Amos Akande | TRW Interns

Goals and Techniques for Goal-Setting

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

Before setting goals, you need to understand what goal is. Your proper understanding of what goal is and what is not will guide you in setting your goals properly and how to achieve them. A goal is something you want to achieve. It is the desired result that you, or a group of people, plan and commit to achieving. Simply put, a goal is a dream with a deadline. For better understanding, we shall briefly look at some of the characteristics of what goals are and what they are not. A goal is: Your Vision for the Future Goal should be the result of careful consideration of a personal vision statement and the things you want to achieve. Time- Sensitive The most effective goals are time bound. Goals generally have a longer time frame. They can be broken down into smaller, short term objectives. Large in Nature Don’t be afraid to set a big goal that seems like a reach. Feel free to think outside the box and dream big. You can set smaller, short-term goals to help you get there. A goal is not: An Objective While goals describe what you want to achieve, objectives are the steps taken to reach the goal. e.g. “I want to become a good writer” is a goal. “I will work with a coach to practice my writing skills for a month” is the objective. A Resolution Resolutions are often temporary, giving short-term gratification. While a resolution is a decision to do or not do something, a goal is what you want to achieve. A Mission Mission statements create a clear and focused direction to follow. It is the statement of purpose from which a company, business, or individual operates. On the other hand, a goal is a specific aim you or your team work toward. Read Also: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) TYPES OF GOALS Having looked at what goals are and are not, we shall also look at seven (7) common types of goals that people can set for themselves. They are: 1. Long-term Goals: These are goals that require a long period to accomplish or achieve usually spanning several months or years. 2. Short-term Goals: These are goals that can be achieved relatively quickly, typically within a few days, weeks or months. They can be broken down further from yearly goals, into monthly goals, weekly goals and daily goals. 3. Personal Goals: These are goals that relate to an individual’s personal life, such as health, relationships and hobbies. 4. Professional Goals: These are goals that have to do with an individual’s career, such as job performance, promotions and skill development. 5. Financial Goals: These are goals related to an individual’s finances, such as saving for a down payment for a house or investing for retirement. 6. Academic Goals: These are goals related to an individual’s education, such as obtaining a degree, improving grades or learning a new skill. 7. Social Goals: These are goals that relates to an individual’s social life, such as making new friends, improving communication skills or attending social events. GOAL-SETTING Goal setting is one of the most constructive, practical ways to prioritize the success of your business, company or organization. Effective goals show you the way to success. Goals should focus on your overall purpose vision and actionable steps. Goal-setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. When you know what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. What then is goal setting? Goal-setting is the process of identifying something you want to accomplish and establishing measurable and specific objectives to achieve it. Goals are your desired results that you or your team are committed to achieving within a specific time frame. It involves setting long-term and short-term objectives that help you stay focused on your goals, track your progress and attain the desired result. Importance of Goal-setting 1. Sense of Direction: Goal-setting is important because it provides direction and purpose in life. When you set goals, you identify what you want to achieve and what you need to do to achieve it. It motivates you to take action. For example, you could create a five year plan based on what you want your life to look like in five years. Having this long-term plan can help you move from just dreaming to doing it. In the work place, setting goals helps to set a clear path to where you want your team to go, it also helps to set expectations for different team members. 2. It Provides Motivation: Setting goals gives you something to aspire to have a specific goal will motivate you to put your best foot forward. As a team member, having a clear vision of what your team is aiming to achieve provides inspiration and motivation. 3. It gives you greater control of your future: Setting goals puts you in the driver’s seat of your life. By writing down your goals, you are actively acknowledging what you want out of life. It is the first set toward taking control of your future. 4. It helps to see the bigger picture: Setting goals helps us take a step back and get some perspective on what is really important. It is the first step toward creating a life full of meaning. At work, setting goals as a team helps everyone get the whole picture knowing the long-term goal and what a company is striving toward, can help each team member perform better in their role. Therefore, setting specific, challenging goals leads to increased performance, persistence and motivation. Setting goals gives individuals a clear understanding of what is expected of them and helps them to focus on the most important tasks. Individuals who set specific and challenging goals are more likely to achieve … Read more

Techniques for Setting Achievable Goals at Work and in Personal Life

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

In our previous article, we explained what goal is and what it is not. We also defined goal-setting and looked at its importance.

In this article, we shall look at the techniques for setting achievable goals at work and in personal life.

Whether you are setting group goals for your team or personal goals, it is important to start with goals that are big enough but still realistic. The goals that you can achieve.

Tips for Personal Goal-Setting
1. Consider Your Passions
Part of the process for how to set life goals should be deciding what inspired you and what your values are. You should be passionate about your goals if you want to achieve them in the long run. What do you want to become in the future?

Define your priorities and what will bring you true personal satisfaction. To find your passion, pinpoint what your core values are.

