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Motivations to hav at work

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bad-mistakes-make-good-employees-leave-dr-travis-bradberry?forceNoSplash=true

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Dr. Travis Bradberry
Dr. Travis Bradberry
Coauthor Emotional Intelligence 2.0 & President at TalentSmart
Bad Mistakes That Make Good Employees Leave
January 27, 2016 • 468,123 Views • 7,869 Likes • 1,050 Comments

It’s tough to hold on to good employees, but it shouldn’t be. Most of the mistakes that companies make are easily avoided. When you do make mistakes, your best employees are the first to go, because they have the most options.

If you can’t keep your best employees engaged, you can’t keep your best employees. While this should be common sense, it isn’t common enough. A survey by the Corporate Executive Board found that one-third of star employees feel disengaged from their employer and are already looking for a new job.

When you lose good employees, they don’t disengage all at once. Instead, their interest in their jobs slowly dissipates. Michael Kibler, who has spent much of his career studying this phenomenon, refers to it as brownout. Like dying stars, star employees slowly lose their fire for their jobs.

“Brownout is different from burnout because workers afflicted by it are not in obvious crisis,”Kibler said. “They seem to be performing fine: putting in massive hours, grinding out work while contributing to teams, and saying all the right things in meetings. However, they are operating in a silent state of continual overwhelm, and the predictable consequence is disengagement.”

In order to prevent brownout and to retain top talent, companies and managers must understand what they’re doing that contributes to this slow fade. The following practices are the worst offenders, and they must be abolished if you’re going to hang on to good employees.

They make a lot of stupid rules. Companies need to have rules—that’s a given—but they don’t have to be shortsighted and lazy attempts at creating order. Whether it’s an overzealous attendance policy or taking employees’ frequent flier miles, even a couple of unnecessary rules can drive people crazy. When good employees feel like big brother is watching, they’ll find someplace else to work.

They treat everyone equally. While this tactic works with school children, the workplace ought to function differently. Treating everyone equally shows your top performers that no matter how high they perform (and, typically, top performers are work horses), they will be treated the same as the bozo who does nothing more than punch the clock.

They tolerate poor performance. It’s said that in jazz bands, the band is only as good as the worst player; no matter how great some members may be, everyone hears the worst player. The same goes for a company. When you permit weak links to exist without consequence, they drag everyone else down, especially your top performers.

They don’t recognize accomplishments. It’s easy to underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially with top performers who are intrinsically motivated. Everyone likes kudos, none more so than those who work hard and give their all. Rewarding individual accomplishments shows that you’re paying attention. Managers need to communicate with their people to find out what makes them feel good (for some, it’s a raise; for others, it’s public recognition) and then to reward them for a job well done. With top performers, this will happen often if you’re doing it right.

They don’t care about people. More than half the people who leave their jobs do so because of their relationship with their boss. Smart companies make certain that their managers know how to balance being professional with being human. These are the bosses who celebrate their employees’ successes, empathize with those going through hard times, and challenge them, even when it hurts. Bosses who fail to really care will always have high turnover rates. It’s impossible to work for someone for eight-plus hours a day when they aren’t personally involved and don’t care about anything other than your output.

They don’t show people the big picture. It may seem efficient to simply send employees assignments and move on, but leaving out the big picture is a deal breaker for star performers. Star performers shoulder heavier loads because they genuinely care about their work, so their work must have a purpose. When they don’t know what that is, they feel alienated and aimless. When they aren’t given a purpose, they find one elsewhere.

They don’t let people pursue their passions. Google mandates that employees spend at least 20% of their time doing “what they believe will benefit Google most.” While these passion projects make major contributions to marquis Google products, such as Gmail and AdSense, their biggest impact is in creating highly engaged Googlers. Talented employees are passionate. Providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves their productivity and job satisfaction, but many managers want people to work within a little box. These managers fear that productivity will decline if they let people expand their focus and pursue their passions. This fear is unfounded. Studies have shown that people who are able to pursue their passions at work experience flow, a euphoric state of mind that is five times more productive than the norm.

They don’t make things fun. If people aren’t having fun at work, then you’re doing it wrong. People don’t give their all if they aren’t having fun, and fun is a major protector against brownout. The best companies to work for know the importance of letting employees loosen up a little. Google, for example, does just about everything it can to make work fun—free meals, bowling allies, and fitness classes, to name a few. The idea is simple: if work is fun, you’ll not only perform better, but you’ll stick around for longer hours and an even longer career.

Bringing It All Together

Managers tend to blame their turnover problems on everything under the sun while ignoring the crux of the matter: people don’t leave jobs; they leave managers.

