How to Create a Small Business Website

How to Create a Small geschftsleben WebsiteCredit Have a nice day Photo/Shutterstock Its no longer feasible to run a geschftliches miteinander, even a brick-and-mortar one, without a web presence. Consumers turn to the netz for everything from product research to location and operating hours. Having even a simple website thats well-planed can give you an edge in your field, and if you have products to sell, your site canopen upnew markets and expand your geschftlicher umgang cheaply and easily.Website design software has evolved so its easier to use now mora than ever. You dont need to know coding to develop an attractive and functional site. No matter what program you use, there are basic rules and tips that will give your website a professional look, make it easy to find, and show your company in the best light.Heres our step-by step guide to creating a successful business website.1. Determine the primary purpose of your websiteA business website genera lly serves as a space to provide general information about your company or a direct platform for elektronischer geschftsverkehr. Regardless of whether you create a simple website that tells a little about your company or a more complex e-commerce site, the most important thing you must do is say, on the home page in plain terms, what your company does. Do not make customers root around to discover if your company can do what they need, warned ErinPheilof website designcompany,Followbright.Think about your specific user experience, and the journey the user will go through as they navigate your site, added GabrielShaoolian, CEO of website design and digital marketing agencyBlue Fountain Media.Whatever the fundamental goal of your website is or whatever the focus may be, users should be easily able to achieve it, and the goal itself should be reinforced as users navigate throughout your site.If you dont plan to accept payments through your website, you wont have as much work to do in s etting it up. If you are a retailer or service provider and want to offer customers the option to pay online, youll need to use an external service to receive your payments, which will be discussed later in this article.2. Decide your domain personennameYour domain name is one of the most important features of your website. Its the link youll be sharing with your current and potential clientsand promoting on social media. Therefore,you want it to be descriptive and easy to remember and type in.Try to keep it short, and steer clear of abbreviations, acronyms and numbers if possible, to avoid customer confusion.Youalso need to decide your top-level domain, or TLD. This is the suffix at the end of your domain name, such as .com,.netor .biz.However, nontraditional TLDnames have grown in recentyears.While these can be descriptive, .com is still the default. Readourarticle on choosing a nontraditional TLDfor more information.Once youve selected your domain name, youll need to confirm its availability and purchase it through a domain registrar likeGoDaddy, Squarespace,Wixor Web.com. Dont forget to check copyrights to make sure youre not infringing on anyone elses protected name with your website.If your preferred URL is already taken, you can call the company and ask to buy it from them.3. Choose a web hostEvery website needs a host, a server whereallof the data is stored for the public to access at all times. As a small business, hosting your own website is simply too large an expense, so youll need to select an external host.Depending on your budget, you can follow two different routes. A shared web host, the least-expensive option, means youll share a server with other sites. Dedicated hosting costs significantly more, but it means that you get your own private server and wont have to compete with other sites that could drag down your speed. For help choosing a web hosting service, visit our buyers guide.When choosing a host, consider how well that host can answer questions about its server locations and reliability, said Jim Cowie, chief scientist at cloud-kusined Internet performance companyDyn.Its good to ask, Can you show me how close you are to the major markets my customers are going to be in? said Cowie. Any good hosting provider should have the tools to show you ... measurements of their performance, he added.As you grow, you may find that you need to upgrade to a different web host, or even work with multiple providers to handle your website traffic and operations. Cowie advised keeping a close eye on your site performance and the experience your customers have using your website so you can determine your hosting needs.See Related Story How to Choose a Web Hosting Service4. Build your pagesA good website is more than a static home page. Youll want to create multiple pages dedicated to different aspects of your business, such as a detailed catalog of your products or services, or a blog section for company updates. As for your overal l website, you want to be sure each page supports the primary goal of the website, has a clear purpose and includes a call to action (e.g., learn more, sign up, contact us or buy this).A contact page, your customers direct link to you, is one of the most important sections of a website, so make sure you include as much information as you can (phone number, email address and physical location, if applicable). Its also a good idea to include information about the founding team or staff on an About page to help customers put real names and faces to your brand.If your business doesnt already have a logo,hirea graphic designer or createa logo yourself to use on your website, business cards and social media profiles. This will help your clients identify your company quickly and easily on the web.JustinZalewski, a design lead at design and innovation consultancyStudio Science, offered a few basic tips to help you create efficient, content-rich pages for your websiteBe clear about what your business does. Distill what your business does into a clear, concise statement and lead with that. Visitors should be able to understand what you do within seconds