Time is of the Essence : 5 Time Management Tips

The old saying that Time and Tide wait for none rings true even in the modern and developed world. This can explain the reason why time management has become a very important topic in the business world today. Time lost can never be gained. Follow the tips given below to better organize your time only manage your time and make maximum use of the time available to you. Good organization is key to good time management.

1. Plan your day to sail smoothly
Effective planning  is crucial to time management. When planning your day, make sure to list the tasks according to the level of priority. Prioritize your work according to their importance. This way you can be sure that the important tasks get done.  Place a check mark or strike out the tasks once completed. You can also stipulate a time frame within which you need to complete each task. It’s important to remember that you are bound to be interrupted and disturbed while you engage in completing your tasks, so schedule time for such disturbances and interruptions. Once you complete your task list, you have a better idea of what your day is going to be like.

2. Set a goal and go for it
Planning your day without a goal is very detrimental to achieving success in time management. It is important to set goals and targets for yourself as you go through your planned tasks or activities. Your goals and targets should be achievable and realistic. You can dedicate a few minutes of your time before a task to plan how to carry out that task to success and a few minutes after the task, to figure out if you achieved the result you wanted.

3. Set deadlines for yourself
Each of your tasks should  have a designated deadline within which to be completed. This way you will not spend extra time on one particular task or call. Some tasks can prolong for a day or two but it’s essential that every task have a stipulated completion deadline. Blocking out distractions and even placing a sign that says “Do Not Disturb” is a good way to stay focused to meet your deadline.

4. Delegate, delegate, delegate
Delegating work is another tip to adhere to for good time management. No one can do everything by themselves. There will be opportunities and necessity to delegate your work to another person, and when these opportunities arise, make use of them. A person who has a specialty or interest in a task that you have to accomplish, will be able to accomplish that same task more easily and also faster than you. Be alert and look out for such opportunities as they will free up time that you can devote to another task.

5. Take a “ME” break from TIME
Get into the habit of saving precious time by doing the right thing at the right time. Plan and take time for yourself either to make a personal phone call or update social media. This will give a breath of fresh air and rejuvenate you to tackle the tasks lined up for the rest of the day or at least for the next hour or two.  It is not possible to focus steadily for a whole day and get good results. The odds are that 20% of your activities for the day produce 80% of the results.

Effective time management is the result of good organization; being proactive and focused on the results you want to achieve for yourself. Good organization also means that you know what is on your desk at any given time. Unwanted papers belong in the waste paper basket and not on your desk. Files and documents can be organized in an orderly fashion so there will be no time wasted in looking for a document or file.

Much time is wasted in offices globally on “Gossip”. Gossip is not only a time killer but also a relationship killer. Anyone interested in managing their time should have no time for gossip.

Effective time management results in being focused on the end result. Set reminders, use calendars. There are many tools and software available to the professional today for effective time management and it would do one well to make maximum use of them.

At the end of each day, go through the plan you did at the beginning of the day and determine for yourself if your day was productive. Following these guidelines will help you build a productive day and a productive life style.

Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Doing Business in South Asia

South Asia is home to world’s largest democracy, some of the fastest growing economies and booming stock markets. Traveling within the region is definitely exciting, especially for those from North America who are well acquainted with vast uninhabited spaces; the network of congested roads and buildings can be overwhelming.

South Asia is is not only a hub for history and cultural diversity, but a force to reckon with, when it comes to global business. In fact many companies from North America have outsourced some of their services to take advantage of time differences in order to offer 24 h service to clients, and reap the benefits of cheaper labor costs.  In the years following the post colonization era foreign investment in South Asia still continued, and although there was a decrease in foreign direct investment in 2012 companies still continue to look favorably upon the region for investment opportunities. South Asia remains a lucrative market and it is always advantageous to be better acquainted with the cultural and social aspects of conducting business in the region.

Our experience in conducting business in South Asia coupled with our knowledge of the cultures prevalent in the region, has provided us with insight in to the business etiquette and protocol used within South Asia. Here are a few business etiquette tips for doing business in South Asia:

1. Time isn’t always money
Don’t expect your 9 a.m. meeting to start on time. Your South Asian counterparts may arrive as late as 9.45 and will not be concerned that they are not on time. This can be frustrating to business associates from North America where punctuality is essential and it is considered rude to be late for a business meeting.

2. There is never a direct No
South Asian society is very polite and its best to avoid using the word “No” during business dealings. “We’ll see”, “Possibly”, “May be” are phrases that can replace the word “No”.

