John sat at his desk and stared at the phone he’d just hung up. He sighed, picked up the receiver, and punched in his boss’s extension. “Hi Bob, just got off the phone with Acme. They want a new system set up by the end of this year! No, there’s no way that we can meet that schedule. My whole team is overworked as it is. We simply don’t have the manpower, Bob, and you know about the hiring freeze. Yes, I know we need to bring in more work to meet our minimum requirements, but this one’s too big. We’ll have to tell them we can’t do it. There’s just no other option!”

Has something like this happened to you before? A problem
that seems so monumental that there just doesn’t seem to be a solution? In our busy day-to-day life, it’s easy to get so caught up in the daily grind that we tend to become very regimented and short-sighted – which prevents self
improvement. If none of the obvious solutions will work, we give up in
frustration – or worse yet, miss out on lucrative opportunities or experience
loss of income.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some self improvement methods that will help you sharpen your creative thinking skills.

Open Up Your Mind

Instead of saying “There’s no way…,” assume “There IS a way, I just have to
find it.” Nothing will stunt self improvement progress more than giving up  before you’ve given creative thinking a fair chance.

Ask for Help

As the old saying goes: two heads are better than one – and in the case of problem solving, three or more is even better. Since everyone has his or her own set of knowledge and experience, other people will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Look for people who have experience with a problem similar to yours, and sometimes a complete outsider’s fresh perspective might see a solution that you’re blind to. Self improvement comes through learning from others, so don’t try to solve your problem alone. Tap into your resources!

Define the Problem

The problem in front of you may seem like a huge mountain. Whe excavators
blast a tunnel through a mountain to create a road through it, they first analyze the type of rock the mountain is made of in order to choose the correct type and position of their explosives. They do this for safety reasons as well as to do the work most effectively.

Don’t skip this analyzing step in breaking through your mountain. Even if you think you know what the problem is, take a few minutes to write it down. I like to use a large, blank piece of paper or a white board. Write the problem in the center, and then look for root causes and write those as well. What are the outcomes of the problem? What will or will not happen because of the problem?

Brainstorm all the “properties” of this problem, and physically write them where you (and others helping you) can see them. Sometimes thinking through these basics can open up interesting fissures in the mountainside to investigate.

Identify Constraints and Assumptions

Make a list of all the reasons you can’t overcome the problem, and any
assumptions you may have. These are your “blockers”. Now try to look around those blockers – what if they weren’t there? What would you do if they weren’t? (This tip applies to all areas of self improvement: you can’t work through your blockers if you don’t know what they are.)

Break the Problem into Little Pieces

Now work on breaking your mountain into boulders, then chip those boulders down into smaller rocks that you can work with.
Find the smaller problems within the problem and look for ways to solve those. Sometimes when you’re able to solve small bits of the problem, the bigger problem changes form and becomes more manageable.

Listen to All Ideas

Listening effectively and creatively is a very effective self improvement
tool. Don’t automatically assume that someone’s idea to solve the problem can’t be done. Refocus your attention away from the problem and how big it is and onto analyzing solutions and finding ways to make them work. Many times, even if someone’s idea is far-fetched, you can “piggy-backs” onto it and morph it into something workable.

Persevere!

Thomas Edison created hundreds of prototypes before he was able to finally
make the light bulb glow. Stick with it, and don’t give up unless you’ve truly
exhausted all possibilities. Expect the creative thinking process to take time,
effort, and dedication.

A Great Skill for Self Improvement

Exercising your creative thinking muscle is not only helpful on the job, but
also in every area of your life. We’ve all done a little creative financing
with our checkbooks from time to time, and I’m sure you’ll find other aspects
that it will benefit.

With a little elbow grease and a lot of creative thinking, the next time you come face to face with a mountainous problem, you’ll be equipped to forge your tunnel – and on the road to greater self improvement in general.