of landing on your home page. A few well-written pages are more effective than dozens of poorly written ones.Place strategic calls to action. Call-to-action buttons tend to performbestwhenthey match the information on the page.For example, a Buy Now button makes sense on a product page, but not on the About page. Rather a Contact us to learn more might be more appropriate. Likewise, a page listing customer reviews might have a button that takes the reader to the available plans and pricing.Automate speed improvements. Set up as many automated speed improvements as you can. If you use a content management system (CMS), installing the right plugins will cache parts of your site so visitors dont need to download anything more than once. For WordPress users,ZalewskirecommendedWP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache, which compresse s files and allows visitors to browse your site more quickly. Some of the more technical aspects of caching and compressing files may require a Web development mann an ihrer seite if youre not particularly tech savvy.Avoid stock photos. Cheesy stock photography is the quickest way to turn a great site into a mediocre one. If youre looking for photos to use on your page, its best to use a picture of your actual team or office.Pheiladded that high-quality images of the products increase sales, so invest in good photos of the products or services you sell.5. Set up your payment system (if applicable)While this step wont apply to all business websites, companies that want to offer the option to pay online will need to integrate electronic payment systems into their websites. The easiest way to do this is through e-commerce software orthird-party payment processors.Manyweb hosts offer an in-houseshoppingcart or integration withe-commerceprograms.Do some research to make sure you get a so lution thats easy to work with and flexible enough to meet your needs now and in the future. To explore your e-commerce software options, visit Business News Dailys best picks list.6. Test and publish your websiteBefore announcing that your site is live on the web, make sure it works on all major browsers, like Internet Explorer,Microsoft Edge,Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Click through each page and feature on every browser to ensureimages show up, links are correct and the format looks smooth. This will take some time, but the effort you put in now will save future complaints from visitors who cant access certain features.Another important feature to incorporate into your website from the very beginning is an analytics program. By setting this up before the website is live, you can iron out any issues and coordinate a proper setup,Shaooliansaid. Once the website is live, you can monitor page performance and determinewhy a page is successful or unsuccessful based on your analytics.Yo u canlookat which of your marketing campaigns are showing the most conversions, and examine any metrics such as city, browser, etc., to shed some light on how your audience is interacting with your site,Shaooliansaid. If you ... implement this after the site goes live, youll miss out on valuable data and have no way of seeing which elements of your site are successful or unsuccessful right from the start.7. Market your website on social media/search enginesSocial media, whether Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn orPinterest,is the best way to increase your audience reach and alert customers and clients about whats going on with your company.Wheneveryou update your website, post about it on your social media outlets but balance that out with genuine, nonpromotional engagement.Also include links to your social media on your website. The most common places are the footer or the ancillary bar (the extra menu in the top right that often holds login or contact links).Learn more about social med ia for business in ourmarketers guide.Submitting your website to major search engines will also help direct potential leads to your page, as will deploying a strong search engine optimization (SEO) strategy across your site.Shaooliansaid thatdefining title tags, meta-descriptions and uniform resource identifiers (URIs) that are relevant to your company and aspects of your industry will help ensure that you rank correctly in search engines for the products or services that youre trying to market.Building relevant keywords into your content from the very first phases of your website, and having a strong focus on SEO from website launch, will help you generate traffic early on, he said.8. Maintain your siteStaying relevant is important, so update your website frequently with blog posts on current industry events, new products and offers, and company news to keep visitors coming back to the site.You should alsocheck at least monthly to ensure your software and all add-ons are up to date .Pheilsaid that if your software is not up to date, its in danger of being hacked, even if the website hosts security is strong. If you dont have time to do this yourself, delegate the task to a trusted employee or hire a freelance website manager.Starting a website for your business is a low-cost investment that will help you to both establish credibility and reach a wider customer base than you ever could through traditional marketing techniques.Ifyou keep your website updated with fresh, current content and are quick to address technical issues, youll never have to worry about not existing to your current and future clients.Additional reporting by Nicole Fallon Taylor. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. Karina Fabian Karina Fabian is a full-time writer and mother of four. By day, she writes reviews of business products and services for Top Ten Reviews and articles for Business.com, Business News Daily and Toms IT Pro. As a freelancer, she writes for Catholic educational sites and teaches writing skills. She has 17 published novels of science fiction and fantasy. Learn more at http//fabianspace.com. 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Who Else Wants to Learn About How to Post Resume on Linkedin?

Who Else Wants to Learn About How to deutsche post dhl Resume on Linkedin? Most Noticeable How to Post Resume on Linkedin You will normally select your hours at the start of the week and many businesses have a minimum quantity of hours you need to work each week. The individual reviewing your resume might not find enough info about your previous experience. Before organising an interview with a candidate, a resume goes through a screening procedure and the majority of the time that its pretty challenging to generate an educated decision with the limited information that can be found on the document itself. There are lots of additional resumes to examine. Look for a job that you would want to submit an application for that has the LinkedIn easy apply option. The great thing is that you may also add resume on LinkedIn. There are two methods to receive your resume onto LinkedIn. After you get a polished and proofread resume, you are going to realize that uploading resume to L inkedIn is really simple. The Hidden Treasure of How to Post Resume on Linkedin There is an easy method to stop LinkedIn from publishing news about any modifications to your profile so you can do a little behind-the-scenes updating without triggering alerts. Extend some expert courtesy and respond to messages and calls, even if its a job that you dont want anymore. You are able to observe the way your profile looks to the overall public (and indeed, a specific person) with a fast check. Your GitHub profile can increase the odds of landing your next programming job, but it could also function as a double-edged sword. On how to produce my LinkedIn profile better, it is extremely useful to stuff your headlines with relevant key terms that bear a relationship with your work title, keywords you want to appear as soon as an employer does a search on LinkedIn. Its vital to be sure your LinkedIn profile highlights your abilities and experience. LinkedIn is a superb and very effecti ve networking tool, but only in the event that you use it LinkedIn offers users numerous methods to create an impressive profile. The Upside to How to Post Resume on Linkedin If you opted to upload your resume, pick the file from your desktop. This post has instructions on the best way to do that. If so, dont fret about what it appears like, because itll be consistent with the other resumes in the database. If you would like to be extra careful, head to your LinkedIn privacy menu for a comprehensive summary of your present settings. LinkedIn isnt a work board, it is an expert networking website. Furthermore, your LinkedIn profile can boost your visibility online and help you construct your professional brand. Recruiters will continue to be in a position to find you in different ways, like through your on-line profile. The absolute most familiar area on LinkedIn is most likely the personal posts. Introducing How to Post Resume on Linkedin Once you understand how to post on LinkedIn, you can select the choices that will bring the most value to your company or career. Its possible for you to access insights, knowledge and assorted job opportunities. Its so simple to obtain work that works for your set of skills and experience perfectly. Make certain that your preceding job titles match the job that you want, or at least have some connection with the job which youre applying for.

5 Things Job Seekers Want in a Company Culture

5 Things Job Seekers Want in a Company CultureTo attract the best talent, your company culture needs to stand out. Job seekers want to work in environments they love, but theyre not finding what theyre looking for.In the race to attract the best talent, in a job seekers market, employers are focusing on the next best office perk. Theyre scrambling to provide what they think professionals want, but what do they actually need from a company culture?In the competition to offer the latest and greatest culture and benefits, employers are missing out on the basic qualities job seekers want. To attract candidates, think like a job seeker and align your culture to better address their unmet needs.To get started, here are some things job seekers are really looking for in a company culture, that you may be overlooking Clear goalsWhat professionals want One of the most overlooked things employees value about their jobs is the work itself. Among U.S. and Canadian employees surveyed by Virgin Pul se this year, 53 percent said interesting and challenging work is the number one reason they love their company.The companys mission was another top reason employees said they love their employer, and the amount of employees who ranked it as important grew 20 percent from last year. Employees dont want to just show up to the office, mindlessly do their jobs, and go home every day. Professionals want to connect to the work they are doing and the meaning behind it. As the job market improves, job seekers care mora and mora about finding work they feel passionately about.How to add it to your company culture Although employees think the mission and values of the company they work for are important, a majority dont know what that mission entails, a 2013 survey from TINYpulse found. Among survey respondents, just 42 percent knew the mission, vision, and cultural values of their organization.In plus-rechnen, 43 percent of employees in ClearCompany and Dale Carnegies How Leaders Grow Today survey claimed to be familiar with company goals, but couldnt list any specifically.Close the gap between employee goals and company goals, and build a culture that centers on them. First, educate employees on the companys mission and values, and make it a focal point in the workplace. Then, speak with each team member about their personal values and interests, and use them to set individual goals. Explain how these goals contribute to the companys overall mission, and show them the impact of their hard work. During the hiring process, talk about the companys mission with candidates. Ask candidates about their career goals, and show them how they can align with the overall goals of the company.During the hiring process, talk about the companys mission with candidatesClick To TweetAccessible leadershipWhat professionals want The relationship employees have with leadership is more important to them than you think, the Virgin Pulse study found. Among employees surveyed, 60 percent sai d their relationships with their employer positively impacts their focus and productivity at work. Whats more, 44 percent said their relationship with their employer positively impacts their stress levels. Professionals want to connect and work closely with company leadership. Job seekers are looking for a company culture that values employees at every level, where managers and team members work together to achieve their goals.How to add it to your company culture Communication is the key to solid relationships between employees and leadership. According to a survey of 1,000 U.S. employees conducted by 15Five, 81 percent of respondents would rather join a company that values open communication than other popular benefits.Encourage employees to communicate openly and often. Set the tone for the office culture by building relationships with employees based on mutual respect and transparency. Invite team members to discuss any topic, and check in regularly with each employee to discuss and diffuse problems, concerns, and conflicts.During the hiring process, show your company culture and remain open with candidates. Let them know what to expect from the process, give them feedback in the interview, and keep them updated on their status.Create an open company culture, where leadership integrates into the team and builds meaningful relationships with each team member.Financial well-beingWhat professionals want Professionals care about money, but their needs go beyond salary. In fact, 40 percent of those surveyed by Virgin Pulse said they wished their employers cared more about their financial well-being. Employees are stressed about their money, and its affecting their work, a survey conducted by SHRM found. Among more than 400 HR professionals surveyed in June 2014, 37 percent indicated that employees had missed work due to a financial emergency.Financial well-being is an important part of employee satisfaction, and professionals want to work in an environment that helps employees manage their finances and the stress they feel because of it.How to add it to your company culture Caring about the financial well-being of employees doesnt mean paying everyone more it means the organization helps employees better understand their money. Although 81 percent of HR professionals surveyed by SHRM said they provide retirement planning and consultations to their employees, a majority dont provide financial literacy training for investing, financial literacy training for basic budgeting, or credit score monitoring. Offering workshops, education, and tools to help employees better manage their money can ease their stress, and show that you care about finances. In addition, create a culture in which money and salary are durchschaubar topics. After all, a survey of 71,000 employees conducted by PayScale this year found that a companys ability to communicate clearly about compensation is one of the top predictors of employee satisfaction. In the survey, 82 percent of employees who were paid lower than the industry average, but whose employer was open about their salary, were satisfied with their work. In comparison, employees who were overpaid, but didnt have open conversations about salary,were less likely to be satisfied. Keep communication about pay open and transparent with employees. Explain what they are paid and what they can do to increase their salaries. In addition, be transparent about salary information during the interview, job offer, and negotiation process, to bring the best talent onboard.Keep communication about pay open and transparent with employeesClick To TweetMental healthWhat professionals want Money is a big deal, but it doesnt mean everything to employees. After their financial well-being, 36 percent of professionals in the Virgin Pulse study said they want their employers to care more about their emotional health. Stress takes the largest toll on employees emotional health. From their daily commutes to their never-ending inboxes to tight deadlines, difficult coworkers and clients, employees encounter stress in nearly every part of their workday. Job seekers are looking for employers who strive to create stress-free work environments. Professionals want a relaxed office culture where their well-being is valued over the companys bottom line.How to add it to your company culture Although stress and burnout are major problems in the workplace, the simple solution is often overlooked taking breaks. Among employees surveyed by Quantum Workplace this year, 76.7 percent said they want time off to recharge, but just 45.3 percent of employers provide that perk. In addition, 71.1 percent said they want stress-relief breaks such as naps, massages or required breaks, but only 28.4 percent of employers offer sufficient break time.Encourage employees to take regular breaks during the workday, and suggest that they take some time off after a stressful period. Create a nap space, bring in a massage the rapist once a month, or chase employees away