5 Most Important Soft Skills to Look for in a New Hire

1. Broadcasts flexibility and enthusiasm

Ask a candidate to describe a time when someone had to learn a new skill or process on the job. This is a good way to understand both his or her method of learning and attitude toward a new experience.

"If I'm placing someone in a fast-paced, innovative environment, I need to see and hear enthusiasm as a candidate describes how they fly up the learning curve," says Rakos.

2. Takes initiative and direction

A question about how they tackled a challenge and found a solution helps assess personal accountability. Candidates should mention how they prioritized tasks and what specific steps they took to accomplish something.

"I also need to see a level of self-confidence when I hear the candidate describe how they chose a solution," says Rakos. "Someone who gets bogged down in analysis paralysis is not the right fit but neither is a candidate whose actions sound fearless to the point of recklessness."

And asking them what's important in an ideal boss should elicit descriptions of a manager who provides general, visionary direction and then unleashes their employees to get the job done.

"I especially like hearing candidates place greater value on bosses who are mentors but not micromanagers," says Rakos.

3. Keeps ego in check

Ask candidates to describe both their greatest success in the workplace and a time when they made a mistake. That helps determine if they are more invested in their ego or in getting the job done and building a strong team. Also ask what their role was versus that of the manager or teammates.

What you want are answers that share the credit with the team as a whole. It's even better if they mention specific people on the team, which shows they are aware enough to articulate the skills and abilities of others--and someone who is comfortable sharing credit.

"If I hear a lot of 'I' statements and precious few 'we' statements, I see trouble ahead," Rakos says.

4. Demonstrates curiosity and a desire to learn

A vaguely worded question works here. Ask about the best job they've ever had and what they learned.

"While it's true that I am listening for specific skills, knowledge and processes that may be needed for the job I'm filling, I'm also specifically listening for how the candidate values the process of learning itself," says Rakos. As with every question, notice body language, tone of voice and facial expressions as much as words. Rakos says he wants to see someone's eyes light up when they describe the joy of working alongside smart, curious people.

And asking what questions the candidate has for you, is a final way to learn a lot about them.

Candidates who ask probing questions about the organization's culture, the hiring manager's leadership style, and how success is measured and mentored, help themselves greatly.

5. Understands strengths and limitations

Ask them describe their work style. Also, ask how a former manager or co-worker would describe their work style. You're looking for consistent answers that describe consistency, collaboration, listening skills and respect for the ideas of others.

"I also want to detect the courage and ability to identify and prioritize which ideas are better," Rakos says.

05 Most Important Characteristics of Great Teams, According to Science

1. Self-awareness at the team level.

While teams consist of individuals, a cohesive team is in fact a stand-alone, unified structure. The book presents a list of 20 questions that a leader should answer when assembling a team. Huffington Post writer Vanessa Van Edwards boils down the 20 questions to five "power questions:"

• Are you in the right team in the right moment?

• Can your team stay ahead of the changes in your industry?

• Are your teams the right size for the job?

• Do you have the right people in the right positions on your team?

• Is your team prepared for a crisis, disruption, or change in leadership?

2. The right number.

The ideal number of team members is two.

"Pairs are the simplest and most stable bond in chemistry and in life. Humans form pairs in love and marriage and as friends. Adding a third person to a pair often complicates matters, and some trios can be explosive," says Karlgaard. There are four main categories of team pairings:

• Occasion pairs come together for a specific project. They band and disband quickly. They don't always like each other but they need each other.
• Similarity pairs are often ideally paired and work together in complete harmony. They can become too interdependent on each other.
• Difference pairs consist of partners that compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses. They are opposites attracting.
• Inequality pairs include leader/follower or mentor/protege pairings. There is always an imbalance among the partners.

For medium-sized teams, five-nine members is the optimal number for building closeness. For larger groups, 11-18 team members is the maximum number of people someone can trust.

For much larger teams, 150 and 1,500 are magic numbers.

3. Strong communication.

Alex Pentland, director of MIT's Human Dynamics Lab, found in his research that there are three aspects of communication that affect team performance:

• Energy: the number and the nature of exchanges among team members. Pentland's research concluded that 35 percent of the variation in a team's performance can be accounted for simply by the number of face-to-face exchanges among team members.
• Engagement: the distribution of energy among team members. The more evenly-distributed the engagement among team members, the stronger the team.
• Exploration: communication that members engage in outside their team. Higher-performing teams seek more outside engagement.

4. Team chemistry.

Chemistry is indisputable. It can never be forced or fabricated. If it's there, we can't deny it. If it's not there, we can't make it manifest. This applies to our personal relationships as well as team dynamics.

When team members have good chemistry, their brains produce more Oxytocin, which is the hormone that helps us feel more connected to other people. Greater levels of Oxytocin produce more pleasure, deeper trust, and stronger intimacy. Team members that have strong chemistry are deeply unified in their common purpose.

5. Cognitive diversity.

The highest-performing teams consist of people who think differently, who approach problems from different perspectives, and who have varying levels of risk tolerance.

Left-brain thinkers are logical and analytical; right-brain thinkers are creative and intuitive. When you're building a team, choose "a whole-brain team" with an equal distribution of left-brain and right-brain thinkers.

These five factors are proven to yield powerful teams that can be 40 percent more likely to create a successful breakthrough.

Best of luck in assembling or reconfiguring your next teams.

10 Ways to Grow Leaders in Your Business

There are many reasons why organizations spend enormous amounts of time and resources on developing leaders. One of the most important examples would be that “Organizations with the highest quality leaders were 13 times more likely to outperform their competition in key bottom-line metrics such as financial performance, quality of products and services, employee engagement, and customer satisfaction.”

If you want your organization to fall into that category, then use the following 10 tips to help develop leaders within your business.

1. Use big data.

As Heather Huhman reminds us in Entrepreneur, “Previously employers have relied on assessments such as IQ tests, skills aptitude tests, and even physical exams to answer questions like ‘Should Sarah be promoted?’ or ‘Is it time to fire Bill?’” Now we have big data to help us locate the right employees for our business and even predict how long they’ll remain at the company.

There are many companies now that use data to determine the best talent. I've used several but the best indicator that I've found is using the enneagram test. I make all new employees take this test. This helps me to better know how to make them a leader. Not everyone can become a leader the same way. Every personality is different and this test will help you better evaluate different types of leaders. 

2. Develop leaders early.

Leadership development should take place as soon as possible within your organization by assessing and analyzing the strengths of potential future leaders. While big data can be used, you can also discover which employees have what it takes for certain jobs by letting them identify themselves as potential leaders in leadership positions.

This is a technique used by Fred Smith, founder and CEO of FedEx; "Our Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Program explains the demands of management as well as the personal characteristics and traits needed for successful leadership. I find it interesting that, once they know the demands and requirements, some 70 percent of the participants drop out of the program."

3. Educate and train employees.

Another way to develop future leaders is by constantly providing them with the education and training needed to become a leader. This could be accomplished by having employees attend webinars, conferences or classes to help them refine their leadership skills.

4. Challenge employees.

Give employees a chance to challenge themselves by assigning them unfamiliar tasks. It’s an effective way to push and test their skill levels. As The Wall Street Journal notes, it’s all right if they fail since it “offers valuable lessons that can add new skills, improve confidence, and solidify employee commitment.”

Watch to see if the employee just determines the task is above their skill level or if your employee determines that they will do what it takes to learn the new skill.

5. Let them interact with current leaders.

Companies like Southwest Airlines have found an effective way to give employees first-hand experience in a leadership role is for them to shadow current leaders. While speaking to Businessweek, Elizabeth Bryant, senior director of talent management at Southwest Airlines, stated "It goes beyond formal training and is part of everyday life at Southwest, where employees at every level are exposed to leaders so they get to see how the leaders think."

Bryant added "Even informal mentoring and exposure to company executives helps to broaden people's perspectives and stimulate their passion about the job.” 

6. Teach them to network.

Networking is vital for everyone in a leadership position. Take for example how operational, personal and strategic networking was examined by Herminia Ibarra and Mark Hunter. The professors discovered that effective managers were able to locate the individuals within their organization who can help them complete a task or project.

Encourage employees to improve their networking skills through training or by having them communicate with co-workers they don't know well.

7. Rotate employee positions.

For many innovative companies, employee rotation has become a great way to engage, motivate and work with different team members. Furthermore, by not locking employees into a single position, it’s developing additional skills in each employee that could be used if they have to fill-in for another team member.

Susan Heathfield, a human resources consultant, informed Charles Coy on the Cornerstone Blog that employee rotation is helpful because, "It helps employees spread their wings and extend their boundaries.” 

