethin, but RFID hasn’t changed the world, yet. The rest of the list I do agree with!

4. How Uncle Sam Is Already Saving Money With IT

   Marianne Kolbasuk McGee on Information Week’s Government IT blog shares with us the investment in technology related spending by Obama’s administration. It’s great to see how billions of taxpayer dollars are being saved by information technology, creating work in the IT sector. Are their jobs delivering government projects in your area? 

5. Gen X, Gen Y and Baby Boomers Fight for Same IT Jobs

Cindy Waxer at CIO.COM writes that IT managers are facing a tough predicament: a head-on collision between two vastly talented and vastly different generations, both vying for full-time employment in a fast-shrinking economy.

6. Getting & Keeping IT Top Management’s Attention

I couldn’t write an another edition of Sh..IT Happens without covering an article by Dr Jim Anderson on his blog TheBusinessofIT. This time, Dr Anderson writes about the causes of neglect in an IT organization, leading to project failure. He shares the views of Jesper Simonsen who studies have shown that when senior IT management are involved in projects, projects perform much better because of the deeper involvement in decision making and problem solving. I think this is because many IT organizations haven’t got the principle of ‘empowerment’ quite right. Empowerment at lower levels gives IT workers the authority to make decisions and keep the wheels moving. In my opinion, senior IT managers need to have a strong control environment, but manage my exception. What Simonsen’s study tells us is that IT workers are not yet empowered enough and need the involvement of senior managers to progress projects. This is a conundrum. Do IT manager maintain their involvement, but restrict the empowerment of their subordinates, or do they hold back and let projects fail? These are the extremes, and the solution is in the middle. Perhaps more coaching and mentorship are the solutions… but who invests in coaching/mentorship in a recession? Well, the enlightened of course.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

A week can seem a long time when you don’t have the comfort of a Microsoft Natural Keyboard, a coffee machine within spitting distance and an internet connection you can really rely on. So I had mixed feelings coming back from Egypt, until I was forced into a 500m detour when my flight couldn’t land in Bristol.

So back home in the comfort of my armchair and my 24″ monitor, I bring you this week’s pick of the bunch from across the IT blogosphere…

1. Welcome To 2009: Does IT Matter This Year?
   

   Yet again, Sh..IT Happens features another one of Dr Jim Anderson’s posts fromhis blog TheBusinessOfIT. This time, he remembers an article from back in ’03 where some wiseguy (Nicholas Carr from the Harvard Business Review) wrote “IT Doesn’t Matter”. At the time, the IT Industry was calling for some kind of Jihad on Carr. Carr’s assertion was that IT stuff is a commodity, and that anyone can put it together, and asked if it really adds to competitive advantage? Ha! 

   Ha? Was Carr right?

   Well isn’t that where we might be now? asks Dr Jim. Good question too! Cloud Computing is a commodity play (as I lamented on about in my post Dark Clouds Ahead? A Warning About Cloud Computing) and so is SaaS, so isn’t IT the infrastructure of business, a bit like phones, photocopiers, restrooms? Does IT matter? I won’t spoil the fun, but Dr Jim put’s any doubt about the value of IT to bed. Take a look at his post.

2. Connecting IT with Business – The Go Betweens
   

   My main-man Eric Brown shamelessly plugs himself from a quote in Oracle’s Profit magazine. Way to go Eric! I noticed you didn’t show us your quote from Fannie Mae’s magazine of the same name (joke). He writes about ‘Go-Betweens’ – the people who bridge the IT/Business divide:

   Make sure go-between teams do not report only to IT

   In the past 5 years, the ‘Business Relationship Manager’ grew as a role – provided by IT – to be an Account Manager of-a-sorts to Business customers. I employed one myself – seemed to be a perfect solution at the time, and it worked. What I discovered over time, though, is that it doesn’t really solve the problem of Business Ownership. This, perhaps above all else, needs to be in place for effective project and service delivery. Otherwise, IT leads the business. It’s a case of cart leading the horse or tail wagging the dog (any more synonyms?) The ‘Go-Between’ needs to be just that, in-between, rather than just another IT service.

