Ian's Messy Desk

5 Simple Tips for Boosting Productivity

April 5, 2013

Has this ever happened to you? You start the day at your desk full of energy. You’ve got things to do today and you wait to get started. You anticipate a productive day. However, when you get to the end of the day and look at what you’ve accomplished, most of what you wanted to [...]

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How to be content with what you have

April 2, 2013

Do you remember buying your first car? You worked hard, saved your money, and went out and bought a 15-year-old used car. You were so proud as you drove home. Along the way, or even out of the way, you stopped to show all your friends and take them for a ride. You had a car, [...]

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How to Write a Speech

March 19, 2013

Writing your speech is a good idea. I don’t mean writing a speech for the sake of writing one, but rather, if you have to give a speech, it is best to write it out. There are few speakers who are able to give a speech off-the-cuff without adequate preparation. Mark Twain said he ‘never could make a good impromptu speech without several [...]

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Why we can’t go completely paperless

March 14, 2013

Le papier ne sera jamais mort / Paper is not dead ! from INfluencia on Vimeo.

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The Benefits of Checklists

March 14, 2013

I’m a big fan of the checklist. When I need to remember a number of items or how to step through a process, nothing works as well as the list. Chip and Dan Heath look at the effectiveness of checklists in this month’s column in Fast Company magazine. How can something so simple be so [...]

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A Telephone Etiquette Test

March 13, 2013

While forms of technology are making inroads into the communication process, the telephone is still an important source of contact with people. You need to make sure the experience is pleasant and efficient. Test you telephone skills with this simple quiz: How quickly should you pick up a ringing phone? What should you say when answering? When is the best [...]

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The world’s shortest interview?

March 8, 2013

Forget speed-dating, how about speed-recruiting? Pizza Hut is recruiting for a Social Media Manager (or ‘Manager of Digital Greatness’), and candidates will have interviews of just 140 seconds in length! The company wants applicants to be able to demonstrate that they can deliver in the hyper fast-paced world of social media. “It’s the modern day [...]

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33 Unwritten Rules of Management

March 5, 2013

These rules are credited to Bill Swanson. In a news story several years ago, it was revealed not all the rules are original. Whatever the source, they are useful aphorisms for life management. The handbook has become an underground hit among senior executives and management thinkers. The Unwritten Rules of Management is part Ben Franklin and [...]

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Create a Resume or CV Free Online

February 28, 2013

If you’re looking for help or ideas for creating a resume or writing a cover letter, CVrite is a website aimed at assisting job seekers with CV and resumé preparation. They offer a free online resume or CV creator (accessible from the home page) free Downloadable CV Template & Advice Pack (download available after “liking” the site on [...]

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How to Praise Good Performance

February 25, 2013

You should remember that, as a supervisor, you’ll always get what you reward. if you ignore good behaviour, you may lose it and perhaps a good employee as well. While this may appear to be common sense, it is far from common practice. We like to be recognized for doing good work. We crave praise, but do not always like to [...]

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