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Messages - Grace Joydhar

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There are plenty of things you should say upon walking into an interview for your dream company. Your knowledge of what the company does (after all, you did spend hours researching everything about it), your expertly crafted elevator pitch, and why you, above every other candidate, should get hired.

While these are things you should never leave out in interviews, there are, at the same time, a handful of phrases you should never say. Seemingly harmless comments such as complimenting your interviewer’s outfit or talking about an illness could seriously hurt your chances of getting the job, according to Kathryn Tuggle of Fox Business.

Take a look at this infographic to see which phrases you should avoid at all costs—and what to say instead.



Source: https://www.themuse.com/advice/7-seemingly-harmless-phrases-you-should-never-ever-say-in-an-interview

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Strong technical skills are essential for any IT (information technology) position. However, IT employees also need soft skills, sometimes known as interpersonal skills. IT professionals need to be able to interact successfully with others, as well as manage projects and teams.
Often, those working in the tech industry are assumed to be socially awkward. While this works in movies and television shows, employers have found that many IT professionals possess as many interpersonal skills as anyone else. Technology experts suffering from more severe social handicaps (such as functional forms of autism) are able to practice and learn interpersonal and other soft skills to help them integrate well within a team.


What Are IT Soft Skills?
Information technology (IT) is a wide field of job positions. Some are engineers with PhDs, and others are high school graduates helping a secretary install software on their computer. Regardless, those working in IT often forget that it is not enough to know all the technical skills and software proficiencies.
Even if you've got solid hard skills, employers will evaluate your soft skills as you move through the hiring process. For many roles, you'll need hybrid skills - a combination of technical and non-technical skills.

Types of IT Soft Skills
Communication:
With the number of emails, proposals, and design documents an IT professional writes, clear and compelling written communication is essential. Effective verbal communication is equally important.
As an IT employee, you often have to explain technical processes in clear, easy-to-understand terms for customers and employers.
You must also be able to explain your ideas in such a way as to make others want to support and finance your projects.
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication
• Concision
• Collaboration

Creativity:
IT professionals are constantly looking toward the future; anticipating and developing solutions for potential tech problems and needs. This sort of forward thinking requires a lot of imagination and creative problem-solving. Employers look for tech professionals who are able to conceive unique solutions.
• Imagination
• Forward Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Strategy
• Open-mindedness
• Analytical Skills

Determination:
IT projects can stall because of a variety of issues: financial problems, issues with vendors, problems with software, hardware or processes, a lack of teamwork, or one of many other reasons.
It is important for an IT professional to stay focused on the ultimate goal and continue to work toward that result.
Beginning a project with a clear and realistic timeline and budget can help you achieve your ultimate goal. Your employer will be impressed with your ability not only to plan a project, but also to see it through to completion.
• Resilience
• Project Management
• Stress Management
• Problem Sensitivity
• Brainstorming
• Troubleshooting
• Restructuring
• Process Improvement

Flexibility:
IT professionals often face setbacks or unexpected changes, ranging from a technical problem with their project to a last-minute issue with a vendor. You need to learn to be flexible, accepting these changes and immediately looking for creative solutions. Employers will appreciate this flexibility.
Similarly, you must be open to suggestions and feedback, whether from an employer or a client. Listen attentively to any feedback you receive and be open to making necessary changes to improve satisfaction.
• Fast Learner
• Adaptability
• Resilience
• Prioritizing
• Quick Thinking
• Attention to Detail

Leadership:
Even if you are not in a management position, you will often be asked to manage a project or team, if only for a brief period. Being a project manager requires strong leadership skills, the ability to delegate tasks, and a constant focus on the end goal. As an IT professional, you may also be involved in client and vendor management. It is essential that you know how to communicate with clients and vendors effectively to ensure your company's needs are being met efficiently.
• Project Management
• Team Building
• Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Mentoring
• Encouraging
• Integrity

Negotiation:
No matter what your position in IT, you will need some form of negotiation skills, from making hiring decisions to collaborating with vendors or contractors to selling your idea to an organization. Being able to come to an agreement that satisfies both parties is a great soft skill that will make you stand out, particularly if you want to be promoted to a management position.
• Reaching Consensus
• Problem Sensitivity
• Awareness for Diversity in Religion and Ethnicity
• Focus
• Conflict Management

Presentation:
A presentation can be anything from a one-on-one conversation to a department meeting or lecture. Whatever the form, you need to be able to articulate your ideas clearly to others. Even if your ideas are great, no one will be able to appreciate them if you cannot convey them effectively. Working on your approachability, verbal communication, and your familiarity with presentation tools will help you to strengthen your presentation skills.
• Engaging
• Public Speaking
• Articulation
• Humor
• Sales

More IT Soft Skills:
• Logical Thinking
• Assessment
• Evaluating
• Consulting
• Organization
• Memory
• Innovation
• Commitment
• Vision
• Coordination
• Goal Oriented
• Judgment
• Initiative
• Multitasking
• Ongoing Improvement
• Picking Up on Patterns
• Ability to Work Independently
• Follow Directions
• Training
• Emotional Intelligence
• Research Solutions
• Optimization
• Integration
• Accuracy
• Investigation
• Building and Managing Expectations


Source: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-information-technology-it-soft-skills-2063781

3
Career planning is one of the most underrated exercises. And maybe one of the biggest reasons why most professionals end up doing an ordinary comfortable job and not living up to their fullest potential.
Many professionals shy away from career planning, as they think it will equip them with a rigid pathway, which they will not be able to follow but rest assured this is not the case.



Know Thyself:
• Be true to yourself. List out your strengths and weaknesses.
• Know your values, your skills, your work pattern.
• Have a clear picture of your ambitions and dreams in your mind.
• Draw a map for your future financial needs, your family priorities etc.

Know The Market:
• After self-evaluation, the second step is to know what is out there in the market.
• Which companies are performing well.
• Which industry is booming.
• What job options are there in your field of interest and what these jobs require in terms of qualification and experience.
• Talk to people, know about the real scenario behind these jobs.
• Learn how to make an entry and how after an entry you can advance further.
• what skills you lack in order to get that job and how you can get yourself skilled in those skills.
• Extensive market research and your network can help you in getting all such information.

What Works For You:
• Now when you know about your skills and potentials and also about what is out there in the market.
• It’s time for matchmaking or linking your skills and priorities with available options and then planning.
• Chart down a plan of where you are and where you want to be.
• Then mark down those industries or jobs or promotions (those which are in match with your personality and skills) that you should get in every stage to reach to your final goals.
• Write down steps of what you need to do in order to reach there.
• Find out what skills and qualifications and experiences you lack to achieve your goals. And what action you should take to gain those skills, qualifications & experiences.
• Don’t forget to consider other factors such as cost, location, family priorities, etc. while making the plan for all the stages.

Time For Action:
• After charting down a plan, things will get pretty clear to you. You would know at what stage, what action needs to be taken. So its time to start.
• If in order to reach the second stage, you need to change your job. Then go for it. Make a dynamic CV, start learning those skills which you lack, start interacting with people working in different organizations, and applying for jobs.
• If you want to change your career field altogether, then go for an internship, shadowing or training.
• If you think that promotion or movement within your current organization will help you in achieving your goals then start aiming for that.