3. What IT Business Alignment Isn’t
   

   I can be shameless too. This great post was discovered by Eric Brown. I liked it so much I wanted to include in this week Sh.. IT Happens as it’s such a great read. Glenn Whitfield on his blog IT Business Alignment (IT2B) critiques an article on one of my fave sites CIO.COM. Glenn isn’t vicious, but attacks their solution to the problem of IT Business Alignment – software. Fight fire with fire won’t work here, to turn a phrase. I guess Glenn has something. If IT and Business aren’t in a cohesive union, then adding more IT to solve the problem won’t solve it, it could make it worse. Glenn suggests a focus on process. Again I agree that process should always come before technology, but one problem I see (with my own eyes, daily) is that people understand technology, but far fewer understand process. So the debate will go on…

4. Jobs in a Recession Survey Results 5: What Recent Hires Recommend To Job Seekers
   

   Jeremiah Owyang on his blog Web Strategy shares with us some great data on what IT people who have just been hired are recommending to job seekers. What a great view to get! Interesting to see that Social Networking features very highly as top advice.
   

5. 10 Reasons to Use Microsoft Outlook for Your Company’s E-mail
   

   Whilst I am in a rebelious mood (against Cloud Computing anyway) I want to share this post by Lynn Greiner on CIO.COM which raised a few eyebrows and smiles which reminds us why Outlook is the de facto client for mail across the corporate world, and they’re also the reason why I still use Outlook at home. Webmail is too clunky for me… I am a drag ‘n’ drop afficianado (is that old-fashioned?)

6. 7 Reasons Not to Use Microsoft Outlook for Your Company’s E-mail
   

   <IGNORE AUTHOR=”Dee-Ann LeBlanc” SOURCE=”CIO.COM”>NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT READ THIS ARTICLE AS THEIR ARE SOME COMPELLING REASONS HERE, ESPECIALLY THE POINT ABOUT HTML EMAIL</IGNORE>

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I am admitting a moment of total weakness. I just gave into compulsion like never before! I feel so weak, but so pleasantly geeky too!

I am ‘fessing up to buying three gadgets that (with an objective/boring hat on) I didn’t really need, but I fell in love with them when I saw them. I’ve just been post-rationalizing about it. ‘Screw the recession’ I said. ‘I work hard, so why not treat yourself’ I muttered. What other excuse can I use?

Before I reveal what they are, just prepare to ask yourself the same question I did – do I really WANT them? See for yourself…

The first gadget I bought was the Belkin N1 Vision Wireless Router ($129.99) as my old LinkSys Wireless-6 was knocking me out intermitently. I loved my old LinkSys, but the issues I was having gave me headaches. So when I saw the sexy styling of the N1 Vision, I couldn’t resist it. It sure looks sexy doesn’t it? The information panel on the front is configurable and can show all sorts of info – I use to check uplink speed.

Next up is the Logitech G15 gamers keyboard (v2) ($74.72). In between writing and coaching, I find time to play some of my favorite games – right now I am trying to complete the last level of Call Of Duty World At War. It’s real tough, but this keyboard has 18 macro keys that come in real useful when executing several key presses in succession. I also use this to build macros useful to me when writing this blog or eBooks. The fold-out screen is used by some games to provide extra data although I must admit it that I find it a neat gimic, but not useful as my eyes are on the screen!

The third gadget I couldn’t resist is the Belkin Nostromo N52te SpeedPad (RRP $69.99) – a bit of a mouthful but a grazy gadget for gaming! I use keys a lot, and my keyboard used to take a bit of a hammering and it would sometimes get uncomfortable after a while. But with the SpeedPad, my wrist is rested on the ergonomically designed pad. It has a scroll wheel too, and a ‘hat’ stick, and LOADS of buttons that can be configured to suit your needs. The blue-LED backlighting makes it look great too. 

Maybe I should stop browsing the gaming mags to avoid being implusive, but then again, when gadgets look as sexy as these then it’s hard to resist!

If you’re enticed by these too, then follow the links above to find the latest price from Amazon! Or you might find them on eBay at better discounts. If you find them cheaper, please leave a comment and share where you found them!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

This was ‘the week that not was’ for me… as I’ve been hiding out in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It was a great place to relax and catch up on some reading (for fun!) and scouring the blogosphere for interesting posts. So, from Sharm El Sheikh, here are some of the best finds out there:

1. What Can IT Become When It Grows Up?

   Here is another great post from Dr Jim Anderson on his blog TheBusinessOfIT, where he writes about the views of Michael Vizard from publisher Ziff Davis . Vizard talks frankly about the need for IT to get it’s act together, and focus on the production and access of knowledge to the Business. Dr Anderson interjects with his opinion that business revolves around information, and that information is often too overwhelming – what business needs is knowledge . Dr Anderson shares five of Vizard’s key ‘developments’ for IT departments over the next five years in order to satisfy the business need of knowledge, and remove the overhead of information.