from their desks a few times a day, to create a low-stress environment and ease the minds of your hard-working team.One of the most stressful parts of the day is the commute to and from work. And many employees find that when they reduce the stress from their commute they are more productive, according to a survey conducted by FlexJobs in August.In the survey, 97 percent of respondents said a job with flexibility would have a positive impact on their overall quality of life, while 87 percent said that flexibility would lower their stress levels. To create a culture that values work life balance and mental well-being, allow employees the freedom to determine when and where they work. Flexible working hours should be just that flexible. One set arrangement wont fit everyones lifestyle. Give employees a few options, whether that involves working from home full- or part-time, setting their own hours, or a mixture of both.Healthy lifestyleWha t professionals want Employees are taking a greater interest in their health, and they want their employers to help them make better choices. Among employees surveyed by Virgin Pulse, 28 percent ranked maintaining good health as the top factor influencing their overall well-being and happiness at work.Employees want to work for companies who value health and fitness, and work in an environment that helps them reach their personal health goals not one that sets them back. How to add it to your company culture Professionals are aiming to improve their diets and increase their exercise, and want an employer and coworkers who support their decisions. Free food and snacks are trendy perks, but employees are more concerned with the quality of the food they eat. In the Quantum Workplace survey, 73.7 percent of employees surveyed said they want their employer to provide healthy cafeteria and vending options, yet just 45.6 percent of employers are doing so.Avoiding the temptation of the cak e in the office break room is difficult enough give employees healthy alternatives to make the choice easier. In addition to providing healthy food options, encourage team members to bring in healthy recipes to try and swap. Doing so will position health and wellness as an important part of your company culture. Exercise should also be included in a culture that values healthy lifestyles. While 50.5 percent of employees say they want an onsite fitness center, accommodating that desire isnt possible for every organization. But many employees really just need more time to workout in their busy schedules 49.8 percent said they want time for healthy activities at work. Allow employees to take workout breaks during the day. Bring the whole team together by bringing in fitness professionals to lead group exercise classes and other activities, a few days a week. Organize after-hour or weekend physical activities, to encourage your employees to get active and show them you are invested in their health.How to show your employees you are invested in their health CompanyCultureClick To TweetUnderstanding what job seekers want in a company culture can help you to craft a work environment new talent is excited about and current employees love.How does your company culture attract new talent? Let us know in the comments below

Do you really need meaning at work

Do you really need meaning at workDo you really need meaning at workYouve likely heard this before Kegerators, ping-pong tables, and company retreats are nice perks to offer, but they dont really scratch the surface on what millennial employees want from their careers.So, if not in-office baristas and company-sponsored gym memberships, then what? What exactly do they want to wrap their supposedly greedy and entitled mitts around?It all boils down to this one loaded word meaning.You say Ill get a raise in a year if the company hits a certain number? So what? asks Elizabeth McLeod in an open letter from millennials that went viral on LinkedIn, I need something to care about today. Talk to me about how we make a difference, not your ROI report.Its a common cry heard from millennials across the country- theyre in search of purpose-driven careers. But, this concept can undoubtedly feel both overwhelming and totally intangible to employers who are eager to retain their younger talent. In a ll honesty, it feels intangible to me- a millennial who has admittedly echoed this same complaint myself.So, what exactly does meaning at work look like? And, beyond that, how important is it really?Sorry boomers, its not a generational thingThis search for meaningful careers has largely been attributed to the millennial generation. Were entitled. Were overly connected. We think we should be able to work where we want, when we want, and how we want- and spend the rest of our time stuffing avocado toast into our faces with reckless abandon.But, heres the thing The desire for work thats meaningful isnt just a generational thing. In fact, it applies to pretty much everybody.I think everybody- people from all generations- wants a sense of meaning from their careers, explains Bruce Tulgan, Founder of RainmakerThinking and author of leid Everyone Gets a Trophy How to Manage the Millennials.Just take a look at Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, and youll see that this sense of prestige, accomplis hment, and achieving ones full kompetenz appears toward the top.To be clear on this, there are a lot of things people need in life, shares Dr. Alec Levenson, Senior Research Scientist with the University of Southern California Center for Effective Organizations and co-author of What Millennials Want From Work How to Maximize Engagement in Todays Workforce.You have to satisfy a lot