Seventhman Blog

1. Building Loyalty in the Age of Virtual Teams

   Creating loyal workers in the outsourcing world may seem like some fairy tale in the digital world.  But, is it really possible to create an atmosphere of trust, respect and honesty in a niche where attrition rate is on a record high? Last time, I have shared my five tips on how you can successfully manage your virtual team and this time, I’ll give you an insider’s approach on how your business can grow one seed at a time – through harnessing the power of dedicated and motivated teams, wherever they are located in the world.

   Flexibility at work

   Outsourcing, telecommuting, freelancing, remote work, virtual assistance and and so on.. What do they have in common?  Value – that they bring to your business.  Just take a look at this infographic and you’ll see how working from home is fast becoming the norm, embraced even by a few Fortune 500 companies.  The temporary is now the new ordinary in an age where independent contractors and on-call workers are competing with sourcing vendors and agencies.  More brick and mortar businesses are seeing amazing results from those who work remotely than those in the office.  Does it mean that virtual teams are better than your traditional team?

   The Invisible Tie that Binds

   For many years, I have managed people in various locations that making them all work together for a common goal seemed like a climb to Mt. Everest.  I’ve worked with managers and teams in the same office and I come to realize that when people work closer, they often take things for granted.  Soon, your office becomes a breeding ground for complacency. العاب تجيب فلوس   There were instances when team leaders would go through all the trouble of sending unnecessary emails when their teams are just a few feet away.  It could have been faster if they cross that physical distance and announce the news themselves.  It’s just that with virtual teams, people are making the extra effort to make collaboration work – helping them maximize the best tools around. لعبة 21   It is the absence of face time that helped, I’d say.

   Building Engagement in Dynamic Teams

   Those who offer remote work as an option has already taken one step forward in motivating a person to be at his/her best.  It’s a win-win for both.  Now, the question is: Can you build the same loyalty in the world of outsourcing?  Whether you source locally or offshore, it is 100% possible if you put in mind that it’s not technology that makes your business – it’s your people.  Trust is the very foundation of it all.  You will always reap what you sow, so start to genuinely care and give your team the chance to shine.  Be fair.  Treat everyone with due respect.  Encourage them to ask questions and be open to dialogue. لعبة سباق خيول حقيقية You may never know that the next big idea is just waiting to unfold.

   Listen…

2. Should You Embrace Fear and Ignorance to Succeed?

   Have you ever wondered where the word innovation came from and just how it all began?  As I’ve been taking a break to read my favorite feeds, Rita McGrath’s HBR post caught my attention.  Curious thing, that before the 80’s, people used the term ‘diversification’ when exploring new opportunities.  In today’s fast-paced world though, I don’t think it will take eight years to become profitable in what you do; we’ve seen so many startups break all popular notions of success as their revenues hit a record high in such a short time.  When I was searching for a term on Google, I can’t help but ask myself if there are still undiscovered territories in the business landscape.. as everything seems to be explored (exploited) already.

   When Old Meets New

   Do you agree that there’s no such thing as a fresh idea, that all these new concepts have been the product of a need to make old ideas.. better?  I bet, before Seth Godin became popular with his famous ‘linchpin’ or ‘purple cow’ – someone must have thought of that under a different name; he just turned it into something avant-garde through the power of storytelling. العاب كازينو مجاني   While technologies developed in a blink of an eye, it fascinates me so much that I can only be grateful for being alive to experience this age.  Corporations and fledglings are now on equal grounds where the fast beats the big, where project managers have morphed into project leaders.  What sort of luck have we been experiencing these days?

