One of the best resources for self-directed learning is other people. However, this process is underutilized in many companies because people are hesitant to admit they don't know something or that they've made a mistake.

There are five basic work relationships you should create in your workplace. Each of them has a different purpose and distinct advantages. The relationships are based on using:

1. Formal or Informal Mentoring
2. Online Mentoring
3. Team Mentoring
4. Coaches
5. People as Resources.

Formal or Informal Mentoring
Traditional mentoring can be divided into informal and formal categories. Both of these are good sources of advice and direction, particularly in soft-skill development, career development, and in creating leadership ability.

In the more informal mentoring, the mentor and mentee choose each other and may or may not even work for the same company. In formal mentoring, a company mentorship program is established, and mentors and mentees are assigned to each other.

Online Mentoring
Online mentoring can take the form of an informal chat room, where people share a common interest in a subject. It can occur in a chat room led by an expert where questions are answered synchronously—in real time. Learners can even use e-mail to ask questions of an expert who usually answers them within 24 hours.

Some real-time mentoring even includes videoconferencing capabilities. Below are some advantages of online mentoring:

* Because online mentoring is anonymous, learners can discuss problems in their company confidentially and without fear of reprisal.
* Chatting with others, possibly from around the world, brings depth of understanding and viewpoints not previously considered.
* Learners can use chat rooms and e-mail at off hours when their work schedules are not making as many demands on them.
* By talking with experts and others interested in a subject, learners stay up-to-date in their fields and recognize the knowledge and skill gaps they need to fill.

Team Mentoring
With the growing popularity of self-directed teams, team members are also learning to mentor each other.

Team mentoring is about knowledge sharing, a crucial concept for those trying to maintain a competitive edge. It can involve learning skills that will benefit the group and then sharing these skills with the whole team.

Coaches
Coaching is not a new idea for corporations, but traditionally it has been a supervisor who coaches his or her direct reports. Now, coaching has taken on a different dimension because the knowledge workers of the new corporation often know more than their supervisors.

Coaches should be selected for their expertise and their communication and feedback skills. Coaching provides supervised practice: It's not practice that makes perfect; it's perfect practice that makes perfect.

People as Resources
When you have a specific question about something, isn't there someone you always ask, someone who has a strong skill set in that area?

Everyone has a source person who tirelessly answers questions that perhaps should not even be asked. This is a relationship that can easily be abused.

Some people seem to encourage questions from their colleagues, but every question is an interruption in their work. Be sure to maximize your opportunities to use people as resources for self-directed learning.

When companies are demanding faster response time from all employees, mentoring, coaching, or just asking a colleague for help may be some of the most efficient ways to bridge your skill or knowledge gap.

When it's time to take action, you have only three choices: Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Of course, "getting out of the way" is rarely an acceptable choice when there's work to be done. So the proper course of action is to either lead or follow. If you know the right way to go about it, the choice is yours. Your goal, however, should be to tailor your decisions to the company culture and supervisory style in which you work.

A company's culture determines who holds the authority to make decisions. If you decide to take the lead in taking action, you have to be sure the organization gives you the authority to act. Good etiquette requires you to observe your company's culture before you assume you have the authority to lead. Consider the following points.

* One company culture is a strict hierarchy. If workers want to take initiative, they need to work through the chain of command. The first step is to document the actions they want to take. Then they wait until they receive approval to proceed.
* A participatory culture seeks input from many levels in the organization before managers make the final call. Workers who want to take the lead can gather information and prepare solutions without seeking approval, but they should report back to their bosses.
* A company using distributed decision-making expects people to take initiative, so assertive action is welcome. People should start by talking to other workers who may be affected by their actions. They need to build consensus, then implement their decisions.


There may be times when you'd rather take a back seat and let others lead. Perhaps you're still learning a new job responsibility or just don't want to take on a new task. The solution is to provide information so others can lead.

