9 Ways You Can Get a Promotion at Work!!

Try these 9 tips...you may get a promotion at work!!

It would be safe to say that you would have probably entertained the question of how to get promoted even before you graduated or left school. In my chats with juniors from my industry, I am often asked this question which I gladly answer. However, I sense they simply want short cuts to the next level.
These experiences pushed me to pen these 9 obvious but often not practiced tips on how to get promoted. Start internalizing these tips and make them part of your career plan. Before you know it, you would have moved up to the next level.
One main reason for people to ignore these obvious practices on how to get promoted is because they seem very long term. But they are not at all. All you need to do is to consistently DO them. I have broken them down to 3 main sections: Plan, Attitude and Action.


PLAN
1. Where Are You and Why Are You There?
How to get promoted? First you will need to have a reference point. Ask yourself, where are you now? And why are you there? Is there any key strength that has brought you where you are now that you can continue to leverage for the next promotion?
Are there any weaknesses that you really need to correct before the next promotion is possible? These questions, while simple are strategic. It allows you to check your strengths and weaknesses. It forces you to access what has worked and what will work to get you promoted.
2. Where Do You Want To Be and How Do You Get There?
You obviously need to have an objective and a plan. Just saying that you want to get promoted is not enough. You need to be clear on your next position. Is it a promotion to a different department or a different branch? Write this down.
Now that you have written this down, how do you plan to get that promotion? Develop a plan for to achieve that objective. If you are lucky, you can even work this out with your immediate boss. Most bosses do not promise that promotion at such discussions but at the very least you get an idea of what are the expectations.
ATTITUDE
3. Put Pride, Passion and Belief In Everything You Do
People who get promoted are those that have a sense of pride in their work. And they take pride in their work. They are driven by genuine enthusiasm and desire to do their best no matter how small the job.
They believe in themselves and they believe in the bigger goals of their unit or department and company. How to get promoted? Ask yourself; do you conduct yourself with pride, passion and belief?
4. Back it Up with Skills/Knowledge, Direction and Action
Having pride, passion and belief is only part of how to get promoted. It must be backed up skills and knowledge. That means having the necessary skills and knowledge to do a superb job. Having a direction is important to guide that energy generated by your passion. Otherwise, effort is wasted. Without action which is the actual completion of the task, all else is academic. You will be judged by what you do.


5. See Challenges As Opportunities
Another obvious tip on how to get promoted is to see challenges as opportunities. Very often I see young executives being thrown challenging assignments, which they choose to see as an additional chore.
If you want to be promoted, look at challenges as opportunities to shine. Do not complain about hard work, how hard you worked or if your assignment is tougher than your colleagues’. Trust me, no one wants to know how hard you work. In everyone’s mind, their own work is the hardest.
ACTION
6. What Is Your Part?
Know your part and play your part. What is your role? Are you an implementer? Or are you a leader? Know exactly what you need to do in order for your unit to achieve its goals. Knowing your part means being a team player. No one can succeed without help from others. We all need the support of colleagues. When the team succeeds, you succeed too.
7. Do Your Best NOW
I consider this as one of the most important tip on how to get promoted. Do your best NOW. Today. This week’s tasks and projects. Do not bask in the glory of your previous work. That is gone. In all likelihood, no one else cares about it especially your bosses.
Do not think too much about future projects that are not implemented yet. That is in the future. It is not here yet. Focus on DOING your best NOW. It determines how you are being judged. When you reflect too much on the past and think too much about the future, you forget to focus on the NOW.
8. Do More Than Necessary
If you want to know how to get promoted, do more than the necessary. That means volunteering for work and taking the initiative to make a job better. It also means not sitting around waiting for work to come to you.
Bosses like people who can help them solve problems. Even if the problem is not yours, but if you feel you can be of help and have the expertise to solve it, then volunteer to help. You become the team’s competitive advantage when you do that. And bosses like people who give their unit an advantage over the others. Helping your team stay ahead is then helping you stay ahead too.
9. Do Work from The Next Level Up
If you continue doing work for your current position then you truly deserve your current position. People who know how to get promoted know that if you want the position next level up, you start doing some of those work from that level now. If you are a senior executive now, do some work that is only expected of an assistant manager (assuming that is the next level up). This allows you to demonstrate that you are capable of that position already.
Obviously, there are lots of tips out there on how to get promoted. These are some of those that I deem to be obvious and not practiced enough by career success seeking newbies. Putting these into practice would greatly increase your chances of a promotion.

How you can recycle your Corrugated

WAYS YOU CAN REUSE YOUR CORRUGATED BOXES!!!