Source: http://thecareersailor.com/2018/08/06/how-career-new-heights-help-career-planning/

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ল্যাটিন ‘ভাইরাস’ শব্দটির অর্থ হচ্ছে ‘বিষ’। এই বিষ যুগে যুগে মানুষের জীবনকে বিষিয়ে তুলেছে। তেমনি যুগে যুগে মানুষ পরাস্ত করেছে এমন ভয়াবহ অতি আণুবীক্ষণিক শত্রুকে। আজ সমগ্র পৃথিবীর মানুষ উন্মুখ হয়ে অপেক্ষা করছে যে সুখবরের জন্য, তা হলো নভেল করোনাভাইরাসের কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক টিকা। এ মুহূর্তে একমাত্র এ খবরটিই পারে কোটি কোটি মানুষের জীবনে স্বস্তি এনে দিতে। বিজ্ঞানীরা বসে নেই, দিনরাত কাজ করে যাচ্ছেন এই মহা মূল্যবান ধন্বন্তরি হাতের মুঠোয় নেওয়ার জন্য। দুঃস্বপ্নের রাত একটু বেশি দীর্ঘ হয়। তার পরও বলা চলে, সেদিন আর নিশ্চয়ই বেশি দূরে নেই, সেই সুখবরটি আমরা পাব। তাই আসুন আজ ভাইরাসের বিরুদ্ধে মানুষের বিজয়ের গল্প শুনি।


গুটিবসন্ত
মারাত্মক সংক্রামক ব্যাধি গুটিবসন্তের ভয়াবহতা অনেকেরই মনে থাকার কথা। বহু শতাব্দী ধরে গুটিবসন্ত ছিল এক বিশাল ত্রাসের নাম। গুটিবসন্তের ভাইরাসের নাম ভেরিওলা মেজর (Variola major)। এটি একবার সংক্রামিত হলে উজাড় হয়ে যেত লোকালয়। সরগরম জনবসতি পরিণত হতো মৃত নগরীতে, শবদেহের সৎকারের জন্য কাউকে খুঁজে পাওয়া সহজ হতো না। শুধু বিশ শতকেই গুটিবসন্তে প্রাণ হারিয়েছে প্রায় ৩০ কোটি মানুষ। এতে আক্রান্ত হলে প্রতি ১০০ জনে ৩০ জনের মৃত্যু হতো। শিশুমৃত্যুর হার ৮০ শতাংশ ছাড়িয়ে যেত। যারা বেঁচে যেত, তাদের অনেকে হয় অন্ধ হয়ে যেত, নয়তো সারা জীবন শরীরে অস্বস্তিকর স্থায়ী দাগ বয়ে বেড়াত। আজ এই ভয়ংকর রোগটি আশ্রয় নিয়েছে ইতিহাসের পাতায়।

ব্রিটিশ চিকিৎসক ডা. এডওয়ার্ড জেনার লক্ষ্য করছিলেন যে গোবসন্তে আক্রান্ত ব্যক্তিরা বিশেষ করে গোয়ালিনীরা গুটিবসন্তে আক্রান্ত হন না। ১৪ মে ১৭৯৬ তারিখে সারা নেলমস্ নামের এক তরুণীর হাতের গোবসন্তের তাজা গুটি থেকে খানিকটা তরল পুঁজ নিয়ে ৮ বছর বয়সী বালক জেমস ফিপসের শরীরে প্রবেশ করান জেনার। এরপর তিনি লক্ষ্য করলেন, বালকটি ৯ দিন হালকা জ্বর, কিছুটা অস্বস্তি এবং ক্ষুধামান্দ্যে ভুগে পুরোপুরি সুস্থ হয়ে উঠেছে। প্রায় দুই মাস পর জুলাইতে তিনি সেই বালকের দেহে বসন্তের তাজা তরল প্রবেশ করালেন। এবারে তিনি ব্যবহার করলেন ভয়াবহ আসল গুটিবসন্তের গুটি থেকে নেওয়া তরল রস এবং অবাক হয়ে লক্ষ করলেন, বালকটি মোটেও গুটিবসন্তে আক্রান্ত হলো না। দুই মাস আগে তার দেহে প্রবেশ করানো গোবসন্তের পুঁজ বালকটির শরীরে প্রতিরোধ গড়ে তুলেছে। তিনি নিশ্চিত হলেন যে অমূল্য মহৌষধের সন্ধান পেয়েছেন। এভাবে জন্ম নিল গুটিবসন্তের টিকা বা ভ্যাকসিন এবং ইতিহাসের পাতায় নাম লেখালেন একজন মহামানব, তাঁকে বলা হলো ইমিউনোলজির জনক। তাঁর এমন যুগান্তকরী আবিষ্কারের পথ ধরেই পৃথিবী থেকে গুটিবসন্ত নির্মূল করা সম্ভব হয়েছে, রক্ষা পেয়েছে কোটি কোটি মানুষের প্রাণ।


জলাতঙ্ক
দিনটি ছিল ৬ জুলাই ১৮৮৫, বহুদূর থেকে একজন মা উপস্থিত হলেন প্যারিসে বিজ্ঞানী লুই পাস্তুরের গবেষণাগারে। তাঁর সঙ্গে ৯ বছরের সন্তান জোসেফ মিয়েস্টার। দুদিন আগে স্কুলে যাওয়ার পথে এই বালকটিকে পাগলা (সংক্রামিত) কুকুর ভীষণভাবে কামড়ে দিয়েছে। ডাক্তাররা একবাক্যে বলে দিয়েছেন, ছেলেটির বাঁচার মোটেই কোনো সম্ভাবনা নেই, কারণ বালকটির দেহে মোট ১৪টি কামড়ের দগদগে দাগ। এমন কামড়ে অচিরেই তার ভাইরাসজনিত রোগ জলাতঙ্ক দেখা দেবে এবং অসহনীয় যন্ত্রণায় তিলে তিলে মারা যাবে ছেলেটি। সে সময় তা-ই হতো, জলাতঙ্কের রেবিস ভাইরাস ঠেকাবার কোনো উপায় জানা ছিল না মানুষের। রেবিসের লক্ষণ প্রকাশ পাওয়ার তিন থেকে পাঁচ দিনের মধ্যে তীব্র খিঁচুনি ও পক্ষাঘাতে দুঃসহ কষ্টে রোগীর মৃত্যু হয়। প্রতিবছর জলাতঙ্কে অগণিত মানুষ প্রাণ হারায়।

লুই পাস্তুর অনেক দিন আগে থেকেই এমন মারাত্মক রোগের প্রতিষেধক উদ্ভাবনের চেষ্টা চালিয়ে যাচ্ছিলেন। তিনি রেবিস ভাইরাসে সংক্রামিত খরগোশের অস্থি-মজ্জা শুকিয়ে নিয়ে (দুর্বল) রেবিস ভাইরাসকে টিকা হিসেবে সংক্রামিত কুকুরের দেহে প্রয়োগ করে বেশ কিছু কুকুরকে সংক্রমণমুক্ত করেছিলেন। অনেকটা বিষে বিষক্ষয়। তিনি বুঝতে পারলেন, জলাতঙ্ক নিরাময়ে মহৌষধের সন্ধান তিনি পেয়েছেন। এখন বাকি শুধু মানবদেহে এর কার্যকারিতা পরীক্ষা করা।

এদিকে সন্তানকে নিশ্চিত মৃত্যুর মুখ থেকে ফিরিয়ে আনার একান্ত আশা নিয়ে একজন অসহায় মা যখন তাঁর দ্বারে এসে দাঁড়ালেন, তখন তিনি অনেকটা বাধ্য হয়েই বালকটির দেহে নিজের উদ্ভাবিত প্রতিষেধক প্রয়োগ করলেন। পরবর্তী কয়েক দিন ধরে নির্দিষ্ট মাত্রার প্রতিষেধক টিকা প্রয়োগ করে বালকটিকে সুস্থ করে তুললেন আর আতঙ্কগ্রস্ত মায়ের মুখে হাসি ফিরিয়ে আনলেন। আবিষ্কার হলো জলাতঙ্কের কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক টিকা, মানুষের হাতে পরাভূত হলো আরেকটি অতি ভয়ংকর ভাইরাসঘটিত রোগ।


পোলিও
এই ভয়ংকর ভাইরাসজনিত রোগের পুরো নাম পোলিওমাইলাইটিস। পোলিওতে আক্রান্ত হলে প্রাণে বেঁচে গেলেও মানুষকে পক্ষাঘাতের অভিশাপ বয়ে বেড়াতে হতো বাকি জীবন। এরা স্নায়ুতন্ত্রকে অকেজো করে ফেলত। সবচেয়ে বড় কথা হলো, এ ভাইরাসের শিকার ছিল বেশির ভাগ পাঁচ বছরের কম বয়সের শিশু। তাই এর আরেকটি নাম হলো ‘শিশুদের প্যারালাইসিস’। এই রোগে আক্রান্ত শিশুর এক বা একাধিক অঙ্গ অবশ হয়ে যায়। শ্বাস-প্রশ্বাসের পেশি অবশ হলে শ্বাস বন্ধ হয়ে শিশুটির নির্মম মৃত্যু মা-বাবা, স্বজনদের প্রত্যক্ষ করতে হয়। শতকরা ৯৫ ভাগেরও বেশি পোলিও রোগীর দৃশ্যমান উপসর্গ দেখা যায় না।