When you make the decision to lead, you first must think about your boss's supervisory style. Some supervisors may be offended by subordinates who are too assertive. However, in most situations, supervisors appreciate workers who show initiative. If you take actions compatible with your boss's supervisory style, you'll avoid giving the impression you're trying to do your boss's job. Keep the following points in mind when dealing with the three types of supervisors: quarterbacks, coaches, or cheerleaders.

* Bosses who are quarterbacks want to be involved in everything. If you want this type of boss to take charge, just ask his advice. Before you know it, he'll make the plan, assign the tasks, and do a big chunk of the work himself.
* Bosses who are coaches like to talk strategy, but then they'll expect you to take over from there. If you want to be a follower, you'll sometimes have to ask the coach to lead. Coaches will lead as a way to help you learn, but don't expect them to change roles frequently.
* If your supervisor is a cheerleader and you want to be a follower, you have a problem. Cheerleaders stay on the sidelines while you do the work. You'll have to convince a cheerleader that you can't handle the task before he'll take charge.

As you can see, there are no simple rules of etiquette to follow when you're deciding whether to be a leader or a follower. But by tailoring your decisions to the company culture and supervisory style in which you work, you can ensure you're successful when you decide it's time for you to take the lead. What's more, you'll be able to choose the right course of action in everyday business situations.

Which do you think is a more accurate predictor of life success: A person's emotional intelligence or a person's IQ? If you're like most of us, you'd probably guess that IQ—a person's mental intelligence—is more important. However, you'd be surprised to learn that a person's emotional intelligence is actually more closely tied to life success. Why? While IQ determines a person's memory, reasoning ability and fluency with language and math, emotional intelligence is linked with a person's moods, attitudes, empathy, and motivation. And these are powerful forces that can result in an individual's success in business or social settings.

The Elements of IQ
IQ measures a person's intellectual ability and generally remains steady throughout a person's life. Interestingly, it contributes to only about 20 percent of the factors that determine a person's life success. Traits exhibited by a person with a high IQ include a wide intellectual capacity and range of interests, confidence and fluency in expressing thoughts and opinions, a tendency to be anxious and to worry, and a critical nature. IQ is linked with the following mental abilities:

* verbal comprehension, which is the ability to understand and define words
* word fluency, which is the ability to think of words rapidly
* number facility, or the ability to do mathematical problems
* spatial ability, the ability to visualize objects and draw them from memory
* memory, which is the ability to memorize and recall information
* perception, the ability to notice details and detect similarities and differences
* reasoning, the ability to follow general rules

The Elements of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is comprised of a broad range of abilities, including awareness of one's own emotions, the ability to regulate moods, the recognition of emotions in others, the ability to motivate oneself in the face of frustration, the ability to control impulses and delay gratification, and the ability to empathize. Emotional intelligence contributes to about 80 percent of the factors that predict life success.

Individuals with high emotional intelligence are poised, outgoing, and cheerful. They have empathy for others, express their feelings directly but appropriately, and have a capacity for developing relationships. Therefore, emotional intelligence is a more accurate predictor of life success than IQ is. Fortunately, emotional intelligence is a skill that can be developed more readily than pure intellectual abilities. To be more successful in your job and in your personal life, strive to be aware of your emotional intelligence and to improve the emotional aspects of your life.

Credibility is the quality that makes people trust you and believe in you. If yours is strong, you'll be well prepared to persuade others. To enhance your credibility, you'll need to do the following:


Look the Part
The persona that you project speaks volumes about your credibility. Most business people are very open to—and place their trust in—a persona that projects warmth, professionalism, and intelligence. Other image factors that can affect your credibility are your dress and your posture. If your peers prefer formal attire, follow suit. If you want to project a powerful image, adopt a strong posture.