• Get an instant list of all tasks, projects or work
• Improve office efficiency by guarding against missed deadlines
• Balance personal and team workloads
• Get an “instant snapshot” of individual and overall task progress
• Improve customer satisfaction with automatic suggested deadline dates
• Improve office productivity through automatic task time budgeting
• Estimate external job fees where appropriate
• Reduce staff or team management time
• Boost management effectiveness

One of the simplest but very effective task management software, Outlook, is included in most Microsoft® bundle packages installed in new computers. This task management software program lets you email and coordinate meetings and events. You can also set up reminders that will “pop up” on your screen. These reminders can easily be programmed to appear at the time the chooser decides. For example, if you have a meeting scheduled you may want to program a reminder to appear on your screen an hour before the event.
The fact that it’s very hard to ignore these “pop up” reminders, make them great organizational tools. 

There are various types of task management software programs available in the market.
A popular choices is Orbisoft®. There are also task management software programs installed in Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and “smart” mobile phones. So wherever you go, you can stay on top of your projects. This is definitely needed as the business world becomes more global and workers are required to travel.

How does task management software work?

The task management software is programmed to keep track of project and job time budgeting of a one time or recurring tasks, jobs and projects. Task management software programs are designed to be very user friendly so they make planning events fun. 
The more sophisticated, yet easy to install and use task management software programs may also include:

• Built-in task functions and business date calculations
• Automatic task scheduling and data backup
• Minimal data entry and time-saving data maintenance tools
• Built-in contextual help, online tutorial and user manual
• Optional user and group security
• Optional task synchronization with Microsoft Outlook®
• Free online support options
• Easy and quick installation and use

Business professionals are not the only ones who use task management software

Task management software programs are also widely used by busy moms trying to keep track of their personal time while juggling their kids’ school schedules and doctor appointments. It also a great tool to organize family trips and holiday get-togethers.

As in the business world, task management software is also available on the go for those who have Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) such as the Palm® Pilot that has now evolved into the Palm® cell phone. Other popular devices available are Nokia’s Symbian-based smartphones, BlackBerry from RIM, iPhone from Apple Inc. and other cell phones running on Windows Mobile platform. 

Obviously, the need for task management software is present in business and personal timekeeping and organization to help you work smarter and faster.

A virtual secretary is not a computer or robot programmed to perform secretarial duties! A virtual secretary or assistant is an independently contracted business owner. They are not employees of a company in the traditional sense. They work out of their own offices, manage the work from their clients and how it is carried out, set their own rates and pay their own self-employment taxes.

Many virtual secretary candidates have extensive experience in their field (legal, executive, etc.) and are looking for an opportunity for extra income. Other reasons professional secretaries are becoming virtual secretaries include the opportunity to work from home, work for various employers and to be able to spend more time with their families.

One of the best benefits a virtual secretary can provide is to reduce your work burden. 

They are able to take on special projects or unexpected projects that
you may not have the staff or equipment for. They are usually ready at
a moment’s notice and can help you grow your clientele and business
without having to go over budget for administrative support. They also
charge much less than a staffing agency.

The financial benefits of a virtual secretary

Virtual secretaries help relieve executives of extra work without
raising their overhead expenses of extra office equipment and office
space.

Virtual secretaries are cost effective because you only pay them when
they work. The typical virtual secretary will be paid per hour or a
flat fee for special projects. Since they are independent contractors
they pay their own taxes. Check with your accountant for tax laws and
rules that may apply in the jurisdiction of your business.

How to recruit a virtual secretary

When a busy executives post an ad for a virtual secretary, they may be overwhelmed
by the response they receive. If available, the human resources
department can be of great assistance. Otherwise, using the following
tips can help. It’s best to organize the search for a virtual secretary
by writing a clear job posting. Being specific about the requirements
and duties will help narrow down the pool of qualified candidates.
Additionally, strong candidates will most likely to apply for a virtual
position if the ad is well written and sounds legitimate. A quick
search for sites will produce many available places to post an ad for a
virtual secretary. A good job posting will detail:

• Job requirements
• Job duties
• Range of salary

Once you have narrowed down a good group of candidates you may conduct
a quick phone interview or email dialogue. Always check references.
This is especially important because you want to make sure the virtual
secretary candidate you chose has a solid work history of being able to
work unsupervised for long periods of time and that they have good
follow up communication skills.

Depending on your workload it may be a good idea to hire a virtual
secretary through a business organization. A virtual secretary
organization is more likely to be able to find a backup to continue the
service to you even if your primary contact is on leave or engaged in
something else. Some good sources are guru.com and elance.com. There
are a lot of other online directories for this service. A search on the
Internet using keywords “virtual secretary” is all you need to find a
virtual secretary.

Communication with your virtual secretary

Because an employer will rely on technology to stay in touch with a
virtual secretary, it is essential that a virtual secretary have a home
office with a computer with a high-speed Internet connection, phone and
printer. Other helpful equipment includes a fax, scanner and mobile
phone.

First, one good tactic is to ask to meet the following day. Then be prepared; your boss may want to meet right away instead. This can be a critical point in your favor as it shows your preparedness under stress. Next, when you have the meeting let your body language enforce your words. Hold yourself confidently, keep your hands steady, and make eye contact.

Requesting a raise or a leave of absence requires excellent negotiation skills. For a raise, bring to the meeting evidence of both your growth as an employee and ways that you benefit the company. Bring past reviews and stress your improvements. If you can’t show evidence of your professional growth, don’t expect a favorable response. Your strength is in your value to the company.
A leave of absence always leaves the company in a strained position. You should be able to show why you need the leave and know how long you will need. This helps the company plan for both your absence and return. Also, if possible, offer suggestions for and assistance in facilitating the transition of your work responsibilities during your absence.

Getting a promotion requires the same negotiation skills as a raise or time off. Here though, you want to stress the benefit to the company in giving you the higher position, and not just the benefit to you. Show how your current position has prepared you for the promotion. Don’t stress seniority or fairness. Stress how areas of your current position have prepared you for the advancement, and how that will save the company money in hiring and training a new employee.
The last negotiation skill you should bring into the meeting is to keep the meeting on track and within the timeframe requested. This shows your professionalism and respect for your boss’s time.

Gain Skills with an Internship

The first career advancement opportunity that you can look out for is an internship opening. The prevalent myth is that internships are for students only. However, internships are also a good way for you to gain new skills if you are seriously thinking about a career change. Even if you are paid peanuts (or sometimes, not paid at all!), internships can adorn your resumes and impress your future employers. To find internships, you can do a web search or browse the websites of various colleges online for listings.

Wow a Headhunter

The second way to advance in your professional life is to attract a headhunter’s attention. A career headhunter can directly match you up with your desired job because they have insider tips about where to find the best quality jobs in the market. You may also consider pooling your money to hire a headhunter who will transform your bland resume into an impressive document that will make an impact on potential employers.

Don’t forget there is now a new way to attract headhunters – by using online professional network building services like linkedin.com.

Expand Your Network

To tap into a limitless pool of resources when it comes to career advancement, the third way is to broaden your network of acquaintances. Sign up for professional organizations and clubs. You can check the websites of various colleges online to find listings of local clubs that are within your industry. Be seen at all the right occasions. Don’t be afraid to print up adequate name cards that you can distribute to those who may offer you career advancement opportunities. Not only do you need to be friends with those in the top echelon, having friends in lower places will also help build your reputation.

Get in Line for Promotions

The fourth step to ensure a good future is to work your way up the ladder at your current job. You should avoid switching jobs too frequently, because this will put you back at square one each time. Plus, repeated resignations will not look good on your resume and will encourage future employers to wonder if you have issues with your previous bosses. To appear more stable in your career and to build confidence, you should try to stick to a job get in line for promotions or, at the very least, stay for three to five years to prove you ability to commit before considering moving on to another company.

Take a Class

The fifth and final career advancement opportunity lies in improving your job performance in order to impress future bosses (or career headhunters). It is wise to take up classes and learn a new skill or two. If you have not been very IT-savvy in the past, you may want to take up a computer course or other skills related to your desired job. Learning a new language such as Japanese, Chinese or French will not hurt either. You are likely to find several colleges online that offer the class you need.

1. Be polite. Although you plan to tell your coworker no, there is no reason to be mean or rude about it. That may only serve to worsen the situation. It is important to be polite. And say something like "I’m sorry I couldn’t help you out".
2. Explain yourself. Although you have every right to tell your coworker no, you may choose to tell them why you can’t help them out, so they don’t think you are doing it to be mean. Of course, this is not required of you.
3. Stand firm. Once you have made a decision and informed your coworker of it, it is important to stand firm on that decision. If you crack this time, they may expect you to every time you tell them no.
4. Expect some resentment. Manipulative people try to do whatever they can to get you to bend to their wishes. After all, they don’t want their lack of productivity in the workplace to be revealed and there may not be anyone else willing to help them out. At first they my simply sulk, and then begin to make snide comments or talk about you to other coworkers. This is something that you should expect and prepare for, but don’t fall for it or lower yourself to their level and get defensive.

Above all, remember that it is okay not to be liked by someone whose goal is to take advantage of you. Many times, people don’t say no to a coworker’s request because they want to be liked at work. It is okay to help coworkers who legitimately need an extra hand, but some people will take advantage of your kindness in order to hide their lack of productivity in the workplace.

For more great information on handling this problem that can also help you increase your productivity in the workplace, check out the best selling book 4-hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.

It is important to keep this quote in mind:

“Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict –alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to violence.”

This is perhaps the first thing you will learn in conflict management training program. One sort of “creative alternative” is to take a step back and give yourself a chance to cool off. When you let your temper get the best of you, you run the risk of spouting off and saying something that you may regret later. At a time like this, it is important to think before you react, which is hard to do when your emotions are elevated. If you take a conflict management training class, they may be able to teach you some relaxation techniques for this type of situation.

Second, you may want to go home and think about what you want to say. If you write it down and go over it, you can make sure you have included everything that you want to say and that you haven’t included anything that your boss may take offense to. Plus, you will have a chance to practice it. Remember the saying that "it’s not what you say, but how you say it".

Lastly, when you go in to talk your boss, make sure you stay calm and stick to your script. This is important to ensuring that you don’t go overboard and that you get a chance to say everything that you need to say.
Talking to your boss can be scary and tough, but a good conflict management training program can show you how to do it right. You can likely find listings for local programs in the yellow pages or online.

5 common causes of coworker conflict:

• A coworker who is not pulling their weight and causing you more headaches and stress because you have to deal with the clean up.
• A coworker who is invading your private space. If you feel smothered by a coworker, it will cause tension between the two of you.
• A coworker who is being obnoxious, whether they are talking to you directly or about you with other people.
• A coworker who is very competitive and often tries to make you feel inferior or puts you down in front of the boss and other coworkers.
• A coworker who lies, whether it is a “little white lie” or a big lie.

5 Simple solutions you can use to help resolve the issue:

• Avoid the coworker whenever possible. Although this won’t help resolve the issue, it will keep it from getting worse and will also help lower your work-related stress.
• Try talking with the coworker to find out why they are acting this way. You may actually be surprised by their answer and be able to help them work through the problem and get back on track. This is an area where a conflict management training program can really help you out.
• Try some stress relief exercises and wait it out. The issue may pass or, if they are doing a really bad job, they may get canned eventually anyway. Then they will no longer be your problem.
• Try to help your coworkers whenever you can. If you see that a coworker is struggling with something that you know how to do, help them out with it and show them how to do it right. This will help relieve their stress and anxiety and make them a more pleasant person to work with.
• Praise the coworker whenever he or she fully completes a task or has a great idea. Sometimes people slack off because they feel taken for granted or they might not realize that people notice how good or bad their performance is.