What other mistakes cause great employees to leave? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart, the world's leading provider of emotional intelligence tests and training, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, TIME, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.

If you'd like to learn how to increase your emotional intelligence (EQ), consider taking the online Emotional Intelligence Appraisal® test that's included with the Emotional Intelligence 2.0 book. Your test results will pinpoint which of the book's 66 emotional intelligence strategies will increase your EQ the most.

Written by

Dr. Travis Bradberry
Dr. Travis Bradberry
Coauthor Emotional Intelligence 2.0 & President at TalentSmart
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Jingfeng Huang, PMP, PhD Add your comment

Add your comment
Preston VanderVen Preston VanderVen
Promotor at Jacob Sunroom & Exteriors
Great article. I have also noticed that another reason it is hard to keep Great Employees is they have the position only to learn a skill and then move on. There goal is not to "move up the ladder", yet build there own skills to build themselves. So they go from career to career, to learn the skills they need to for the goal of becoming an Entrepreneur. Yet, these skill minded people are great to work with.
Like(5)Reply(11)2 days ago
LikersTyler Pham, Anna Seibert, Angela lee, +2
Rob Taylor Rob Taylor
Software Integrator at KUKA Flexible Production Systems
Their goal is to build their own skills.
Like(5)1 day ago
LikersFrancois Meilleur, Allicia van Zyl, Dana Yang, +2
Jakub Savić Jakub Savić
H&M Call Centre Back Office Agent
That's a very good point indeed.
Like(5)1 day ago
Likersglory inuks, Francesco Ozzimo, Jozette Herrera-Lee, +2
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Bryan Kilduff Bryan Kilduff
Employee Education Specialist at Dealey, Renton & Associates. Change Manager, Team Builder, Workflow Optimizer.
Years ago we held onto a poor performing employee because we had trouble finding a replacement. We were worried about overloading teamates with work if we fired the poor performer before finding a replacement. We found out the teamates were more than willing to take on the additional work as the poor performer was having such a negative impact on morale. Poor performing employees should be treated as a cancer in an organization and extracted immediately. The improvement in office morale will outweigh all other factors.
Like(5)Reply(3)2 days ago
LikersMatt Murphy, Subodh Nair, Peter Cooper, +2
Kristy Spillman Kristy Spillman
Assistant Director at Department of Health & Human Services, Victoria
As employers, supervisors, etc we should also not underestimate our responsibility in the performance of those that work for us. Too often the 'poor performing worker' is treated as a cancer; where you might actually have a careless, lazy manager who seems to think their job is only about the work and not managing - that includes the people. How many examples can we all think of of a person who seemed to be not performing with one manger but doing great with another. So be careful when you focus too much on extracting the 'cancer' because you might be just looking at a symptom rather than a cause.
Like(5)1 day ago
LikersRebecca J. Lomax, Fabio Mellinato, Binita Sondagar, CHRP, +2
Dan Langrish Dan Langrish
B2B Marketing & Sales
As an Employee Education Specialist, Change Manager & Team Builder, you should be be aware there is probably more to it than poor performance!
Like(5)2 days ago
LikersPaul Alvin Breganza, Lilian Seow, Maria Ruth Ríos Resendiz, +2
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Phnom Tamao, Cambodia

Proud to say that 1 month was spent in Phnom Tamao Zoological Park helping the animals..

I enjoyed it very much.. Swimming in the lakes, climbing rocks, sleeping in huts, playing with the bears and monkeys, drawing on each other, cooking food, washing clothes by hand, no internet/electricity.

The Dreamakers II Quotes

The Dreamakers I and II were the most interesting show from Mediacorp. I caught it faithfully using Toggle (online streaming from Mediacorp).

I could relate to the story. About the trials of work, backstabbing, pursuit of excellence with the balance of family life.

In The Dreamakers II, the episodes ends with a quote and I decide to compile those which I will like to remember here.

Episode 1

"Be natural and you will be extraordinary" - Chow Yun Fat

Episode 2
"Neither let praise get to your head nor despair when you're condemned - Carina Lau

Episode 3
"What we see may not be the truth. Because we fail to see what's real and what's not,
the truth catches us off-guard sometimes. So we have no choice but to accept it. We're the author and protagonist of our own scripts. But there are other characters involved. Our fellow actors never follow the script." - Zoe Tay

Hardwired brain

Yes, the brain is kinda hardwired. But parasites can change it. That's the extreme.. Exercising the brain works too..

Debussy, Arabesque #1, Piano Solo (animation ver. 2) -- Good night!