Speak the Part
You may look the part, but if you don't speak the part, you'll lose credibility fast. To enhance the oral aspects of your credibility, you should:

* Know your subject matter—Astute listeners know when someone is using words to cover up shortcomings in knowledge about a certain subject. If you want to increase your credibility, do your research on the subject matter you're supposed to be talking about. Ineptitude is almost as bad as lying.
* Use appropriate language—Use impact words that catch listeners' attention, but take care not to sound snobbish or pompous—or inappropriately casual.
* Control your voice—Do you know anyone whose voice is baby-like or, worse yet, makes her sound dumb? Control your voice by varying the inflection of your tone, using a lower pitch, and using a softer volume. Practice by reading newspaper articles out loud.

Walk the Talk
There is nothing more debilitating to your credibility than to say one thing and to do another. Do as you say and say as you do. Sometimes events may force you to do something other than what you've said. This is unfortunate. One of the best ways to avoid this is by not making any promises. A promise may be held as sacrosanct by many listeners, and breaking it will mean trouble for you.

By improving your credibility, you'll be better able to influence other people because they'll be more inclined to believe you and what you tell them. Even if you have authority, credibility is a powerful asset as you seek to accomplish your goals.

When people work together, conflicts are inevitable. Some company cultures tolerate more conflict than others. But in all cultures, resolving conflicts is the only way to stay productive and efficient. It's up to you to determine whether a conflict remains a small disagreement or erupts into an all-out duel. That's why it's important to be aware of the correct etiquette for handling conflicts. To ensure you're following the correct etiquette, you can follow the three steps described below to work through conflicts.


1. State a clear point of view.
The first step in working through a conflict is to state a clear point of view. Choose your words carefully. That way you can make your position clear without escalating the disagreement. When you're discussing your own point of view, avoid using the word you. For example, don't say, "You're always late completing your assignments." Instead, explain your point of view using the word I. You could say, "I'm frustrated when I don't have the information I need to do my work."

2. Explore what's happening in the conflict.
After both people in a conflict have clearly stated their points of view, the source of the conflict becomes more apparent. The source of the problem usually falls into one of four categories.

* Some conflicts arise because people are working from different sets of facts.
* Conflicts are bound to happen when people who are working together have different goals.
* Conflicts can happen when two people share a goal but disagree about the best way to get there.
* Sometimes people agree on a goal as well as the best way to achieve it. However, conflicts can still happen if people have different priorities.

3. Propose collaboration.
After you've clarified the source of the conflict, you should identify common interests. By offering to collaborate in working toward common interests, the conflict can be minimized. You're also building a more cooperative relationship.

If the other person presents a strong case, surrender is an option. But in truth, you'll feel defeated and resentful. If you defer to others in all conflicts, you'll be less effective getting your own work done. And if you resist making any concessions at all, you might get what you want—this time. But defeating every opponent is time-consuming and creates hard feelings. You won't win any friends this way. That's why collaboration is the best way to resolve conflict.

Workplace conflicts are often complicated. You won't solve them all with one simple formula. But you can keep many small problems from becoming big ones by following the correct etiquette for handling conflicts.

Chivalry in the business world isn't dead; it's just changing. Within a generation, the rules of etiquette that once urged men to fuss over women, have been turned upside down. It's now a level playing field, with women rightfully asserting their power and independence alongside men. Now women are extending some of those age-old courtesies to their male counterparts. Yet members of both genders are sometimes offended by such behavior. How do you know which civilities are off the map? And how should you respond to chivalry in any case? Welcome to the "new etiquette."

Chivalry for the 21st Century
Twenty-first-century business etiquette no longer makes a distinction between which gender should do what for whom and in which situations. Instead, the etiquette of chivalry has become gender-free. It's now a simple matter of courtesy. Whether a man helps a woman, or vice versa, depends on the situation and who's in need. For example:

* The person who arrives at the door first holds it for everyone else.
* The host, or whoever asked the others out for the business lunch, pays the tab.
* If someone's struggling with his coat, give him a hand. Otherwise, allow people to put their coats on themselves.
* A person of either gender typically appreciates an offer to help carry a heavy or awkward load.
* It's still considered polite to rise to greet someone, especially in business situations in which you're greeting a client or superior. However, it's not necessary to stand each time a woman returns from making a call or visiting the restroom.
* It's no longer necessary, or even acceptable, to presume that a female business contact needs help with her chair. People of either gender who truly need help will usually ask.