What are you passionate about? What do you derive joy doing? What do you want in life? Consider what you want to achieve. What you like to do best, what you can do.
Your goals should be meaningful to you and provide you with a sense of pride once you meet them.

2. Set Goals You can Control
Your personal goal should be on something within your control, not on something outside your control.

It should not be dependent on other people. It should not rely on external factor that you have no control over.
Be realistic about what you can and can’t be directly responsible for.

3. Imagine Your Future
Take some time to ponder about what you would like your life to look like. What does your ideal future entail? Ask yourself some questions that will point you in the right direction.

Do you want to work for yourself? How many hours do you want to commit to on a daily basis?

Tips for Setting Goals at Work
1. Brainstorm
Spend some time brainstorming to reflect what you want to do as a team. Think of what you want to achieve, your vision as a team, what do you want? Think of these before you write down your goals for the team.

2. Include Everyone
It is important that everyone is carried along and heard during the goal-setting process. Each member of your team should feel they can speak openly and contribute their ideas or goals.

There should be we-feeling, every member of the team should have a sense of belonging, should be seen as a member of the team and have a say in the goal-setting process.

Having everyone’s input will help create goals that everyone is invested in. There should be shared vision where every member of the team contribute excellently during the goal-setting process, and make him feel he is a member of the team.

Write down each team member’s idea, no matter how silly, so that they feel heard. Together, you can go through each goal to decide if it works for the whole team.

Read Also: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2)

Effective Goal-Setting Techniques for Achieving Your Goals

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

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Effective goal-setting is critical and essential in life. Setting effective goals is just the beginning, after taking the time to identify what your goals are, achieving your goals can feel overwhelming at times. In this article, we shall look at effective goal-setting techniques and some of the tips on how to achieve your life’s and organizational goals. Goals should focus on your overall purpose, vision, and actionable steps. 1. Write Down Your Goals Physically writing your goals down can help you keep track of them and why they are important. Seeing your goals every day may solidify your intentions and prevent you from making excuses, transforming your goals from thoughts into actions. Writing goals out can highlight the power and passion behind your vision and bring it to life. Use positive language to encourage action and motivation. According to a study carried out by Dr. Gail Matthews of the Dominican University of California, it shows that people who write their goals have a better chance of accomplishing more than those who do not write down their goals. Why is this? Because writing down a goal puts all your focus on that goal and reminds you constantly. Of course, it is not enough to just write a goal on a sheet of paper and then throw that paper in the trash. You need to review that goal consistently. Brian Tracy the master motivator says: I discovered that if it is powerful for you to write down your goals once a year, it is even more powerful for you to write down your goals more often. The main point is simply to put the goals onto paper and then keep them at the front of your brain at all times. Read Also: The Key To Unlocking Your Full Potential 2. Create SMART Goals SMART goals are an essential element of success when it comes to goal-setting methods. SMART goals help organizations, individuals, and businesses set and achieve predetermined objectives, reducing the implementation of vague or ineffective goals that lack guidance. Generating goals that are trackable and consistently monitored will lead to more powerful changes. SMART goals let you succeed while highlighting the particular steps you can take to get there. SMART stands for: S: Specific, M: Measurable, A: Achievable, R: Realistic, T: Time-Bound. Specific The first step in designing your SMART goals is to ensure that they are specific to your needs and requirements. General or indefinite goals and steps can often get quickly misinterpreted, which reduces your likelihood of seeing intended results. Specific SMART goals allow you to list exactly what you want and how you will get it. Your goals may change as you aim for success. Questions you can ask when determining specific elements might include: Where is your life, business, company, or organization now and where do you want to end up? What are the purposes and benefits of fulfilling these targets? What are the possible risks or outcomes of these goals? Who should be involved in the process of setting and meeting expectations? What requirements or restraints are there to this process? What particular tasks will help you accomplish your goals? Research by the creators of goal setting theory, Locke and Latham, found that in 90% of studies conducted, specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance than when people set either easy goals, “do your best” goals, or no goals at all. Both you and your employees need to have clear and established aims, to avoid potentially setting goals so broad that they are overwhelming and therefore too difficult to set into action. The more specific you can be with your goal, the better. When setting a goal, try to answer the six “W’s” 1. Who will your goal involve? This can be professors, parents, peers, classmates, and others. 2. What are you trying to achieve? 3. When do you want to accomplish this goal? Is there a hard deadline, or is there some flexibility? 4. Where is this goal located? 5. Why is this an important goal to you? 6. Which resources will you need to use to accomplish this goal? Which constraints and requirements do you have to complete this goal? These questions will help you break down each goal into manageable steps, recognize what areas you may need support in, and identify and solve roadblocks early on. This also enables you to get extremely specific when setting SMART goals. Measurable The second step in producing your SMART goals is to decide how they can be measured, calculated, or evaluated. Measuring your goals gives you tangible, quantitative results so you can check your progress and determine whether you have achieved your intended results. Measurable goals could include particular dates, times, numbers, or percentages. Measurable goals also allow you to establish if you are surpassing your goal or falling short of it. A few questions that will help you determine measurable goals include: How or when will you know that your objectives are accomplished? What other indicators will you use to measure progress? What amount of expenses and resources do you need to obtain your goal? What data or feedback measures are in place to calculate success? How can you track or estimate progress during the goal journey? When you are setting goals, ask yourself how you will know when you have accomplished the goal and how many things you will need to do between the starting point and the finish line. Achievable While the goals you set should be challenging, they also need to be achievable. Consider your capabilities and constraints, such as time, finances, resources, and capacity. Use these factors to inform your decision and ensure each goal you pursue is worthwhile. A SMART goal must be within reach and reasonably attainable. If your goals are too impractical, you and your team may become discouraged. It is always wise to ensure that you have the proper finances, resources, and staff before going ahead with a plan or goal. Techniques for setting … Read more