   To Succeed, You Must Fail

   Many have written that fear is the top reason for business failure.  I hate to disagree, but I believe it’s your ego that contributed big time.  You are too proud to even consider the thought of failing, of losing out on opportunities, and so you continuously sabotage what could have been a phenomenal success.  You know what made Facebook’s Hackathon an overnight success?  It’s that they allowed people to push the limits of their imagination, without expectations. القمار على الانترنت   You’ll never know what you can learn from failing the first time.  I’d say it’s a chance for you to learn, take down notes and succeed the second time around.  How else can you know if you won’t try? العاب تجلب المال

   Return to Ignorance

   When there’s mystery, you are more motivated to search for answers.  Agree?  Innovation is like searching a black cat in a dark room, and the cat just isn’t there – to quote from Stuart Firestein, neuroscientist and author of  “Ignorance: How It Drives Science“.  If I were to trace back the very root cause as to why it’s hard for CIO’s, CEO’s to unlearn what they have learned about innovation, I believe the answer will point me back to this 3-letter word: EGO.  Consider this though: We are living in an information economy where knowledge is a top commodity.  While big data is the new buzzword in the tech world, to succeed these days may just mean not being scared of asking questions and being brave enough to muck about in unknown terrains.

   An adventure of a lifetime awaits… whenever you’re ready to embrace ignorance and fear.

3. The Fine Line Between Project Managers and Project Leaders

   There are no bad projects, only bad management. While I would love to debate on this line with a fellow entrepreneur over a cup of our favorite brew, it made me think of what really caused a project failure.  Is it really about lack of management.. or leadership?  While mistakes can often be time-consuming and costly to deal with, many projects often take longer to complete than what was expected.  When your project manager cannot consistently deliver on time and within budget, you begin to wonder:  Is it the people, the methods, the tools – or.. all?  While creating your own business may seem like a dream come true, know that in the rat race of the business world, your team is the greatest investment you can ever have.

   Looking Through the Eyes of a Successful Project Manager

   While I’d rather call them ‘project leaders’, a good project manager is someone whose passion for the job reflects in his/her every action.  This enthusiasm is highly contagious that it inspires the entire team.  Experience leading people to succeed is just one of the prerequisites.  The best project managers around have the gift of foresight enabling them to anticipate issues before they even happen.  They listen closely at what is going on right now, analyze things to the last minute detail, and communicate every milestone clearly to everyone involved. لعبة بينغو   They organize each goals to make sure work is done one step at a time.  The only difference perhaps is that great project managers trust on others to be successful.  Everything is about team work; not a one-man team.

   Project Management Mistakes Do Happen

   For the sake of the argument that ‘nobody’s perfect’, the hardest thing to do perhaps is admitting a mistake when it is done.  It is not just skill set that defines good management, but people skills as well. لعبة الروليت في العراق   This is why it is important to have a balance – from drafting realistic timelines, being flexible to change and ideas, consistent and clear communication, having an organized system to track progress, involving the team behind the project.. to being transparent.  Above all, that person needs to respect and trust every player to do their best.  Meetings can be noisy, no doubt, and it is the project manager’s job to stay engaged and motivate even the most shy of introverts to participate in the process.

   Quantifying Success Through Cost Effective Innovation

   Staying ahead of the innovation curve is a tough challenge for business owners.  Having worked in the IT field before transitioning to the business world, I’d say that failures do happen because the CEO has a different concept of success vs. that of the project manager.  This is why it is crucial to measure the success rate of a project by knowing if it is within schedule, budget and scope.  In the end, the quality of work will be the silent testament to it all.  All that effort done where the business landscape is concerned may be futile if you don’t have a blueprint to follow.  Project managers can always choose to keep the team happy, or struggle in misery.

   And if you ever have an awesome project manager right now, perhaps it’s time to give that person your appreciation.  It doesn’t cost much to say ‘Thanks for a job well done!’  The reward doesn’t have to be monetary all the time. ماكينات القمار

    

   Related Readings:

   Bridging Outsourcing and Innovation in the 21st Century
   Innovation: Managing Risks and Portfolios Explained
   Managing Virtual Teams: Five Keys to Success

4. Positioning Statement: The Most Powerful Weapon in Your Marketing Arsenal

   Most often, we’re so involved with that big idea for our business that we forget to make a succinct description about what makes our brand stand out.  We often overlook drafting that positioning statement which can help identify our distinct value to our customers, of what differentiates us from the competition out there.  While having a mission and vision is great to start with, we’re simply living in an age where attention span runs as quick as a 5-second sound byte.  If you can define your business in one sentence worth an elevator pitch, what would it be?