3. Refrain from ordering beef
Opt not to order beef at business meetings as cows are considered sacred in India, which is the largest country in the South Asian continent.

4. Quit your wine-ing
It’s best to limit alcohol to just one glass or none at all as some of the South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh  are prominently Muslim and alcohol is not permitted.

5. Take my card
Business cards play an important part in conducting business in the region. Business cards are  presented with both hands, like a gift. Take a few minutes to read and look over the card. Do not just put it away or keep it lying around. After taking a good look at it, put it away in a safe place.

6. Titles matter
At business meetings, stick to the hierarchical structure. Credentials and titles matter in South Asia.

7. Religious celebrations are often national holidays
Prior to meeting business colleagues, ensure that you are aware of any religious holidays as most religious festivals are marked by a national holiday. For example, Sri Lanka celebrates the festivals of four religions, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

8. Guess who’s coming to dinner
If invited to a colleague’s residence, do not refuse trying out any food that is offered to you. If you do refuse it, it will be taken as an insult. It’s best to at least taste it out of respect for the host.

9. Do not open
If you receive a gift from a business colleague, do not open it in the presence of the one who gave it to you.

10. Suit up
Men are generally expected to wear a suit and women are expected to be modestly dressed in a business suit or pant suit.

11. Let’s do lunch
Do not expect to seal the deal at the very first meeting. Building a relationship matters most in this part of the world and the business deal would follow after the relationship is established.

12. It’s not what you know it’s who you know
Knowing people of influence goes a long way in any business relationship in this part of the world. You will be treated differently if you’re known to someone who is higher up in the corporate structure.

Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

10 Dining Etiquette Do's and Don'ts

Dining etiquette is often overlooked and discounted as frivolous when it comes to projecting a professional image. However, with more business meetings being conducted over lunch or dinner dining etiquette has taken on a more central role in the corporate world.

Here’s a look at 10 do’s and don’ts of dining etiquette. This content comes straight from our program Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

1. Don’t tuck your napkin in to your shirt

Your napkin should lay across your lap with the folded end closest to you. Although it might be tempting for some gentlemen to protect their favourite work shirt or tie, tucking your napkin in to your shirt collar is never an option.

2. Refrain from using cutlery to gesture at the table

This is a common mistake people make when talking at the table. When you’re speaking put your cutlery down, the last thing you want to do is point your fork or knife at a potential client or business contact, this comes across as dangerous and somewhat threatening.

3. Keep your cell phone off the table

Although many of us feel the need to have our phones with us at all times resist the urge to text, call, or use social media during a business lunch or dinner. By keeping your phone out of sight and stored away in your purse, bag, or jacket pocket you will not be tempted to refer to it during your meal. Make sure your phone is on silent. If you are indeed expecting a call, inform the person you are dining with and excuse yourself from the table to take the call.

4. Avoid primping at the table

Many ladies feel the need to touch up their lipstick after a meal. Though projecting a professional image is essential, hair and make up should be reserved for the ladies room and not the dining table. Resist the urge to break out a compact mirror to check your make up and touch up lipstick.

5. Your napkin is not a tissue

Never use your napkin to blow your nose at the table. Your napkin should only be used to dab the corners of your mouth. If you have a runny nose simply excuse yourself and retire to the washroom to blow your nose.

6.  If it falls leave it on the floor

If you happen to drop your napkin or cutlery on the floor during the course of your meal do not pick it up and resume eating. Simply call the waiter over, explain what happened and ask for a fresh fork, knife, or napkin. Although it may seem like common sense to pick it up, keep in mind that you are at a professional business meeting and reaching under the table will make for an awkward moment and come across as unprofessional.

7. Too hot to handle? Don’t blow on it!

If your food is too hot to eat right away, resist the urge to blow on it before taking a bite. Instead wait a few minutes for it to cool down. If others are waiting for you to commence eating simply explain the situation to them and encourage them to proceed.

8. Don’t be picky!

Some restaurants provide you with toothpicks at the end of the meal. Toothpicks should never be used at the table. If you need to use a toothpick to get food out of your teeth, you should always excuse yourself and retire to the washroom. Although toothpicks are presented at the table they should not be used at the table.

9. Never chew with your mouth open

Your food should stay in your mouth while you’re eating. Do not open your mouth and chew food to the side of your mouth. You should also avoid talking with your mouth full as you will risk being rude and possibly spitting food at your colleagues.