বিংশ শতাব্দীর প্রথম দিকে ইউরোপ ও আমেরিকায় পোলিওর প্রকোপ বৃদ্ধি পায় এবং জনমনে প্রচণ্ড আতঙ্ক ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। পোলিও ভাইরাসের শিকার একজন বিখ্যাত ব্যক্তি হলেন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সাবেক প্রেসিডেন্ট ফ্রাঙ্কলিন রুজভেল্ট। তিনি তখনো প্রেসিডেন্ট হননি, ১৯২১ সালে মাত্র ৩৯ বছর বয়স। পোলিওর কোনো চিকিৎসা তখনো না থাকায় এই ভাইরাসের আক্রমণে রুজভেল্টের পা দুটো পুরোপুরি অচল হয়ে পড়ে।

এমন অভিশপ্ত ভাইরাসকে পরাস্ত করতে এগিয়ে আসেন বহু বিজ্ঞানী। এর মধ্যে একজন হলেন জোনাস সাল্ক। ১৯৫৩ সালে পোলিও ভাইরাসের নিরাপদ এবং কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক আবিষ্কার করে মানুষকে বিভীষিকামুক্ত করেন এ বিজ্ঞানী। সাল্ক প্রথম ফরমালিন ব্যবহার করে পোষক কোষে পোলিও ভাইরাসের বৃদ্ধি রোধ করেন। পরে এই ভাইরাস সুস্থ মানবদেহে প্রবেশ করিয়ে তিনি লক্ষ করেন, দেহ অ্যান্টিবডি প্রস্তুত করে পোলিওর বিরুদ্ধে চমৎকার প্রতিরক্ষা ব্যবস্থা গড়ে তুলেছে। অতি বড় হৃদয়ের এই সাধক মানুষটি বিশ্ব মানবতার শত্রু পোলিওকে পরাভূত করার মোক্ষম অস্ত্র উদ্ভাবন করেও এ থেকে কোনো ফায়দা নেননি। এমনকি পোলিও টিকা নিজের নামে পেটেন্ট করেননি। আরেকজন বিজ্ঞানী অ্যালবার্ট সাবিন, তিনি ইনজেকশনের পরিবর্তে ওরাল অর্থাৎ মুখে সেবনযোগ্য আরও সহজ এবং সাশ্রয়ী পোলিও টিকার উদ্ভাবন করেন।

বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা ১৯৮৮ সালে বিশ্বকে পোলিওমুক্ত করতে এক বিশাল উদ্যোগ গ্রহণ করে। বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রচেষ্টার ফলস্বরূপ পোলিওর সংক্রমণ ৯৯ শতাংশের বেশি হ্রাস পায়। প্রতিবছর আক্রান্তের সংখ্যা ৩ লাখ ৫০ হাজার থেকে নেমে এসে ২০১৩ সালে মাত্র ৪১৬টি সংক্রমণের খবর পাওয়া যায়। এককালের বিভীষিকা পোলিও এখন ইতিহাসের এক বিস্মৃত অধ্যায়।

করোনাভাইরাসের এই প্রাদুর্ভাবের কালেও আমরা তা-ই আশা করতেই পারি, খুব দ্রুত পৃথিবীর কোথাও না কোথাও কোনো না কোনো বিজ্ঞানী আমাদের আশার সংবাদ দেবেন।


তথ্যসূত্র: বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা, CDC, USA
লেখক: অণুজীববিজ্ঞানী এবং ফরাসি বিচার বিভাগে বিশেষজ্ঞ হিসেবে কর্মরত।

Source: https://www.prothomalo.com/life-style/article/1648830/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA

5
ল্যাটিন ‘ভাইরাস’ শব্দটির অর্থ হচ্ছে ‘বিষ’। এই বিষ যুগে যুগে মানুষের জীবনকে বিষিয়ে তুলেছে। তেমনি যুগে যুগে মানুষ পরাস্ত করেছে এমন ভয়াবহ অতি আণুবীক্ষণিক শত্রুকে। আজ সমগ্র পৃথিবীর মানুষ উন্মুখ হয়ে অপেক্ষা করছে যে সুখবরের জন্য, তা হলো নভেল করোনাভাইরাসের কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক টিকা। এ মুহূর্তে একমাত্র এ খবরটিই পারে কোটি কোটি মানুষের জীবনে স্বস্তি এনে দিতে। বিজ্ঞানীরা বসে নেই, দিনরাত কাজ করে যাচ্ছেন এই মহা মূল্যবান ধন্বন্তরি হাতের মুঠোয় নেওয়ার জন্য। দুঃস্বপ্নের রাত একটু বেশি দীর্ঘ হয়। তার পরও বলা চলে, সেদিন আর নিশ্চয়ই বেশি দূরে নেই, সেই সুখবরটি আমরা পাব। তাই আসুন আজ ভাইরাসের বিরুদ্ধে মানুষের বিজয়ের গল্প শুনি।


গুটিবসন্ত
মারাত্মক সংক্রামক ব্যাধি গুটিবসন্তের ভয়াবহতা অনেকেরই মনে থাকার কথা। বহু শতাব্দী ধরে গুটিবসন্ত ছিল এক বিশাল ত্রাসের নাম। গুটিবসন্তের ভাইরাসের নাম ভেরিওলা মেজর (Variola major)। এটি একবার সংক্রামিত হলে উজাড় হয়ে যেত লোকালয়। সরগরম জনবসতি পরিণত হতো মৃত নগরীতে, শবদেহের সৎকারের জন্য কাউকে খুঁজে পাওয়া সহজ হতো না। শুধু বিশ শতকেই গুটিবসন্তে প্রাণ হারিয়েছে প্রায় ৩০ কোটি মানুষ। এতে আক্রান্ত হলে প্রতি ১০০ জনে ৩০ জনের মৃত্যু হতো। শিশুমৃত্যুর হার ৮০ শতাংশ ছাড়িয়ে যেত। যারা বেঁচে যেত, তাদের অনেকে হয় অন্ধ হয়ে যেত, নয়তো সারা জীবন শরীরে অস্বস্তিকর স্থায়ী দাগ বয়ে বেড়াত। আজ এই ভয়ংকর রোগটি আশ্রয় নিয়েছে ইতিহাসের পাতায়।

ব্রিটিশ চিকিৎসক ডা. এডওয়ার্ড জেনার লক্ষ্য করছিলেন যে গোবসন্তে আক্রান্ত ব্যক্তিরা বিশেষ করে গোয়ালিনীরা গুটিবসন্তে আক্রান্ত হন না। ১৪ মে ১৭৯৬ তারিখে সারা নেলমস্ নামের এক তরুণীর হাতের গোবসন্তের তাজা গুটি থেকে খানিকটা তরল পুঁজ নিয়ে ৮ বছর বয়সী বালক জেমস ফিপসের শরীরে প্রবেশ করান জেনার। এরপর তিনি লক্ষ্য করলেন, বালকটি ৯ দিন হালকা জ্বর, কিছুটা অস্বস্তি এবং ক্ষুধামান্দ্যে ভুগে পুরোপুরি সুস্থ হয়ে উঠেছে। প্রায় দুই মাস পর জুলাইতে তিনি সেই বালকের দেহে বসন্তের তাজা তরল প্রবেশ করালেন। এবারে তিনি ব্যবহার করলেন ভয়াবহ আসল গুটিবসন্তের গুটি থেকে নেওয়া তরল রস এবং অবাক হয়ে লক্ষ করলেন, বালকটি মোটেও গুটিবসন্তে আক্রান্ত হলো না। দুই মাস আগে তার দেহে প্রবেশ করানো গোবসন্তের পুঁজ বালকটির শরীরে প্রতিরোধ গড়ে তুলেছে। তিনি নিশ্চিত হলেন যে অমূল্য মহৌষধের সন্ধান পেয়েছেন। এভাবে জন্ম নিল গুটিবসন্তের টিকা বা ভ্যাকসিন এবং ইতিহাসের পাতায় নাম লেখালেন একজন মহামানব, তাঁকে বলা হলো ইমিউনোলজির জনক। তাঁর এমন যুগান্তকরী আবিষ্কারের পথ ধরেই পৃথিবী থেকে গুটিবসন্ত নির্মূল করা সম্ভব হয়েছে, রক্ষা পেয়েছে কোটি কোটি মানুষের প্রাণ।


জলাতঙ্ক
দিনটি ছিল ৬ জুলাই ১৮৮৫, বহুদূর থেকে একজন মা উপস্থিত হলেন প্যারিসে বিজ্ঞানী লুই পাস্তুরের গবেষণাগারে। তাঁর সঙ্গে ৯ বছরের সন্তান জোসেফ মিয়েস্টার। দুদিন আগে স্কুলে যাওয়ার পথে এই বালকটিকে পাগলা (সংক্রামিত) কুকুর ভীষণভাবে কামড়ে দিয়েছে। ডাক্তাররা একবাক্যে বলে দিয়েছেন, ছেলেটির বাঁচার মোটেই কোনো সম্ভাবনা নেই, কারণ বালকটির দেহে মোট ১৪টি কামড়ের দগদগে দাগ। এমন কামড়ে অচিরেই তার ভাইরাসজনিত রোগ জলাতঙ্ক দেখা দেবে এবং অসহনীয় যন্ত্রণায় তিলে তিলে মারা যাবে ছেলেটি। সে সময় তা-ই হতো, জলাতঙ্কের রেবিস ভাইরাস ঠেকাবার কোনো উপায় জানা ছিল না মানুষের। রেবিসের লক্ষণ প্রকাশ পাওয়ার তিন থেকে পাঁচ দিনের মধ্যে তীব্র খিঁচুনি ও পক্ষাঘাতে দুঃসহ কষ্টে রোগীর মৃত্যু হয়। প্রতিবছর জলাতঙ্কে অগণিত মানুষ প্রাণ হারায়।

লুই পাস্তুর অনেক দিন আগে থেকেই এমন মারাত্মক রোগের প্রতিষেধক উদ্ভাবনের চেষ্টা চালিয়ে যাচ্ছিলেন। তিনি রেবিস ভাইরাসে সংক্রামিত খরগোশের অস্থি-মজ্জা শুকিয়ে নিয়ে (দুর্বল) রেবিস ভাইরাসকে টিকা হিসেবে সংক্রামিত কুকুরের দেহে প্রয়োগ করে বেশ কিছু কুকুরকে সংক্রমণমুক্ত করেছিলেন। অনেকটা বিষে বিষক্ষয়। তিনি বুঝতে পারলেন, জলাতঙ্ক নিরাময়ে মহৌষধের সন্ধান তিনি পেয়েছেন। এখন বাকি শুধু মানবদেহে এর কার্যকারিতা পরীক্ষা করা।

এদিকে সন্তানকে নিশ্চিত মৃত্যুর মুখ থেকে ফিরিয়ে আনার একান্ত আশা নিয়ে একজন অসহায় মা যখন তাঁর দ্বারে এসে দাঁড়ালেন, তখন তিনি অনেকটা বাধ্য হয়েই বালকটির দেহে নিজের উদ্ভাবিত প্রতিষেধক প্রয়োগ করলেন। পরবর্তী কয়েক দিন ধরে নির্দিষ্ট মাত্রার প্রতিষেধক টিকা প্রয়োগ করে বালকটিকে সুস্থ করে তুললেন আর আতঙ্কগ্রস্ত মায়ের মুখে হাসি ফিরিয়ে আনলেন। আবিষ্কার হলো জলাতঙ্কের কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক টিকা, মানুষের হাতে পরাভূত হলো আরেকটি অতি ভয়ংকর ভাইরাসঘটিত রোগ।


পোলিও
এই ভয়ংকর ভাইরাসজনিত রোগের পুরো নাম পোলিওমাইলাইটিস। পোলিওতে আক্রান্ত হলে প্রাণে বেঁচে গেলেও মানুষকে পক্ষাঘাতের অভিশাপ বয়ে বেড়াতে হতো বাকি জীবন। এরা স্নায়ুতন্ত্রকে অকেজো করে ফেলত। সবচেয়ে বড় কথা হলো, এ ভাইরাসের শিকার ছিল বেশির ভাগ পাঁচ বছরের কম বয়সের শিশু। তাই এর আরেকটি নাম হলো ‘শিশুদের প্যারালাইসিস’। এই রোগে আক্রান্ত শিশুর এক বা একাধিক অঙ্গ অবশ হয়ে যায়। শ্বাস-প্রশ্বাসের পেশি অবশ হলে শ্বাস বন্ধ হয়ে শিশুটির নির্মম মৃত্যু মা-বাবা, স্বজনদের প্রত্যক্ষ করতে হয়। শতকরা ৯৫ ভাগেরও বেশি পোলিও রোগীর দৃশ্যমান উপসর্গ দেখা যায় না।

বিংশ শতাব্দীর প্রথম দিকে ইউরোপ ও আমেরিকায় পোলিওর প্রকোপ বৃদ্ধি পায় এবং জনমনে প্রচণ্ড আতঙ্ক ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। পোলিও ভাইরাসের শিকার একজন বিখ্যাত ব্যক্তি হলেন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সাবেক প্রেসিডেন্ট ফ্রাঙ্কলিন রুজভেল্ট। তিনি তখনো প্রেসিডেন্ট হননি, ১৯২১ সালে মাত্র ৩৯ বছর বয়স। পোলিওর কোনো চিকিৎসা তখনো না থাকায় এই ভাইরাসের আক্রমণে রুজভেল্টের পা দুটো পুরোপুরি অচল হয়ে পড়ে।

এমন অভিশপ্ত ভাইরাসকে পরাস্ত করতে এগিয়ে আসেন বহু বিজ্ঞানী। এর মধ্যে একজন হলেন জোনাস সাল্ক। ১৯৫৩ সালে পোলিও ভাইরাসের নিরাপদ এবং কার্যকর প্রতিষেধক আবিষ্কার করে মানুষকে বিভীষিকামুক্ত করেন এ বিজ্ঞানী। সাল্ক প্রথম ফরমালিন ব্যবহার করে পোষক কোষে পোলিও ভাইরাসের বৃদ্ধি রোধ করেন। পরে এই ভাইরাস সুস্থ মানবদেহে প্রবেশ করিয়ে তিনি লক্ষ করেন, দেহ অ্যান্টিবডি প্রস্তুত করে পোলিওর বিরুদ্ধে চমৎকার প্রতিরক্ষা ব্যবস্থা গড়ে তুলেছে। অতি বড় হৃদয়ের এই সাধক মানুষটি বিশ্ব মানবতার শত্রু পোলিওকে পরাভূত করার মোক্ষম অস্ত্র উদ্ভাবন করেও এ থেকে কোনো ফায়দা নেননি। এমনকি পোলিও টিকা নিজের নামে পেটেন্ট করেননি। আরেকজন বিজ্ঞানী অ্যালবার্ট সাবিন, তিনি ইনজেকশনের পরিবর্তে ওরাল অর্থাৎ মুখে সেবনযোগ্য আরও সহজ এবং সাশ্রয়ী পোলিও টিকার উদ্ভাবন করেন।

বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা ১৯৮৮ সালে বিশ্বকে পোলিওমুক্ত করতে এক বিশাল উদ্যোগ গ্রহণ করে। বিশ্বব্যাপী প্রচেষ্টার ফলস্বরূপ পোলিওর সংক্রমণ ৯৯ শতাংশের বেশি হ্রাস পায়। প্রতিবছর আক্রান্তের সংখ্যা ৩ লাখ ৫০ হাজার থেকে নেমে এসে ২০১৩ সালে মাত্র ৪১৬টি সংক্রমণের খবর পাওয়া যায়। এককালের বিভীষিকা পোলিও এখন ইতিহাসের এক বিস্মৃত অধ্যায়।

করোনাভাইরাসের এই প্রাদুর্ভাবের কালেও আমরা তা-ই আশা করতেই পারি, খুব দ্রুত পৃথিবীর কোথাও না কোথাও কোনো না কোনো বিজ্ঞানী আমাদের আশার সংবাদ দেবেন।


তথ্যসূত্র: বিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা, CDC, USA
লেখক: অণুজীববিজ্ঞানী এবং ফরাসি বিচার বিভাগে বিশেষজ্ঞ হিসেবে কর্মরত।

Source: https://www.prothomalo.com/life-style/article/1648830/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A7-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA

6

Why Are Team-Building Exercises Important?
Incorporating good team-building exercises into your business can help you stay ahead of the competition, something that is more important than ever in today's harsh economic climate.
The most effective and efficient teams are those who know what they are supposed to do and when they are supposed to do it, how much leeway they have to push the boundaries, and the consequences of overstepping the mark.
Team-building activities provide a safe environment to in which to identify areas that can be improved and reinforce the consequences of getting things wrong.
Though there are loads of great activities out there, my two favorites are the question and question game and picture perfect. Keep scrolling for directions on how to play, desired outcomes for each exercise, and a discussion of the importance of good communication in sales and how these activities will help develop it.

My Two Favorite Team-Building Activities
People learn more when they're enjoying themselves, so try to make your activities as fun as possible.
Communication exercises need to be built around listening, collecting, or passing on information and being observant. Often, the best exercises are the ones you design yourself or adapt to your own circumstances.

Here are two ideas to get you started.

  • The Question and Question Game
    How to Play: This is a twist on the yes / no game and is played with two people, one person asking questions and one person answering.
    • Pick any object—ideally something non-work-related so it feels more fun.
    • The questioner needs to keep a conversation going with the other person for at least one minute about the orange (or whatever object you've chosen), but the questioner cannot ask a question to which a yes / no answer would be appropriate or they lose the game.
    • Aggressive questions (as judged by an observer) result in an immediate loss for the questioner.

    Let's say the chosen object is an orange. The question 'Do you like oranges?' would be no good, whereas 'What's the best orange you've ever had' would be okay as it demands more than a yes/no answer.

    Takeaway: This is remarkably difficult to do, and that's its point; it makes a sales team think hard about what questions to ask and how to ask them.
  • Picture Perfect
    How to Play: This game is played with four people and highlights the need for clarity in communication. The two picture creators need to be at opposite ends of a room or even in separate rooms—far enough away that they cannot communicate at all. Each has an assistant who will pass information between them.
    • One person is given a simply drawn picture. It needs to be something that can be fairly easily recreated (e.g. a box with a bow on top).
    • The person who draws the initial picture has to give instructions to their assistant on what needs to be drawn using only descriptions of shapes (i.e. they can't say 'draw a box with a bow on it.' They'd have to start with 'draw a square,' etc.).
    • They give the first instruction to their assistant who then goes to the middle of the room (or the separate room) and passes the information to the drawer's assistant.
    • The drawer's assistant then tells the drawer what to draw. The drawer's goal is to recreate the picture without actually seeing it.
    • Questions from the drawer (e.g. 'what size is the square?') are carried back by the same method.
    • This process continues one shape at a time until the drawing is complete and can be compared with the original.
    • Often, the end result is two images that bear no resemblance to each other.
    Takeaway: This exercise highlights how easy it is for the simplest instruction (e.g. draw a square) to be interpreted differently by different people, and therefore demonstrate just how important clarity in communication is. This includes the need to ask the right questions and respond accordingly.

Team Building Improves Communication
A good sales team needs to be able to convince their customer that they need what is being sold to them. A really good sales team is able to do that without the customer realising that they've just been part of a sales job. An excellent sales team will not only be able to do the above but will also ensure that the customer returns to them when they next need the product or service and recommends them to their friends and colleagues.

Unfortunately, not only do many sales teams fail to meet the standard required to be good (let alone excellent), they excel at being bad with in-your-face, pushy, or ill-thought-out arguments.

Take, for example, the poor, unfortunate salesperson who phoned me not long ago to ask why I hadn't taken out the repair cover guarantee for some product I'd bought. I replied (quite reasonably, I thought) that I hadn't taken out the cover as I didn't expect the product to break down—unless he knew something I didn't. There were a few moments of silence on his end of the line (I don't think they'd covered faith in the product in the telephone script), then he said goodbye and hung up.

The problem with that scenario was that he asked me a question that just begged for a negative answer, whereas starting with 'Are you enjoying the product and would you like to protect against the unlikely event of...' etc. would have gotten a different response.

Sales is all about communication—communication with customers, communication with the rest of the sales team, communication with support staff—communication, communication, communication. If things aren't being done right, customers are not buying (assuming your product or service is not at fault), and goods are not being delivered as stated, you guessed it—the problem is likely poor communication.

So how do you fix it? You integrate sales team-building activities and exercises into your company calendar on a regular basis.

Further Ideas and Information
In general, employees produce their best work when they are happy with their working environment. This includes both the physical environment (e.g. there are always enough coffee cups in the canteen) and the emotional environment (i.e. company culture and coworkers). In addition to helping your employees work more effectively, activities like the two above can also foster a healthy emotional environment in the workplace.

Hopefully, this has given you a starting point for your team-building plan. Plenty of other ideas can be found online or by perusing some of the many books on the subject. It's always good to get a wide range of ideas and suggestions before you start so you can put together a program that is well-suited to your team.

Now that you've gotten started, go forth and build!

Source: https://toughnickel.com/business/Ideas-for-Team-Building-Exercises-for-Sales-People

7
Cover Letter / How to Write a Great Cover Letter in 6 Steps
« on: March 28, 2020, 06:53:22 PM »

Your cover letter is an opportunity to impress. Get it right and a hiring manager will open your beautifully crafted resume with relish and a sense of optimism. Get it wrong and they’ll open it grudgingly, or not at all. Even in today’s digital world, cover letters in whatever form remain as relevant as they’ve ever been. Here’s how to get yours right.

What is a cover letter?
In sales, your best route to a new customer is through a personal referral from a trusted source. Use your cover letter to refer yourself and your resume through, so that you’ll have an opportunity to sell yourself. This is a ‘first-impression’ moment. Establish trust by making your cover letter fully meet the expectations of the reader. Write a cover letter to generate a jaw-dropping ‘Wow!’ experience and motivate the reader to open your resume.

How to start to write a great cover letter
To create an effective opening to your cover letter, follow these steps:

1. Contact information.
Include your full contact information so you’re certain the organization has it, don’t just rely on your email address making it cleanly through an email trail. Your email address should create a professional impression. Don’t use an email address like crazygal@email.com. Always include a date, so that your communication has a solid reference and can be found for queries in the future.

2. Salutation / greeting.
Be formal and use ‘Dear …’, not ‘Hi’, at least until you have a well-established dialogue with someone. Write to a named individual, it shows respect and you’re more likely to get personal attention. If necessary, ring the organization and ask who to address your communication to. It demonstrates thoroughness and professionalism.

3. Opening part.
Your opening paragraph will make or break your chances with the hiring manager. You want to keep it short and sweet and get to the point. At the same time, you need it to stand out and grab the attention of the reader. This paragraph is your chance to capture the attention of the hiring managers and make them want to read more.
Generally, your opening paragraph should address three main things. These include how you find out about the position, your experience, and what you can bring to the company. For example, a simple opening paragraph may sound like this:

“ I was excited to see that [Company Name] was hiring a sales manager skilled at tapping into new markets and growing the customer base. I have been to many of your company’s networking events myself and always found invaluable connections. With over five years of experience attracting new customers and promoting brand loyalty, I believe I would be the perfect fit for this role.”

4. Middle part.
Once you have the attention of the hiring manager, it is time to convince them you are the perfect fit for the role and company. The body of your cover letter should highlight why you are more suitable than other applicants, and why the company is right for you. Essentially, this is the most critical part of your cover letter.
In the second part of the body, expand on why you chose this particular company. Explain why you would like to work for them – have you attended their events? Did you like their marketing campaigns? Mainly, show that you are genuinely interested in the company, and don’t be afraid to point out what in particular you like.
Then, tease what you could bring to the company as an employee. Base this on your experience and recent news about the company. For example, propose a solution to a problem they have been facing. Show the hiring manager that you are valuable and would fit right in.

5. Closing part.
Much like in an essay, your closing paragraph should summarize your main points and conclude your cover letter. In other words, your ending should be short and to the point. Thank the hiring manager for consideration and reiterate your excitement about this opportunity. When summarizing your experience, focus on the value you would bring to the company.
Finally, don’t forget to structure your closing paragraph as an offer. You have explained your value in the body of your cover letter, now offer that value to the hiring manager. For example, tell them how excited you would be to discuss how your area of expertise could help the company grow. However, avoid trying to sell yourself too hard. Sometimes, this can be seen as disrespectful and could decrease your chances of getting the job.

6. Complimentary close and signature.
Use ‘Yours sincerely’ if you have a person’s name at the start. If you’ve started with ‘Dear Sir’, or similar, use ‘Yours faithfully’ to sign off. On a document, include a copy of your signature, even if it’s just an added image, and put your full name below it. If your cover letter is an email or an online form box, sign off with your full name, not just a first name.