Singapore Airlines Next Generation Cabin Products -- A great way to fly

Singapore Airlines First Class (nostalgia) -- A great way to fly

Lien Siaou-Sze -- HP Senior

The Straits Times Interactive

Featured Woman

Lien Siaou-Sze

Senior Vice-President Hewlett-Packard Services Asia-Pacific

  

Never mind your gender. It's what you are passionate about that matters, contends Hewlett-Packard Services Asia-Pacific senior vice-president Lien Siaou-Sze. She should know - she was named by Fortune magazine as among the 50 most powerful businesswomen outside the US.

By Simon Wilcoz (correspondent with The Straits Times Money Desk)

  

In the beating heart of Singapore's computer industry is a woman who loves Mozart and Chopin and believes they have something to teach the 21st century Infotech (IT) professional.

  

Whenever she has the time, Ms Lien Siaou-Sze, 52, the senior vice-president of Hewlett-Packard (HP) Services Asia-Pacific, will catch a concert by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and find inspiration in that.

  

"I love the ability of the violinist or the cellist to focus and produce a piece of work to absolute perfection," she said in an interview with Sunday Review.

  

"And that's what I look for when I am recruiting talent for HP - that focus, that attention to detail and also that passion."

  

For the Singaorean businesswomen who was ranked eighth recently in Fortune magazine's list of the 50 most powerful businesswomen outside the United States, these qualities are far more important than gender or race.

  

"In today's knowledge economy, it's what you say, it's what you are capable of, it's what you are passionate about that matters. To me, gender is a total non-issue, If gender is not an issue, what must have certainly mattered in her case is her determination to succeed, a quality that emerged during the interview.

  

Slight of frame and dressed very neatly in a floral samfoo, her initial shy demeanour dissipated when she delivered her answers to questions.

  

Crisp, forceful, thoughtful answers that signal drive and success. Succeeded she has, and how. Explaining its choice, Fortune said Ms Lien is "arguably HP's most senior woman outside the US and, certainly, among its top 50 executives anywhere."

  

Apart from her, Madam Ho Ching, Temasek Holding's executive director - ranked No 6 - and Ms Chua Sock Koong, SingTel's chief financial officer - who came in at No 25 - were the only Singaporeans.

  

Born in 1950, Ms Lien grew up in a large family setting in Katong, being one of six children. At the urging of a "very good teacher", she got the "right grades" at school and went on to study physics at the National University of Singapore. This was followed by a year at Imperial College in London, studying for a Master's in Computer Science.

  

She began her career at HP Singapore as a systems engineer - the only female engineer there at the time, though she is quick to point out this is a "non-issue". Throughout the 1980s, she managed HP's application engineering activities in Singapore and South-east Asia before moving on to develop its customer-support activities.

  

The 1980s and 1990s were a fascinating time to be in the computer business, she adds. "You were working in a fast-changing industry and you were learning all the time. There were many times when I would learn some new technology just in time to be able to run a demonstration, give a presentation, share my new-found knowledge with others. It is this 'endless learning' that continues to drive her - a capacity she looks for in her new recruits."

  

Promoted to senior vice-president of HP Services Asia-Pacific in 2000, she now oversees all business activities for HP Services from India to New Zealand and from Korea to Indonesia. HP Services is the global consulting arm for HP - one of only two units in the US-based company that are currently profitable.

  

Responsible for 8 000 employees, one of her main roles is to "nurture all that talent", and also to help her staff achieve a good balance between their work lives and their home lives.

  

"Running a career is like running a marathon," she says. "Sometimes you want to sprint, sometimes you want to cruise. The important thing is to pace yourself, and I hope that at HP we have enough flexibility to allow our employees to do that."

  

Ms Lien, whose husband died seven years ago, makes sure she is involved in activities on weekends with her daughter, who is now at university. "On a personal level, I will sometimes work 20 hours a day but I won't do that 365 days a year. I pace myself," she says.

  

The Straits Times October 2002. Re-edited.

Photo from Nanyang Technological University. Accessed on 18 Mar 2011 fromhttp://www.ntu.edu.sg/NanyangAlumniAwards/Recipients/PreviousYearAwardRecipients/2006/Pages/MsLienSiaouSze(连萧思小姐).aspx

Discipline is remembering what you want..

Always look for abundance not scarcity..

The one-minute networker book

What is Solve?

Trans-Pacific Partnership: time for small businesses to think big

OCT 20, 20155:50 AM

WE ARE sitting at a crossroads of change in global trade, one that is expected to usher in a golden era for Asia's small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), initiated during the global economic downturn in 2009, finally concluded in October among12 Pacific Rim nations - Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States - encompassing close to 40 per cent of the global economy and a third of the world's trade.

Although it has taken more than five years to complete, and is pending ratification by national parliaments, the free trade agreement is expected to open up new opportunities for both big and small companies looking beyond their home markets for growth. Special consideration has been placed on the SME sector, because they typically do not have the resources to navigate the complexities of trade regulations, or invest in physical distribution centres overseas, let alone break into dominant domestic business networks to get their product to market. All this is expected to change, with the TPP setting important policy foundations for supporting global production networks and e-commerce.

Did you know for example that today's preferred SME suppliers are no longer competing on price, but on responsiveness, lead time, on-time delivery, and the ability to collaborate with lead firms to manage supply chain risk and disruption? Did you know more than half of all Asia-based online shoppers would abandon their shopping carts if they were told their shipments would take more than 11 days to arrive? And that on average Asian online shoppers are only willing to wait four days for their shipments?

These are some of the realities of the global marketplace which the TPP is well positioned to address on behalf of SMEs, many who either supply global buyers or sell direct to consumers. TPP disciplines such as time-release guarantees for express shipments; advanced rulings for classification and valuation; and self-certification of origin, are designed with the small business owner in mind, to enhance predictability, simplify border clearance processes, shorten lead-times, and improve competitiveness.

Together with the opening up of express delivery and logistics services, measures guaranteeing the flow of data supporting SME real-time, and interactive collaboration with lead firms, these new rules serve as important policy infrastructure for SME participation in global trade.

Capacity building and technical assistance are core foundations of the TPP, to help developing country members implement new policies and systems to meet the rigour of 21st century trade. In the same vein, recognising the needs of SMEs, UPS has partnered governments to help SMEs by sharing best business practices, standards, and experiences. The US-Asean Business Alliance for SME Competitiveness is one such partnership and has, since early 2014, trained more than 2,000 SMEs in the region.

There is no better time than now for SMEs to go global. To all SMEs - it's time to share with the world your day-dreams, your "ahas", your sketches, sticky-notes and ideas. Time for small to think big.

• The writer is the president of UPS Asia Pacific Region. UPS is a lead company in the US-Asean Business Alliance for Competitive SMEs and has partnered SME agencies throughout the world to help SMEs export and join global supply chains.

Psychological tricks to get people to do what you want

1. Use a “decoy” option to get people to buy your product.

In his TED Talk, behavioral economist Dan Ariely explains the “decoy effect” using an old Economist advertisement as an example.

The ad featured three subscription levels: $59 for online only, $159 for print only, and $159 for online and print. Ariely figured out that the option to pay $159 for print only exists so that it makes the option to pay $159 for online and print look more enticing than it would if it was just paired with the $59 option. 

In other words, if you’re having trouble selling the more expensive of two products, consider adding a third option whose only function is to make the “expensive” product look more enticing.

2. Tweak the environment to get people to act less selfish.

“Priming” is a powerful psychological phenomenon in which one stimulus produces a particular response to another stimulus, often unconsciously.

One study, cited in the book “You Are Not So Smart,” found that participants playing theultimatum game opted to keep more money for themselves when they were seated in a room with a briefcase, a leather portfolio, and a fountain pen than when they sat in a room with neutral items. Even though none of the participants were aware of what had happened, the business-related objects may have elicited competitiveness.

This tactic could potentially work when you’re bargaining with someone — instead of meeting in a conference room, consider convening in a coffee shop so your partner is less inclined toward aggression.

3. Help advance someone’s goals to get them to do you a favor.

Psychologist Robert Cialdini says one way to influence people is to invoke the reciprocity norm. Basically, you help someone with something they need so they feel obliged to return the favor.

And when you’re thanked for helping out, Cialdini advises saying something like, “Of course, it’s what partners do for each other,” instead of “no problem,” so they feel like they’re expected to do the same for you.

4. Mimic people’s body language to get them to like you.

The next time you’re trying to impress a hiring manager or the object of your affection, try subtly mimicking the way they’re sitting and speaking — they’ll probably like you more.

Scientists call it the “chameleon effect”: We tend to like conversation partners that mimic our postures, mannerisms, and facial expressions.

The strangest part of this phenomenon is that it happens largely unconsciously — most participants in the “chameleon effect” study weren’t even aware that they were being copied.

5. Speak quickly to get an argument opponent to agree with you.

How you communicate your ideas can be just as important as the substance of your argument.Research suggests that when someone disagrees with you, you should speak faster so they have less time to process what you’re saying.