Effective Techniques for Achieving Your Goals ( Part 2)

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

Effective techniques for goal-setting and how to achieve your goals were considered in part one of this article. Here, we shall look at the remaining techniques for achieving your goals. 4. Choose Goals That Inspire, Motivate, And Challenge You When you are spending a lot of time, energy, and effort working towards something, you can quickly lose momentum if you are not excited about it. This goes back to ensuring that the goals you set are relevant to you and your interests. In addition, completing a challenging goal can feel highly rewarding and can push you to learn, grow, and hone your skills. What is more, overcoming a challenge can give you even more motivation to work on other goals, provide a sense of pride, and build your confidence in the face of bigger, more challenging goals in the future. 5. Create Mini – Goals/Break It Down If your business, company, or organization has many objectives, creating mini–goals is an excellent way to break down the desired result into workable steps. Because goals are often long-term and abstract by nature, make them more digestible by breaking them down. Use a “goal ladder” by writing your main goal at the top rung of the ladder steps, writing down the smaller goals you need to achieve to achieve your main goal. Mini goals provide a perfect framework for significant goals that may seem overwhelming or unmanageable at first. You can implement this smaller goal slowly and effectively to succeed without added pressure. Read Also: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) 6. Develop A Plan Of Action Now that you know what you are working toward, it is time to figure out how you are going to get there. Write down the individual steps you need to take to achieve your goals. Creating a plan of action will keep you on track. As you work your way through each step of your plan, cross it off so you can see how much further you have to go and feel optimistic about your progress. We are frequently so focused on the outcome of our goals that we fail to establish a strategy for obtaining them. Setting objectives is an ongoing activity, not a one-time event. Set reminders and schedule frequent blocks of time to sit down and examine your goals and progress to stay on track. Setting goals includes more than just expressing a wish for something to happen. To achieve success, you must first define what you want and understand why you want it in the first place. Create a step-by-step plan to accomplish goals that take a lot of time and effort. Break up larger, lengthier goals into smaller, manageable tasks and create a timeline for each task to ensure you are on track for your target date. This can help you avoid procrastination, keep the motivation alive, and make a big goal feel less overwhelming. Implement these steps in your goal-setting activities and watch your efforts pay off. 7. Take Action Goals are not going to be achieved themselves. Once you have a clear plan of how you want to achieve your goals, it is time to get proactive. Put your plan into action, even the smallest act makes you one step closer to your goal. 8. Make A Commitment Be honest here: are you going to do something if you don’t make a firm commitment to it? No way. You need to be passionately, firmly, unwaveringly, committed to crushing your goal. There is no room for wavering here. No half-hearted attempt at “being a better person”. Take concrete steps to structure your life to win. 9. Use Incentives Using incentives, such as a rewards system can be a great way to motivate and encourage employees and team members. This encouragement allows your team to work together to maintain progress towards your goals. Incentives provide a desirable reason to accomplish your goal within a specific time frame or deadline. They may also boost collaboration and participation. It can speed up your workflow and introduce rewards that bring value to your business. Employees will get excited to meet goals that bring success to the entire organization while also receiving personal fulfillment. Before you can implement incentives, it is essential to find out what your employees prefer or find beneficial. Common examples of incentives to meet goals may include Bonuses, social events or parties, gift cards, public recognition, extra vacation time, etc. Providing desirable incentives or rewards can increase productivity, and morale and support high performance in your organization. Reinforcing your organization’s values and mission while recognizing your team’s hard work and dedication is important for creating a positive environment. 10. Utilize The PACT Method Like the SMART strategy, PACT is another goal-setting technique that stands for Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, and Trackable PACT is more output-focused than other techniques, which is excellent for long-term goals that require consistent progress to complete. To utilize the PACT technique, your goal should be: Purposeful: Goals with purpose are ones based on the values you have. This step involves you looking at what is driving you to achieve this goal. Actionable: In PACT, being actionable is about making progress every day without over-planning or overthinking about the future. After all, PACT goals are typically longer-term, allowing daily actions to stack up over time to achieve great things. Continuous: Continuous in PACT means that you should feel free to experiment with your actions as long as you continue to make progress. For this, avoid overanalyzing or worrying about making a “wrong” choice. All journeys will likely contain errors; it is more important that you learn from mistakes and continue to grow. Trackable: Tracking your progress not only keeps you on track, but it allows you to reflect on how far you have come and keeps you moving forward. PACT tracking can involve anything. e.g. How much time you devoted to leadership training, learning new things or skills related to your goal, and more. Tracking … Read more