2. What would a professional do?

   If you haven’t read anything by Seth Godin yet, then you really must! I love Seth’s work, and his books, as he says it ‘how it is’ and doesn’t waste his readers’ time. In this post, he asks the question ‘What would a professional do? ‘ and considers the difference between professionals, and ‘deliberate amateurs’. Why have I included this? Because in IT we tend to specialize, or being ‘jack of all trades’, although most of us really work as both as we apply our knowledge and experiences to wider issues that our professions would dictate. For example, I comment on topics like Cloud Computing, but I am not an expert in it… but I do profess to be a deliberate amateur, so I can ask questions about it that a professional wouldn’t! Seth has written something deeply poignant here. As a deliberate amateur, we can ask questions without fear of our professional pride and credibility being damaged, so why not ask and be enlightened, or just as likely, enlighten the professional?

3. India Unveils $20 Laptop

   Found on InformationWeek.com , W. David Gardner covers the breaking news that the Indian makers of the Sakshat laptop have unveiled what will become the world’s first $20 laptop, with the promise to drop the price to $10! I find this unbelievable, and I don’t mean in the superlative sense. How can they really do this, even with MASS production? What do you think?

4. Cost Of Data Breaches Keeps Going Up

   George Hulme (again from InformationWeek.com ) tells us that average cost of a data breach for an organization is a whopping $6.5M! What’s more the numbers are rising in terms of cost and frequency! Hulme discusses the content of a new study by the Ponemon Institute (no, not Pokemon!). There are some startling statistics in the report (which you can download from a link off the post). Several questions sprang to mind when I read it:

   • Who is taking responsibility for these breaches?
   • Whose ‘head will roll’ next time it happens?
   • Are we all complicit in these breaches due to slack practices?
   • What will the career prospects of anyone involved in these breaches, once they’re discovered?
   • When will enough, be enough?

5. A Strong Foundation for Personal Excellence

   You gotta read this post from Dave Crain on his blog DaveCrainOnline.com , because it really does say everything you need to hear for personal excellence……. Be Nice! It’s much harder than you think. Why? Well it’s easy in the moment, but there is the perception that being nice is being weak – so these consequences often mean we think twice about being nice and, well, we’re mean instead. Being nice is one of things I went full-circle on, as do many people I talk to. Eh? What I mean is that early in my career, I was nice to folks. I had to be, so I thought, to fit in and build relationships. Then I became more successful, and strongminded, and then assertive… and then often aggressive. I wasn’t nice, in order to forge ahead in my career and appear as a badass. Then, with hindsight, guilt-ridden nightmares and the occasional ‘talking to’, I realized being nice was really the way to get things done. So Dave, thanks for your post!

6. Does Your Customer Trust You? The Acid Test

   A post by Charles H. Green on his blog TrustedAdvisorAssociates that you Sales People and Consultants will enjoy, but is really applicable to anyone in the modern enterprise where downstream colleagues in our value-chain are our customers (see my latest eBook The Ten Habits of Highly Successful IT Professionals to read more about this.) In essence, Charles checks our selfishness (or self-orientation) with our customers/colleagues by asking a simple question: Have you ever recommended a competitor to one of your better clients? He suggests that your answer can lead to some very powerful conclusions – it’s an acid test of your trustworthiness. What it led me to think about is who am I serving? Do I write my blog and books, and provide coaching services to line my pocket first, and then help my readers and clients second? What’s your opinion? Do I? Whatever your opinion, take a look at Charles’s post for an enlightening read that you’ll really enjoy.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Although you might not believe it, ‘other stuff’ has happened in the world besides the inauguration of Barack Obama… I’ve collected a few gems from across the web from last week – Leave Your Comments below!