What to include in a great cover letter
Success lies within the effort you put in. Revisit your previous resume research and use it to inform and tailor your content.
  • What does the company do, what are their products, who are their customers?
  • What markets do they serve, what challenges do they face, who are their competitors?
  • What does the role involve, what are the objectives, what skills do you need?

Concentrate on the following points:
  • Write to a named person. If necessary ring HR, ask who to address your application to.
  • Show some added value. Have you got an extra skill or experience not asked for, but which would be highly valuable?
  • Appeal to underlying needs. If you understand the hiring manager’s problems you can focus on presenting skills or experience that would help.
  • Show your personality. Be a focussed business-like professional, but show genuine enthusiasm and a reason why you love this market, product or job.
  • Use key-words. If they want a widget manager and you say, “I’m a widget manager,” you’re halfway there already. Play to their highlighted desires in the job ad.
  • Include contact details. Don’t rely on your email address making it cleanly through an email trail.

What not to include in your cover letter
  • Don’t repeat your resume. Present added value and hooks into your resume.
  • Avoid hyperbole and exaggeration. Don’t say, “I’m excellent at …”. Who says?
  • Don’t get off-track. Irrelevant words waste time and disappoint the reader.
  • Don’t beg. Emotional pleas show you as self-centered and are a turn-off.
  • Leave out your life-story. That’s in your resume, effectively.

Professional insights
These comments are captured from recruiters, HR professionals and hiring managers who receive lots of applications. They’re busy, with little patience.
  • “I want a brief factual note about your potential, not why your kids need a holiday.”
  • “I don’t care about your career. I do care about what you could do for our organization.”
  • “Don’t cut and paste paragraphs, tailor what you say to us.”
  • “Proof-read your cover letter. You might have a great resume, but if no one opens it ….”
  • “Follow the stated submission procedure. Shall I repeat that?”

Source: https://www.resumeway.com/blog/how-to-write-a-great-cover-letter-in-6-steps/

8


Employee engagement is the key to building a successful business. But driving employee engagement doesn't come easy: worldwide, only 15% of employees are engaged with their work. So what went wrong?

There are hundreds of interesting statistics on employee engagement.

To make things easier for you, we've picked top 8 stats you should definitively know about if you want to create an engaging company culture.

Are you ready? Let's dive in!

1. 85% of Employees Are Not Engaged in the Workplace
According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, only 15 percent of employees are engaged in the workplace.

This means that the majority of workforce around the world are either viewing their workplace negatively or only doing the bare minimum to make it through the day, with little to no emotional attachment.

The study also reveals remarkable geographical differences - 33 percent of U.S employees are engaged at work - more than double the global average.

On the other hand, in Western Europe, only 10 percent of employees are engaged at work. The situation looks especially alarming in the U.K, where the amount of engaged employees is as low as 8 percent — and the number has been in steady decline for the past few years.

Related: Diversity and Inclusion Best Practices to Focus on in 2020


2. 81% of Employees Are Considering Leaving Their Job
According to a 2017 study, 81 percent of employees would consider leaving their job for the right offer, even if they wouldn't be looking for a job at the moment.

Changing jobs isn't all about the money, either, as 74 percent of younger employees would accept a pay cut for a chance to work at their ideal job, and 23 percent of those seeking a job wouldn't need a pay increase to take a new position.
In order to stay on the job, employees need to have relationships with other people in the workplace, and the work life needs to be balanced with their personal life.

Employees are also more likely to look for another job if their co-workers are doing so as well, so companies should be careful of a domino effect taking place in their workforce.


3. Low Employee Engagement Costs Companies $450-500 Billion Each Year
According to a study on workplace engagement in the U.S, disengaged employees cost organizations around $450-550 billion each year.

Disengaged workers take less responsibility and ownership of their attitude, behavior, and motivation, and drain overall productivity.

The study recommends that companies focus on encouraging personal agency and that they use tools to monitor and maintain personal engagement.

It is also important to connect the employees’ job to organizational missions, provide recognition and encourage collaboration.


4. Companies with High-Engaged Workforce Are 21% More Profitable
Employee engagement isn't just about soft, intangible and feelings-based reviews about employee well-being.

Employee engagement has a very real impact on business success, and employee engagement should be considered a part of a business strategy.

According to Gallup’s meta-analysis, the business or work units that scored the highest on employee engagement showed 21 percent higher levels of profitability than units in the lowest quartile. Companies with highly engaged workforce also scored 17 percent higher on productivity.

Successful organizations focus on employee engagement by ensuring all employees have the best knowledge and tools available to perform their jobs as well as possible.

Managers in successful organizations also make sure all employees know what is expected of them, and support their employees’ professional development.

Effective communication leads to more productive employees and through this, to a more profitable workplace.

However, we're not there yet: a recent Interact/Harris Poll shows that 91% of the surveyed employees think that their leaders lack communication skills. What's more, almost 1 in 3 employees don’t trust their employers, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer. That's pretty alarming, isn't it?


5. Good Company Culture Increases Revenue by 4X
In a major long-term study, companies that had the best corporate cultures, that encouraged all-around leadership initiatives and that highly appreciated their employees, customers and owners grew 682 percent in revenue.

During the same period of evaluation — 11 years — companies without a thriving company culture grew only 166 percent in revenue. This means that a thriving company culture leads to more than four times higher revenue growth.

Company culture and employee engagement go hand in hand and a business focusing on employee engagement and improving their company will enjoy the benefits of increased revenue, increased productivity and increased employee engagement.

47 percent of people actively looking for a new job pinpoint company culture as the main reason for wanting to leave, so if you want to improve both employee retention and profitability, improving company culture should be one of your business priorities.


6. 1 in 3 Professionals Cite Boredom as Their Main Reason to Leave Their Jobs
According to a 2018 Korn Ferry Survey, the majority — 33 percent — of those changing jobs cite boredom and the need for new challenges as the top reason why they are leaving.

The second most common reason was the fact that the work culture didn't fit the employee or their values, with 24 percent choosing this as their main reason. The quest for a larger salary came fourth, with only 19 percent choosing it as their main reason for leaving.

Making sure employees have enough challenges and variation in their workday is one of the most important managerial tasks. Without the ability to develop themselves and learn, employees lose motivation and start to look elsewhere for a job.

Personal development is naturally good for the company as well, and as employees develop their skills and competencies, their work product becomes more refined and the company becomes more profitable.


7. 37% of Employees Consider Recognition Most Important
One study asked what would be the most important thing a manager or a company could do that would help the employee be successful and 37 percent — the majority — cited recognition as the most important method of support.

Other solutions lag far behind — 12 percent want more autonomy, 12 percent more inspiration, 7 percent more pay, 6 percent more training and 4 percent a promotion. This means over a third of the workforce need first and foremost to be recognized.

According to a survey on rewarding and recognition, 43 percent prefer to receive recognition privately on a one on one with a manager, 10 percent would prefer to receive recognition publicly in front of their peers, and 9 percent would prefer recognition privately, in written form.

Taking employees for granted is a surefire way to drop down the levels of employee engagement.

Instead, you need to make sure that your employees feel heard and valued. Recognition leads to increased motivation, a sense of pride and to increased self-confidence at work, which in turn increase employee initiatives and taking responsibility of one’s own work product.

A recent report shows that 84% of highly engaged employees were recognized the last time they went above and beyond at work compared to only 25% of actively disengaged employees.

A company that actively recognizes and rewards their employees is more likely to see increased levels of accountability, responsibility and leadership initiatives.


8. Only 29% of Employees Are Happy with Career Advancement Opportunities
According to SHRM's 2017 Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Report, only 29 percent of employees are "very satisfied" with current career advancement opportunities available to them in the organization they work for.

However, 41 percent consider this a very important factor to job satisfaction, so companies should pay close attention to making sure employees feel they can advance in their careers without leaving the company.

According to the SHRM study, 30 percent of employees considered career development opportunities for learning and personal growth in general very important, yet only 30 percent were happy with their current situation.

The chance for professional development on the job is especially important to the younger generations: according to a Gallup survey, up to 87 percent of Millennials consider development in a job important.

The importance of professional development to employee engagement is undeniable, and managers and HR personnel need to provide tools and resources to support their employees’ professional development.