On the contrary, when you’re delivering an argument that your audience agrees with, it helps to speak more slowly, so they have time to evaluate the message.

6. Confuse people to get them to comply with your request.

The “disrupt-then-reframe” technique is a sneaky way to get people to cooperate.

One study found that when experimenters went door-to-door selling note cards for charity, DTR helped them make twice as much money as when they simply told people they were selling eight cards for $3. In the DTR condition, they told people it was 300 pennies for eight cards, “which is a bargain.”

Researchers say that DTR works because it disrupts routine thought processes. While trying to figure out how many dollars 300 pennies comes out to, people are distracted and so they just accept the idea that the price is a deal.

7. Ask people for favors when they’re tired to get them to cooperate.

An alert mind may express some doubt when approached with a request. Yet someone who’stired or distracted will likely be less critical, and will simply accept what you say as true.

So if you’re planning to ask a coworker to help out with a project that will supposedly only take an hour, it’s best to ask at the end of a workday. That way, they’ll be drained from the day’s tasks and won’t have the mental energy to realize that the project will probably take up more of their time.

8. Display an image of eyes to get people to behave ethically.

In one study, people were more likely to clean up after themselves in a cafeteria when they saw an image of eyes than when they saw an image of flowers. The study authors say that eyes typically indicate social scrutiny.

Whether you’re trying to prevent littering or encourage people to return the books they borrow from the office library, it helps to give people the impression that they’re being watched.

9. Use nouns instead of verbs to get people to change their behavior.

In one study, people were asked two versions of the same question: “How important is it to you to vote in tomorrow’s election?” and “How important is it to you to be a voter in tomorrow’s election?” Results showed that participants in the “voter” condition were more likely to cast their ballots the next day.

That’s likely because people are driven by the need to belong, and using a noun reinforces their identity as a member of a specific group.

10. Scare people to get them to give you what you need.

Research suggests that people who experience anxiety and then a sense of relief usually respond positively to requests afterward. For example, people who heard an invisible policeman’s whistle while crossing the street were more likely to agree to complete a questionnaire than people who didn’t hear anything.

That’s possibly because their cognitive resources were occupied thinking about the potential danger they encountered, so they had fewer resources left to think about the request that was just posed.

11. Focus on what your bargaining partner is gaining to get them to agree to your offer.

While negotiating, research suggests you should emphasize to your partner what they’re about to gain as opposed to what they’re losing. For example, if you’re trying to sell a car, you should say, “I’ll give you my car for $1,000,” instead of, “I want $1,000 for the car.”

That way, you’ll persuade your partner to see things from a different perspective, and they’ll probably be more likely to concede. 

Helios n the avengers

After watching these 2 movies, I feel energised, nothing can stop me now.. Especially those menial things..

In helios, these was a part where the wife cut short the salute, i suddenly felt the warmth a lady can suddenly bring to a responsible and righteous man.. The lady can control the husband if he is doing too much..

In age of ultron, the girl can control the rage of a man..

I hope there is this girl in my life..

And of course, we need to work as a team

35 things by 35

http://mashable.com/2014/11/29/35-career-goals/

wise one

1. Really refine your elevator pitch

While it will obviously change from time to time, you should never have a hard time answering, "What do you do?" In fact, you should be so good at it that people will never forget. So, really spend some time figuring out what message you want to get across when people ask about your career. Communication expert Alexandra Franzen has an exercise to help.

2. Know your superpower

Or, in other words, know the one thing that you're truly amazing at. Serial entrepreneur Tina Roth Eisenberg says that all the most successful people she's met know exactly what they're best at: John Maeda, who led the MIT Media Lab and Rhode Island School of Design, responded with "curiosity." Maria Popova, who curates the popular Brain Pickings blog, said "doggedness." Eisenberg's own superpower is enthusiasm. See how to find your own super power, here.

3. Know your weakness

On the other end of the spectrum, it's key to know what you're not so great at. Not to make you feel bad — not in the least — but to help you know who you should hire and work with to complement your skill set and what tasks you should delegate (so you can spend more time on what you're great at). On that note...

4. Learn how to delegate

No one can do it all, and especially as you climb the career ladder, you're going to need to know the difference between the things you should be spending your time on and the things you shouldn't. And, perhaps more importantly, be able to effectively and comfortably delegate to others — interns, staff members, your partner, your childcare provider, you get the picture.These 10 rules of successful delegation will help you do it right.

5. Know your career non-negotiables

You're going to have a lot of opportunities come your way in life, and you don't want to waste energy agreeing to things that really don't line up with what you want to be doing. So, really be honest about what you want and need out of your career, and then come up with a list of non-negotiables that you can use as a guide next time you're making a career decision. Writer Andrea Shields Nunez has some tips on creating them — and then actually enforcing them.

6. Do something you're really, really proud of

Whether or not it's something you'll be known for forever, something you get paid for doing, or even something you really want to do with your life, make sure you have something on your resume that, deep down, you're really proud of.

7. Learn from something you're not so proud of

We were going to add "fail at something" to this list, but that's silly. Because, let's face it, we've all failed miserably at one point or another. What's more important? Learning from that blunder and taking that lesson with you productively into the next stage of your career.

8. Stretch your limits

You know you can manage a 30-person meeting, but a 100-person multi-day travel conference? That might be stretching the limits of your skills. Actually — this is exactly the type of stuff that you should try once in a while. After all, you'll never really know how good you are until you step a bit outside of what you know.

9. Do something that really scares you

This takes stretching your limits a bit further — we're talking going way out of your comfort zone here. Whether it's speaking at a conference, going for a (big) promotion, or finally writing that memoir, why not try something that terrifies you at least once in the early stages of your career? As they say, big risks can lead to big-time rewards.

10. Get comfortable with getting feedback

Hillary Clinton once said that her biggest piece of advice to young professionals is: "It's important to take criticism seriously — not personally." Meaning: Knowing where you're not meeting expectations is the only way you'll learn and grow as a professional, but taking every harsh word to heart is a fast way to make your confidence crumble. So, take it from Hillz, and start taking feedback like a pro. Here are a few tips that'll help.

11. Get comfortable with giving feedback

Whether it's telling your boss that his hourly drop-bys are really killing the team's mojo or letting your direct report know that arriving to meetings on time is, in fact, required, giving feedback is a necessary part of getting what you need and being a happy professional. Learn how to give it well, ideally sooner rather than later. Career expert Jennifer Winter offers some pointers.

12. Get comfortable with saying no

For just being two measly letters long, "no" seems to be one of the hardest words in the English language for many of us to say. But it's actually incredibly important for our careers (and our sanity!) that we learn to use it and stand behind it. Here's how to say it to your boss,a friend and everyone else.

13. Have a broad network of people you can trust

We've said it before and we'll say it again (probably at least twice a week for as long as we're in business), the greatest asset you have in your career is your network. And building relationships takes time, so start now. Our free, seven-day email class is here to help.

14. Have a couple of specific career advisors

We're not saying mentor here — because finding the right mentor shouldn't have a timeline on it and because there are plenty of ways to succeed without one — but having a couple of people in your corner who can advise you on everything from a terrible boss to a career 180 is incredibly valuable. And yes, this group of people can include your mom.

15. Scrub your online presence

Increasingly, what shows up in Google and on your social media profiles is the first impression someone has of you. So, take some time to clean 'em up! Change the privacy on any old or questionable photos. Use SimpleWash to delete any Facebook or Twitter posts that could be incriminating. Game your Google results to make sure the things you want showing up at the top do.

16. Perfect your LinkedIn profile

Speaking of those things you want showing up at the top, your LinkedIn profile is perhaps your most prime piece of online real estate. When a client, future employer, vendor or professional contact is looking for you, guess where he or she will turn? Yup, LinkedIn. So make sure your profile tells the story you want it to tell (our complete guide to a perfect LinkedIn profile walks you through the process).

17. Have a portfolio of your best work

Whether it's a printed collection of articles, marketing campaigns or annual reports you've worked on or a personal website showcasing your skills, having a portfolio ready to go will make it easy for you to show your boss (or future boss) what you've got. Here's more on why you need one, plus some easy ways to get started today.

18. Know how to sell (yourself or something else)

Yes, even if you never envision a career in cold calling. The truth is, whether you're pitching an idea to your boss or writing a cover letter about why you're the perfect candidate, you're going to be selling something to someone at some point. Get started on your own personal sales education with these tips.

19. Know how to negotiate

Because, in most cases, it's the only way you're going to get what you want and deserve. If you've never done it before, we recommend starting small (asking your boss to, say, pay for a pricey upcoming conference), and checking out this hour-long webinar that's jam-packed with actionable advice (and motivation).

20. Know how to manage up

It's a common misconception that you have to grin and bear it through a superior's assignments, working style or way of doing things, paying no regard to whether his or her demands are reasonable. In fact, being able to manage up — or, communicate with your boss and advocate for what you need to do your job best — is a crucial job skill. Molly Donovanoffers some tips for doing it well.

21. Know how to send a killer email

You should never send an email that you're not proud of (or wouldn't be proud of if your boss saw) again. So make sure you're really putting care into the professional messages you send!Erin Greenawald has some tips from an editor's perspective on how to write ones that are flawless. It may sound like a lot of effort, but we promise it's worth it (and will get easier the more you do it).

22. Master your handshake

This sounds small, but a handshake is the quickest way to make (or break) an impression. (Fact: A Fortune 500 CEO once said that when he had to choose between two candidates with similar qualifications, he gave the position to the candidate with the better handshake.)Learn how to do it right from an expert.

23. Find a to-do list system that works for you

Whether you need your list synced across all of your devices or you're more of a pen-and-paper kind of guy or gal, commit to finding a to-do list that helps you manage your workflow in the best way possible. Yes, you might change methods as you switch jobs or new apps are launched over time, but knowing what works, what doesn't, and what you like and don't will make sure that you always have what you need to be your most productive self.

24. Know your energy levels — and use them

There's nothing worse (or less productive) than trying to work when you're not at your best. You shouldn't spend any more time wasting your peak mental hours — or forcing yourself to work when you're in an energy slump. So, really understand and accept when you work best, and then use productivity expert Alex Cavoulacos's advice to map out your ideal day.

SEE ALSO: Drowning in the details: How to re-focus on your big career goals

25. Know how much sleep you need and commit to getting it

We hope you learned this lesson in college, but if not: Sleep is important. Whether you need seven or nine hours, know your number, and get it regularly. Your health and career depend on it — take it from Arianna Huffington.

26. Know how to manage stress

Stress can really rule and ruin your life, something you don't want to let it do for long. If stress is an issue for you, nip it in the bud as early as possible. Career coach Lea McLeod has some advice for how to start mitigating your stress, but if it's really becoming overwhelming, consider talking to a professional who can give you strategies.

27. Stop over-apologizing

You may think you're being polite or strengthening your reputation, but apologizing too much, especially for small things or things out of your control, could inadvertently instill doubt in your abilities and undercut your professionalism. Make sure you're saving your apologies for when you really messed up — not when your co-worker asks you to go back a slide in your presentation. Check out Lily Herman's tips for making sure you're saying what you really mean.

28. Get over impostor syndrome

Whether you're just getting started in a new field or you've been climbing the promotion ladder at your company since graduation, impostor syndrome can plague any professional. But the truth is, it's hurting your career (not to mention your self-esteem). Here's why — and here are a few ways to get over feeling like a fraud and start feeling like the badass you are.

29. Have a career emergency plan

What would you do if you got laid off tomorrow? If you don't have an answer (or your answer is "Freak out! Panic!"), it's time to come up with a career emergency plan. A crisis, like being let go or having your company go under, isn't something you ever want to think about, but if it happened, wouldn't you rather have a ready-to-go action plan than be running around like a crazy person trying to get anyone to hire you? Here's how to get yours started ASAP.

30. Pick up a side project

Ever wondered how you'd do at consulting? Thought about opening up an Etsy store or restoring and selling old cars? Try it out. At best, you'll find a new career or source of income, and at the very least you'll have some variety in your day to day.

31. Invest in your retirement

We know: In the early stages of your career, it can be hard to fork over any of that precious paycheck. But savings compounds over time, so starting early means you'll have exponentially more in your later years (to, you know, live it up on a boat sipping mai tais all day). Here's everything you need to know to get started.

32. Invest in yourself

Today's working world is changing faster than ever, and to stay on top of your professional game, it's important to continue to grow your skills. Oh, and this doesn't have to mean going to grad school. Here are 50 totally cheap and doable ways to add some professional development into your routine.

33. Invest in the world

Whether it's volunteering your skills to a nonprofit in need or mentoring a junior employee, little feels better than giving back to the world. Here are a few ideas you may not have considered.

34. Know what you don't want

You don't have to know what you want to be when you grow up by 35 (or, hey, 95). But, assuming you want to have a job and career you love, it's important to at least keep thinking about it — if not actively chasing it. And, often, the first step to knowing what you do want is ruling out what you don't want. Don't want a dictator for a boss? A sales role? A management position? Great. Whittle away some options, and you're at least getting closer.

35. Give yourself permission to go after what you do

Oh, and if you do know what you want? Start taking steps to go after it. Yes, careers are long, but why spend one more day than you have to not doing what you want? You have our permission. We hope you have yours, too.

April 15

Just saw a bunch of hair on the MRT platform.. Not the first time seeing it.. Guess SG people r too stressed..

Wow so cool..weather and quake control

https://youtu.be/xo-T_KvLNdQ

The sad truth.. Sales works with facade..

The Real Homeless Man Experiment: http://youtu.be/w1rwRT229Uo

PhD finally!

Today I just finished my PhD oral examinations! I am very happy.. Finally after so long, after some financial sacrifices, I am getting the PhD title.. Hopefully I will continue to do well in my career and life. :)

Meaningful Quote

If it is worth doing, it is worth doing it well..

Thankful for 30/03/2015

I am thankful that my examinations will go on today :) Yesterday UK time added 1 more hour due to daylight saving.

Can Singapore Survive?

The city state of Singapore braces itself for challenges to come

Kishore Mahbubani

©Chrishowey

W

hen great men die, great changes follow. Lee Kuan Yew, who has died aged 91, will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Will Singapore outlive him?

Some may challenge his greatness. He ran only a tiny city-state. Many dismissed him as an authoritarian ruler. Yet, despite the withering criticism he garnered in the western media, he was received with great respect in foreign capitals.

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ON THIS TOPIC

• Younger Lee faces future as new era begins
• Singapore ‘from third world to first’
• Gum ban typified patriarch’s paternalism
• Singapore patriarch Lee Kuan Yew dies

IN OPINION

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World leaders respected Mr Lee because he was a geopolitical genius. In his brutally candid manner, he would dissect the key global trends of the day and suggest wise courses of action. Vernon Walters, an American ambassador, once quipped: “Thank God that Lee Kuan Yew is the leader of a small state; otherwise, [Richard] Nixon and [Leonid] Brezhnev would hug each other for comfort.”

Mr Lee was also respected for his transformation of Singapore. He inherited a fledgling ex-British colony that was faced doom in 1965 after its expulsion from Malaysia. A city-state without a hinterland rarely will survive. Most expected Singapore to become a failed state.

Yet in fewer than 30 years, he took it (as the title of his book put it) “from third world to first”. Starting in 1965 with a per-capita income that was the same as that of Ghana, Singapore has transformed itself into a rich economy that earns more, in proportion to the size of its population, than the UK.

Still the question remains: will Singapore survive him? Samuel Huntington, political scientist, once said: “The honesty and efficiency that Senior Minister Lee has brought to Singapore are likely to follow him to his grave.”

This could happen. But, aware of his mortality, he built strong institutions. People in the know respect Singapore’s defence capabilities. The military can deploy up to 250,000 troops. The civil service, too, is a strength. Sir Michael Barber, the British government and education expert, has said: “The Singapore civil service sets a standard of quality that in my experience is rarely matched.”

Mr Lee achieved this by pushing through a controversial scheme to retain first-rate minds in the public service by giving them high salaries comparable to those in the private sector. Singapore’s exceptional record in education, healthcare and public housing is now being emulated.

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A sea of opportunities awaits this sturdy city-state. Just as London and New York served as the capital cities of the European and American centuries, Singapore can also serve as the capital city of the Asian century. It has perhaps the best airport and seaport in the world.

Its financial centre is poised to serve Asia’s middle classes. Singapore is the number one wealth management centre in Asia. The country has the best ranked university in Asia, the National University of Singapore.

Challenges remain. A big influx of foreigners into Singapore has generated anti-immigrant sentiment as public transport and housing failed to keep up with the surge. Inequality has grown. Hence the latest budget introduced some new social transfer measures; for example, schemes to share more of the benefits from economic growth with low and middle income households.

A geopolitical contest between America and China would put Singapore in a very awkward position, torn between its close defence ties with the US and ethnic affinity with China.

Internally, political rumblings can also be heard. Several government
ministers experienced shock defeat in the general election in 2011 . Tony Tan barely scraped his victory in the presidential election, an unprecedented turn of events for the leading party’s preferred candidate. In short, Singapore cannot rule out the possibility that new political challenges will soon emerge.

Hence, Singapore cannot afford to be complacent. But this may well be its biggest strength. Mr Lee’s son Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister, is fond of quoting the statement of former Intel chief executive Andy Grove: “Only the paranoid survive.”

The leaders of Singapore are aware of the big lesson of history: small city-states rarely survive a century or more. Rather than assuming that Singapore has arrived and can therefore afford to coast on autopilot, the leaders expect, and are bracing themselves, for new challenges.

Constant vigilance was a hallmark of Mr Lee’s personality. It is the trait he has embedded in Singapore.

The writer is a professor at the National University of Singapore and author of ‘Can Singapore Survive?’