1. Communicating IT’s value using Project Portfolio Management

   Eric Brown on his blog EricBrown.com controversially states that "Business leadership has no idea what IT really does " and suggests that Project Portfolio Management tools (PPM) offer CIOs and IT Managers a window into their department to gain a greater understanding of the subtle differences between roles and distinguish people at a much more granular level. Eric infers that IT leaders make poor decisions in staffing levels because they are not familiar with their staff and comletely misunderstand what it takes to deliver IT services. Personally, I have met CIOs who know their people right down to junior staff, so Eric’s comment isn’t always true (nor am I saying he implied it is always true). Where I do very much agree is that a toolset that provides the right kind of data to support important and high-impact decisions is welcome both to leaders and juniors alike.
   Sidebar: You can still take the Computer Associates CIO Project and Portfolio Management Assessment – see this post for more details.

2. 10 Cloud Computing Predictions For 2009

   An in-depth article from Information Week that discusses the growth of Cloud Computing in 2009. In particular, it predicts that it will grow steady at around 20%. This number suggests that enterprises are coming out of their ‘rut’, i.e. that organizational designs are now flexible enough to accommodate the consumption of services in the cloud, that security services have matured to the point that privacy and integrity can be controlled, and also that the recession and budgets are compounding the demand on Cloud. Is your department embarking on a major Cloud project?

3. Five Changes Microsoft Must Do — Or Die

   CIO.com offers five objectives the software giant must set itself and deliver against this year. I won’t spoil them, but it goes without saying that their desktop OS needs some serious re-thinking.

4. It’s All About Who You Know — and Who They Know

   An article from the Washington Post that talks about the use of Facebook and LinkedIn as serious jobseeking tools. It tells you how to use the tools for maximum effect. It’s also (ahem) a blatant show that I’ve been quoted in the article.

5. Tech Buyers Vent About Vendor Satisfaction

   I like this one! What should IT vendors stop doing? Well take a look at this article on Information Week . Not surprisingly, ‘Stop Promising Capabilities That Aren’t There’ is top! The two on low-balling really great with me. Read this to see some great stories on how vendors are just not getting it right.

6. Oh, so THAT’s an Entrepreneur

   Dave Crain on his blog DaveCrainOnline.com shares his view on the common traits of an entrepreneur to look for. I like Dave’s insight and his clarity on risk-taking as a key defining factor of an entrepreneur. In IT, especially nowadays, we’re encouraged to take less and less risk. In fact the ‘corporate immune system’ actively hunts it down and squashes it. Entrepreneurship is dying, inside the enterprise. But maybe the qualities Dave describes still have a home? Do you see them inside your organization?

7. Creative Abrasion: How To Build Innovation Into IT

   I just love the work of Dr Jim Anderson on his blog The Business of IT . In this post Dr Anderson talks about a write-up of an Unstructure conference, an platform for open discussion on a wide array of business subjects, and he comments that innovation doesn’t really work when it is highly process-oriented (although innovation itself is a process) – his point is that innovation is stimulated by the leveraging and amplification of differences between people through creative abrasion and agility – you can’t put these things in boxes. They happen. You record the results. You take action.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

I travel to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday with my family for a relaxing break. It is a beautiful area of the country and sits on the Red Sea. It will be a shame to leave the cold and the rain behind. I won’t be leaving my brain behind though… I need to Come Up With A Cunning Plan.

This trip is an excellent opportunity to contemplate the future. I am sure, amidst splashing around in the pool with my 2 year old son, that I’ll be looking ahead to what will be a tough year for the IT industry and we folks who work in it.

The outcome I want from the trip is to clear my frustration.

You see, I see everyday the effect of this recession. I’ve said in my tweets , ‘Screw The Recession’ – and I stand by that, but I can’t escape from the fact that it’s having a very real impact on the industry, employment, prospects for the future, and the enjoyment of our work. So I thinking, what can I do to help ? My frustration kicks in when I look at the number of comments on this blog and see only a handful per week. Something isn’t right, but I don’t know what it is…

- are people listening?

- do they need help?

- do they want my help?

- am I fishing in the right pond?

- is my niche too narrow?

- am I fooling myself?

I don’t know! So next week is the time I will Come Up With A Cunning Plan. A Plan to turn things around so I am standing in front of the people who I can help and want my help. It’s that simple.

I am looking forward to next week then – for the sand, for the fun, and for the chance to get my Plan into shape.

And if I am lucky, there will be WiFi there too, so if your generosity extends to giving me a suggestion, then I’ll welcome it with gratitude!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Are you known for being a serious player? Do your colleagues look up to you and gain inspiration? When you walk into a room, do you brighten it up?

Well I want to know about you! I am looking for volunteers to help me with a survey on the top motivators of the IT Elite.

The survey will ask you what motivates you.

• Is it achievement, or fear of not achieving?
• Is it winning, or fear of not winning?
• Is it affiliation and comradery, or fear of being an outcast?

This survey will find out what the key motivators are of the very best from the IT industry.

If you’re keen to help and believe you are a member of the IT Elite, then get in touch by leaving a comment below, sending me a message through Skype, calling me, or emailing me. Details on my About page!

Get in touch now.

P.S.

What do you think motivates this guy? I don’t think it’s fear!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Finally, I now bring you a weekly pick of some of the best finds from the web and blogosphere. You will find brief reviews and links to some of the best posts about technology and IT.

And so to our first installment – #1.

1. The Top 5 Bush Gaffes
   

   OK – I’ve startedoff topic. Bite Me! Whether you are elephant or donkey, it is impossible not to see the funny side of Bush’s eloquent use of the English language. I found this on YouTube courtesy of Steveoqotsa who has pulled together 5 great gaffes by W.

2. The Eight Step Process of Successful Change
   

   Title says it all! It’s a great list and would make great management mantra of affirmations.

3. IT vs Sales: The YouTube Version
   

   Dr Anderson shares his YouTube find that gives us a laugh and something to think about

4. Knowledgeable Workforce Requires Knowledge-Filled Workers

   CEO Steve Roesler imparts some wisdom- the knowledge economy needs knowledgable people for it to work, particularly when looking at retention of knowledge and employee engagement when layoffs are looming in

5. Your brand is what you do

   A great post from innovation guru Jeffrey Phillips where he explains that your brand is your product. I guess this applies to your own personal brand, as well as that of your company. Jeffrey suggests that your brand isn’t your logo or your strapline but it’s the result of what you deliver. Brand is the manifestation of your results, not the other way around!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Ah.. Your Performance Appraisal (or Review). A time for reflection on past performance and discussion about how to do better, with less. A time for exploring new avenues and ideas. It’s a time for creativity and construction the future with the art of the possible. Yes? No? Or is it a humdrum activity ‘done’ to you twice a year where you receive arbitrary scores for doing stuff?

For 90% of people I talk to, it’s the latter. This must be frustrating – I mean – a constructive performance appraisal can yield so many benefits for the employee and employer alike, but aren’t they squandered to become a box-ticking and naval-gazing activity. Yes, for those 90%. Is there a way to make your performance appraisal constructive and creative without breaking the process our employers have invested heavily in, and are so proud about.

You know, I think there is.

The key is in our preparation, and execution . The core purpose of a performance appraisal is to assess our achievements and behaviors in order to learn how to adjust and perform better in the future, and often to judge the ‘reward’ – that is – bonus, payrise or other benefits like promotion. It’s an important event!

Get this – most of us (me included) have looked at our review as an opportunity to be criticized and judged, which means we behave defensively and erect a wall of steel around us. We don’t use it to construct a possible future and identify the opportunities for us. When I thought like that, guess what, my reviews resulted in mediocre-to-poor outcomes.

When I experienced lacklustre result after lacklustre result, I consulted a career coach. After several consultations, I understood the problem. The cause wasn’t about the attitude of my boss, or that I was the victim of some malicious and well-orchestrated smear campaign. It was my own attitude that stunk. Ouch – it hurt.

My problem: I wasn’t using my performance appraisal as a learning exercise and a way of setting future direction that I could influence. My performance reviews were my opportunity to reach my potential.

It was only when I was shown the potential benefits of a review did things change for me. It took a leap of faith to make the change.  When I did, though, I experienced an entirely different kind of review, and observed unprecedented outcomes. Here is what they were:

• When I begun to open up and not feel so defensive, my reviewer began to feel they weren’t on the attack
• When I talked about the future, we didn’t focus entirely on the past
• When I began to admit mistakes or discuss things I thought could be improved, my reviewer began to offer support
• When I showed my humanity, rapport developed with my reviewer
• Hey, when I began to enjoy my review, my results improved remarkably!

The turning point was when I realized that my performance appraisal was a golden opportunity to be constructive. You know what, though, this takes preparation and careful execution. Why? Because your boss might not be thinking the same way.

So here’s what I have learned since ‘seeing the light’ and understanding how to make the review process work for me:

• For an appraisal to be constructive, the goals and objectives that were set need to be understood in the same way as our boss. That is, what the desired outcome is, and how it is measured. If we disagree about what the objective is, and how we measure it, then we don’t have a hope of agreeing a fair result. Solution: before your appraisal, check with your boss way in advance that you have the same understanding of the objectives and how they are measured… and rectify any misunderstanding as early as possible
• Perform a self-assessment before our review – this means we have an internal benchmark to work from. Having no idea of your own means that you have no context to discuss your managers assessment against, or negotiate with if it comes to that. This includes gathering facts, examples, samples of work, and as much as possible, using 360-degree feedback (or another process) to get opinions of your performance from peers, subordinates or other superiors
• I find that a constructive and creative appraisal happens when there is a balance between review (of past performance) and objective-setting (of future performance). Sounds obvious, maybe, but I want to emphasize the importance of preparing objectives we would like to set ourselves. Don’t wait to be given them out of the blue
• I also like to make sure that there is enough time to complete the review. Once again, perhaps obvious, but it’s so easy to use up most of the allocated time reviewing the past, leaving little precious time for a constructive conversation on the future. Remember, this is your review, so if time isn’t being managed then manage it yourself
• Above all, your preparation should include the creation of a vision in which you see yourself performing a more responsible and valuable role, and a roadmap of how you’ll get there. Your vision is really your personal end-goal. You’ll imagine not just what you do or deliver, but the way you will behave (e.g. more confident, less hurried), the relationships you’ll develop, the reward you want to enjoy (cash, but also other recognition like awards), and the value you will create in your organization. Put like that, your boss will certainly buy into it (or offer an adapted version – just as good), providing it isn’t against the strategy of your organization. Talk about this during your review and point out the role of your boss in providing support

So in our performance appraisals, let’s remember to be human, not defensive, open, honest and forward thinking.

I also recommend…

If you are the reviewer or reviewee during a performance appraisal, then here is a very good book that shares phrases to use. It isn’t just a ‘say this, and then this…’ kind of book, it shows you what phrase-constructs to use in the right context to help make a performance appraisal as effective as it could be: 2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews: Ready-to-Use Words and Phrases That Really Get Results

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Santa brought me a Sony Reader last Christmas (the PRS-505 model, in red!) and I love it! Did you get one, or maybe you got the Amazon Kindle instead?

Here is a ‘video review’ of the Sony Reader. I decided to do a video review to show you the screen, and how great it looks. Just like paper!

I think these technologies will revolutionize (over time) the way we read and consume information. What I have in my reader is something I can slip in my pocket or bag and pick up just like a book anywhere. They’re a lot different than a laptop. Why?

• They’re very light – only a few ounces in weight
• Their batteries last ages – my Sony’s lasts nearly 7,000 page turns
• You can read them at any angle, so it’s comfortable on the eye
• They’re ergonomic, specific for reading purposes

I think they’re great for people on the move and professionals who want to consolidate their Information Catalog into a convenient place – you can store all your relevant and useful documents and notes and carry it with you, always.

The only problem with these gadgets, at this time, is that you can’t get every book on them – in fact the library is quite limited. However I’ve just seen on the Engadget website that Sony have ‘opened up’ the Reader to allow any merchant to sell books for the Reader device, so you’re not tied to the Sony’s book-store as a customer. This will make it very competitive with the Amazon Kindle .

If you didn’t get a Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle from Santa this year, then I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you that the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, or Boogeyman brings you one soon!

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.

Asking for a raise during a recession can give good reason for your boss to think you’re totally out of touch with what’s happening in the global economy, or maybe they’ll think you’re just insensitive to business issues. It’s a risky thing to do. What if you’re struggling to make ends meet yourself; perhaps you have no choice? Here are some tips on how to ask for a raise during an economic downturn.

First things first.