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion: The Key to a Prospering Workplace Culture

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

Diversity and inclusivity in the workplace are crucial in today’s ever-changing business landscape. Organizations that fail to embrace it are likely to lose opportunities to attract and retain top brains and talent. “Organizations that don’t embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion will be left behind” – Courtnie Barret-Parks In this article, we shall explore the advantages or benefits of ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. Diversity refers to the differences that exist within a group of people in terms of race, ethnicity, age, education level, gender, religion, etc. Diversity in the workplace means that an organization employs a wide range of individuals with different characteristics. By ensuring a more accepting, diverse culture, organizations will experience a substantial positive effect on individuals and a stronger bond within teams. Equity refers to fairness and equal treatment for all individuals, regardless of their differences. Inclusion means creating a workplace culture that values and respects the differences that exist among employees. “Remember, diversity just means different,” says Barret-Parks The concept of diversity is associated with factors such as race, culture, and origin. A much deeper understanding of diversity includes how we think, work, and communicate. An effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), strategy recognizes the value of this uniqueness and supports each employee in achieving their full potential. According to Grace Lim, “DEI allows for equal opportunity. Equity means it is good for all, not just for a certain group of individuals.” Why Embrace Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace? 1. Diversity Expands Innovation, Creativity and Productivity According to studies carried out by the Harvard Business Review, it was revealed that the more diverse the team is in terms of demographics and deep-level diversity, the more creative and productive they are likely to be. When diversity is increased in the workplace, it increases creativity and innovation. Teams that see the same thing in different ways are more likely to get a wider range of fresh ideas, improving the productivity of the workforce. A diverse and inclusive workplace can lead to increased innovation and creativity, as employees from diverse backgrounds bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. An inclusive workplace that supports diversity also helps attract and retain top talent. 2. Diversity Results in Better Decisions When employees with different backgrounds and perspectives come together, they come up with more solutions, there will be improved decision-making processes and results. This is because they bring different ideas and possible solutions based on their background and differences. Diverse teams are likely to make decisions faster than individual workers. Researchers found that when diverse teams made a business decision, they outperformed individuals. 3. Knowledge-sharing leads to More Resources at Work Knowledge-sharing between cultures is one of the important things that is needed to ensure a successful, diverse, and inclusive work environment. A culture of knowledge-sharing paired with increased diversity brings many benefits to both individuals and organizations. Studies show that people of diverse backgrounds also tend to view information-gathering and knowledge-sharing differently, which helps to bring a variety of resources, skill sets, and attitudes to the project. Organizations and teams benefit from more collaborative planning and project execution through knowledge-sharing and diverse perspectives. 4. Cognitively Diverse Improves Problem-Solving Skills Cognitive diversity means differences in perspective or information processing styles. In the studies conducted by Harvard Business Review, it was discovered that individuals with diverse cognitive abilities, as opposed to gender, ethnicity, and age, show faster and more advanced problem-solving skills when working together in teams. Employees from diverse backgrounds have different experiences and views, which is why they can bring varying solutions to the table. Thus, the best solution can be chosen sooner, which leads to faster problem-solving. 5. Diversity and Inclusion will Improve Your Organization’s Reputation Diversity broadens an organization’s customer base. By having a diverse workforce, they are more likely to learn about the concerns and preferences of various population segments. This allows the employees to work and adjust their products or services to the taste of the customers to make them more enticing to different populations, which will eventually lead to an increase in the number of customers. Organizations that are dedicated to building and promoting diversity in the workplace are seen as humanitarian and socially responsible, which ultimately creates a better reputation. Read Also: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) How to Embrace Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 1. Recognize the Value of Diversity Recognizing the unique perspectives and talents that diverse individuals bring to the table is the first step in embracing diversity. To achieve this, you need to understand that diversity goes beyond visible differences such as race, gender, ethnicity, and age. It includes a wide range of characteristics, which include: Cultural background, education, experience, religious beliefs, disabilities, and cognitive styles. With diversity comes an array of knowledge insight, creativity, innovation, unique strengths, and perspectives. Recognizing these and embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace can benefit the organization. 2. Build Diverse Teams When forming teams at any level, actively seek to diversify the team members. Consider recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups and creating equal opportunities for their advancement. By including individuals with different perspectives, skills, and backgrounds, you can promote creativity, innovation, and problem-solving and avoid groupthink. 3. Build Relationships with Colleagues from Different Backgrounds In your organization, make an effort to get to know and learn from colleagues from different backgrounds and cultures. This will help you to know them better, and why they behave the way they do. It will assist you to develop empathy and to understand their perspectives genuinely. 4. Lead by Example If you are in a leadership position, set the tone for your team by being inclusive in your activities and programmes carried out. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace are important for both career advancement and personal growth. Creating a work environment that is inclusive and equitable is crucial to allowing all individuals to thrive and bring their best ideas to the table.