8. Provide support for employees.

While you want to challenge employees and encourage them to get out of their comfort zones, you also need to make sure that you give them the proper support whenever assigning new tasks. This can be done by encouraging them yourself, directing them to someone who can help, providing them with the right support and frequently evaluating their work.

9. Inspire employees to be passionate.

Some of the the best leaders that I've ever met inspire others to become leaders by their passion. Employees will take a little bit of that passion and it will grow within them. Develop passion in your employees and they will become the biggest factors in the success of your business.

By letting employees be creative, encouraging them to work on side projects and sending out employee surveys, you will have found a couple of ways to discover which employees are authentic and have bought into your company’s culture. Keep in mind, you don't have time for everything.

10. Give them a little power.

It’s important to give employees the right tools and resources to succeed. But, you don’t always have to hold their hand. Furthermore, you may have to give up a little control by giving them the power to make certain decisions.

According to Avery Augustine of The Muse, “I learned this firsthand when I was put in charge of a client event while my boss was out of town and completely out of touch. With no one else to lean on, I was forced to make decisions on my own, no matter how unsure I was. Eventually, I became more and more confident in making decisions solo (even if it took a couple slip-ups -- a.k.a. “learning experiences” -- to solidify that skill.)”

6 Do-It-Yourself PR Tips for Small Businesses

If you’re a small business, doing your own PR is all about crafting pitches and getting them to the right people. Creating buzz in your industry involves being authentic to yourself and your business. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, doing PR yourself can be a great money-saving option for your small business.

1. Tell your brand's story

Storytelling can help transform your brand’s identity and presence, and create trust from consumers or others in the industry. Some of the best stories come from you and your loyal customers. You can tell the story of how your brand came to be, and customers can tell the stories of their experiences with your business.

Think of your brand as a human persona. The more interesting and genuine its personality is, the more trust others will feel toward it. Be sure to tell others why your business exists, its ethics, how the brand evolved or anything else that will help people see the full picture of your business. Don’t be afraid to encourage your customers to tell their stories of how your business benefited them. A compelling story will give the audience a way to emotionally connect with who you are and ultimately set the tone for the entire company.

2. Keep up with the industry

Read a lot, and read often to make sure you’re staying informed with everything related to your industry.

Set up Google Alerts and Twitter Mentions. Find and follow the top industry influencers, and read up on what your competitors are doing. You can use sites like IFTTT to collect articles containing relevant keywords from all over the internet, and have new content delivered right to your inbox.

You need to be as knowledgeable as possible in your industry. You never know when the spotlight might be on you. And that knowledge might just impress the right person, leading to your next big break.

3. Network with the top influencers

If you’re actively keeping up with the top industry reporters and influencers, the second step is to then try and network with them. If you take notes on what those writers typically focus on, you’ll have an abundance of knowledge when you finally reach out to them to build a relationship.

Try creating a list of the blogs or news sites these top influencers write for and keep track of what each author is writing. Then, find where you can comment and engage with them, whether it be through a blog post or a Twitter chat.

Networking with influencers and others is a great way to build a name for yourself and your brand within the industry, but make sure the comments aren’t forced or self-promotional. Remember: do-it-yourself PR is all about being authentic and trustworthy.

4. Do your research and remain objective

This relates to keeping up with the industry. You need to make sure you have something to contribute to the conversation or the industry, whether it be information in the form of an article or a product or service that is particularly helpful.

It’s important to do enough prep work before making any pitches. Study the outlets you’ve chosen to pitch to, and look to see if there is a specific person at an outlet you think would respond well to what you’re offering. Once again, learn as much as you can before jumping forward.

5. Perfect before pitching

Putting your name out there before your product or service is ready can lead to negative customer reviews, and that can be a death sentence for a small business or startup company. Plus, a good product or high quality service is more likely to get better press once the word is actually out.

Focus on perfecting your product or service before reaching out to get press. Don’t be afraid to first get the opinion of a small group of trusted people who can provide you with feedback to help you improve upon your product or the quality of your service.

6. Craft creative and compelling pitches

When you’re pitching your brand or product, you need to make sure you remain as objective as possible. Even though you might think everything your business does or provides is notably the best, not everyone will agree.

Remember that a lot of top industry influencers are constantly bombarded with pitches, so yours needs to be creative and, most importantly, personal. This circles back to the first tip: tell your brand’s story. Keep it short and sweet, and make sure if you’re reaching out to anyone over email, your subject line is attention-grabbing and won’t be mistaken for spam.

There may be a point where a larger PR company could help your company reach new heights. But, for small businesses, the right attitude and drive for success makes doing PR yourself a completely plausible option.

7 Insanely Creative Business Plan Templates

1. Business Plan Infographic PowerPoint

Present your market analysis, timeline, statistics, and more in an engaging and highly visual infographic. The license for this plan is $16 and gives you access to hundreds of editable slides to choose from.

2. Lean Canvas 1-Page Business Plan

"You can have all your assumptions and models in one place," promises Lean Canvas. They point out that you can create a canvas in 20 minutes, whereas a full business plan could take you 20 days.

3. StartupX PowerPoint Template

This one stands out to me in a sea of PPT business plan templates, thanks to the crazy modifications you can make.

4. Emaze Business Planning With Analytics

Emaze is unique in that it's more than a template--it's a comprehensive presentation creation tool with a ton of templates that also includes collaboration and analytics.

It's not free--the premium version is $19 per month as I'm writing this--but the collaborative element alone means it's a great tool for small teams attempting to build a plan together.

5. Startup Pitch

This PPT-format business plan sample has a creative tear-away design that's super eye catching and unique.

A simple, standout design like this gets their attention but keeps it where it should be: on your amazing product and new business idea.

6. PlanCruncher

PlanCruncher walks you through a series of simple questions, with the opportunity to expand your thoughts only in a tweet-sized paragraph (140 characters).

7. LivePlan

Have you noticed that the trend in business planning right now is that less is more? LivePlan is another super-easy-to-use tool where you input your information and it creates a one-page, infographic-style business plan for you.

15 Practical Tips for Delivering World-Class Customer Service

Kind words are worth much and cost little. This creates opportunity: when you can't out-spend the competition, the solution is to out-support them.

When customer service is given the credence it deserves, only then do companies get to see what "word of mouth" is all about.

While strict rules restrain creativity and spontaneity, that doesn't mean proven principles to fall on deaf ears. There are a number of customer service tips that have been used time and time again to create great experiences. You need to know about them.

After years of working at Help Scout and talking to industry-leading support managers, I've noticed 12 recurring tips that all of the best support departments have in common.

1. Speak as your customers do

Chase Clemons of Basecamp makes this point with gusto in A Brief Guide to Sending Better Support Emails, but the quick takeaway is that your customers want conversations, not "correspondence." You're not talking with the Queen of England.

Consider the following disappointing example (names have been removed from this real email):

The customer is literally treated like a number. The overly formal tone creates the feeling that a letter is being written to a 16th century nobleman--is this an "inquiry" or a conversation with a real person?

Be friendly, personable, and casual. A follow-up email like this works better:

2. Practice clear communication

Excellence in anything increases your potential in everything. There are few positions for which this applies more than support--clarity in communication is paramount because it affects everything you do.

Styling affects communication. Tone affects communication. Common mistakes to be made are using passive-aggressive language ("Actually...") or confusing customers with slang, colloquialisms, or technical jargon.

Here's another: which one of the following statements do you think is more appropriate?

1. You are being transferred. Your call is very important to us.
2. Hey Jane, I'm going to introduce you to our customer success specialist who will be better able to answer your question!

Easy. One is a trite platitude that people are sick of hearing. The other explains to customers why the transfer is to their benefit. Wording makes all the difference.

3. Engineer a better customer experience

Experience engineering, as proposed by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi in The Effortless Experience, aims to make the soft skills of support more tactical. It consists of two core ideas: influencing customer perception when saying "no," and solving the next issue to avoid unnecessary follow-ups. Let's examine the latter.

Here's a common way to think about a new contact: the customer is doing something, they run into a problem, they email you, and you fix the problem. Take a victory sip from the ol' afternoon coffee, add a win to your First Contact Resolution rate, and move on.

But what if we thought in outcomes instead of instances? The customer might follow-up with another question related to their original goal. This time, they're helped by someone else on the team. We count that as yet another "first contact resolved," but the customer views it as "I had to contact you twice."

Instead we should think about Next Issue Avoidance, says Nick Toman. How? By knowing when to view a conversation through an outcome-focused lens -- what is the customer really trying to do? What are her next steps after this resolution? Can you help her before she asks? Can you remove roadblocks before she reaches them?

4. Take stock of your incoming conversations

Bill Price, former Global VP of Customer Service at Amazon, created the pragmatic Value-Irritant matrix as a way for companies to take stock of incoming conversations. It was first shared in his book The Best Service Is No Service.