If you don’t need a raise, then don’t ask for one. Venturing into this territory has risks, so don’t put yourself at their mercy if you can avoid it. You might want more income, and so do most other people. You should only ask for a raise if you really need it.

Why might you need a raise?

Until recession really bit (Sept/Oct 08), inflation was high. In the US, inflation hit 5.6% and other countries such as the UK, Germany, Canada saw similar figures. Although inflation has gone down significantly, the effect of high energy and food costs, for most people, we are worse off. If it’s costing more to live now, workers who were just keeping their financial heads above water early last year will be struggling right now.

Is this you?

What’s a ‘fair’ raise?

It’s essential to know the value of your role, based on your skills, experience and don’t forget location. You’ll likely observe a band in which your role pays based on these factors, and if you’re asking for a raise that lies well within that banding then you’ve got a good case, particularly if you’re currently earning below average. Try using Payscale.com (US), Salary.com (US), mysalary.co.uk (UK) or search for one in your country.

Once you’ve assessed the band you can negotiate in, you can calculate the ‘fair’ raise you’ll ask for. In a economically challenging climate, fair is to ask just for what you need and no more, providing it falls within the band. It should be a number you can justify and feel confident in asking for a raise with integrity. PayScale.com offer a neat tool for working out your cost of living . You can use the tool for free here .

Here’s another important thing: comparing yourself to your colleagues isn’t a great way of assessing a ‘fair’ salary. This rarely works as a bargaining tactic in my experience, and you’ll land your colleague in the shtuck – disclosing salary is not a prudent thing to do. It’s much better to compare yourself against the benchmark rather than an individual.

Asking for the raise.

Bill Sturrick, a HR manager in NYC, says “If you don’t ask for a raise right now, then you’ll be lucky to get one. You should ask though, if you need it.”Sturrick believes that asking for a raise now shouldn’t expect a hostile response, “People have to eat and put a roof over their heads, and often the raise needed is peanuts!”

The tip is to lay it out to your employer. Don’t hold back on asking for what you need, but don’t be pushy or greedy. Prepare your case before you ask, and demonstrate why you need to raise to make ends meet. Be honest with yourself and your boss when making this assessment though. Trickery just won’t work. Offer any data you’ve gathered to your boss during negotiation – in fact any information you use to base your case for a raise on you should share. You’ll expect complete transparency from your boss, so you should do the same. Any information you have must be open to challenge.

Also consider your uniqueness in your organization. Are you what’s known as a ‘key-man’? (or maybe ‘key-woman’, but it’s just a turn of phrase!) If you are irreplaceable, then you certainly have leverage to ask for a raise. Strong words of advice though – don’t over-use this, or even mention this during negotiation! Your employer won’t like you have them over a barrel, so only use this as a means of confidently negotiating, not as a negotiation tool itself. If you do, then I can promise you this situation will be short-lived whilst your employer reduces their risk.

It’s much better to emphasize your uniqueness and value by discussing the results from recent performance reviews/appraisals to show you are exceeding your employer’s expectations, and bring in any 360 degree feedback to the same effect. Sturrick advises “Use documented evidence of your value during your negotiations and let the opinion of your boss speak for itself.”

Alternatives to a Raise

Many employees won’t ask for a raise when they know that their employer is in financial difficulty. This is a stressful time for employee and employer!

Guess what though – there are alternatives than a raise which can help out with financial strain.

Take a look at personal expenses that are made in the course of employment. Many of these costs are in commuting and childcare. If a raise is out of the question for you, then ask your employer if you can telecommute (that’s work from home) a couple of days a week, which will save on your travel costs, car parking, possibly childcare and even on small costs like eating out for lunch.

You may also want to try negotiating other benefits to reduce your costs, such as additional healthcare and other insurance. Look for expenses that cost you a great deal but are low for your employer under bulk discount.

Negotiation?

I’ve used the word ‘negotiation’ in this article a number of times, but perhaps we shouldn’t see it as a negotiation? This word rings of a win-lose outcome. A discussion about pay during a recession is about searching for a win-win, where you as an employee take home a fair pay that you can live on, and your employer enjoys the benefits of your skills, knowledge and experience for that price. Understanding this can mean you have fair and open discussions with your boss and your HR department – you’re looking for a workable solution to a shared problem.

©2012 SimonStapleton.com. All Rights Reserved.