Relevant Skills You Need for Career Success

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

In today’s competitive world, it is important to learn and master some essential skills that will land you in your dream job. Every person has his or her special set of skills. Mastering some important skills is essential to cope with this fastest-growing technology. In this article, we will explore the skills you need to work on for a successful career. Types of Skills There are two types of skills which are Soft and Hard skills. You need a combination of relevant hard and soft skills to be successful in any role. A. Soft Skills: These are skills that occur to an individual naturally. It involves personal habits and traits that shape you as an individual. Some others include Leadership, Dependability, Effective teamwork, and active listening. B. Hard Skills: Hard skills have to do with the technical capabilities of an individual. They are usually gained through training, schooling, and certifications. Some of the hard skills include Computer skills, Microsoft Office skills, Analytical skills, and Marketing skills. Essential Skills for Your Career Growth Learning, Media and Information Literacy, and Life skills are the three main abilities for your career success and job satisfaction. 1. Learning: When you learn a new skill and practice it, it makes you a better person day by day. Willingness to learn new things is important and this is what a recruiter is interested in and looking for. These skills include Problem-solving, Creative thinking, Communicating ideas, Learning from mistakes, Decision-making, Analytical thinking, etc. 2. Media and Information Literacy: Assessing and analyzing information is the skill of not only gathering information on a certain topic but also analyzing the quality of that information. Media and Information literacy is a combination of abilities that includes Knowledge, Critical thinking, and the use of digital tools. These include Skills like Accessing information, Evaluating information, Interpreting media messages, and using digital technologies. 3. Life Skills: Life skills are the skills that help you deal effectively with daily obstacles in your everyday life. Self-confidence is the most important life skill that allows an individual to recall random facts at the right time. This includes skills like Self-awareness, Empathy, Assertiveness, Decision-making, Resilience, Ability to cope with Problems, and Negotiation skills. Read Also: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) Action Plan How can we develop these skills to succeed? 1. Start with core skills: Know the skill you are learning. As you become more comfortable practicing one of the Skills, start working on another and continue to grow your skill set. 2. Select one Skill at a time: You can’t work on everything at the same time. Identify what you need to learn. This can help you work on areas that need improvement. Select one skill at a time that you can master. 3. Training: Look out for courses and technical platforms that can help you with your technical abilities. Some platforms help you excel, learn, and provide certifications. Some of the online platforms that provide free and paid courses include Udemy, Coursera, Edx, and YouTube. 4. Opportunities: Apart from helping you with training and education, actively networking and participating in discussions and workshops can show your commitment to the organization, desire to stay on top of the latest trends, and interest in improving related skills. It also helps broaden your perspective. 5. Practice: Skills can be refined with practice, put into practice in your everyday life, and see yourself become a better person. 6. Feedback: Feedback is the most important aspect that can help you identify your errors. Never be afraid of criticism. Always take it positively and work on your weaknesses. Take the time every day to reflect on the progress you are making. We have discussed the soft and hard skills that a person should keep on inculcating in life. Human beings have the capability to learn something new every day. Keep yourself open to learning something new, this is the best gift we can give to ourselves to overcome our insecurities.

Crafting A Compelling Personal Brand: A Sure Way for Career Success

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

Personal branding is the most powerful self-marketing strategy for achieving career success. It differentiates you so you can get noticed and hired. One powerful tool to stand out and make a lasting impression in today’s competitive world is crafting a personal brand. It is essential for career success. Your personal brand is how you present yourself to the professional world, it is your unique identity, reputation and the value you bring. In this article, we will walk you through the steps to building a strong personal brand that will help you leave a lasting mark and propel your career to new height. 1. Define Your Value Proposition To create or craft a personal brand, you need to know your value proposition, that is, what makes you different from others and why should people be interested or connected with you. You must identify what sets you apart from others. Do self-reflection and assessment, consider your skills, experiences, and strengths. What unique value do you bring to the table? What values and skills do you possess that others do not have? Is it your expertise, innovative thinking, exceptional problem-solving skills, or critical and strategic thinking? Define your unique value proposition to create a solid foundation for your brand. Focusing on a special skill set when creating your brand will help you stand out from the crowd. 2. Establish Your Professional Identity Crafting a personal brand starts with establishing your professional identity. This involves creating a compelling online presence. You can a develop professional blog, or website to showcase your expertise and achievements. You can use your professional photos as a profile on your social media platforms. A captivating summary and detailed account of your accomplishments can also be included in your profile. Share your insights and opinions through regular content creation on relevant platforms. 3. Cultivate Your Online Reputation In this digital age, your online presence plays a crucial role in shaping your brand. Maintain a consistent and positive online reputation. Participate in industry discussions to engage with your professional network, and share valuable insights and your thoughts as regards matters under discussion. Showcase your professionalism, and respond to comments and messages promptly. Be mindful of the content you share on social media platforms, ensuring it aligns with your brand image. Read Also: Strategies to Build A Successful Career. Part 1 4. Consistent Marketing Strategy Everything you do, or choose not to do, can communicate the value of your brand. The resumes and cover letters that you format; the emails you send; the words you speak; the clothes you wear, the way you conduct yourself in meetings, everything matters. The way you talk in public, what you say, or the words you speak tell or suggest to people your brand. 5. Rewrite Your Resume As Your Bio and Update It Constantly Consider your resume to be your bio for your brand. Boil the contents of your resume down into a short and powerful narrative that you can attach as your bio to your web profiles, blog posts, and other internet-based writing. Your bio should include your education and work experiences, published works, awards, community activities, and some personal interest information. Keep your bio up to date by including important events as you accomplish them. 6. Network and Collaborate or Build Relationships Building a personal brand is not a one-man business. Actively engage in networking and seek opportunities for collaboration. Attend industry conferences, join professional associations, and participate in relevant online communities. Build meaningful relationships with influencers, peers, and mentors who can support and amplify your brand. Collaboration can open doors to new opportunities and expand your reach. Ensure that there is constant communication between you and your networks, and make them aware of your recent success. Search out new professional associations or online communities to add to your network. Find opportunities to weave your mission into conversation with your network. 7. Continuously Develop and Evolve A personal brand is not static, it evolves with your growth and accomplishment. Continuously invest in your professional development by staying updated on industry trends, attending workshops and seminars, and pursuing relevant certifications. Embrace lifelong learning. Crafting your brand is a powerful investment in your professional success. It is a constant thing and should continue to evolve throughout your career. Remember, a successful brand is all about demonstrating your unique value to prospective employees and getting recognized, chosen, and rewarded for it. Create a compelling online presence and optimize it. Change the rules of the game, and be attractive to your audience, instead of pursuing them. By following the above steps, you can build a strong personal brand that sets you apart in your industry. Embrace the process and let your brand become the guiding force that propels your career to new heights. There is only one unique you in the whole world. It is time to let the world know about your uniqueness.

Why Networking is Essential to Your Career Success

February 7, 2024 by Amos Akande

Networking is good for your career growth, serves as an avenue to create long-term relationships with mutual benefits, and is not only about trading information. The importance of the saying “no man is an island” has been proved to be the reason why many of us need to make a collective effort in the bid to achieve professional success. There is no denying the power a strong professional network can have over your career success. When it is done well, networking will not only help you land a job faster, but it will give you a competitive edge throughout every stage of your career. Many individuals who succeeded in their careers, the causes have largely been attributed to the strong networking channels they have created over time.But, the question of who you network with and their relevance to your career matters more. This article will tell us some reasons why networking should be an essential aspect if you truly want to build your career, and what you can do to improve your networking skills throughout your career development. What is Networking? Networking is not merely the exchange of information with others, and it is certainly not about begging for favours. favouring is about establishing, building and nurturing long-term mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet. Why Networking is Important to Your Success Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful. When you invest in your relationships, professional and personal, it can pay you back in dividends throughout your career. Networking is essential since it will help you develop and improve your skill set, stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, meet prospective mentors, partners and clients, and gain access to the necessary resources that will foster your career development. 1. An Avenue to Exchange Ideas You never can tell how much you know without listening to other people. Success in a career is largely attributed to the pool of information or ideas you have garnered over the past. When networks have been created, they foster ideas to sustain long-term relationships and mutual trust. When you are receiving ideas, it helps both in your place of work and out, in addition to instilling best practices that soothe your career. 2. It Makes You Noticeable Individuals who want publicity either for business, politics, or even fame leverage more on networking. People quickly notice others that have stronger capabilities to make them relevant. When you stand out both your expertise and the services you offer, it creates room for partnership which in turn builds a career. Many professionals have been able to understand how to nurture their networking strength and create more visibility for different associates and clients in their career paths. 3. Avenue for New Opportunities When people start noticing you, it opens the door for new opportunities. Business and career individuals who have networked over the time have been able to expand with minimal effort because of the avenue of new opportunities opened to them through networking. Opportunities like meeting the right clients or even meeting people who are superior to your career path could be a stepping stone that could change your life for the better. 4. Support from High Profiles Individuals Everybody has one way or the other passed through some hurdles in their career development. This can be a result of lack of financial aid or other cogent reasons. However, good networking with high profiles from the same career path can serve as support whenever there is any eventuality at any time. These high-profile individuals can help you manage your challenges effectively by either giving you advice or linking you to the right financial support. 5. Growth in Status Developing your career status is a long-term process depending on how you focus on your networking path. Top career individuals who are where they are today are a result of the status they have grown in networking. The contacts you keep are largely attributed to your growth. They largely influence growth in your status and pave the way for better opportunities in your career. Your connections are powerful. 6. Develop Long-lasting Relationships If networking is a mutual relationship, then having the right networking channel can help build your career. Though networking might not be an easy and fast approach to building a long-lasting relationship. But making it a two-way process of giving and taking, can open the door for a firmer relationship. People who have made networking their priority have been able to build careers relevant to their set goals. Read Also: Strategies to Build A Successful Career. Part 1 How to Become An Effective Networker The importance of networking cannot be overstated. But how can you improve your networking skills to ensure you are networking efficiently and effectively? These networking tips will help: 1. Figure out what networking style works best for you There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to networking. People use different networking tactics. The important thing is to try different networking strategies to discover what best suits you. E.g. if you are networking and you are an introvert, you may prefer to network one-on-one or to attend more intimate events with fewer attendees. Once you have discovered your ideal networking style, consider where you can go to meet the right people who can help you achieve your current career development goals. 2. Network outside the box Look for opportunities to network strategically in every facet of your life. Deena Baikowitz, Chief Networking Officer and Co-founder of Fireball Network, suggests choosing networking events and organizations that matter to you. “Start where you are motivated to meet new people with common professional or personal interests,” Baikowitz advises. Think about what you are passionate about and the types of people with whom you are most comfortable. This could be networking with your alma mater’s local chapter, a community organization etc. , Baikowitz also suggests volunteering to find … Read more

Strategies to Enjoy A Successful Career.(Concluding Part).

February 6, 2024 by Amos Akande

In our previous articles on career success, we were able to look at strategies to build a successful career, part 1, and what to do in order to enjoy career success in part 2. In this concluding part, we shall explore other tips to build a successful career. Having a successful career is something that is under your control. The key is knowing what you have a passion for and pursuing it, it is also in developing habits as well as skills that make you more effective at work and home. To start enjoying career success, the following tips are important as we conclude this series. 7. Keep A Positive Attitude When you have a positive attitude, positive results will come. Your attitude determines your altitude. Pessimism is the enemy of success. Pessimism can turn challenges into insurmountable, while optimism can make every challenge to be surmountable. Always look on the bright side and have a positive attitude and the future of your career will be brighter as well. 8. Maintain Work-Life Balance While it is important to put forth your best effort in your job to have success in the workplace, overworking leads to stress and burnout, which are counterproductive to your desire for success. If you find your job is dominating your personal life, it is time to adopt a new system. Start by developing interests outside of work. Start a fitness routine, seek out social events, or look for new opportunities to learn more about the things you are interested in that are not associated with your job. Take time for recreation. It is just as important to play as it is to work and rest. Recreation allows your mind to unplug and your body to refresh. In turn, you will be able to be more productive and happier in the work place. Read Also: Strategies to Build A Successful Career. Part 1 9. Set Goals for Yourself One of the most crucial things a person can do for his career is to set goals for himself. A set of well-thought-out goals can serve as a roadmap to success, providing you with objectives to meet along the way as you work towards wherever you want to be in your career. Besides ensuring that you do what it takes to meet the goals that you set for yourself, the most important part of setting goals is making sure the goals you set are beneficial. A beneficial goal is that which will improve you and your career when you meet it. Set both short-term and long-term goals that will help you reach the end goal you have for your career, whatever that end goal may be. Read Aslo: Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2) 10. Master Time Management Success tips for work include learning how to manage your time effectively. Some of the best advice for time management is to plan out your workday, either at the end of your current workday or first thing in the morning when you arrive at work. Prioritize tasks so that the most important things get done first. Taking on your biggest, most important and sometimes least desirable task first, then the rest of your day will be more productive. Apply the Pareto principle to prioritizing your tasks, which is a concept that asserts roughly 20 percent of your efforts account for 80 percent of your success. Make sure your 20 percent is focused on the most important tasks that will keep you on a course toward your goals. When you have major projects to complete, break milestone down into smaller, more manageable tasks with clear deadline. Learn the time management skills you need to meet your deadline. Minimize distractions and reward yourself for your successes. 11. Go The Extra Mile One of the most important skills you can gain for success at work is putting in the extra effort needed to make good things happen in the workplace. Employees who are not afraid of working hard develop the skills they need to become leaders within an organization. Instead of being an employee who has a job, you can strive to be the boss who runs or owns a company. Pay attention to the goals your company has, see big picture, you will be able to anticipate needs, notice trends that will bring new developments and offer new ideas that can catapult both you and your organization to success. When needed, add new tasks to your duties that will streamline your progress. Instead of waiting for your boss to assign new tasks to you, take initiative. This is one of the most important skills employees can develop to transition to a boss mentality. By applying these strategies for success at work, you will increase your confidence, improve your skills, and achieve your goals not just at work but in life.

Strategies To Build A Successful Career (Part 2)

February 2, 2024February 2, 2024 by Amos Akande

Everyone dreams of having a highly successful career that they enjoy which provides them with a successful life they desire. Having a successful career in life is something that is under your own control. The important thing is knowing what you have passion for and pursing it. Developing your habits and skills will make you more effective at work and home. We’ve explained some of the strategies to building your career in part 1, we will talk about some other strategies to enjoy career success, the following strategies will be of great help: 1. Choose Your Job Wisely The most important step to achieving career success is choosing your occupation. Do you want a career that allows you to travel or a steady job that lets you settle into a pleasant routine? Once you define your priorities and what will bring you true personal satisfaction, you can mold your career around them. It is easy to be happy in a career when you are doing something you are passionate about. Strategies to finding your passion include pinpointing what you core values are, mentioning things you have always wanted to do if money were not an issue and listing the times when you are happiest and feel most fulfilled. Enjoyable career make your entire existence more enjoyable and also makes you more likely to succeed since people always tend to do better at things which they enjoy. Finding success at work means doing what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Read Also: Strategies to Build A Successful Career. Part 1 2. Be A Lifelong Learner Learning is key to progression and success. When you learn new things, your potential for growth increases. Try something new regularly basis in both your personal and professional life. New skills bring you new opportunities. In your place of work, look to you boss and those whose career you wish to emulate for career advice. Seek out opportunities for training within your field. Look for certifications that can help you advice in your career and schedule time to earn them. Enroll for courses and professional certificate programs that you can take outline to enhance your skills. At all points in your career, you need to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and improvement. Never stop working to advance both yourself and your career. 3. Understand Your Job Expectations Begin with the job description of your job and pay attention to the key skills that are listed to qualify for the job. Do you have all of them? How can you improve on each one? Read through all the things the job description lists as responsibilities. Understand what it takes to stay up to date in your role as well as advance to a new role. Successful people are always moving forward. Learn the mission and goals of the organization you work for. Think of how best you can contribute to the goals of the business. If the goals of the organization do not align with your own values and career trajectory, you may have to seek out a new job understanding the workplace culture of the organization. Workplace culture is defined by the values and belief systems of your employers as well as your co-workers. When you understand the culture at your place of work, you know what it takes to work as a team with your colleagues to be successful individually and collectively. 4. Be A Team Player Organizations are most successful when colleagues work as a team. By combining your skills and strengths with those of your co-workers, you will find more success individually and collectively. Respect others on your team and champion their strengths and successes. Realize that you will achieve more by working together with your workmates than competing with them. Solve problems together and refrain from blaming or shifting your share of the workload onto others. Ensure you prioritize your tasks and get done the most important things first. Complete those tasks that someone is waiting for you to do before they can complete the next step of a project or process which is part of time management. Know the goals of your team and collaborate to achieve them and find solutions to issues together. Have a positive attitude at work, when you and your colleagues are faced with challenges. Prioritize good communicate skills, active listening, giving and receiving feedback are key components of effective communication. Be a problem solver and work together to find the solutions that will increase performance at the office. 5. Take Ownership of Everything You Do For you to succeed in your career, you have to take ownership of both your success and failures celebrate your triumphs, analyze them and learn how you can emulate them and build on them in the future. You need to take ownership of your failures as well, accepting responsibility for them without letting them drag you down and learning everything that you can from the mistakes you make. 6. Develop Leadership Skills Adopting good leadership skills will help you to be successful at work. Some of the characteristics of good leaderships include integrity, courage, humility, cooperation, honesty and good communication. Take the initiative to come up with new ideas that will benefit the organization. Have good emotional intelligence, be aware and have respect for the emotions of others. Essential components of emotional intelligence are empathy, self-motivation, self-awareness, social skills and self-regulation. Understand the ability each person has to contribute to the organization. Bring out the best in each of your employees or team members by capitalizing on their strengths and giving them opportunities to improve skills they may be lacking.