5 Tips for Managing a Remote Team

5 Tips for Managing a Remote Team 5 Tips for Managing a Remote Team The truth is, managing a remote kollektiv does require you to think outside of the, well, office, but its fairly easy to do and youll have amazing resultsWhether you have a semi-remote or completely remote workforce, here are five tips for managing a remote team successfully1. Set ExpectationsIn order for your remote workers to know what is expected of them, its a good idea to clearly define goals and objectives early on even as early asthe recruiting process (especially if youre recruiting remote workers). These goals should be clearly communicated not only during the job interview, but also during meetings, check-ins, and performance reviews, too. By communicating behauptung target objectives, your team will know what they should be doing at all times, and more importantly, have an idea of what they should be working towards. You should also outline some performance metrics that can provide both your staff (and yourself) with some insight into their productivity levels and how they are progressing toward their goals.2. Communicate With Your TeamCommunication is key when you have acompletely remote workforce, a work-from-home policy, or just a fewemployees with flexible schedules. Managing a virtual team means that youll need to communicate not just what the next assignment is, but also other information that is important to your workers, such as company news and updates, acquisitions, mergers, and anything that can help your employeesaccomplish their work and feel connected to the company as a whole.Beyond communicating with employeesas their boss, you also need to set up your remote team for success by implementing tools that allow your workers to communicate well with oneother. Encourage remote workersto reach out to each other via instant messaging, email, chat clients, and the phone Communication tools such as Join.me, Skype, and Campfire can give your employees an opportunity to conn ect with each other and strengthen the bonds between your team members.3. Lead by ExampleOne of the best benefits of working from home is just that you are working from home. That means that, unless otherwise directed, you can work whenever and wherever you want. If you want your employees to take advantage of their work flexibility, youll need to set the example of how to work flexibly. That means you dont send emails after the workday is done and expect employees to answer them. It also means encouraging your employees to enjoy the work-life balance inherent in a flexible job, such as going to see their childs school performance or taking their parents to a doctors appointment. If your employees see you working 24/7, they might feel the need to follow your lead.4. Get to Know Remote Employees PersonallyBeyond remote team meetings and email updates, you should make aneffort to get to know your employees on a more personal level. Without a water cooler to stand around, it isnt alway s easy totalk toyour employees about what they did over the weekend.Its a good idea to schedule informal check-ins every once in a while you can group a few employees together to make it more of a virtual coffee chat, in which you can talk about everything from fab summer reads to guilty TV pleasures. You can chat about anything during these mock meetings except work5.Institute an Open-Door PolicyWhen employees are flung fararound the country (or even the globe), it can be easy for small issues to flare up into big problems. Establish an open-door policy with your workers so that they feel comfortable coming to talk to you about work-related issues or even personal problems. By being accessible, friendly, and professional during all of your interactions with your staff, you will make sure that your employees feel comfortable speaking with you about any issue. In turn, this can help solve any potential problems that might arise before they turn into major catastrophes.In some ways, managing a remote workforce is not very different from managing an in-office team. Taking advantage of technology and remembering to stay connected (on both a professional and personal level) will ensure that your remote workforce is strong, productive, dedicated, and happy.