Its purpose is to get you to think critically about what types of conversations you're currently having, and how you can shift the ratio.

To reduce low-value conversations, first figure out why customers are contacting you; tags and Custom Fields are useful for this. Price suggests a pair of questions to be raised when evaluating how you tag your conversations:

1. Are you using too many arbitrary categories? If the use of a specific tag suddenly increased, could you tell if it was due to valuable or irritable conversations? Seeing a rise in the "Payments" tag doesn't reveal as much as a spike in "Payment error."
2. Do you need to know what, or why? Amazon originally had "Shipping issue" (what happened) as one of their contact codes, but Price didn't find it useful. They later split the category, using codes like "Late by shipper" and "Warehouse delays" (why it happened).

Remember, making changes to favor valuable conversations isn't a selfish gesture. As Price's matrix demonstrates, you can reduce the need for many types of contacts, saving both you and the customer time and energy.

5. Always use positive language

Positive language is a great way to avoid accidental conflicts sprung from miscommunication. While the change is subtle, the effects are drastic.

Say one of your products is backordered for a month and you need to relay this information to a customer immediately. Consider the following responses:

1. Negative language: "I can't get you that product until next month. It is back-ordered and unavailable at this time."
2. Positive language: "That product will be available next month. I can place the order for you right now and make sure that it is sent to you as soon as it reaches our warehouse!"

Redirecting the conversation from negative to positive places focus on the proposed solution. When the outcome takes center stage, it reduces the odds that customers will be upset.?

6. Give credence to complaints

Harsh words are not always indicative of insight, and complaining customers are not always a sign that something is wrong. Be that as it may, sometimes great feedback is buried within the vitriol--give credence to every message.

To stay consistent in tone and process, use the CARP method:

• Control the situation.
• Acknowledge the dilemma.
• Refocus the conversation.
• Problem-solve so the customer leaves happy.

Receiving the same complaint repeatedly is the beginning of a narrative. This shouldn't dictate what to do next, but it will begin to reveal what requires your attention.

7. Know how to close

The ability to close improves every single interaction. This is not closing a sale, it's closing the conversation with a customer.

Leaving an issue unresolved creates unnecessary problems. Data suggests as little as ~4% of dissatisfied customers will ever speak up. Not everyone will communicate what is bothering them--often because you haven't communicated that you care.

Your willingness to correctly close a conversation shows the customer three important things:

1. You care about getting it right.
2. You're willing to keep going until you get it right.
3. The customer is the one who determines what "right" is.?

"Is there anything else I can do for you today? I'm happy to help!" Always look for small opportunities like this.

Make sure you and your team always get to a place where, "Yes, I'm all set!" rings loud and clear.?

8. Help customers help themselves

Great customer service should always be available, even when you aren't.

When done right, self-service is personal at scale. View your help content as a top-tier reply from your support team made public for all to see and benefit from. Screenshots, videos, styling and more ensure your frequently asked questions will get frequently loved answers.

While impressive efforts like VHX's documentation will take you some time, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the journey to a useful knowledge base starts with your first article.

9. Make use of strategic automation

"Filtering" can sound worrisome in the realm of customer service, but it more accurately serves as direction. Customers receive the best support possible when they are sent to the right place the first time around.

With Workflows, you can trigger automatic filtering through subject line keywords. This offers a number of advantages:

1. Make iterative improvements. Want to keep response times down to ~6 hours? Set up a Workflow to remind the appropriate user(s) so that messages don't sit and collect dust.
2. Highlight opportunities to 'Wow!' By setting up a folder and a Workflow for a keyword like "Refund" in the subject line, you'll add a streamlined way to salvage potentially lost customers. Special conversations ("Upgrading," "Canceling my account") let you provide superb support at key crossroads.
3. Better manage VIP customers. It's helpful to filter enterprise or long-term customers to their own folders to ensure timely responses. They may have different needs; set them up for success by getting them out of the main inbox.

Meaningful automation helps create more meaningful conversations. Best to use it wisely.

10. Be data-informed, not data-delusional?

Why rely on "It feels like we spend a lot of time on this issue..." when reporting can easily eliminate the guesswork?

This is actually an important, often-overlooked issue in support. Too much focus is given to the frequency of issues over the average handle time for each.

Rather, that is your world before customer service metrics. Your world after is clicking the "Time Tracking" tag and gaining immediate access to data that tells you how many emails you receive about the feature, as well as how long it takes your team to handle the conversations.

Although great data cannot guarantee good decision-making, it's better than flying blind. The right data will help you keep your team in the loop. "Here's how we did this week" becomes easy and valuable. Satisfaction Ratings top it off by allowing you to see where support interactions went really well (or very wrong). Both are learning opportunities.

Better learning results in meaningful improvements. Being able to see through the haze of a thousand of emails is illuminating, and an important step in getting there is not relying solely on your gut.

11. Give thanks in the real world

We've entered a world where retention matters in business more than ever, but web businesses seem happy to avoid interacting with customers.

They aren't pageviews--they're people. How would you feel if a deli owner asked you to join their message board just to talk about how the cold cuts tasted?

Time to bring the personal touch back to the real world. Consider this handwritten note that Jawbone sent to a new UP customer:

A single picture that was retweeted 150+ times--that's an immense amount of goodwill "paid for" with a simple thank you.

What other 5-minute task creates as much ROI as that? You won't have time to hand-write every customer, but if there is one activity that should never get lost in the shuffle of building a business, it's thanking your customers.

12. Spot and deliver 'frual wows'

Memorable experiences spring from the unexpected. When your team feels stifled by red tape, remember these words from Paul Graham: "An obstacle upstream propagates downstream." If you make ideas hard to implement, your team will stop offering them.

Frugal wows are the answer, says Bain consultant Fred Reich. Take the opportunity to guide the support team away from throwing money at the problem, and instead pour thought and effort into it.

According to Rob Markey, disappointment strikes when companies try to "empower" their team the wrong way:

We know of one retail bank that gave their call center representatives the edict to delight customers and permission to waive up to $150 in fees for any customer without seeking any additional authorization.

The result? Customer satisfaction rose a little, but fee revenue declined. A lot.

When a customer is looking for nothing other than free stuff, they aren't a good fit for your business in the first place.

13. Unify your support team

Managing customer service without a playbook can feel as chaotic as a pee-wee football game.

Consider the time lost manually answering frequently asked questions. The same principle applies to explanations to your staff on the back-end. Encourage autonomy and eliminate confusion by creating unity through clarity.

How?

Use a support lexicon. "Is it okay to say this?" Support should always feel welcome to ask, but you can eliminate excessive questioning through a support lexicon, a handbook on how to talk to customers. Focus on the dos and don'ts of tone and language, and outline the style of customer service you admire.

Address common objections. A while back I had a prospective customer make a "scale objection" to Help Scout. Could we handle 50 users? I knew some of our customers had over 400 unique users and replied as such, but I felt my answer would have been better with additional information. The next week, our support team made a customer objections doc, addressing things like competitor objections ("How are you different from ____?") and pricing objections.

Outline your processes. When is it appropriate to write a piece of help content? Is it okay to set up a new workflow without asking management? How should we document bugs and errors? Every support department will have these questions, and to best address them, give guidelines that allow for autonomy but that don't leave people lost without a map.

14. Link new activities to outcomes

In his book Customer Experience 3.0, John Goodman says support teams should create goals that link process (new initiatives) with outcome (resulting impact). Otherwise, you risk setting goals that are more means than end -- an improved response time is great, but what's the long-term significance for you and your customers?

1. Process goals track the new initiatives you start, like moving to 24/7 support or conducting an audit of your knowledge base.
2. Outcome goals measure the results of your initiatives with metrics linked to customer behavior, like rate of referrals and volume of complaints.
3. Financial goals tie the outcomes of your projects to the company's finances, namely in revenue saved/earned and customer value.

Attribution is tricky, even for companies who are flush with data. As the saying goes, more fiction is written in Excel than Word. The value in Goodman's framework lies in the concerted refocus from what we did in support to what impact we had on the business. The latter is where every department wants to be.

15. Invest in great people?

The quality of your customer service will never exceed the quality of the people providing it. If you plan on out-supporting the competition, plan on investing heavily in a team that can deliver.

Leadership has one main objective from which they should never stray: Hire who you trust and trust who you hire.

Customer service can either be nothing more than a means to an end, or it can be a dynamic aspect of your entire business. Engaging customers and helping them get the most out of your product will give them a reason to tell others why they love your company. Use these tips, and I guarantee you'll be on your way to world-class customer service.

5 Common Traits of a Successful MVP

MVP or Minimum Viable Product is the most misinterpreted term in the startup development ecosystem.

A term that was coined and defined by Frank Robinson and popularized by Steve Blank and Eric Ries essentially means creating a product that has just those core features sufficient to deploy the product and get market validation.

The definition is fairly clear, but also leaves a lot of room to interpretation; hence each one has their own definition of what an MVP would look like for their product.

Many try and build their MVP within the confines of the definition, not taking into account their market, competitive landscape and the type of product they're building.

A good MVP is that which qualifies the market need without having to build out an exhaustive product. This, however, comes with a caveat - which is depending on your specific product journey.

Let's take a look at 5 traits that most successful MVPs share - which will help you define what yours should look like.

1. Built for one person

The most successful MVPs have their audience narrowed down to one person. Can you be that specific in identifying who your target audience would be for the product? What is your buyer persona?

Picture that one person in mind who your ideal customer is and design the MVP to solve that one person's needs. The moment you build for many different audiences, you're defeating the purpose of a minimum viable product.

In his latest book, From Impossible to Inevitable, Aaron Ross and Jason Lemkin write, "You can be a Fortune 100 company, or the greatest expert at organization design, or have a killer SaaS (software as a service) subscription model app for managing employees. But, if you can't predictably go out and generate leads and opportunities where you're needed, win them, and do it profitably, you're gonna struggle."

If you haven't nailed your niche, your target audience, you'll end up spending tons or money in marketing and not getting any returns and relevant feedback about your product.

2. Listen to many people

While building your MVP keeping in mind that one person, it doesn't mean you get feedback from just that one person. Oftentimes, even getting to the ideal customer profile is a process of discovery.

Your MVP is only a starting point and not the destination. Collect feedback from many people that fit that ideal customer profile.

Don't be discouraged if at first your MVP doesn't get any traction or signups. There can be many reasons why your MVP didn't work - for one, the positioning may not resonate with the audience or your messaging may be off or you may not have discovered the right audience for your product.

The idea of building an MVP is to validate the product concept, so stay focused on that until you get answers for your next move.

3. Little focus on doing less

MVP isn't about building less and less. It's about building the right amount of features that showcase the core value proposition of your product. Your set of features will also depend on the type of product you're building and its competitive landscape.

If you're building a completely unique product in a new market, that's your opportunity to build just that little, which gives you market validation.

For instance, if your idea is an app to provide home delivery of food from restaurants in a market that doesn't have this at all, you could do with just a landing page and a phone number to validate whether people want to have their food delivered home in the first place. Once you get sufficient validation, you can start automating the various parts of the app.

But if you were to launch the same app in a market that already has many such apps existing, your first version of the product would look more complex.

4. Focus on testing

You build a minimum viable product to test your hypothesis with the least amount of time and effort spent on product development. And so, with that, go out and test the market for just that.

Don't seek to make money right off the bat with your MVP. Don't seek profitability. Seek to get validation or valuable feedback to help you build a version that can scale to become a big business.

I don't mean to say not to charge for your MVP. By all means, do charge if there's value enough, but don't focus on making money. That's not what your objective of building an MVP is.

5. Small, contained launch

The launch of an MVP is not the same as launching your product. The objective of an MVP is different from that of a product launch. You launch a product when you've confirmed the demand for it.

You build an MVP when all you have is an idea that people will buy your product. You can expect to make many mistakes as you iterate on the first few versions. Make those mistakes with as few people, to get the product up to a point where you find greater conversions, engagement and retention. It's easier to scale from an MVP which has all those three.

10 Realistic Work-Life Balance Tips You Can Steal From Billionaire Entrepreneurs

Did you know that 9 out of 10 startups fail? While that can be attributed to a number of reasons, having an equally failing life outside of work (marriage, work/life balance, and self-care) will put a huge strain on your work life.

On the flip side, professionals committed to a productive life running on all cylinders outside of work will find that they are typically more productive and emotionally engaged in their work.

Simply put: Success in their personal lives begets success in their work lives.

If you find that you're teetering dangerously close to being out-of-balance, consider rearranging your personal life by doing these 10 things.

1. Exercise.

Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief, plays tennis for one hour every day and Richard Branson stays active with kitesurfing. But if exercising brings thoughts of getting a root canal for you, no worries; Harvard-trained psychologist and best-selling author Shawn Achor says all it takes is 15 minutes of fun cardio activity per day. So ditch the gym for gardening or walking the dog. Juts remember: The effects of daily cardio can be as effective as taking an antidepressant.

2. Pick up a new hobby (or rediscover an old one).

Is there something enjoyable that you've always wanted to do, but haven't had the time to pursue? Or something that you absolutely love to do, but haven't done in years? Need some ideas? Here are the hobbies of some of the world's most successful people:

• Warren Buffett: Playing the ukulele.

• Aubrey K. McClendon, co-founder Chesapeake Energy: Wine collecting

• Michael Bloomberg: Skiing and golf.

• Peter Thiel, technology investor and former PayPal co-founder: Internet chess.

• Jack Dorsey, Twitter's CEO: Traveling to exotic places.

3. Do something fun for yourself.

Don't neglect "special time" with yourself. Science has found that people who have fun are more creative and productive, make better decisions, and get along better with colleagues. Daymond John, investor on the ABC reality series "Shark Tank," spends weekends at his lakeside cabin in Dutchess County catching largemouth bass.

5. Find a faith that works for you.

I speak of a faith--whatever your belief system--that comes from a deep spiritual connection with a power greater than yours. Billionaire Bill Gates told Rolling Stone that his family goes to Catholic Church, even though he admitted having his own doubts about God.

6. Take up meditation.

Oprah Winfrey practices Transcendental Meditation. She sits in stillness for 20 minutes, twice a day. She says, "only from that space can you create your best work and your best life." Setting aside this little ritual everyday during your spare time will make the rest of your week seem manageable. You'll notice a difference and a weight come off your shoulders.

7. Give back to the community.

A study conducted by Australia's Fidelity Charitable Gift Trust found that 89 percent of entrepreneurs donate to charity. Entrepreneurs with a heart of service understand that the cycle of business, and life, should be about giving back and spreading the wealth to causes they believe in. Meet 7 entrepreneurs who love giving back.

8. Get together with mentors outside of work to learn something new.

This takes humility, so check your ego at the door, and seek out sage advice from wise connections to improve a part of you that's lacking, or to get some fresh perspective on something that is keeping you stuck. General Motor CEO Mary Barra is influenced by a network of them. She writes how mentors correctly advised her to take an HR role even though she was an engineer. "Different people see different aspects of us as we progress in our careers and handle the opportunities and challenges along the way," said Barra in a LinkedIn post.

9. Go out on a date. Make it weekly for it to really count.

Entrepreneur John Michael Morgan, best selling author of Brand Against The Machine, lets his wife have the floor to speak on the importance of dating. She writes in her husband's blog, "schedule a date night right now and use that alone time to create or re-evaluate your vision. What do you want your lives to look like in the next 5, 10, 20-plus years?"

10. Don't forget to spend quality time with your family.

Make sure you're always available for your loved ones, and never put the business over them. Even billionaire entrepreneurs have a home life. Shark Tank co-host Mark Cuban told a South by Southwest audience:

"On the weekends we have [a nanny] in the morning, so Tiff and I go work out Saturday mornings. Then the rest of the weekend it's just us. It's us putting them to bed. It's us at dinner. We try to be as normal as possible."

Bringing It Home

The key to success at work starts with success outside of work. Maintaining a healthy, productive, and well-balanced life makes good business sense as you climb the ladder of success. You'll keep your sanity and it will protects you from anxiety, stress, and burnout.

12 Ways to Know You Genuinely Have Emotional Intelligence

1. Genuine people don't try to make people like them.

Genuine people are who they are. They know that some people will like them, and some won't. And they're OK with that. It's not that they don't care whether other people will like them but simply that they're not going to let that get in the way of doing the right thing. They're willing to make unpopular decisions and to take unpopular positions if that's what needs to be done.

Since genuine people aren't desperate for attention, they don't try to show off. They know that when they speak in a friendly, confident, and concise manner, people are much more attentive to and interested in what they have to say than if they try to show that they're important. People catch on to your attitude quickly and are more attracted to the right attitude than what or how many people you know.

2. They don't pass judgment.

Genuine people are open-minded, which makes them approachable and interesting to others. No one wants to have a conversation with someone who has already formed an opinion and is not willing to listen.

Having an open mind is crucial in the workplace, as approachability means access to new ideas and help. To eliminate preconceived notions and judgment, you need to see the world through other people's eyes. This doesn't require you to believe what they believe or condone their behavior; it simply means you quit passing judgment long enough to truly understand what makes them tick. Only then can you let them be who they are.

3. They forge their own paths.

Genuine people don't derive their sense of pleasure and satisfaction from the opinions of others. This frees them up to follow their own internal compasses. They know who they are and don't pretend to be anyone else. Their direction comes from within, from their own principles and values. They do what they believe to be the right thing, and they're not swayed by the fact that somebody might not like it.

4. They are generous.

We've all worked with people who constantly hold something back, whether it's knowledge or resources. They act as if they're afraid you'll outshine them if they give you access to everything you need to do your job. Genuine people are unfailingly generous with whom they know, what they know, and the resources they have. They want you to do well, because they're team players and they're confident enough to never worry that your success might make them look bad. In fact, they believe that your success is their success.

5. They treat everyone with respect.

Whether interacting with their biggest clients or servers taking their drink orders, genuine people are unfailingly polite and respectful. They understand that no matter how nice they are to the people they have lunch with, it's all for naught if those people witness them behaving badly toward others. Genuine people treat everyone with respect because they believe they're no better than anyone else.

6. They aren't motivated by material things.

Genuine people don't need shiny, fancy stuff to feel good. It's not that they think it's wrong to go out and buy the latest and greatest items to show off their status; they just don't need to do this to be happy. Their happiness comes from within, as well as from the simpler pleasures-such as friends, family, and a sense of purpose-that make life rich.

7. They are trustworthy.

People gravitate toward those who are genuine because they know they can trust them. It is difficult to like someone when you don't know who that person really is and how he or she really feels. Genuine people mean what they say, and if they make a commitment, they keep it. You never hear truly genuine people say, "Oh, I just said that to make the meeting end faster." You know that if they say something, it's because they believe it to be true.

8. They are thick-skinned.

Genuine people have a strong enough sense of self that they don't go around seeing offense that isn't there. If somebody criticizes one of their ideas, they don't treat this as a personal attack. There's no need for them to jump to conclusions, feel insulted, and start plotting their revenge. They're able to objectively evaluate negative and constructive feedback, accept what works, put it into practice, and leave the rest of it behind without developing hard feelings.

9. They put away their phones.

Nothing turns someone off to you like a mid-conversation text message or even a quick glance at your phone. When genuine people commit to a conversation, they focus all of their energy on the conversation. You will find that conversations are more enjoyable and effective when you immerse yourself in them. When you robotically approach people with small talk and are tethered to your phone, this puts their brains on autopilot and prevents them from having any real affinity for you. Genuine people create connection and find depth even in short, everyday conversations. Their genuine interest in other people makes it easy for them to ask good questions and relate what they're told to other important facets of the speaker's life.

10. They aren't driven by ego.

Genuine people don't make decisions based on their egos because they don't need the admiration of others to feel good about themselves. Likewise, they don't seek the limelight or try to take credit for other people's accomplishments. They simply do what needs to be done without saying, "Hey, look at me!"

11. They aren't hypocrites.

Genuine people practice what they preach. They don't tell you to do one thing and then do the opposite themselves. That's largely owing to their self-awareness. Many hypocrites don't even recognize their mistakes. They're blind to their own weaknesses. Genuine people, on the other hand, fix their own problems first.

12. They don't brag.

We've all worked with people who can't stop talking about themselves and their accomplishments. Have you ever wondered why? They boast and brag because they're insecure and worried that if they don't point out their accomplishments, no one will notice. Genuine people don't need to brag. They're confident in their accomplishments, but they also realize that when you truly do something that matters, it stands on its own merits, regardless of how many people notice or appreciate it.

08 Sensational Ways to Create a Positive Impact Every Day

Optimists view the world with a different lens than pessimists.

Optimists experience better health, manage challenges more effectively and are generally more confident and happier within themselves. Optimists are found to have an overall higher quality of life than pessimists.

The 2016 World Happiness Report ranks 156 countries around the world measuring happiness levels. Denmark was ranked number one in the world resultant of various factors such as: social support, generosity, life expectancy and the freedom to make choices.

Research has found a strong correlation between kindness and happiness. Those who engage in random acts of kindness are happier. Research indicated increased levels of activity in the part of the brain responsible for compassion.

Every day we have the opportunity to help others or perform a random act of kindness that positively impact's others lives. Here are some great ways to get started:

1. Give More 

Start by giving more than what is expected.

Whether it is helping a colleague work on a project, doing household chores you have been putting off for months or years, or spending quality time with your children.

Learn to become aware of what is happening around you and what others are experiencing. This helps you to live more fully in the present.

2. Smile More

A genuine smile is contagious. A smile is a universal language that can literally change someone's day.

It boosts your mood, takes a moment of your time, costs nothing and has an immediate positive impact for both parties. 

3. Help Others

Helping others gives us a sense of connectedness, happiness, fulfillment and meaning. 

Look for ways you can make a difference; from offering to pick up your friend's child from school, helping a colleague meet a tight deadline, run some errands for your partner, help a mother who has her child in a pram disembark from the subway, or buy someone at work a cup of coffee. 

4. Send A Thank You Note

This is one of my favorite ways to demonstrate sincere gratitude for those people whom touch your heart. I send thank you notes all the time to people who inspire me, have taught me valuable lessons, helped me grow and become a better person, gone out of their way to give me advice or simply been there for me as a true friend. 

Another advocate for thank you notes is Ivanka Trump. In her book, The Trump Card: Playing To Win in Work and Life she suggests writing thank you notes to those people that you admire.

5. Create More Love

Every day we have the power to choose to act with love or fear or another way to look at it, is using Dr. Joe Dispenza's terminology of living in either a state of 'survival' or 'expansion'.

Survival state is operating from a state of stress whereas expansion involves feelings of inspiration and operating from your heart which creates joy and happiness.

Daily mediation, mindfulness and practicing gratitude increases our ability to create more love in this world. You have the power to send more love to the world, to strangers on the street and your loved ones. There is no denying the power of creating more love in our lives and for those around us.

6. Quality Time With Family

There is no better time than right now to start increasing the quality of your relationships with those you love.

In a world with no off switch, it is easy to get caught up in the vortex of an never ending to-do-list or be swallowed up by all the distractions on your phone from business and personal emails, an over supply of apps, client phone calls and your list of errands and daily priorities.

It is exhausting, drains your energy and robs you of the opportunity to use that time to allow you to refresh your mind and body and increase your levels of happiness by spending quality time with your family. 

Start by sitting at the table together to have a real conversation minus the technology gadgets - talk, laugh and learn what happened throughout the day, organize to go on a picnic on the weekend at your favorite park or go on an adventure by driving to a new city or fun park.

7. Nurture Your Business Relationships

Success in business comes down to one's ability to build and maintain extraordinary relationships. 

Those who excel at nurturing their business relationships are in constant demand, others are attracted to them like a moth to a flame resultant of their exceptional ability to develop a meaning and real connection with others. 

Success in business and life in general is attributed to the connections we create with others and the degree to which we are able to give and receive.

8. Surprise Someone You Love 

Who doesn't love a surprise?

Surprising someone you love is one of the most beautiful ways to demonstrate how much you love and care about that person.

When we get caught up in our daily lives of routine and mundane tasks, we can forget to take the time to demonstrate how much we truly care and show sincere appreciation for the joy and happiness that person bring into our lives.

Sometimes, it is not enough to simply say the words 'I love you', the actions to demonstrate that statement is true sends the message with much more vigor.

If we engage in acts of kindness and take positive action daily it forms a habit.

Engaging in random acts of kindness and taking action rewires your brain. It positively changes other's life and can also change your life forever. The final thought I would like you to ponder,'Be the change you want to see in the world' - Gandhi.

7 Ways Successful People Have Better Mindsets

It's interesting to wonder why some people are more successful than others, especially if you yourself are aiming high.

What do people like Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates have that feeds their ongoing excellence and propels them to the highest levels of success?

The answers are complex, of course. But that doesn't mean they can't be learned. Each of these successful people shares certain smart mindsets--mindsets that any one of us can emulate, that will do us good no matter what level of success we aspire to.

Here are seven of the top examples:

1. Successful people don't take failure too seriously.

They see failure as the opportunity to begin again, but this time more intelligently. They know it's not a defining event, and they don't treat it as a problem unless it begins to become a habit. They win as if they are used to it, and they lose as if they're enjoying the challenge.

2. Successful people accept who they are and what they are about.

If you keep putting yourself down, there is no way for you to move forward. Successful people know the smartest mindset you can have is self-acceptance--refusing to be in an adversarial relationship with yourself.