   Going Beyond the Slogan Concept

   When I started my outsourcing business, I have spent a lot of time in bringing my mission-vision to life – to define what exactly is it that I do, who I’m doing it for and what makes my offering unique.  So, I’ve come up with this statement: “We Help your Business Save Money and Accelerate Growth with Global Outsource consulting.”  Believe me, it’s not as simple as you think, but the effort is well worth it.  While the term ‘positioning statement’ may sound like a jargon for those who are not into marketing, creating one helps you focus on a niche than becoming another generic brand with messages scattered all over the place.  A positioning statement is not just another memorable slogan; you need to build that emotional connection with your customers/target market. حكم القمار في الالعاب   It’s not rocket science, really… you’ll see.

   The Next Step is Yours for the Taking!

   Don’t confuse a slogan with a positioning statement. قواعد لعبة بوكر   Crafting one is invaluable; think of it like the Sun of your marketing plan where other elements revolve.  A slogan or tagline is something that will evolve from this positioning statement.  You probably remember Nike’s famous slogan, ‘Just Do It’.  While it is quite ambiguous when it comes to the benefits it offers to its consumers, the brevity used for this advertising campaign just got stuck to our minds, like super glue.  Know this – that the next step you will take in your business will be influenced heavily by how well you write that positioning statement.  It even helps you build better business relationships as you have a compass guiding you in reading your road map while you tread the path to business success.

   Redefining Your Brand

   Let’s brainstorm this time and make a list!  Start with defining who you are, what your industry is, who your target customer is, what are their needs, who are your competitors, what value do you offer over your competitors, and what benefits do you offer.  Don’t worry if the list gets too long as you will narrow it down later.  Keep in mind that while editing, you have to give your target customers a reason to believe that you can deliver what your business promises.  And as always, don’t try to stuff a lot of items that don’t make sense.. because keeping things simple will always work the best.  Write.. rewrite.  You have to own that statement!  You have to make it look and sound credible.  Got it figured out?  You can come up with the final three and ask your team to cast their votes.  You can even test for feedback and see which one resonates well with your customers.

   You may not need a tagline to go with what you’ll come up with – but having a clear, compelling and thought-provoking definition of what your business is all about will give you that competitive edge, no doubt!  Sit down, get creative and take time. موقع روليت   A powerful positioning statement is worth all the investment you can make for your brand.

5. Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Great CEO?

   I’m just catching up with the news around this year’s Olympics in London and thought that I would blog about inspiration you can get from the game that applies to an entrepreneur’s world.  Problem is that many are doing that already.  Come to think of it, business is a lot like sports.. where you engage in the game of solving your customer’s pain, offer them something unique, sell, build relationships, lead and try to gain your sanity by aiming for a work-life balance.  Sometimes, it makes you think that radical thinking is the only real thing that separates a good business from a great one.  While many of the benefits far outweigh the challenges every business owner face, it makes me wonder why only a small percentage of companies are truly great.  What is great..?

   What Makes a Great Startup CEO

   Being CEO has more than a touch of glamour printed on your business card.  It’s more than that drive to innovate that moves the usual CEO to becoming a great one.  S/he is a keeper of the vision that’s larger for everyone to understand and I’m talking long term here.  Just take a look at how giants like Apple, Facebook and Google all started as startups.. and the great leaders that pushed everyone to put the pieces of a huge jigsaw puzzle together in building something larger than life.  Have they known that they will become a phenomenal success? كازينو البحرين   Of course, not!  Only movies got spoilers for that and for the rest of us who work hard to make this vision a reality, it takes passion, determination and extremely low levels of tolerance for stress that makes you wonder if we’re some sort of a sadomasochistic herd ( no pun intended ).  Yes, everyone wants to have our job because we are insanely successful, we can take off whenever we want, got lots of time to party around and so on.  I hate to break the bad news to you.. كيف تربح في البوكر but the real scenario is far from the myths that surround an entrepreneur’s life.  I can work 18 hours or more in a day or two just to keep things working for my clients.  I may not be building the next breakthrough in the name of tech, but the harder I work, the more results I see.  Great CEOs are always excited to control their own destiny.

   Do You Have What It Takes to Build a Great Business?

   Most of us online are already well connected.  You got the expertise and the contacts.  What should you do next?  In my years of competing in the consulting business, I have learned that there is a fine line between being unique and being useful.  What differentiates you from the rest doesn’t necessarily mean that it is something of value to your customers, and focusing on benefits alone can turn your business into a boring brand, something that looks like everyone else.  Where do you draw the line?  While you may disagree with me on this very opinionated post that you should not focus on revenues, your sensitivity through active listening will just help you pinpoint the real root cause of the problem.  In a world where the fast beats the big, time is quintessential.  As Bill Gates said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”  Consequently, it is of no coincidence that the world’s greatest leaders ( even the infamous ones ) are great communicators.  Truth is, your clients won’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care about their problem.  Creating this culture of caring into your business will pave the road to greatness.

   Managing Your Mind: The Great Barrier to Your Success Reef

   The biggest challenge that you will face before you become a great CEO is facing the doppelganger of your restless mind.  How many times have you doubted your performance?  You think you’re doing a great job and yet, you feel bad.  What’s wrong in this picture?  The only way for you to become a great leader is to be one.  No amount of management training can really prepare you for the job of running a company. كيف تربح المال من الانترنت مجاناً   And even if you think you know what you are doing in an era where everyone is involved in the new way of doing business, things can go awfully wrong.  When it does, you may add more injury to the pain by taking everything too personally or not personally enough.  Where do you really step in?  Is being great a lonely job, after all?  I’d say that there will be plenty of times when you feel like quitting and if you succumb, you wouldn’t know that you’re only a step away towards success.  Fear is irrational and it’s all inside your head.

   Can you keep your focus on your roadmap?  That’s something for you to ponder on this summer..

6. Why Entrepreneurs Should Become Radical Thinkers

   They say that if you ask the right question, you will get the right answer.  It’s simple common sense.  Yet, we often miss opportunities because we kicked the ‘human’ out of the process, and bombard our questions with technological terms and jargon speak.  This may be one of the reasons why it is hard to find your business principles these days, that no matter how you try to get rid of the complexities, you just won’t do it.  To think strategically in terms of positioning your brand out there and gain competitive advantage is something of a hit-and-miss deal for many.  It’s a hard habit to break, don’t you think?

   The Bottom Line of Radical Thinking

   Umair Haque wowed me with his post on the paradox of radicalism.. and I have to agree that when all resources have been spent on thinking of the next great innovation, there’s always wisdom to be sought for in looking back to the past.  Maybe, you can spend time digging in to inspiring stories in that old history book and seek to challenge ideas that have worked before.  The problem with this consumerist age is that every entrepreneur wants to come up with the next shiny object without giving second thoughts on how these will make a difference in people’s lives, more accurately, in their customers’ lives.  You don’t have to go the extreme just to make an impact.  In times when even big brands reach an epic low, to be radical may simply mean taking the next step from being a spectator to a mind mover. لعب لربح المال   You don’t even have to become a rebel and protest in the streets.

   Is It Time to Change Your Mind Habit?

   When you’re used to the trivial way of things, it is quite hard to know if you’re practicing good or bad habits.  If you’ve read Charles Duhigg‘s new book, The Power of Habit, you’ll know exactly  what I mean.  Have you ever wondered why you struggle so hard to do something when you can do things now?  Maybe, you’re waiting for something to strike or waiting for someone to do things for you.  Be it boredom, complacency, distraction, procrastination, negativity or low energy in accomplishing tasks – the excuses can be plenty and you HAVE to do something about it!  When you became a business owner, you’re not an employee anymore and yet, you’re still working.. for yourself this time.  You can always schedule time to change these habits and brainstorm new ideas – before and after business hours.   Are you willing to sacrifice a bit to make things happen?  You are the only key to change. موقع ٣٦٥

   Real Innovation: Mindset or Skillset

   When you’re stuck with corporate thinking, you think about existing status quo and rules that are now the big barriers to creation of new ideas.  The old bureaucracy may not work in an environment that encourages openness and agility.  If you’re not willing to listen to your team, to challenge common beliefs, then, the room for growth becomes too small.  While acquiring new skills are called for in this age of outsourcing, big data and technology – it is your attitude, your view, and your passion which will drive you to the right direction.  Let your motivation affect your perception and you’ll start to perceive what everyone fails to see.  Sometimes, it is totally fine to do a counter flow to where everyone is going.  You may want to be trendy.. but would you really want to be another face in the crowd?

   Try solving real problems this time and create true value for your customers. ربح المال مجانا

   *** and if you’re looking for words of wisdom to chill out your inquisitive mind, you can check out The 10 Best eBooks Entrepreneurs Should Be Reading This Summer

7. Business Principles: Your Mission and Vision Will Define Your Action

   What’s the difference between a successful business and an epic fail?  The second one hits the wall because no business principle has been established, committed to, and communicated.  Call it many different names: vision, mission, values.. if you don’t define them, it’s like driving long distances without a road map.  Just as thinking outside the box is crucial when you’re formulating ideas for your business, you have to lay down the foundation that will set the stage for many decisions that you will make later, or you may see yourself going downward spiral.  And don’t give me the reason that you have no time; I’d say make time!  These core values will affect everything that you do, no matter how big or small it may be. ivermectin tablets south africa buy

   Creating a Vision in Vulnerable Economies

   Promoting entrepreneurship is not an easy task when you’re talking about small businesses that are thriving in developing countries and economically-challenged zones.  While outsourcing has bridged the gap between skills and technology across the globe, having a comprehensive approach in tackling the slews of difficulties in business growth seems more than just a modern vocabulary in the world of innovation.  The truth is, that whether one does business in developing or progressive countries, most often, the CEOs of these organizations are not in touch with reality – simply because they lack a clear mission, vision, values statement to start with.  It’s like an incurable paralysis spreading over one’s foot, leg… just because processes are ineffective and goals are misaligned.

   Your Values are the DNA of Your Business

   Our founding fathers have made it clear what freedom really meant and they took every measure available in order to gain independence.  They were revolutionary thinkers.  You see, no matter how grandiose your vision ( more likely, fantasy ) is, if you don’t make a mark within your company about it for your people to believe, everything’s lost.  This is why it is not only important to shape your business with your founding principles, but to stay transparent and consistent with your cause.  Perhaps, we can define:

   Mission – as the very reason ‘Why’ your business exists
   Vision – as the way your business will look in the future, like five years from now
   Values – as your collection of beliefs that you share with everyone in your organization; something that creates your company culture

   And having a mission based on your vision will help you define values to keep, as you inspire your team to charge in the right direction.

   Your Business Principles Don’t Have to Stink

   Like rotten eggs, that is, if you make time to create something meaningful.  This means you have to come up with a statement that’s tailored to your business, something that doesn’t look like everyone else’s. ivermectin treats   No buzzwords, no jargon.  Keeping things simple is your best bet here and you may not be a talented writer, but your mission-vision statement have to make sense, so much so that it gets everyone in your team excited about what defines your company. ivermectine vente libre   Think of storytelling.  What story does your business have to tell?  Will this story spark an interest among your customers?

   There’s no need for talking the talk here and  those countless excuses why you don’t need to write down what really defines your business.  You may know what you’re doing or you may not. You may be too busy for all I care.  But having a focus and clarity on your mission, vision, values, and objectives will shape that winning strategy you’ve been looking for ever since.  It’s time to take.. Action!

    

   Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.  ~Albert Camus

   Happy Independence!!!