Although these are good and easy suggestions, you may be able to learn a whole lot more by attending a conflict management training program. This program will allow you to learn vital conflict resolution techniques from professionals who are educated and experienced in this area.

When I am doing conflict management training with my clients, I always teach them the technique of coaching and the application of popular character classification systems. This helps aid them in handling their relationship with their co-workers. Here is a list of related articles in this area:

Setting career goals may seem easy, but it really takes more planning than most people realize. Anything less detailed really only qualifies as a dream.  So, the first thing you have to do to achieve your goal is to break it down into steps. A good career management training program can show you how to do just that. Below are some of the basics that they will teach you about career planning:

1. Be specific about your goals. Don’t just say “I want to run the company”. You need to be specific about the mini-goals that you must accomplish in order to make your way to your overall career goal. And more importantly, you need to set a specific time-frame to accomplish this. Without a proper deadline, you’ll tend to delay your work to accomplish your goal over and over again.
2. Write your goals down. With all the planning that you have to do to reach your overall career goal, you will never be able to remember it all. Therefore, it will work best for you if you put your plan down on paper. This is where great planning really takes shape. Many career management training programs provide practical training in this area and that can help you the most.
3. Begin with the end in mind. Start with your overall career goal, such as running the company, and think about what you will have to do to get their, going backwards. So, instead of starting with getting your degree and working forward, you will start with running the company and work backwards. This can make it easier to realize what your smaller goals should be, because you will be able to ask yourself “What do I have to accomplish to get to this step?”

As you can see, there is much more to career planning than just stating your overall career goal. You need a direction and a plan to follow, rather than just working and knowing where you want to be, but not knowing how to get there. Your career plan, which a career management program can help you build, is your road map to success; so make it and use it.

Remember, working under stress for a prolonged period can cause permanent damage to your health. Studies show that cancer and many other chronic diseases are closely related to stress, so it is something you need to take precautions for. Before looking for solutions, you need to understand the causes of your stress. The points mentioned below are just some common problems and you might have some other sources of stress that aren’t listed here.

The best way to discover your sources of stress is to talk to people who can guide you to go through a good reflection of your work and private life. They can be your friends, co-workers or your family members. This way, other people can serve as your mirrors and enable you to take a better look at yourself. So, don’t keep silent when you are feeling stressed out.
There are many things that can cause on the job stress, this includes:

• Job-related factors – This can be anything such as working long hours for a low wage, causing you to not get enough satisfaction from your job or too may responsibilities, which is often caused by frequent demands from your supervisor.
• Poor relationships – This can be with supervisors, co-workers, or both. It may be because you feel that your co-workers are not pulling their own weight or because your supervisor is uncommunicative. It can also be caused by harassment from co-workers or a highly competitive spirit within the workplace. This is an area where workplace stress management training can really help.
• Negative future outlook – This can include not having the chance to work your way up within the company, no matter how good of a job you do, or dealing with constant layoff periods and never knowing if you will be one of the unlucky ones. If you don’t feel that your job is secure, that can cause a lot of stress.
• Workplace environment – This can include things such as a lot of heavy lifting weight, sharing workspace with others, or having a cramped workspace for yourself. If you don’t have the room to do your job or feel smothered by others, that can also cause a lot of stress.
• Frequent change – This can include the company frequently changing hands, frequent “shake ups” within the company, or constantly dealing with new co-workers.
• Workplace rules and policies – This can include factors such as having too many supervisors who all ask you to do different things, making it difficult to know what you are supposed to do, or the inability to juggle family and work responsibilities, such as not being able to pick your child up from daycare because you have to work unexpected overtime.
• Workplace stress management training can help you deal with all of these stressful issues and any others that may arise. If you have the resources to deal with stress in the workplace, it will be easier to let it roll off of your shoulders and not let it get the best of you. This will improve your performance at work and enable to you to keep work related stress from transferring over to your home life.