3. Successful people set goals and work to achieve them.

Having a dream is great, but having a dream and goals is smart, because goals are how dreams become achievable. The most successful people are constantly setting and working toward goals to make a positive difference. Goals turn the invisible visible; they let you structure your thinking to always be looking for something you can do to bring you closer to what you want to achieve. Goals lead you to ask every day, "What am I doing that will move me toward where I want to be and what I want to achieve.?" Successful people not only set goals, they set them high. And they don't stop until they reach them.

4. Successful people don't leave things to chance.

Instead of passively hoping for the best, they take control to make things happen. You always have a choice: You can control your mind or you can let it control you. Refusing to leave things to chance shows inner strength, decisiveness, and a strong will. Incredible things happen when you decide to take control of what you can control and let go of the rest.

5. Successful people don't let themselves get sidetracked by problems.

If your mindset is negative, problems will grow in strength and constantly pull you down, sending you on detours of thought into some bad neighborhoods. On the other hand, with a positive mindset you will think of problems as a reason to be creative and come up with innovative solutions. The biggest problem is thinking of problems as problems. Successful people know that when you focus on problems you have more problems, but when you focus on possibilities you have more opportunities.

6. Successful people are decisive.

The most successful people are deft decision makers. They don't waffle or second-guess themselves. They take in the information they need, then clear out their mind and pick the best option based on what they know. If it turns out to be wrong, they learn from it. But they won't be guilty of not deciding at all.

7. Successful people are continually learning.

If you want to go far, borrow the mindset known in Zen Buddhism as shoshin, or learner's mind. That means you don't pretend to know it all but are open to learning and growth and development, with a mind that's fresh and enthusiastic and free of bias. Experience holds lessons for us all, but you have to remain teachable to take advantage of them.

If you're serious about being successful, cultivate these smart mindsets and see where they take you.

10 Things Emotionally Intelligent People Refuse to Think

Pay attention to what comes out of your mouth. The language you use affects how you experience your world, and how others experience you. Inevitably, things get "lost in translation."

If you're familiar with cognitive distortion or cognitive bias, these psychology terms teach us that there are subtle ways that our mind can convince us of something that isn't really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions, thus holding us back.

We all do this, both consciously and unconsciously, and how we do it provides pointers to our underlying beliefs about ourselves, our peers, partners and colleagues, and the immediate world around us.

This could spell trouble. Which of these do you do? Check the areas below and be courageous enough to ask a trusted peer for perspective. Is it a problem?

Top 10 Cognitive Distortions

1. All or nothing thinking: Seeing things as black-or-white, right-or-wrong, with nothing in between. Essentially, "if I'm not perfect then I'm a failure." Examples:

• "I didn't finish writing that proposal so it was a complete waste of time."
• "There's no point in playing in that golf tournament to raise money if I'm not 100 percent in shape."
• "The vendor didn't show, they're completely unreliable!"

2. Over-generalization: Using words like "always" or "never" in relation to a single event or experience.

• "I'll never get that promotion."
• "She always does that...."

3. Minimizing or magnifying (also, catastrophizing): Seeing things as dramatically more or less important than they actually are--which can often create a "catastrophe" that follows. Examples of such inner dialogue:

• "Because my boss publicly thanked her, she'll get that promotion, not me (even though I had a great performance review and just won a company award)."
• "I forgot that email! That means my boss won't trust me again, I won't get that raise, and my wife will hate me."

4. Using words like "should," "need to," "must," and "ought to" as motivation: You may have a tendency to use such words to motivate yourself, then you feel guilty when you don't follow through (or get angry and resentful when someone else doesn't follow through). Examples of your inner dialogue:

• "I should have gotten the contract delivered last weekend."
• "They ought to have been more considerate of my feelings on this project, they should know that would upset me."

5. Labeling: Attaching a negative label to yourself or others following a single event.

• "I didn't stand up to my co-worker, I'm such a wimp!"
• "What an idiot, he couldn't even see that coming!"

6. Jumping to conclusions (mind-reading or fortune telling): Making negative predictions about the future without evidence or factual support. Example:

• "I won't be able to pay my bills if I go on this vacation trip (even though there's plenty of money in savings)."
• "No one will understand. I won't be invited back again to speak (even though they are supportive community partners)."

7. Discounting the positive: Not acknowledging the positive. Saying anyone could have done it or insisting that your positive actions, qualities, or achievements don't count. Like:

• "That doesn't count, anyone could have done it."
• "I've only cut back from smoking 40 cigarettes a day to 10. It doesn't count because I haven't fully given up yet."

8. Blame and personalization: Blaming yourself when you weren't entirely responsible or blaming other people and denying your role in the situation. Examples:

• "If only I were younger, I would have gotten the job."
• "If only I hadn't said that, they wouldn't have...."
• "If only he hadn't yelled at me, I wouldn't have been angry and shot back."

9. Emotional reasoning: I feel, therefore I am. Assuming that a feeling is true-- without digging deeper to see if this is accurate. Like:

• "I feel like such an idiot (it must be true)."
• "I feel guilty (I must have done something wrong)."
• "I feel really bad for yelling at my partner, I must be really selfish and inconsiderate."

10. Mental filter: Allowing (dwelling on) one negative detail or fact to spoil your enjoyment, happiness, hope, etc. Example:

• You have a great evening and dinner at a restaurant with friends, but your chicken was undercooked and that spoiled the whole evening.

07 Simple Life Hacks That Will Make You Smarter

You can't boost your IQ overnight, but you can get a little smarter every day.

With enough motivation and determination, anyone can expand their mental capabilities and become smarter.

Integrating new habits into your regular routine and providing proper stimulation can sharpen your intellect quickly and leave you inspired to take on new challenges each day.

Brain health--a component of "being smart"--is an important key in total physical health.

So how can you get smarter? These are my top life hacks for improving brain health and consequently keeping my brain sharp and smart every day.

1. Feed your brain with the right nutrition.

An engine without proper fuel can't run. Your brain is an engine, and needs the right fuel.

The takeaway is simple: A healthy diet is crucial to thinking clearly and making decisions.

That doesn't mean you need to hop on the latest diet trend. Instead, make sure to cover the basics: whole foods, vegetables, and lean meats. Try to eliminate as many processed foods and added sugars as possible.

To be smarter, add quality fats to your diet, such as almond butter, avocado, coconut oil, salmon, grass-fed beef, and more.

These foods have a lot of fatty acids (Omega 3s), which help create new neurons and reduce inflammation in the brain. Expert research shows that Omega 3s also improve your mood naturally, enhance your memory and protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.

Assuming you're feeding you brain the right nutrients, you must also cut out the foods that will hinder your mental performance and productivity.

2. Meditate.

One important rule: Stop dragging around your emotional baggage.

Your past does not equal your future. --Tony Robbins

If you want to be smarter, meditation is the quickest way of doing that. It helps rewire the brain, removing negative associations and helping you become more aware of the thoughts and emotions that guide your day-to-day behavior.

In my life, for instance, meditation helps lessen the pain from failures in business (of which I've experienced many).

It creates space, giving me time to respond without reacting.

3. Keep a journal.

Like meditation, journaling is one way to help bring awareness to my thoughts.

Whenever I meet someone, read a book, or have a spontaneous thought, I immediately jot it down for future reference. This helps me remember things better, building and strengthening those neural pathways in my brain.

These days, many people young and old take notes on their phones and laptops. I'm a bit of a Luddite in this regard and prefer to write my journal by hand. It's a personal preference, but recent research supports the fact that handwriting things actually makes us smarter.

The connection between your brain and body tends to be stronger each time you jot down thoughts using your hand.

Tip: To get the brain-boosting benefits of journaling, you don't have to be a professional writer or be good at writing. Just express yourself using simple words and you'll get most of the benefits.

4. Regularly change your environment.

As you've probably heard by now, "sitting is killing us." And while there's a kernel of truth to that statement, the true killer is monotony.

The common habit of resting on your couch and watching TV all day wastes your time as well as your brain.

Avoid this habit and instead invest your money in experiences that stimulate your creative juices. Travel more, and your mind will be opened by new cultures.

5. Practice yoga.

When I just started my career, I was constantly tired and on the verge of burnout, feeling unmotivated and groggy. This was despite the fact that I ate fairly healthy and regularly hit the gym.

A friend recommended that I take a yoga class, saying that the added flexibility and breathing exercises would help my body relax and get stronger simultaneously. Yoga workouts make me feel sharper, more focused, and more present with my friends and colleagues.

6. Get social.

I like debating and analyzing ideas with other people because those conversations help me gain more knowledge and new perspectives.

As it turns out, they make me smarter, too. A study from the University of Michigan explored the idea that socializing with other people enhances mental functioning. In the study, participants were instructed to socialize for a set period of time, then their brains were scanned for activity to assess the levels of cognitive function.