Source: https://blog.smarp.com/employee-engagement-8-statistics-you-need-to-know

9
Job Satisfaction & Skills / Do You Hold Your Employees Accountable?
« on: March 28, 2020, 06:31:09 PM »
Do you have team members that don’t meet deliverables? If so, how can you keep them on track with their performance?
Accountability!

What is accountability?
The basic definition is to account for one’s action. Take responsibility for one’s performance and the overall success of the result.

Where is the Manager’s Accountability?
In managing employees, you are responsible for you team’s results.    How can you instill accountability in them and decrease your need to macro manage the details of their work?  Here are some ideas:

  • Clarify expectations for each person on the team.   Answer any questions they may have around what is expected of them, provide them with the necessary training and ensure they have the tools to do their job.
  • If you want employees to be accountable for their performance, you need to empower them to do their work.  This means if you provided them with clarity, training and tools, they are responsible for how the work is completed.   If you tell them every step of the way, then they won’t own the work.
  • Lots of employees don’t understand what their company is trying to do, or how their work impacts and helps the success of the organization.    Explain to them the importance of their work to the team and the company.
  • Be careful not to favor one employee over the other and hold each team member to the same standards.  Any favoritism on the part of the manager impacts productivity and reduces accountability.
  • Is the work required reasonable and can it actually be performed?
  • Plan consistent communication points – either 1:1 meetings, emails, phone calls to check in on how they are doing.  Clear, concise and consistent communication keeps you aware of any potential issues that might surface.  Don’t just ask if they are on track with their portion of the project, rather,
    • ask them where are they in the project,
    • what have they done so far,
    • what else needs to be done
    • any problem points that may delay the project, and
    • do they need support?
  • Create a fun, relaxed work environment, where collaboration is encouraged and part of the overall accountability of each team member.
  • When employees do meet their deliverables — acknowledge and celebrate — as this will continue the strong performance in the individual and the team.

If your current team members have a difficult time performing with quality and in a timely basis, what can you do to build this?

  • Ask yourself:  “How am I accountable for my work and towards my team members?”
  • Do you keep the project in front of each person and make sure they are completing their work?
  • Have you checked in to see why someone didn’t meet their project deadlines?
  • Do you recognize when a person meets their goals?
  • Do you instill appropriate urgency into the deliverables?
  • Are their mutually understood consequences to the employee when they don’t meet their goals?

There are external incentives that could potentially motivate an employee to be accountable for their deliverables, yet the above is the foundation in building accountability within your team and holding each person responsible for their performance.  Accountability is critical to the success of the product or service and, ultimately to the company.

Source: http://www.managingemployees.net/do-you-hold-your-employees-accountable/

10
Workplace Performance / HOW TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AT WORK
« on: March 28, 2020, 06:11:26 PM »


If you work very hard, then you know how frustrating it is when coworkers and superiors don’t take you seriously. You might not even know what you’re doing to deserve this treatment. Now, it’s time to change it. Use these tips on how to be taken seriously at work.

Convey Confidence
Showcasing your confidence is one of the key ways to be taken seriously at work. When people can sense that you are speaking and moving confidently, they are more likely to give you the time of day and pay attention to what you say. Those who doubt themselves or move without conviction have a harder time getting respect.

Build Strong Professional Relationships
Connect with the people in your office and in your field, so that you can present yourself as a well-established employee. Knowing others in the field and having strong connections will show that you are an integral part of your company and that others can turn to you for advice or help.

Communicate Effectively—Work on Tone, Grammar, and Overall Rhetoric
If you want to be taken seriously, you need to work on the language you use. Your communication has a significant effect on the way people see you and interpret your level of intelligence.

Work on your tone—talk in a firm, strong voice. Improve your grammar with mobile apps and online courses. Read professional books to become more articulate. Maintain eye contact during your conversations.

Create Boundaries
To be taken seriously, you need to create boundaries for you and your coworkers. Having limits means establishing appropriate behaviors and what kind of treatment you will or won’t accept.
Creating and sticking to these boundaries will allow you to demand respect from your peers.

Display Accountability
Accountability is vital in the workplace as it ensures good company morale and overall success. If you want to be taken seriously at work, you need to be accountable for your actions.
That means showing up on time, completing tasks by their due date, and being able to take responsibility for any personal errors. By being an honest employee, others will respect you much more.

Ditch the Word “Try”
Instead of “trying” to do something, you should face all tasks with determination. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, always put forth your best effort and learn from there. 
Saying that you will “try” suggests that you don’t know how to do it, or that you aren’t confident in yourself. Lose this word from your vocabulary and demonstrate your confidence.

Don’t Be Late—Manage Your Time
Time management can apply to many aspects of your professional life. It would help if you were never late for your shift, and never let projects go past their due date. Being late is a sign of mismanagement and disorganization.
Manage your time and work on projects ahead of their due date. Use a calendar, and stay on top of your responsibilities to be taken seriously.

Don’t Be Emotional
The best employees never let their emotions get in the way of their work. Emotions can cause you to lose focus, lash out, and make irrational decisions.
Keep a calm head, especially when making decisions or dealing with coworkers. By displaying a level of control at all times, people will be more willing to listen and respond to you respectfully.

Look the Part
Depending on the type of job you have, you will know what kind of outfit you need to wear. When you arrive at work, make sure you have good hygiene and are wearing the proper attire.
If you don’t, you run the risk of looking disorganized, disheveled, and unprepared. You will have a hard time gaining respect that way.

Stop Making Excuses—Take Responsibility for Your Actions
Excuses are a sign of weakness, and you don’t want to be stuck making them in your workplace. If you’re going to be taken seriously, take responsibility for everything you do — even if it’s hard.
If you’re late or make a mistake, it’s easier to own up to it than to lie. Employees will respect you more if you can handle the consequences of your actions.   

Respect Others
Give respect to others, and you will receive it tenfold. Employees will struggle to take you seriously if you are rude, bossy, or pretentious. Talk in a polite way, compliment your coworkers, encourage their ideas and let them finish their thoughts.

Apply these tips to your daily routine, and you will begin to see more respect in your workplace.

Source: https://wemeancareer.com/taken-seriously-at-work

11

I am not a mind reader, but I’ve tried playing one at work. I think we all have. I used to imagine that I could peer into the silent void of a discussion with an employee and their thoughts and feelings would magically pop in my head. It never happened.

We are in the employee feedback business. Through running my company, 15Five, on our own product, I have found that regularly asking feedback questions to employees is an agile and lightweight way of keeping up with what’s really going on.  Answers become conversations about what is most essential and meaningful for the team and the company, and those conversations transform into action.

The first place to start is by asking the right questions. Here are some of the best I’ve found:

1. What’s going well in your role? Any wins (big or small) this week?
This is a great place to start. Employees get to celebrate and even brag a little about all the positive stuff that happened that week by simply answering that question. This includes the small things that often get overlooked because they aren’t related to top priorities. As a bonus, you will glean what employees consider triumphs relative to the operational goals of the organization.

2. What challenges are you facing? Where are you stuck?
The quickest way to overcome challenges and get unstuck is to say, “I’m stuck!” When we can identify the problems in the workplace and then bring someone else’s attention to the challenge at hand, we are in a position to receive the coaching and guidance that helps us think about the issue in a fresh new way. Often just writing about where we’re stuck begins the process of getting clear on how to resolve it ourselves.

3. What is the business doing, or can be doing, to make you more successful?
Employee success is a dynamic and always evolving process. Sometimes what your team needs is more training or a one on one meeting. Other times they require help with learning a specific skill set. This question gives permission to ask for the things that will move the needle forward and build more engaged and happy teams.

4. How are you feeling? What’s the morale around you?
Asking an employee how they feel is critical. It increases work motivation and happiness because their individual and collective experiences feel validated and heard. Answering this question can not only bring self-awareness but also provide valuable qualitative insight for others. When a team member knows what’s going on with others, the entire team is more cohesive. This creates more effective and satisfying team work while also improving team communication.

The answers to this feedback question can also allow you to properly time certain initiatives and changes within the company. Are they on the edge of burnout or feeling happy and energized? Are they stressed by the new product launch? Perhaps you should postpone hack day until things settle so that they have space to access their most creative ideas.

5. On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you? Why?
The research of positive psychology is clear: employee satisfaction is a precursor to success and accomplishment, not the other way around. When your team is happy, they not only come up with better solutions, but their satisfaction also helps to build an organizational culture of high performance and low turnover. This question simultaneously sends the message that your employee matters beyond mere performance and work-related issues. By quantifying happiness, you can get a quick snapshot of this metric team-wide.

6. What’s the best thing that happened to you this week, either at work or outside of it?
There are strategic reasons to ask this question in the course of soliciting employee feedback, since learning about team members as whole people can help you develop a more committed and engaged team. Feeling that others know them and understand their personal desires and goals helps to maintain team cohesion and employee retention. This is also an opportunity to discover a common ground with which to enrich in-person communication.

7. Provide one idea to improve the product or service provided by your company
The best source of innovation is often found by people who already work for you. Since suggestion boxes have gone the way of the fax machine, this feedback question opens the door for team members to throw out ideas for improvement, no matter how big or how small. Imagine that the next AirBnB is humming in one of your employees’ heads. You have now presented the opportunity to hear all about it. This not only elicits what could be valuable responses, but also is a form of recognition for employees that makes the respondent feel connected and appreciated.

8. If you owned the company, what’s one thing you would do differently?
If you hired well, then you have leaders and future executives among your ranks. Ask this question to your employees once a month to encourage leadership from everyone in the company. Placing them in the driver’s seat can really open up some potent ideas on helping the company succeed. This question also offers a sense of empowerment and ownership of the company.

9. What were some great contributions made by other team members?
This opens up the door for staff recognition and can grow cohesion. You can also develop an internal conversation regarding the top traits to look for in a new hire. It is better to ask this question to elicit specific and positive employee feedback. Asking for general comments in a performance appraisal of other employees may be insightful and entertaining, but will probably open a competitive can of worms.

10. Provide examples of constructive feedback on how I can be a better leader.
This one will probably be the toughest on your team, but the responses will also be incredibly worthwhile. You will learn what your employees perceive are core leadership values, and determine if they are in sync with the values of management  and the company as a whole. The insights offered here will also aid you to promote internally. You will separate the chaff from the wheat, as it takes a courageous and skillful employee to tell their manager where they have room to grow or change their management strategy.

I still hope that one day my superpower clairvoyance will kick in. Until that day comes, I’ll stick with getting straightforward answers by asking the right questions.


This post was originally published on Firmology.
Source: https://www.15five.com/blog/mindreading-101-the-10-questions-you-need-to-ask-your-team-every-week/

12
Workplace Behavior / 8 Unexpected Signs an Employee Should Be Fired
« on: March 28, 2020, 05:29:31 PM »

We can all spot terrible employees: they under-perform, they don't work well with teams, they struggle to meet expectations... but oddly enough, it isn't the obviously terrible employees who cause the real problems.

Whether clearly incompetent or unbelievably lazy, they're easy to spot. So although it's never fun to fire people, at least you know there's a problem--and you can quickly let such employees go and move on.

The real problems are caused by employees who appear to be doing an OK job but meanwhile act like what a friend once called an "insidious cancer," slowly destroying other employees' performance, attitude, and morale -- and with it, your business.

Here are not so obvious signs an employee is poisoning your company.

1. They thrive on gossip.
Before a meeting, some of us were talking about supervisors in another department when our new boss looked up and said, "Stop. From now on we will never say anything bad about anyone unless they are actually in the room. Period."

Until then, I never thought of gossip as a part of a company's culture -- gossip just was. We all did it. And it sucked -- especially because being the focus of gossip sucked. (And in time, I realized people who gossip suck too.)

If an employee has talked to more than one person about something John is doing, wouldn't everyone be better off if he stepped up and actually talked to John about it? And if it's "not his place" to talk to John, it's definitely not his place to talk about John.

Saying "Did you hear what he did?" is like saying "I have nothing better to do than talk about other people."

Not only do employees who create a culture of gossip waste time better spent on productive conversations, but they also cause other people to respect their co-workers a little less -- and anything that diminishes the dignity or respect of any employee should never be tolerated.

2. They hurry to lead the meeting after the meeting.
You have a meeting. Issues are raised. Concerns are shared. Decisions are made. Everyone in attendance fully supports those decisions. Things are going to happen.

Then someone holds the "meeting after the meeting." Now she talks about issues she didn't share earlier with the group. Now he disagrees with the decisions made.

And sometimes these people even say to their teams, "Look, I think this is a terrible idea, but we've been told to do it, so I guess we need to give it a shot."

And now, what was going to happen never will. Waiting until after a meeting to say "I'm not going to support that" is like saying "I'll agree to anything, but that doesn't mean I'll actually do it. I'll even work against it."

Those people need to work somewhere else.

3. They say, "That's not my job."
The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done.

Even if that means a manager has to help load a truck or a machinist needs to clean up a solvent spill; or the accounting staff needs to hit the shop floor to help complete a rush order; or a CEO needs to man a customer service line during a product crisis. (You get the idea.)

Any task an employee is asked to do -- as long as it isn't unethical, immoral, or illegal -- is a task that employee should be willing to do, even if it's "below" his or her current position. (Great employees notice problems and jump in without being asked.)

Saying "It's not my job" says "I care only about me." That attitude destroys overall performance because it quickly turns what might have been a cohesive team into a dysfunctional group of individuals.

4. They think they've already paid their dues -- and they act like it.
An employee did great things last year, last month, or even yesterday. You're appreciative. You're grateful.

Still, today is a new day. Dues aren't paid. Dues get paid. The only real measure of any employee's value is the tangible contribution he or she makes on a daily basis.

Saying "I've paid my dues" is like saying "I no longer need to work as hard." And suddenly, before you know it, other employees start to feel they've earned the right to coast too.

5. They believe experience is an end in itself.
Experience is definitely important, but experience that doesn't translate into better skills, better performance, and greater achievement is worthless. Experience that just "is" is a waste.

Example: A colleague once said to younger supervisors, "My role is to be a resource." Great, but then he sat in his office all day waiting for us to come by so he could dispense his pearls of wisdom. Of course, none of us did stop by--we were all busy thinking, "I respect your experience, but I wish your role was to do your job."

How many years you've put in pales in comparison with how many things you've done.

Saying "I have more experience" is like saying "I don't need to justify my decisions or actions." Experience (or position) should never win an argument. Wisdom, logic, and judgment should always win -- regardless of in whom those qualities are found.

6. They use peer pressure to hold others back.
The new employee works hard. She works long hours. She's hitting targets and exceeding expectations. She rocks. And she eventually hears, from a more "experienced" employee, "You're working too hard and making the rest of us look bad."

Where comparisons are concerned, a great employee doesn't compare herself with others -- she compares herself with herself. She wants to "win" that comparison by improving and doing better today than she did yesterday.

Poor employees don't want to do more; they want others to do less. They don't want to win. They just want others to make sure they don't lose.

Saying "You're working too hard" is like saying "No one should work hard, because I don't want to work hard." And pretty soon very few people do -- and the ones who keep trying get shunned for a quality you need every employee to possess.

7. They hurry to grab the credit ...
OK, maybe he did do nearly all the work. Maybe he did overcome almost every obstacle. Maybe, without him, that high-performance team would have been anything but.

But probably not. Nothing important is ever accomplished alone, even if some people love to act like it.

A good employee and good team player shares the glory. He credits others. He praises. He appreciates. He lets others shine. That's especially true for an employee in a leadership position -- he celebrates the accomplishments of others secure in the knowledge that their success reflects well on him, too.

Saying "I did all the work" or "It was all my idea" is like saying "The world revolves around me, and I need everyone to know it." And even if other people don't adopt the same philosophy, they resent having to fight for recognition that is rightfully theirs.

8. ... almost as fast as they hurry to throw others under the bus.
A vendor complains. A customer feels shortchanged. A co-worker gets mad. No matter what has happened, it's someone else's fault.

Sometimes, whatever the issue and regardless of who is actually at fault, some people step in and take the hit. They willingly accept the criticism or abuse, because they know they can handle it (and they know that maybe the person actually at fault cannot).

Few acts are more selfless than taking the undeserved hit. And few acts better cement a relationship. Few acts are more selfish than saying "It wasn't me," especially when, at least in part, it was.

Saying "You'll have to talk to John" is like saying "We're not all in this together." At the best companies, everyone is in it together.

Anyone who isn't needs to go.

Source: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-signs-an-employee-should-be-fired-that-never-appear-on-performance-evaluations.html?cid=sf01002&sr_share=facebook

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