Chivalry you'd best forget
Obviously, things have changed, and for the better. It's much more practical to help someone based on that person's real need, rather than to offer assistance as a form of flattery or superiority. Nevertheless, there are forms of chivalry that should be avoided. For example, some people may skew what they consider to be chivalrous behavior, or they may take it to an extreme. Some types of "chivalry" to avoid include:

* consistently offering basic courtesies to one gender but not the other
* always having to be the one to offer the civility in the first place, which says to others, "Hey, look at how proper and caring I am!"
* forcing your chivalry on people when they don't want it.

How to respond to chivalry
Maybe you don't need or want someone else to be chivalrous. What's the appropriate way to respond to chivalry in this case? It helps to be understanding. Recognize the kindness when you see it, and thank the person for the gesture. Some people are compulsive do-gooders, and you just may have to accept that in some circumstances.

Chivalry is alive and well in the 21st century—and it's now easier to practice than ever before. Be courteous to others, but don't go overboard. Remember, chivalry is now gender-free. Keep the points listed above in mind when determining whether to act in a chivalrous manner—and accept chivalrous behavior in the manner in which it's intended. And get used to the age of new etiquette, because it has arrived in the workplace.

Serving Customers on the Information Expressway

The acceleration of change in today's society is having a huge impact on customer service.

What's different about the customers of today? Aside from the fact they are better educated than customers of the past, they are:

* Bombarded with far more choices due to increased levels of competition.
* Cashing in on an increasingly global marketplace that gives them even more options.
* Capitalizing on telecommunications and computer advances that are revolutionizing the way we do business.

With ways to transmit information instantaneously, customers expect quicker response times because their customers are pushing them to pick up the pace. Software now enables the company to track the whereabouts and progress of any item shipped.

Clearly, the consumers of tomorrow are being raised with constant, quick stimulation, and rapid response. These trends have "upped the ante" considerably. Competition is fierce. Customers expect us to work quickly and decisively on their behalf. They expect us to help them increase their market share and level of success.

The first rule concerning customer expectations is: "there are no rules." Customer expectations can shift quickly and dramatically for a variety of reasons.

There are many factors that influence customer expectations, including:

* previous experience with your products or similar products
First impressions can make or break customer relationships. If customers love your product or a had a good experience with a similar product, they will have high expectations when they buy from you. If, however, they are disappointed by quality, performance, or service, they may abruptly switch to another source.
* the customer's state of mind (and state of business)
Economic and industry trends can change customer expectations. Economic trends can change perceptions about price and durability while industry trends can change expectations about quality and functionality. Another factor to consider is the changing needs of the customer—for example, a single customer marries or a married customer has their first baby.
* word of mouth from other customers
Customer expectations about your product or service are also influenced by word of mouth. When an existing customer praises your product, expectations rise. When an existing customer criticizes your product, expectations fall.
* the competition
If a competitor offers a similar product at a certain price, the customer will expect the same from you. If the competitor offers a special gift with a purchase, the customer will look to see what you might do as an incentive.
* your advertisements
When your ads tell people you perform to a higher standard, they will expect you to live up to the promise. If you under-promise and over-deliver, you'll gain customer commitment.

Customer expectations are ever-changing. Understanding the factors that influence customer expectations is essential if you want to anticipate customer needs and provide them with exceptional service.

“Service is in the Eye of the Beholder”

Perception is a critically important business concept, especially when discussing customer service. You might even say, "Service is in the eye (and mind) of the beholder," (the customer).

What the customer perceives is often more important than the reality of the situation.

Customer perceptions are created during an experience with your organization and after it, as well. There are three concepts that always hold true.

* Perception is based on how the experience measured up to expectations.
* Customers are happy if their experience is good.
* Customers are unhappy if their experience is less than their expectations.