You can never underestimate the utility of a cardboard box. Children love them, adults have plenty of uses for them. After a big move, most people find themselves overrun with their leftover, gently-used cardboard boxes.
Here are some ways to reuse or re-purpose them, so they don’t just end up back in a landfill.
1. Organized Storage
Most people already make use of cardboard shipping boxes to store their belongings. Since items can be categorized based on use or season, the cardboard box can be labeled for easy identification, so you can retrieve things quickly. This way if you have things you don’t want to throw away, but don’t want hanging around, you can put them away for the season, or until you need them.
2. Chemical Waste Bins
With the addition of a plastic liner, small to medium sized boxes can be reused as trash cans. Since most chemical packaging such as paint and industrial cleaners, will leave spots and stains on your shelves or the floor of your garage, boxes add one more layer of protection to keep your garage nice and clean.
3. Composting
Cardboard is fully biodegradable. After letting your compost’s microbes chew on the cardboard for a few months, it can easily be turned into a great addition to the soil in your lawn or garden.
4. Mailing Packages
If the cardboard is not heavily used, it can easily be reused to send gifts to faraway friends and relatives during the holidays. Even if the box has some blemishes or small defects, usually packing tape can cover it up and make it good as new.
By reusing cardboard in one of these four ways, you help keep it out of landfills and reduce your carbon footprint. We’re all struggling to survive on this planet, so we each need to do our part to protect it as much as we can.

Are you new to military spec packaging???

 

Tips for Military Packaging Newcomers

We understand how stressful it can be to dot every 'i' and cross every 't' when doing business with the Government. To help you alleviate the stress in your life, our staff has compiled some tips to assist you walk the straight and narrow path of military packaging excellence. The following are some quick tips to help our new contractors get acquainted with the military packaging requirements.

• Required Documents
• DLA Provisioning & Clauses - includes Master Solicitations (It is important that you get familiar with these documents).
• DLA Troop Support Provisioning & Clauses - review Contracting Data
• DLA Aviation Provisioning & Clauses - DLA Aviation Master Solicitation
• Basic Military Packaging Standards - documents you need to get started
• ASSIST Quick Search and Instructions
• DLA Packaging Library - if you're having problems with ASSIST Quick Search, try our military packaging specifications, standards and manuals web page
• DLA Packaging Documents - includes palletization and special packaging instruction documents
• Training - Your key to success! Preservation/Packaging Guide
• Universities offering Packaging Engineering degrees.
• Military Schools offering packaging courses for contractors, Government and Military personnel.
• Procurement Technical Assistance Centers within your State (free training).
• DLA Land and Maritime TKO seminars on Doing Business with the Government, some include sessions on Military Packaging.
• Free OSHA Hazard Communication Training.
• Helpful Resources
• Get help from the DLA Business Counseling Centers (1-800-262-3272)
• DLA Land and Maritime Links to vendors programs, related sites, and publications (i.e. SADBU, SBA Online, DFARS, FARS, etc.)
• DLA Troop Support
• DLA Aviation
• Find out why Military Packaging necessary.
• Read the acquisition guide titled, DoD Packaging Guidebook. It has a lot of helpful acquistion information (For Guidance Only).
• Understand how you can decode the military packaging requirements on DLA contracts.
• Discover what are the most common OCONUS errors as it relates to packaging. Read this information and avoid costly mistakes!
• Be informed about the special heat treatment and marking requirements for wood boxes and pallets used to shipped materiel to European destinations and the penalties for non-compliance.
• Find out what other contractors are asking us, by visiting our PACK FAQ web page.
  Below are a couple web pages we encourage you to visit:
• Military Marking
• Bar Coding
• Count the Cost for non compliance on the military packaging or marking of a shipment.
• Know who you may call for packaging assistance (M-F, 6 AM - 4 PM EST)...
• Contracts with DLA Land and Maritime, contact: DLA Land and Maritime
• Contracts with DLA Troop Support, contact: DLA Troop Support
• Contracts with DLA Aviation, contact: DLA Aviation
• Contracts administered by Defense Contract Management Agency, contact: DCMA
• Not certain who to contact within DLA, use our Feedback Form to get the right Inventory Control Point to assist you.
• Find out where you may purchase...
• Bar code software and equipment
• Packaging Materials - Check your yellow pages and the Internet for 'Packaging Material Suppliers'
• Find out about BSM (Business Systems Modernization) - the Government's new way of doing business.
• If your company is one of the registered 30,000 plus suppliers, go to the BSM home page - then click on the link to the SIRC, Supplier Information Resource Center.
• If you are a customer, go to the BSM home page - then click on the link to the CRIC, Customer Resource Information Center.
• If you want to learn more about how to participate in the Program, select the BSM 'FAQ' link or drill down into either the SIRC or CRIC links featured on the BSM Home page. You may register as a BSM supplier on the SIRC. If you are a BSM customer with questions, please note the contact information on the CRIC web page.
• Need to search for a RFQ or need a copy of a contract? Visit the Procurement Gateway
• If this your first awarded Government contract with military packaging, here's what we strongly recommend you do:
• We highly recommend you establish a packaging program at your facility. The first step to establishing a packaging program is to train your staff on military packaging. For extensive training or available correspondence courses, contact the Ammo School packaging classes (1-918-420-8813). Check out our training web page for their contact information.
• During this time of acquiring training and establishing a good quality packaging program, we recommend your company utilize a Military Packaging House to avoid delaying contract fulfillments and/or incurring any additional costs for non-compliance. To locate a military packaging house, call your local DCMA.

Your Powerful Networking Questions!!!

12 Power Networking Questions

 

 1. What is the most important project you are currently involved, in case I or someone I know can be a resource to you?

This question helps you determine very quickly if you can add value, and adding value is the key to power networking. Be sure to write down the response on the back of their business card.
2. Who is your perfect customer, in case I can refer you business?
Generally, people love to be referred business. Remember to always seek to give and add value. Be someone who can not be “out gived”.
3. How did you get started in ____________?
This question can often unlock the true passion of the person you are speaking with. Be sure to note those passions so that you can look for ways to add value.
4. I meet lots of people, what should I tell people about you?
This question helps understand that person’s perceived image and value. It also helps you to gain clarity of what it is they do.
5. What do you do for fun when you’re not doing ______________?
This is another great question to help you determine the person’s true passion in life. If what they do for fun is something you also enjoy, then you have an excellent opportunity to build a deeper connection.
6. So, do you have any children?
Most parents adore their children and will beam with pride when discussing them. Use care here; however, since this is a highly personal question. If you do find out this information, remember the names and ages so that you can inquire about them later.
7. Where are you from originally?
Another question to determine if there are some commonalities.
8. Where is your favorite place to vacation?
Not only will you learn about cool places to vacation, you will know how to greatly add value if you happen to come across some tickets to that destination.
9. Who is your favorite author?
Sending a key contact a copy of their favorite author’s book is a great relationship building idea. Even better, a introduction to that author will greatly enhance the relationship (check your linkedin to see if you are somehow connected to the author).
10. What’s your number one personal goal for the year?
The answer to this question allows you to add value in a very powerful way.
11. What are your top 3 goals for this year?
Another question whose answer allows you to very specifically add great value to the relationship.
12. I have a large network that I always strive to add value to, in case I or someone in my network can help you today or in the future would you give us permission to stay in touch?
This is the golden question, do not forget to ask it! You want to be sure you have permission to contact them at a later date.
It will serve you well to memorize these questions and start using them next time you go to a networking event or call up some old contacts and ask a few of these questions. Please share your experiences in the comments section below.

You can sleep better with these 10 suggestions!!

1. Clear Your Thoughts
You can keep a little yellow pad and pen next to the bed so that before turning the lights out, you can empty your head onto a to-do list. It keeps you from having racing thoughts all night long.
2. Stay on a Schedule
"Establish a strict bedtime and awakening time. Expose yourself to bright light in the morning -- within 5 minutes of waking, go outside and take a walk for 30 minutes. Avoid any bright light for 2 or 3 hours before bedtime, or exercise within 3 hours. Avoid heavy meals, large amounts of fluid and alcohol.
3. If You Can't Sleep, Don't Stay in Bed
Sleep doesn't happen when you're trying too hard. If you can't sleep, try occupying yourself with any activity that is both engaging and relaxing, where you can be absorbed enough that you forget about sleep. you can read, fold clothes, organize your closet. Do this in dim light and quiet.
4. Sleep on Your Back
"Everyone should be a back sleeper. All day long we flex over our computer screens, dinner tables, and books, and we never do extension unless we do the up dog in yoga class. When you're on your back, you open up the rib cage, rest your back muscles and -- believe it or not -- work your abs. Your neck is neutral and your face isn't mashed into the pillow, so you're not getting wrinkles
5. Create Darkness
You can install large-scale Federal-style solid panel shutters on the bedroom windows. They're gigantic, like shutters you would put on the outside of a house, only now they're on the inside.
6. Wear Comfortable Pajamas
you should generally sleep in the oldest, softest cotton T-shirt you can find. 100 percent cotton pajamas. They may have a saggy butt and saggy knees, but who cares? They breathe, they give.
7. Try Lavender
"You could get an eye pillow with lavender in it -- warm it a little in the microwave first -- or put lavender oil in your humidifier. Inhaling lavender releases tension.
8. Listen to Music
"Stereo speakers in the bedroom! Mozart, Bach, Gregorian chants, wonderful quiet pipes and flutes -- - the sounds of waterfalls, oceans, birdsong. All terribly relaxing.
9. Early to bed:  Try to be asleep before midnight. It's always best to sleep between 11 P.M. and 1 A.M., as this is when the body's replenishes itself.  As you close your eyes and snuggle into your pillow, take three very deep breaths, slowly -- the deeper the breath, the deeper your sleep will be
10. Create An exclusive Sleep Enviroment
"Considering the bedroom solely as a room that is set apart for sleep and rest... It should have a bed that is ideally comfortable, a chaise longue on which to rest by day. And that is all."

Help yourself by helping others FIRST!!

Your 4 Ways to enter the Circle of Life!!

1. Giving means helping others achieve success. What is your plan to contribute to others? How much time and energy can you spare for this? Do you actively seek out opportunities to help people? You could volunteer to help out with something that’s important to someone in your circle of friends, offer advice or support in time of need, or even work hard to connect someone to a valuable contact of yours.
2. The person who helps you will not necessarily be the person you helped. Zig Ziglar says, “If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.” In other words, what goes around comes around. If you focus intently on helping others, you will achieve success in the end.
3. The law of reciprocity can be measured. It is a myth that networking cannot be measured and, if you apply the law of reciprocity, you will see your weekly total networking score gradually rise.
4. Success takes getting involved. Contrary to Woody Allen’s assertion that “90 percent of success is just showing up,” you have to do more than simply be present to be a successful networker. If you join a chamber of commerce, become an ambassador. If you join one of the many networking groups or even help in a leadership role with your children's sport teams or any community service and get involved in the leadership team. If you join a civic organization, get on a committee. The law of reciprocity requires giving to the group; it will pay you back many times over.
A master networker understands that, although networking is not the end but simply the means to growing a business, service to your network of contacts must always be uppermost in your networking activities. Once you have established a solid reputation as someone who cares about the success of others, the law of reciprocity will reward you with an abundance of high quality referrals.

Why you should have face to face meetings!!

When the daily avalanche of emails and voice messages gets overwhelming, it’s so tempting to retreat to your office and start typing replies and returning phone calls. That’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

No matter what industry we’re in, we’re all in the people business. We’ll only be successful if we really get to know our customers and colleagues. Many clients are so busy that they now prefer texting to even emails or calls. Skype, WebEx and audio calls are convenient and create the illusion we’re actually having a meeting -- but nothing beats the power of a truly personal, face-to-face connection.

What can you learn from an in-person meeting that you can’t from a virtual one?

1. You're off the record. In Silicon Valley and many other places, there are few private offices. Many of my clients work in cubes and can’t have private telephone conversations with me or anyone else. This means that when I talk to them on the phone, I might not get to hear the most important information they can share: the unique team dynamics or executive’s personality quirks that would make or break our ability to match an expert consultant. Over sushi or a latte or a walk around the block, your clients can let you know more -- with more color -- than they can over the telephone or in an email.

2. Make use of not-so-small talk. Most business conversations are focused on solving a problem quickly and efficiently, while business relationships are built when people take the time to share and learn more about each other. That happens more naturally in person than over the phone or in an email. What cements a bond between people? Small talk about a favorite team, passion for pecan pie, parenting challenges, and the other bits and pieces that make us unique and interesting.

3. Make an impression. You can only leave a really indelable impression face to face!!  There are over 382 silent, observed signals transmitted in a face to face encounter!!  How do you do that over Skype?

4. Read the body language. Facial expressions often communicate so much more than words. We host consultant coffees and invite a handful of independent consultants to our office in order to better understand the nuances of each professional in a relaxed setting. We need to know what isn’t on the resume that makes each person unique. In their eyes and in their body language, we can see confidence, empathy, fear, friendliness or sincerity. That ability to “read” a candidate beyond their keywords is a huge competitive advantage for us.

5. Learn where the action is. I find out so much when I visit one of my clients in their office. Is the lobby bright and inviting with recent accolades proudly displayed? Do employees seem happy? Is there free juice and healthy snacks in the cafeteria? Brand new Herman Miller chairs in the conference room? Is everyone moving in slow motion or is there a palpable buzz? The environment speaks volumes and may factor into your business proposal or plan. By understanding company dynamics, we can communicate more effectively to meet their needs.
I love new technologies that allow me communicate with others more freely and quickly. But as a business-person, I try to remember customers want to work with someone they can relate to, not just buy from.