The result? People who socialized more in groups displayed higher levels of mental function than those who did not. The simple act of small talk actually boosted intelligence.

In other words, social interaction helps to "exercise" your mind. So next time you'd rather eat at your desk, remember that you'll be sharper and more focused if you take a break and grab lunch with your co-workers.

7. Apply what you learn.

Treat life like an A/B test. If you're regularly tracking your experiences, either by journaling or some other way, then look back and ask yourself: What did I learn from this?

If you found something that works, some environment that makes you happier or more creative, go out and try to replicate the results and see what happens.

Above all, have fun with it. Enjoying yourself is essential to getting smarter. As Dale Carnegie put it,

People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.

Let the joy of learning be your guide in life.

6 Powerful Sales-Acceleration Tips From Account Managers and Sales Experts

A Crucial Area of your Business.

First and foremost, account managers work closely with clients to determine their needs and help their companies develop products and services to meet those needs. During this process, AMs facilitate the conversation, expressing clients' agendas to the company and the company's abilities and concerns in meeting those agendas in turn.

Since account management is more of a high-stakes role than ever, it's good to get advice from the top minds in the field, so here are six great account management tips from sales experts.

1. Listen to the Client

Because customer experience is such a huge point of emphasis, the old saying "the customer is always right" is truer than ever.

Account managers should be more interested in making the client's dreams come true via their business than vice versa. Experts from the world of digital design have some good insight on this issue. Add value where you can.

"An integrated customer experience process within a successful customer-focused organization should know when the customers are at an emotional high or low point (both could be substantial) and what behaviors they exhibit that betray a problem or a root cause." says UX designer Kaushik Gosh, writing for the Toptal Design Blog.

The "management" part of account management includes being attuned to your client's expectations and responses, both fiscally and emotionally. Managing emotions and responding to a client's needs and wishes is a huge part of account management, and it may even reward an account manager with long-term client loyalty.

2. Uncover What Your Buyers Truly Care About

"When the customer makes a buying decision, the risk shifts from the supplier to the customer and the impact on the customer of a poor buying decision is usually greater than the impact on the salesperson of a lost sale," explains Donal Daly, CEO of Altify.

"The seller's ultimate objective is to maximize revenue in an account in a way that also maximizes mutual value. Once you understand the people and the problems and have developed a trusted relationship with your customer, you can identify areas of opportunity--the "white space" in the account--where solutions can add value to the customer's business."

His point being, a structured approach to account planning challenges seller's to uncover the goals, pressures and obstacles that the customer truly cares about, and the initiatives that the customer may be putting in place to relieve these pressures. Mutual value can only be achieved with this understanding, and any other approach isn't putting the focus on the customer.

3. Research, Research, Research

Erica Hansen of Yesler, an elite B2B marketing agency, says,

"Sift through all the intelligence marketing and sales gathered during the lead nurturing and sales process and then augment that with more research--about your customer's business, its markets, challenges, goals, and competitors."

To understand the needs of clients, an AM must research in great depth, utilizing info from within the company and without, such as customer feedback and data, notes, and research from projects for similar clients.

A good account manager will have knowledge not only of the client's background but also of the current climate in the client's industry. Clients want to know they're in expert hands, and having a depth of knowledge about the clients, and their industry will go a long way to reassuring them of that.

4. Collaboration Means Execution

According to Lou Shachter and Rich Cheatham of BTS, a global professional services firm who has worked with companies like AT&T and Chevron, collaboration means "leveraging internal resources on behalf of the customers" as a means of execution and "ensuring successful achievement of each element of the account plan." Given the AM's movement between sales and customer service, and the need to follow through on an account, it is important that the AM and different branches of the company, from advertising to delivery services, are ready and willing to collaborate.

For example, a hard-working AM may see a client in the product development stage and have the marketing team begin drawing up release materials for when the product is ready. An AM must be proactive and network extensively throughout their own organization's functions to ensure that every possible opportunity to achieve the goals of the account plan is taken.

5. Identify Key Accounts

Not all accounts are created equal. When considering who to invest your time and energy into, be sure to consider factors beyond revenue alone, such as your strategic fit with the company and the company's willingness to develop your partnership. Identifying "key accounts," or the top, flagship performers among your client portfolio, will be important in setting the tone for attracting future clients with similar goals. "Selecting the wrong key accounts will cost you millions, and that doesn't include the lost opportunity impact," says John Staples o fSales Benchmark Index.

According to Staples, there are two critical steps to identifying and then expanding upon your key accounts. First, analyze your current accounts about your company's overall strategy, and highlight the ones you identify as being key earners. Once you've chosen those few key accounts, start small with a pilot program of account management, focusing on developing management frameworks with which to handle future accounts. Then, expand from there, attracting new clients through your current accounts' successes.

6. Hire the Right People and Train Them Well

In the same way, that good account management is about collaboration, a sign of really good account management is an effective delegation of tasks. Ideally, your business is doing so well that you need to hire more account managers. In that case, "You need to think about what the role requires (a broad range of skills, including financial, consultative, planning, interpersonal and influencing skills) and then pick the right person for the role. Don't forget to train them: Very few people come into [an AM] role with all the skills they need," explains Lynette Ryals of the Harvard Business Review.If a top performer excels in sales, you might assume that you can transition them into account management easily, but this isn't always the case.

Given the complexity and depth of the duties of an AM, as well as their close dealings with clients, it is essential that AMs are trained according to best practices in account management. Dynamic business acumen is among the most important skills, given the AM's handling of numerous clients, which necessitates an understanding of how the company makes money and how to best drive growth.

Take this advice from experts who have shown they know how to succeed in account management, and take your own business to the next level. Do you have any other ideas? Add them in the comment section below!

17 Creative Brainstorming Methods That (Might) Produce Brilliance

1. The "J.K. Rowling" Brainstorm: Legend has it J.K. Rowling began her fateful journey to creating the Harry Potter series by writing notes on paper napkins. Whether that's true or not, it is a great exercise to jot down ideas that are very meaningful. Do you know how annoying it is to write on a napkin? It's not a great surface. Which makes what you write all that more special. Go to a diner, order a cup of coffee, and try it.

2. Write 10 ideas every day: This is one of my favorite (and standard) "creative" muscle workouts. Every day, write down 10 ideas you think would be fun to pursue. Don't worry about how long they would take to make, budget, or whether or not they are realistic in any way--just let your mind wander and see what it believes it could make real. You'll be surprised how, after a few days, you'll be flooded with great ideas.

3. Brainstorm every idea that couldn't possibly work. This is like approaching creativity backwards. Next time you're in a meeting and everyone is all, "Let's write down all our best ideas," if you get stuck, try going the other direction. Write down anything and everything that "couldn't possibly work." Funny how this often leads to an obvious and brilliant solution that "just might be crazy enough to work."

4. Write with your non-dominant hand: This is an exercise I learned in college while taking a poetry class. To emphasize the importance of minimalism, we were instructed to write poems with our non-dominant hand. What happens when you do this is you get so frustrated by how slow (and sloppy) you are writing that you actually subconsciously delete words for the sake of getting to the heart of what you actually want to say. The end result? A wildly short and yet provocative piece. Try it--with anything.

5. Draw what you want to say: Even if you are not an illustrator, there is something about using symbols and stick figures to communicate your message instead of words. Whether you are trying to figure out how to organize a proposal, a chapter of your book, a presentation, etc., try drawing your idea instead of writing it out. The words will practically reveal themselves.

6. Construct it all by memory: This is another helpful exercise I've learned through studying poetry. Instead of sitting in front of your notepad and trying to get everything down on paper, construct your message by memory in your head. If you stick with this long enough, two things happen. First, you automatically delete anything that isn't vibrant enough to be remembered (a positive), and second, you keep things short and concise because otherwise you wouldn't be able to remember it. Then, once you've got it all the way you want it, write it down.

7. Speak it as you write it: Give it a voice. Sometimes sitting in silence with your brain running laps ends up working against you. Say it out loud. Hear it. Feel it. Play with it and work with it. Writers especially, read your work out loud. I promise, you'll come up with some amazing material by using your real voice as a tool.

8. Go for a walk with a pen. Just a pen, no notepad. If something really great hits you, write it on your hand. Again, a test in brevity here: When we carry around notebooks we sometimes feel compelled to jot down everything that comes to mind. But if you only have a pen and your tablet is your hand, then you will be more mindful of what you ultimately choose to write down. Brevity tends to reveal the most simple (and best) material anyway.

9. Have an "idea storm." This is one of our tactics at Idea Booth. For big campaigns, we gather the whole team around our big table and we hold an "idea storm." One person stands at the head of the room (where the walls are painted with idea paint--you can write on them with dry erase marker), and as people contribute ideas, they all get written down on the board. After about 15 minutes, we step back and circle the best ones, and then as a group we dive deep and expand on each one, sharing out loud how we would bring them to life.