There are no rights or wrongs to your customers' expectations. They just are, and there is little you can do to influence whether or not their expectations are realistic or unrealistic.

Perceptions develop from a person's background and previous experience. What one person sees as attentive service, another may see as inattentive.

Effective Telephone Techniques
Instructions: Use this SkillGuide to improve your non-verbal communication skills.

* Put a smile in your voice.
* React like it's your best friend on the phone.
* Start smiling before you answer the telephone.
* Think of every call as a welcome break.
* Sit up straight with both feet on the floor.
* Don't slouch.
* Treat callers with respect.
* Focus on what you can do.
* Don't take your problems out on a caller.
* Try to project a perky, positive, and upbeat image.

I start my first blog post for the those who are not perfect with use of punctuation and will teach you how to use punctuation in your office correspondence properly. I got these tips in my email and feel like i should share with my readers on my blog which will of course help my readers in some way. After all nobody is perfect in this world and we are nobody :) I am sure once you finish reading this post you will have idea regarding proper use of punctuation in your office for writing letters/stories/blogging etc..

Punctuation

Punctuation means making points. It means putting the right kind of points in the right place so as to mark the exact length and meaning of sentences. Proper punctuation is essential in writing to enable the reader to understand what it is you are trying to say.

Full Stops - [.]

Full stops go at the end of sentences that are statements. You do not put a space before a full stop, but you do need at least one space after one (two spaces for purists).

For example:-
My name is Lynne. I am a teacher.

Question Marks - [?]

Question marks go at the end of sentences that are questions. As with full stops you do not put a space before a question mark, but you do need at least one space after one (two spaces for purists).

For example:-
Is my name Lynne? Of course it is.

Exclamation Marks - [!]

Exclamation marks act as a full stop. It is most often used to show shock, surprise, horror or pleasure. As with full stops you do not put a space before an exclamation mark, but you do need at least one space after one (two spaces for purists).

For example:-
Oh! Ah! Wow! Brilliant!

Commas - [,]

Commas point out brief pauses in a complex sentence or separate items in long lists. They are useful for breaking up long sentences, but only to show a natural break. You do not put a space before a comma, but you do need a space after one.

For example:-
There were a lot of people in the room, teachers, students and parents. The teachers were sitting, the students were listening and the parents were just worrying.

Note - we don't usually put a comma before the word – and.

Colons - [:]

Colons precede a list, an explanation or an example. You do not put a space before a colon, but you do need a space after one.

For example:-
"There are two main shopping areas in Nottingham: Broadmarsh Centre and Victoria Centre."

Semicolons - [;]

Semicolons are used to separate two sentences that would otherwise be joined with a word such as 'and', 'because', 'since', 'unless' or 'while'. You do not put a space before a semicolon, but you do need a space after one.

For example:-
"I'm looking forward to our next lesson; I'm sure it will be a lot of fun."

Quotation/Speech Marks - [" "]

Speech marks are used to show words that are directly spoken. Only the words that quote a person are enclosed by speech marks. You need a space before the opening speech mark and a space after the closing one, but no space before the closing one.

For example:-
"Could everyone sit down please," said the teacher.

Another general rule is to use a comma after the introduction to quoted speech or writing.

For example:-
Amie said, "I admire you."

Sometimes when writing a spoken sentence it is split in two. The speech marks must then be placed at the beginning and end of each part of the sentence. Commas are used to separate the spoken part from the rest of the sentence.

For example:-
"I wonder," she said quietly, "whether people will ever truly understand each other."

However if you need a question mark or exclamation mark the markers that punctuate the quoted words are enclosed by the speech marks.

Apostrophes - [']

Apostrophes next to the letter ('s) indicate belonging. No space is needed before or after the apostrophe.

For example:-
Inne's web site.

They are also used to show missing letters in shortened words. No space is needed before or after the apostrophe.

For example:-
It's a nice day today, isn't it?