of base desires and needs first before you can talk about higher order needs. And, purpose and meaning are high-order needs- very high-order.Nobody has come up with any research that has shown- using that kind of frame- that Millennials are any different than any other generation, Dr. Levenson adds.Defining meaning What is it really?While its good to know that this isnt just another opportunity to peg Millennials as whiny and entitled, theres another big question that lingers What exactly is meaning?Its a concept thats notoriously difficult for employers and employees alike to define- and for good reason.P art of the reason this isnt a specific that is easily acted on by employers is because every individual has a different idea of what makes work meaningful for them, explains Dr. Jennifer Deal, whos also a Senior Research Scientist with the Center for Effective Organizations and Dr. Levensons co-author.For example, for some people having meaning at work is mostly about the content of the work itself, she continues, For some it is about opportunity, for some it is about the people they work with, and for some it is about making the world a better place. Each individual will have a different combination of factors that makes work feel like it has meaning and purpose for them.It means different things to different people, echoes Tulgan, Overall, I think when people say they want their work to have a sense of meaning, they mean they want their work to contribute to something larger than themselves, larger than just the effort necessary and the specific outcomes of the tasks and responsib ilities.Meaning comes largely from how the person doing the work thinks about the work, he adds, Meaning in work is so much about the interpretive lens of the worker.Meaning and money Do millennials expect too much?When you come back to the core issue of what millennials want out of work, meaning is undoubtedly a big piece of the puzzle- but, make no mistake, thats not the only thing on the list.They also want professional development (one Gallup study says that 87% of millennials say development is important in a job). Flexibility is another critical factor. Need proof? Thirty-four percent of millennials have quit their jobs because flexible work was not an option.Oh, and they want decent pay too- in fact, one Business Insider study claims that millennials ranked salary as mora important than meaningful work.Feel confused? Considering the fact that it sounds like millennials are in search of a career unicorn, employers are left feeling that same way.This was a huge hot button on th e article I wrote, explains McLeod, a millennial herself, I had a lot of older people messaging me saying, Work is for money, nothing else, suck it up And, I see why its frustrating- if you have sucked it up at a job you hate for 40 years- to have some young person suggest that work doesnt have to be like that.McLeod does admit that millennials may have some unrealistic expectations, but that the search for meaning isnt one of them. No one should spend 50 hours a week doing something they dont care about, she says.Tulgan, however, is a little more willing to admit that many millennials have their heads in the clouds when it comes to what they expect out of their jobs- aside from just a paycheck.Our research shows that most millennials are trying to wrap their working life around the kind of non-working life they value, he says, So, if millennials are hoping to make good money, have lots of flexibility, and also do work that seems meaningful to them (either a lot or a little), then t hey are hoping for dream jobs. Such jobs certainly exist. But, if you have to make a living, then usually there are trade-offs in a work situation.Theres a little bit of blame at the feet of people like myself who teach undergraduates and make it out to be like the world of work is something where you should be looking for meaning, admits Dr. Levenson, For people who have found themselves careers where its meaningful to them, thats awesome. Thats great. But, that tends to be the minority of the population.Dr. Levenson explains that it really all comes back to basics- and particularly Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. People cant be looking for meaning in work if theyre worried about not having enough money to make ends meet, he shares, If youd ask people to prioritize, theyd say thats a nice thing to think about, but Im having too many struggles with stability to worry about meaning.The search for meaning Not a new conversationThe bottom line is that meaning at work is an important consid eration- for some people more than others. And, the research and statistics are all there to back that up.We can sit here all day and argue whether this expectation of purpose is too high, says McLeod, But, the reality is, companies who are purpose-focused dramatically outperform their competitors in terms of revenue, retention, engagement, innovation and profit.With all of that said, this conversation about meaning isnt exactly a new one- as a matter of fact, Dr. Levenson describes it as old wine in new bottles.Ultimately, when it comes to successful management, retention, and engagement, Dr. Levenson claims that employers already know what they need to know- its just a matter of implementing it.We actually know what to do, he concludes, If companies did 80-90% of what they should be doing in terms of setting appropriate goals, giving feedback, using performance management, showing employees how to improve, mentoring, providing opportunities to develop, and rewarding employees, the n an enormous number of problems leaders see amongst their people would disappear overnight.