10. Maintain good posture

As your mother always told you : keep your elbows off the table. Placing your elbows on the table causes you to hunch or slouch with sends the message that you’re not really engaged in the business meeting. Make sure you sit upright with your hands either folded in your lap or placed on your thighs. You may also rest your wrists on the table but make sure you are sitting up straight. Good posture is a sign of confidence!

Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

6 Introduction Mistakes To Avoid

Introducing yourself and others to key contacts is essential for building business relationships and networking effectively. However there are pitfalls that many professionals can avoid when making introductions.

Here’s a look at 6 introduction mistakes to avoid. This information comes straight from our program How to be a Polite Professional

 1. Looking away: Looking away when you are being introduced to someone gives off the impression that you are disinterested and don’t care about who you are meeting. Always maintain eye contact when being introduced

 2. Making overly personal comments: When introducing someone to a group you should give a piece of information about them. Avoid alluding to divorce, job loss, illness or any sensitive topic. Instead stick to their job title, where they work or what field they’re in. You can even indicate how you met them.

3. Interrupting: Don’t break in to a conversation or simply force yourself into one. Wait until you are introduced to the group or brought in to the conversation.

4. Deferring to one person: Avoid speaking only to one person and ignoring the others in the group. This behaviour is especially prevalent in groups of 3, and makes the person being ignored feel awkward. Make sure you engage with everyone in your group and at least make eye contact and acknowledge people you are not immediately speaking to.

5. Overly enthusiastic introductions: It’s always nice to highlight something positive about the person you are introducing but keep it within reason. Don’t introduce colleagues or clients with superfluous introductions as these tend to embarrass people. Avoid using phrases such as “the smartest person at our firm” “the greatest” “ the most accomplished”  “ the most amazing” etc. These come off as unprofessional and a little immature.

6. Making someone wait to be introduced: Introduce any newcomers to the group immediately, making people wait causes them to feel left out, embarrassed and awkward.

Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Building Your Personal Brand

Building your personal brand is something that has become essential for all professionals young and old in the current global economy. Your “Brand” dictates how others identify and perceive you.

Here are a few tips on building and maintaining your personal brand.

1. Identify your specialty
What are you good at? In order to create an effective brand you need to figure out what sets you apart from the competition. What can you do well that others cannot? What is your area of expertise?  Your specialty may be a result of your educational background, your personality or natural talent.

2. What kind of image would you like to project?

You need to identify how you want others to perceive you. This will depend largely on your specific field of work and expertise. For example if your field is IT you may want others to perceive you as a intelligent, technically sound, punctual and professional. In this field it may not be a disadvantage to be perceived as a “nerd”. If your field is Public Relations for example, being perceived as shy and nerdy may be a disadvantage as this field requires an extroverted and outgoing personality.

3. Be active on Social Media
Social media is a valuable tool to help you build and promote your personal brand. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are all outlets for expressing yourself and getting your message across. It’s important to be YOU on these social networking sites.  If you are posting a photo of yourself make sure it’s professional, true to your brand, appropriate and authentic. Avoid hiding behind fancy usernames and fake photos, this defeats the purpose of building your own brand.

4. Maintain a polished and up to date CV or Resume
Your CV or Resume showcases your achievements. Make sure you have it up to date and ready to go in case clients or potential employers request for it.  Having a current CV on hand is key to promoting and supporting your personal brand as you can have a hard copy of what you have achieved thus far. As soon as you obtain any new education or training, be sure to add it to your CV. For more information on resumes check out our post Resume Writing Tips

5. Expand your network

Expanding your network of contacts and building new connections is a great way to build your personal brand, as more people will be aware of your expertise. Forming mutually beneficial relationships is key as contacts will have an incentive for staying in touch with you, and you will be in touch with more people. Don’t be shy, seek out the people you need to meet and introduce yourself!

6. Market yourself at networking events

Self marketing is an important component of building your personal brand. Getting your name out in the open is essential to making your brand synonymous with your  field. We recommend attending local networking events where you can make new connections and make others aware of your skills and expertise. Remember not to over promote; attend events to make connections but maintain brand consciousness and let others know what you’re good at and what you do.

7. Seek out feedback

In order to be successful in building your own brand you need to be aware of your strength and weaknesses as a brand. The best way to do this is via peer feedback. Ask friends and mentors to give you feedback on your brand. Remember to seek out constructive criticism from sources you trust; those who have your best interests in mind. We recommend linking up with other professionals who are also in the process of building their own brands and setting up a peer mentor group so you can provide each other with insight, feedback, and support.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting