Quick Tips: Busting Through a Mental Block

Whether you’re trying to create a presentation, write an article, or compose an email, nothing is worse than having a mental block you just can’t seem to bust through. It invokes the same feelings of frustration and panic you experience as when you know you need to get to sleep but can’t. But, don’t let those feelings get the better of you. Try these five quick tips to overcome your block and finish the task at hand.

Turn Off the Distractions

Despite what you may have been told, multi-tasking is a myth. In fact, multi-tasking actually delays your progress and delivers poorer results, according to research from Stanford University. So shut down the email, unplug the phone, and close any unnecessary computer programs so you can focus on the task at hand.

Consider the Why

Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of why you’re doing something. Think beyond just the need to check something off your to-do list and visualize what you want to happen as a result of your effort. If you can’t fully comprehend the end result, then you probably don’t have all the information you need to start this project in the first place.

Let Go of Perfectionism

Give yourself permission to not get it perfect the first time. The pressure to immediately produce something that is free of flaws is unrealistic, and will only serve to further squelch your creativity and ability to think. You can always go back later and make corrections once you have written your general thoughts down.

Just Start

Getting something – anything – down on your paper or screen can often serve as the final push that completely breaks through your mental block. For some reason, going from a completely blank page to a page with a few thoughts scribbled on it can make a huge difference. Just keep putting your ideas down on paper until you have your break-through moment.

Walk Away

If nothing else is helping, try to just shut it down and walk away for a while. Have a quick coffee break, try focusing on another project for a while, or take your lunch break. Sometimes even walking away from your desk and talking through the project with a teammate can be just what you need to get your spark back.

The good news is, just like sleep eventually comes when you’re tired, your mental block will dissolve and you’ll be able to complete your task. Just make sure you don’t give up too quickly when you first hit your block – there is a great feeling of accomplishment on the other side if you just push through!

The One Thing That Will Break You

Successful businesses must have engaged employees in order to stay ahead of the competition, keep their product or service innovative, and retain customers. Keeping employees motivated and engaged involves many elements, many of which are on the department level and left up to each supervising manager. But there is one element that, if lacking, will break down a team and damage a business faster than anything else – respect for the leader.

Certainly respect for the overall company, its goals, and its executive leadership is important, but good employees can often overlook inconsistencies in those areas if they respect their direct supervisor. If that one person who directs their work on a daily basis and is responsible for motivating their team is worthy of admiration, then according to studies from Monster, Yahoo, Salary.com, and the National Education Association, employees will be more likely to stay with the company and feel engaged at work. Unfortunately for leaders, though, respect is not something that comes on demand or can be bought with raises – it requires work and time.

Earn It With Effort

Employees know when they’re being used and poorly led. Sure, there are some perks that come with a leadership role, but if you repeatedly slack off, pass your duties on to your team, or cover up your mistakes, your team will have no desire to help you succeed. Respect is earned, which means showing your team you are dedicated to them and their cause, even if that requires you to work some late nights, take on the tough assignments, or admit when you are wrong.

Give It Time

Whether you’re leading a new team or trying to repair damage from your past leadership mistakes, real respect does not come quickly. Sure, there are some instances where you can make a leap in the right direction, but it will take your team seeing you consistently make the right choices in order to invoke that deep-held respect given to history’s finest leaders. And, keep in mind, if your employees already lack respect for you, it will take longer to rebuild that trust and admiration.

Respect – either you have it or you don’t. The great news is that it’s completely in your control, but the road to earning respect is straight, narrow, and often the path less-taken. In the long run, your effort and time will be worth it as you see your team rally to your side, fight for you, and support you no matter what.

Break Through Your Company’s Language Barriers

Legendary American businessman Lee Iacocca once said, “you can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” Communication is a key ingredient to great leadership and successful companies. From describing your strategic vision to assigning daily tasks, it’s important to be sure your messages are being received loud and clear. However for many businesses, that’s easier said than done.

From industry to company to department to team, there are a wide variety of language barriers present at every level of business that leaders must contend with in order to ensure a productive workforce.

Ethnic and Cultural Backgrounds

Many barriers are obvious, such as an employee’s native language, but others such as cultural differences may not be as readily identified. In either case, knowledge is power. The more you know about the various backgrounds of the individuals who make up your workforce, the better equipped you’ll be to recognize and react to different cultural cues when communicating with them.

Religion

Religion can be a very divisive topic and it’s important to tread lightly when addressing the subject in the workplace. Many comments or actions that are considered completely innocent to one group could easily offend another. From serving certain foods at company gatherings to a company’s stance on various social and political issues, religion may play a major role in many of the decisions your employees make every day.

Generational Differences

There are now four different generations working side by side in the modern workforce. And with each generation comes a different set of language barriers and communication best practices. There is a wide range of differing values, beliefs, and skills between the four groups. While it may seem daunting, knowledge is once again your best bet for effectively communicating with each of them.

Company Lingo

The daily lingo in many companies, especially corporate environments, is a veritable alphabet soup of acronyms and abbreviations, which can be especially frustrating for new employees. A comprehensive training program will help introduce a recent hire to the unique language of their new job. However, they probably won’t be fluent overnight. Taking time to explain certain phrases or expand on abbreviations during an employee’s first few weeks will ensure they don’t get lost and overwhelmed.

Language barriers exist in every business. From companies becoming more diverse, different generations moving in and out of the workforce, and advancements in technology, it’s just a natural part of the evolving workplace. And as a result, great leadership will become more and more defined by not only how you manage the business, but also how well you manage your people.

Are Your Hiring and Retention Efforts Balanced?

The workplace is always evolving. The recession, in particular, has hastened and highlighted many of these changes, including the growing age gap among the current workforce. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, over the past 20 years the number of older workers has steadily risen, while younger adults are waiting longer to enter the labor force. This means that the workplace is becoming even more diverse in the age groups it contains, and leaders are now dealing with the added strain of catering their retention and recruitment efforts to this varied palette of employees.

As you strive to maintain and grow your own workforce, keep these considerations in mind as you try to find the right candidates with the experience, culture fit, and attitude you’re looking for.

The Experienced
Workers age 55 and older will account for 90% of the labor market increase from 2008 to 2018, according a recent article in The Christian Science Monitor. And, in a report from CNN, by 2018, almost one out of four employees 65-years-old and beyond will choose to remain in the labor force. Surprisingly, this uptick is not solely tied to financial hardships brought on by the economic collapse. These seasoned workers are choosing to remain in the working world for reasons ranging from living longer to desiring to stay active and engaged. And, as a positive sign to employers, the Pew Research Center study revealed the highest percentage of satisfied workers is among workers 65 and older, with 54% saying they work because they want to. In addition, the Deloitte Talent Edge 2020 study showed Baby Boomers are looking for specific motivations from their employers, including additional benefits, more financial incentives, increased compensation, and strong leadership. But, employers receive a lot in return from this generation of workers. According to research from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, older workers are valued for their institutional knowledge, skills, dependability, training abilities, and long-standing relationships with clients.

The Youth
On the flip side, the Pew Research Center revealed that the percentage of workers age 16 – 24 within the labor force is at an all-time low. This age group cites two reasons for this – education and lack of jobs. Of those not working, 49% say they don’t work because they’re focused on school and training while almost four out of 10 list inability to find a job as their reason for unemployment. Unlike their older counterparts, almost half said the top reason they work is because they need the money, and only 20% said they actually want to work. Additionally, just 29% of this age bracket lists themselves as “completely satisfied with their job.” However, the younger generations still have a lot to offer. According to the recent Bank of America Merrill Lynch report, employers want these younger employees due to their fresh ideas, innovation, and technological skills, as well as the fact that they’re needed for future growth and succession planning. Businesses should keep in mind, however, that the motivators for the younger generations are much different from their older counterparts, as shown in the Deloitte study. They are looking for a company culture that aligns with their personal values, flexible work arrangements, new training programs, and support and recognition from managers.

Despite the rather stark differences, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch research concluded that 94% of employers believe it is important to retain older workers and 98% said it’s also important for them to attract younger employees. And, with college graduates having a hard time finding work as a result of employers choosing to under-employ experienced, older workers in exchange for lower pay, it’s vital that employers not lose sight of the importance of building a diverse workplace. Filling your workplace with both experienced, knowledgeable employees and youthful, innovative professionals will not only balance out your employees’ strengths and weaknesses, it will also ensure your business is ready to achieve success both now and in the future.

Express Associates Work 3 Million Hours in One Week

More than 80,000 people working 3 million hours in one week is cause to celebrate. Express Employment Professionals, one of the nation’s largest privately held staffing companies, announced today that its associates at more than 550 franchise locations in theUnited States,CanadaandSouth Africaworked 3 million hours in one week for employer clients across various industries.

“Regardless of the struggling economy and lackluster job market, said Lee Fossett, owner of the West palm Beach Express office. “We’ve managed to find jobs, put people to work and help employers who need qualified, temporary staff on hand.”

In reaching this milestone Express set a new company record. This is the first time in the companies’ 28-year history this many hours were worked in one week.

“To put this into perspective, 3 million hours is equivalent to the time it would take to build three more Brooklyn Bridges to spanNew York City’s East River or 103 CN Towers to preside over the city ofToronto,” Fossett said. “And, in just one week, Express put more than 80,000 people to work at companies across North America andSouth Africa.

“Express is proud to help so many people find jobs,” Fossett said. “We are seeing companies start to hire as productivity increases, and we are hearing from clients that their business is picking up.”

Worldwide, Express Employment Professionals puts nearly 300,000 people to work each year and has more than 550 offices in three countries. Express provides expertise in evaluation hire, temporary staffing, professional search and human resources and works across a wide variety of industries. Sales for the Oklahoma City-based company totaled more than $1.9 billion in 2010.

 

On Being Productive

By Jim Stovall

All of us want to get more out of our personal and professional lives. Accomplishing this goal will require us to be more productive in every area. Productivity is simply the process of achieving more results in areas where we wish to excel. Productivity is not simply a matter of working faster or working harder. It is, instead, the process of working more effectively.

Several years ago, I wrote a book based on my research with Steve Forbes and legendary coach John Wooden entitled Ultimate Productivity. The popularity of that book has given me the opportunity to work with a number of organizations that want to, collectively, be more, do more, and have more.

On the Ultimate Productivity website, you can take a free Ultimate Productivity Profile and receive your own personalized productivity assessment. Your access code is 586404.

Productivity can be broken down into three elements, which are motivation, communication, and implementation. It all begins with motivation.

Motivation is the first thing we get when we come into this world and the last thing we lose as we leave it. Victory does not always go to the strongest or fastest. It most often goes to the individual or group that is the most motivated. If you are giving your maximum effort, and your competition is only giving moderate effort, you are more likely to succeed.

Motivation comes in different forms and styles. It is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. In our Ultimate Productivity training, we have found people motivated by money, titles, inclusion, recognition, and many other motivating factors.

The second element of productivity is communication. None of us can ever succeed on our own. We must be a part of a motivated team. In order to become a part of a motivated team, we must communicate our vision. Communication comes in many forms. Some people need to communicate in written form and others are verbal. Some people need to see it on paper while others need to hear it or see graphs and models. There is no right or wrong way to communicate. There is only the best way to communicate with each individual.

Finally, the third element of productivity is implementation. We live in a world where when it’s all said and done, there’s a lot more said than done. I would recommend you review a book entitled Get ’Er Done: The Green Beret Guide to Productivity by Michael Martel.

You will never be rewarded for thinking of the right thing to do, believing in the right thing to do, intending to do the right thing, or planning to do the right thing. You will be rewarded for doing it.

As you go through your day today, commit to getting more out of every area of your life by being personally and professionally productive.

Today’s the day!

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor.

Express Employment Pros Employee Testing and Training Programs

Knowledge and proper training are key factors when you’re competing for jobs in today’s market. At Express, we have several training programs in place to help you learn new skills and enhance those you already have. The goal of these programs is to help make you a strong contender for the job you want.

Industrial Performance Assessments
These hands-on evaluations accurately gauge your technical and mechanical skills.

Computer Testing and Training
All office applicants are tested for proficiency in various software packages, 10-key, spelling, math and more. Computer software training is also provided through computer-based tutorials, beginning to advanced levels of learning.

Behavioral Assessments
These assessments help define your tendency to succeed in a particular job position. You can also define the types of work environments and activities in which you might find the most satisfaction and work productivity.

Orientation to Client Companies
Our orientations prepare you for a new job by providing general information on the client’s policies and procedures. This includes attendance, conduct, dress code and more.

Communication Training
This type of job training addresses both verbal and written communication. The training is administered to workers in customer service positions or any job that requires contact with the public.

Human Relations Training
Issues such as stress management and harassment in the workplace are addressed in human relations training. It also reinforces the importance of good communication skills, quality and good customer relations.

Safety Education
You are given a tour of the worksite and introduced to the tools and equipment used to complete the job assignment. Guidelines for job safety and instructions on the proper use of safety equipment are also provided.

Each of these distinct training programs focuses on crucial job-related topics. You gain actual hands-on experience, as well as lecture, video, classroom or self-study-based learning to fully prepare you for your new career.

Testing and training programs may vary by location. Contact a Staffing Consultant at the location nearest you to learn more about the programs offered in your area. To learn more, contact the West Palm Beach office of Express Employment Professionals at 561-471-8285 or dial up http://www.wpalmbeachfl.expresspros.com.

The Top Five Important Questions to Ask During an Interview

The order of the questions can vary depending on the feel and the way the interview is going, but you will know when to ask these following questions during your next job interview.

1. Can you give me a detailed explanation of all the job duties of this position?

Follow this question by mentioning what you read on the advertisement of the position and see what else is expected from the position in more detail.

2. Who will be evaluating me if I am hired?

This answer will give you insight about the company’s structure.

3. How do you see me benefiting the company?

This answer will give you an idea of what they know about you and insight about whether or not they truly have interest in you.

4. Why did YOU choose to work at this company?

This answer will give you important insight about the company through an employee’s eyes.

5. What type of growth opportunities does the position and this company offer?

In addition to the obvious information that the question will garner, it also implies that you’re looking for long-term commitment and not just a paycheck.

For more information about finding a position of filling one in the Greater Palm Beaches, call Express Employment Professionals’ West Palm Beach office today at 561.471.8685 or visit http://wpalmbeachfl.expresspros.com/.

Express Employment Professionals: The Company Behind the Name II

The next several Express blog entries will be about our company, our values and services to give our followers a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for. Next is a timeline of important company milestones.

2008 Celebrating 25 years of success with a new name – Express Employment Professionals.

2007 Reached nearly $2 billion in sales; 600th office awarded.

2006 Reached $1.8 billion in sales; 85 franchises awarded.

2005 Reached $1.55 billion in sales; awarded 62 franchises.

2004 Reached $1.3 billion in sales.

2003 Reached $1 billion in sales with offices in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

2001 Reached $781 million in sales.

1997 Reached $698.6 million in sales.

1995 Operated nearly 200 franchises and reached $531.8 million in sales.

1993 Express Personnel Services reached $324.2 million in sales.

1991 Reached $197.2 million in sales.

1990 Funk and Stoller purchased Gray’s shares of the company.

1989 Reached $155 million in sales.

1987 Reached $82 million in sales.

1985 Express began franchising and reached $18.4 million in sales.

1983 Robert A. Funk, William H. Stoller and James Gray established Express after Acme Personnel, a staffing firm where the founders previously worked, dissolved. Express generated gross revenues of $2.1 million that first year despite the struggling economy.

Express Employment Professionals: The Company Behind the Name

The next several Express blog entries will be about our company, our values and services to give our followers a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for. To start, here’s our company mission and vision.

Our Mission

To professionally market and provide quality human resource solutions through an international franchising network that profit our associates, customers, franchisees, corporate staff, stockholders and communities in which we conduct business.

Our Vision

To help as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.

For more information about finding a position of filling one in the Greater Palm Beaches, call Express Employment Professionals’ West Palm Beach office today at 561.471.8685 or visit http://wpalmbeachfl.expresspros.com/.