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

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

The Asian Corporate Training Market - Leveraging Brain Power

Corporate Training is a market grossing over $280 billion worldwide. The majority of this expenditure however comes from North America where companies and government organizations spent over $130 billion on training services last year. This is rather strange given the fact that the bulk of the world's population is not in North America but in Asia, which only represents 17% of the global market including India; a pale comparison with North America's 45%!

So why is it that the Western world spends more on learning and development than it's larger more populous counterparts? The answer may lie in the simple saying "you get what you pay for". 

In North America companies that offer training and services in executive education must abide by certain codes and guidelines, which include employing staff that are adequately trained and qualified. In order to offer services in corporate training professionals in North America usually have a background in Business (i.e. B.Comm or BBA) coupled with a professional qualification in training such as a CTP (Certified Training Professional), if they do not possess a level of education that is equivalent to or higher than a Masters degree. Some even have such qualifications on top of their MBA or PhD degrees.

Garnering the appropriate qualifications comes at a price and by the time training professionals are through with their education they are well aware of their market value. Thus employing adequately qualified individuals doesn't come cheap! However there are endless benefits to employing a professional in the field of training; for instance he/she will be able to provide invaluable feedback and insight in to how training programs should be structured and administered. 

With "Train the Trainer" courses and workshops becoming popular in Asia many individuals are jumping on the corporate training bandwagon. The majority of these individuals seem to originate from the airline industry and are in most cases former flight attendants. These types of "trainers" are becoming increasingly prevalent in South Asia. Granted elite airlines do offer their employees a  training in food and wine along with customer service and etiquette, working aboard a jet hardly qualifies as corporate exposure (unless they engage in frequent corporate-centric discussions with business class passengers ). This may seem harsh but it's the ugly truth! 

The South Asian corporate training market is also a victim of another type of "Trainer" the “ I’ve got X amount of years of work experience so I must know what I’m doing” trainer. Often times these individuals do not possess a post secondary education relevant to the corporate training industry but build their business on contacts and influence. The real injustice in hiring these types of individuals is done in fact to the participants of their workshops who have invested time and money but aren’t aware that the advice and training they’re getting is not built upon sound knowledge and relevant experience in the field of training.

The reason for Asia’s expenditure being so marginal in comparison to that of North America is that individuals who are not experts in the field of corporate training often charge professional fees that are much lower than those of sound and proven training professionals. A one day training conference in North America would cost a minimum of approximately $125 whereas a similar conference in Asia could cost as little as $50. Another important factor is the barter system. The Asian culture as a whole fosters bargaining and citizens often look for the best deal, failing to realize that in the knowledge market cheap may not always be the best deal! They want something for nothing but overlook the quality of product they are getting at a cheaper price.

The bottom line is that if Asian countries want to be on par with North America where professionalism and corporate know-how is concerned they need to invest more in their people. The capacity for knowledge and growth in Asia especially in the South Asian subcontinent is endless with eager youth and young graduates seeking to further themselves.  However in order for the Asian and South Asian markets to compete with North America on professionalism they need to employ adequately qualified corporate training professionals than can help them leverage their brain power and reach their full potential. And for the time being (at least until more standardized systems for trainer evaluation and certification are implemented) that may mean hiring outside the continent.

Copyright © 2012 by Professional Edge Consulting