What Every Extrovert Needs to Know (Infographic) - The Muse

What Every Extrovert Needs to Know (Infographic) - The MuseWhat Every Extrovert Needs to Know (Infographic) Being able to understand different personality types is crucial to having good relationships. Extroverts, for example, are typically known to be the life of the party- they love being around other people and rarely hesitate to try something new. But being a social butterfly isnt the end of the story. Just because theyre outgoing and bubbly doesnt mean theyre happy 24/7. While an introvert may choose to cancel plans for the night in an effort to recharge, an extrovert should still go to the office happy hour- because, again, individuals with this type of personality thrive around others. In fact, if they dont get enough human interaction, theyll end up feeling pretty drained. So, extroverts, check out this infographic to discover more about your natural disposition, the types of career paths that are fruchtwein suited for it, and how to best interact with introverts. And you kno w what, even if you dont fit into this category, you should still read on. You can learn a heck of a lot about the people who do, which is especially helpful if you want to be a better co-worker, leader, and friend.

Register Now for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering...

Register Now for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering... Register Now for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering... Register Now for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Education Leadership SummitTheres still time to register for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Education Leadership Summit (MEED), which will be held from March 20 to 23 at the Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette in New Orleans, La. Since 1989, MEED has been an annual forum for university, industry and government leaders to discuss current issues in engineering education and research and to share the latest business, management and curricular practices.MEED 2019, which will address the theme The Digital Mechanical Engineer Engage, Explore, Empower, will sto off with an opening session and luncheon on March 21 featuring remarks from Oscar Barton, chair of the ASME Committee on Engineering Education and mechanical engineering department head at George Mason University H. Dwayne J erro, mechanical engineering department head of Southern University and conference co-chair for MEED 2019 Nadir Yilmaz, mechanical engineering department head at Howard University and conference co-chair for MEED 2019 ASME Executive Director/CEO Thomas Costabile and Aisha Lawrey, director, ASME Engineering Education. A keynote presentation featuring Pamela Norris, executive associate dean for research at the University of Virginia and chair of the ASEE Engineering Research Council, will follow the luncheon.Over the course of the conference program, MEED 2019 will also feature a number of activities, including ASME/ABET preparation workshops, a New-to-ABET orientation session, ASME committee meetings, breakout sessions and briefings on such topics as ASMEs Engineering 4 Change (E4C)/Engineering for Global Development initiatives, the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges, ABET updates, and the impact of online education.The conference will also encompass three plenaries. T he first of these sessions, on March 21 from 230 p.m. to 500 p.m., will focus on how industry and department heads and chairs can engage mechanical engineering departments to ensure that their students acquire the computer programming, coding and artificial intelligence skills theyll need for future success. The second plenary session, on March 22 from 900 a.m. to 1100 a.m., will provide an overview of the current best practices and innovative approaches in the use of digital tools in mechanical engineering. That afternoon, from 130 p.m. to 400 p.m., the third plenary will cover the various digital tools with which mechanical engineers are now expected proficient and the effect they will continue to have on mechanical engineering education.Panelists scheduled to take part in these sessions include Tracee Walker Gilbert, Office of the Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Ron Benczkowski, vice president of engineering at Moog Inc. Marcelino Gomes, executive manager of pip eline protection for Petrobras Transporte Shengmin Guo, Holmes Endowed Professor at Louisiana State University and director of the Turbine Innovation and Energy Research (TIER) center Steven Goldsmith, mechanical engineering professor at Michigan Technological University and Patrick Mensah, associate dean for research at Southern University and director of the NSF CREST Center for Next Generation Multifunctional Composites. Other plenary speakers will include Fab Clayton, Autodesks education engagement program manager Mario Rotea, mechanical engineering department head at the University of Texas-Dallas William Messner, professor of mechanical engineering at Tufts University and Darrell Robinette, faculty advisor for the SAE/GM AutoDrive Challenge Team at Michigan Tech.In addition, the ASME Industry Advisory Board (IAB) will convene its annual spring meeting in conjunction with MEED. The IAB and the Committee on Engineering Education will hold crossover meetings and discussions relat ed to accreditation and program criteria as well as other topics. For more information on the IAB meeting agenda, the MEED conference program, or how to register for the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Education Leadership Summit, visit https//event.asme.org/MEED.

People dont want new, they want the familiar done differently

People dont want new, they want the familiar done differentlyPeople dont want new, they want the familiar done differentlyIll admit, the bento box is an unlikely place to learn an important business lesson. But consider the California Roll - understanding the impact of this icon of Japanese dining can make all the difference between the success or failure of your product.If youve ever felt the frustration of customers not biting, then you can sympathize with Japanese restaurant owners in America during the 1970s. Sushi consumption welches all but non-existent. By all accounts, Americans were scared of the stuff. Eating raw fish was an aberration and to most, tofu and seaweed were punchlines, not food.Then came the California Roll. While the origin of the famous maki is totenstill contested, its impact is undeniable. The California Roll was made in the USA by combining familiar ingredients in a new way. Rice, avocado, cucumber, sesaatkorn seeds, and crab meat - the only ingredient u nfamiliar to the average American palate was the barely visible sliver of nori seaweed holding it all together.Familiar done differentlyThe California Roll provided a gateway to discover Japanese cuisine and demand exploded. Over the next few decades sushi restaurants, which were once confined to large coastal cities and almost exclusively served Japanese clientele, suddenly went mainstream. Today, sushi is served in small rural towns, airports, strip malls, and stocked in the deli section of local supermarkets. Americans now consume $2.25 billion of sushi annually.The lesson of the California Roll is simple - people dont want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently. Interestingly, this lesson applies just as much to the spread of neuerung as it does to tastes in food.For example, the graphical user interface, a milestone in the popularization of the personal computer, used familiar visual metaphors like folders, notepads, windows, and trash cans to appeal to m ainstream users terrified by the command-line interface (perhaps even more than the thought of eating raw fish). The computer underneath was the same, however, the familiar veneer suddenly made it accessible.Quaint but unnecessary representations of the familiar became a hallmark of Apple products. As Claire Evans wrote for Motherboard, While under the direction of the late Steve Jobs, Apples design aesthetic tended heavily towards the skeuomorphic. The Apple desktop calendar, famously, is rendered with accents of rich Corinthian leather its bookshelves gleam with wood veneers, its chrome always brushed, its pages stitched and torn, its tabletop felt green.Now that Apple serves a generation familiar with how its products work, it can shepherd them from California Rolls to sashimi, so to speak. We understood that people had already become comfortable with touching glass, explained Apples Jony Ive. They didnt need physical buttons, they understood the benefits.However, Apple still use s its tried and true methods whenever the company wants users to adopt a new behavior. For example, the rebranded Apple Wallet helps users feel comfortable with the technology by making payment options look just like mini credit cards. Even though theres no technical reason to do so, Apple understands the power of the familiar.(Un)familiarity breeds contemptAs I wrote about in my book, Hooked, unfamiliar products and interfaces are more difficult to use and can impede adoption. Several psychological phenomena conspire to make us resist the atypical.According to BJ Fogg of Stanfords Persuasive Technology Lab, non-routine is one of six Elements of Simplicity - the factors that affect the likelihood of any particular human action occurring. Fogg wrote, When people face a behavior that is not routine, then they may not find it simple. In seeking simplicity, people will often stick to their routine, like buying gas at the same station, even if it costs more money or time than other opti ons.Of course, we also have a love for new and improved but in relatively modest proportions. New and improved is great for things we are already familiar with - like cereal and dish soap - but not for products where we lack a frame of reference.Unfortunately, our aversion to things that are outside the norm is particularly hard on companies producing radical innovation - no matter how beneficial they may be. If using a new product does not feel familiar, it faces severe challenges. According to Fogg, People are generally resistant to teaching and training because it requires effort. This clashes with the natural wiring of human adults We are fundamentally lazy. As a result, products that require people to learn new things routinely fail.Whats your California roll?When describing the Apple Watch, Jony Ive said his goal was to build the strangely familiar. The smartwatch is exactly the kind of innovation that is still too new for all but the most early of early adopters. And yet I ve obsessed over the details of the Digital Crown, an esthetic adopted from traditional watchmaking. Clearly, Ive knows what hes doing - industry analysts expect the company to sell 19 million units this year.As the pace of innovation accelerates, human behavior, not technological restraints, will be the deciding factor of whether products are adopted or discarded. If new products and services are to positively impact our lives, they must find a gateway into our daily routines. The familiar done differently is the way to users minds and hearts - and sometimes their stomachs.Heres the gistThe California Roll introduced Americans to sushi by using familiar ingredients arranged in a new way.The California Roll Rule People dont want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently.Things that are truly new need to use familiar mental models to gain user adoptions (i.e., Apples use of skeuomorphs.)Unfamiliar interfaces are more difficult to use and impede adoption.If your n ew product or service is not engaging users, ask Whats my California Roll?Thiscolumnfirst appeared atNir and Far.