10. Read. I mean, so simple but so undervalued. Too many people try to be creative in a vacuum. They sit in a room by themselves and tap their pencil on their desk and wait for brilliance to strike. It doesn't really happen like that. Instead, start reading everything surrounding the challenge: Read about what other people have done in that particular niche, read case studies, read about the history of whatever you are looking to solve, etc. Read, and the answer will reveal itself.

11. Detox from all technology. Again, extremely undervalued and rarely done because it is a challenge, but the results always speak for themselves. Next time you find yourself in a creative rut, take a Saturday, wake up early, and fall off the grid. Turn off your phone and put it in your closet. Don't open your laptop. Spend your entire day detached from the digital world, and every time you get that "inkling" to do something or you get bored, journal or go for a walk or read instead. I promise you, come afternoon you'll be flooded with ideas.

12. Brainstorm in front of an audience. We all have that friend we share everything with. Well, use them as a resource. If you're struggling with an idea, invite them over, pull out the whiteboard, sit them down, and say, "Look, I just need to think through this out loud. Let me explain what I'm thinking, and then you provide me with any feedback or ideas." By the time you're done explaining the challenge, chances are you'll have realized the answer yourself.

13. Use social media to gain feedback. That's really what social media is used for--conversation. Instead of spending three months bashing your head against the wall trying to come up with "the perfect idea," just start testing and sharing things on social media and see what people respond to. Brainstorm by interacting with people and adjust as you go along, based on feedback.

14. Wake up at odd hours. This can be extremely jarring but it can also be really effective. If you're used to getting up at 6 or 7 a.m., try getting up at 3 or 4 in the morning, pitch black, and starting your day then. This is not for the faint of heart, but there is something to be said for drastically adjusting your surroundings to spark your creativity.

15. Create it in a completely different format. As a musician, I tend to do this a lot as a cross-training exercise: I take something I am working on writing and compose the same story through music (piano, an instrumental, a song, etc.). This is another challenge in keeping things concise, and also tends to reveal a lot about the underlying emotions of what it is you're creating. Music is, after all, a language.

16. Write it as a letter. If you're ever struggling to figure out how to say something, or who it is you're "talking to" with what you're creating, image it as a letter to one person. Visualize that one person in your mind: What do they look like? How old are they? What do they want to hear? Write as if you are speaking to them and them only, and watch the voice reveal itself naturally.

17. Create consistently! And finally, the real secret to all creative brainstorming is to do it regularly--every day, no matter what. That's how you keep that muscle engaged and alive. 

07 Morning Routines That Will Spark Your Productivity

1. Get sufficient sleep.

This is obvious, but easier said than done for many people.

You need to practice good sleep hygiene and ensure that you find the proper amount of sleep for your body. Somewhere between 6 and 9 hours may be most appropriate, so experiment, find what works, and stick to it.

Doctors recommend sleeping and waking at the same time each day to synchronize the circadian rhythms that provide energy when you need it. You will die from sleep deprivation more quickly than dehydration, so start taking your rest seriously.

2. Don't hit the snooze.

Hitting the snooze is like breaking a promise to yourself. When you decide to get up at a certain time, follow through.

Getting in the habit of sleeping past your alarm clock often results in waking up during a REM cycle, which leaves you with greater fatigue than if you had just gotten up the first time.

Value your time and put your feet on the floor as soon as your alarm beeps.

3. Avoid the screens.

Let me be the first to admit that I'm guilty of this. Because our phones are now extensions of ourselves, it's difficult to avoid looking at them upon waking, but it's extremely beneficial to give your mind time to wake up prior to exposing it to extreme stimulation.

Let's work together on trying to give ourselves 10 to 15 minutes prior to looking at our technological devices so that our brain can have time to warm up and so we don't become more dependent upon external stimulation to get going each morning.

4. Drink plenty of water.

There's nothing quite like a cold glass of water in the morning.

Aside from helping you wake up, staying hydrated helps you prevent headaches, muscle cramps, and aids digestion. You can't drink while you're asleep, so wake up and give your brain and body what it needs to function at a high level.

If you want to spice things up, add a little lemon or cucumber.

5. Eat a nutritious meal.

Many of my peers say that they don't have time to eat breakfast. If that's something you say to yourself, then you need to set your alarm earlier. A nutritious meal goes a long way to fuel the start of your day.

If you eat a meal that's high in protein, it doesn't matter what comes your way, because you'll have the energy needed to read, react and conquer.

6. Meditate.

I can't stress this enough--meditation improves focus and concentration, and helps you relax. When you meditate each morning, it gives you a safe space to return to throughout the chaos of everyday life.

If you meditate each morning on a consistent basis, you'll find yourself less reactive to the little stressors that typically would cause frustration and stress. Then, when something truly stressful comes your way, you'll be able to be self-aware and confront the issue head-on without needing to run, fight, or withdrawal from the moment.

7. Coffee or tea in moderation.

I'm convinced that the perfect morning routine comes down to finding the perfect ratio between meditation and caffeine. You need to be productive, and you need to be grounded in the here and now.

After you have the meditation down, adding in a small amount of caffeine can help you carpe diem. There's no need to chug an entire pot of coffee, a little bit goes a long way when you're brain's already sharp from your great morning routine!

Establishing a positive morning routine will provide you with more energy throughout the day. When you ease into each day with a sense of composure, it allows you to feel safe and grounded prior to racing out the door.

A solid morning routine will build a foundation for success, lead to greater happiness and productivity, and make each day more enjoyable.

08 Habits of Incredibly Interesting People

1. They are passionate 

Jane Goodall, a bona fide interesting person, left her home in England and moved to Tanzania at age 26 to begin studying chimpanzees. It became her life’s work, and Goodall has devoted herself fully to her cause while inspiring many others to do the same. Interesting people don’t just have interests; they have passions, and they devote themselves completely to them.

2. They try new things 

Interesting people do what interests them. They know what they want, and they’re brave enough to take the steps to get there. This often means trying new things -- things at which they’re often terrible at first. The very act of seeking new experiences also happens to be great for your mood, and people who are happy are magnetic and far more interesting to be around than downers. 

3. They don’t hide their quirks 

Interesting people often have unusual preferences that don’t fit the norm. They’re open and unabashed about who they are, which gives everyone a good look at these interesting tendencies. Billionaire Warren Buffett, for example, has never been suited to the high-rolling lifestyle. Instead, he still lives in the same modest house he bought in 1958 for $31,500. It might seem quirky -- or even strange -- for such an incredibly wealthy man to live so frugally, but Buffett doesn’t sacrifice his preferences because of what’s expected of him.

4. They avoid the bandwagon

Nothing is more boring than following the bandwagon, and interesting people are intent on forging their own paths. There’s often nothing wrong with what everyone else is doing; it’s just that interesting people are innovators, who break conformity to pursue new, exciting, and yes, interesting ideas.

5. They check their egos at the door

An egomaniac is never interesting. Egomaniacs are always posturing, always worrying about how they’ll come across. It’s exhausting and it’s also dishonest. Take Oprah Winfrey -- an interesting and interested person. In a speech to the Stanford University graduating class of 2008, she said, “The trick is to learn to check your ego at the door and start checking your gut instead. Every right decision I’ve made -- every right decision I've ever made -- has come from my gut. And every wrong decision I’ve ever made was a result of me not listening to the greater voice of myself.” Oprah’s advice is so important: listen to your values, goals and ambitions, rather than worrying about what will make you look good.

6. They’re always learning

To interesting people, the world has infinite possibilities. This curiosity about the unknown leads to constant learning, fueled by an ever-burning desire to discover the unknown. Despite his intelligence and accomplishments, Albert Einstein kept a sense of wonder throughout his life that made him continue to ask questions about the world. Like Einstein, interesting people are in a constant state of wonder.

7. They share what they discover

The only thing interesting people enjoy as much as learning is sharing their discoveries with others. While some will spin engaging yarns about their exciting travels, there’s more to it than that. Interesting people are interesting because they feel out their conversational partner to see what sparks that person’s interest. They don’t share to expose all of the interesting things they’ve done; they share for other people to enjoy. 

8. They don’t worry about what others think of them

Nothing is more uninteresting than someone who holds their true self back because they’re afraid that other people might not like it. Instead, interesting people are true to themselves wherever they are, whoever they’re with and in whatever they’re doing. Interesting people are authentic to a fault. The famous English author Charles Dickens personified this. No matter where he was working -- in a friend’s house or in a hotel -- he would bring specific pens and objects and arrange them precisely. While his behavior may have seemed strange, he was always true to himself.