Stop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an Adult

Stop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an AdultStop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an AdultStop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to SchoolThis is the second article in our Continuing Education series, which looks at the challenges, skills, and opportunities for job binnenseekers looking to finish or upgrade their degrees. You can check out partone here.If youve stumbled upon this page, well hazard a guess youre debating about returning to school as an adult. Believe us, youre bedrngnis the only one to have questioned whether its really worth the time, effort, and sacrifices youll need to make to get there. And youre in good company if you have a number of reasons why you havent yet made the plunge.But if youre serious about continuing your education and developing yourself professionally, its time to see those so-called reasons for what they really are- excuses. The good news is that with the right approach, you can overc ome each and every one of behauptung excuses.When youre finally done with teetering on the edge of achieving your dreams, employthe following solutions to 6 of the most common excuses about returning to school as an adult.Excuse School will burn a hole in my walletSolution Think of it as an investment that pays back tenfoldMoney concerns area formidable barrier if youre thinking about returning to school. When your budget is already tight, it can be difficult to justify spending even more on school fees. Even if your budget is flexible, its easierto spendyour hard-earned money on a relaxing getaway or buying that new shiny gadget, than on furthering your education.However, your education is one of the few investments you can make that will improve your future. When you think of it this way, the cost is much easier to reconcile. If thecost burden required feelsoverwhelming, start focusing on the long-term benefits of furthering your education.Youve probably heard the saying, you have to spend money to make money, and education is the prime example. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that on average, over an adults working lifeHigh school graduates will earn $1.2 millionBachelors degree holders will earn $2.1 millionMasters degree holders will earn $2.5 millionDoctoral degrees holders will earn $3.4 millionThere is a clear correlation between obtaining further education and earning a higher income. Better qualifications open the door to more professional opportunities, and in turn, more earning capacity. The bottom line is that going back to school pays off.Wondering which colleges have the best return on investment? PayScales article provides an interesting analysis on which schools give you the best bang for your buck.Excuse I cant produce money I dont have out of thin airSolution Shop around for an affordable course and make use of financial aidAlright, I hear you now say. That all sounds peachy, but how do you suppose Ill even afford to fund my stud ies in the first place?There are in fact numerous ways you can make it work financially. Search around and youll find many colleges which offer relatively affordable degrees. All Education Schools takes the hassle out of the process with their school-finder resource. It will help you source a range of appropriate programs (both on-campus and online) based on your location, level of education, and of course, your area of interest.No matter where you decide to go, or what degree you do, you shouldnt be shy about applying for financial aid or scholarships to help you pay for your studies. Most college websites have a section detailing information about aid and scholarships, so shop around.You should also check out Federal Student Aid, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education. Federal Student Aid is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation, and it offers students the chance to apply for various grants, scholarships and loans, irrespective of their age.Be ko ranvers to set aside adequate time so that you can make your application as strong as it can be. Scholarships and grants in particular garner heavy competition from other equally eager students, so make your effort count. Also, make aya to keep an eye on submission deadlines and read the guidelines carefully to maximize your chances of being granted financial aid.Pssst If youre bedrngnis tied down and have enough money for a plane ticket, you could join the growing number of Americans who study overseas. Earning an education in Europe or Asia is often markedly more affordable than in America due to the availability of scholarships and smaller school fees.Excuse I already have no time as it isSolution Make a plan and get organizedIve got no time is a time-old excuse that is one of the toughest to crack. After all, theres no way to make more time if you dont have it, right?Wrong. If you want to go back to school, and youre time poor, there are ways to make it work. Heres where priorit izing comes into play. As reasonably as you can, make adjustments where you can, even if you dont want to. If youre lucky, it may be as simple as swapping Game of Thrones/pilates class/gabelfrhstck for a date with the books. But it will probably require a bit more legwork than that.When you find yourself slipping back to questioning if its worth all the effort, keep your eye on your goal and remind yourself what going back will mean for you, your family, and your future. Rarely do the things we really want come to us easily. Be prepared to work hard and youll be duly rewarded. People rarely regret achieving further education, so if you want it, find a way to make it work.Have no idea where to start? Learn to organize yourself by mapping out your life, planning ahead, finding shortcuts, multitasking and reaching out to others. Michelle Knolls article gives a helpful overview of how to manage school, kids, and work.You could also consider applying for an online degree which offers bot h affordability and flexibility. Many online colleges allow you to set the pace youd like to complete the degree. If youd like to graduate as soon as possible, accelerated options are available. Conversely, if youre juggling other responsibilities, part-time or flexible hours are an option.Another major advantage to completing an online degree is that there are no face-to-face contact hours. No one will know if youre tapping away on your computer in your pajamas at home, or on your daily commute to work. Explore your options to find one that suits your particular financial and life situation.Excuse Im not sure if my employer will value my degreeSolution Prove them wrongYoure worried that despite all your efforts to earn a degree, your employer wont take it seriously because it comes from a non-Ivy League or lesser-known college. Its understandable that youd want your current or future employer to be impressed with your sparkling new degree, and for it to lead to new opportunities fo r promotion and greater earnings.Who says it wont? An increase in interest and enrollment numbers has led career colleges and online universities to continually improve the quality of their courses. Many degrees have improved to the extent that theyre now of a comparable quality to those of traditional colleges. As such, the stigma from attending a career college or online degree has dramatically decreased, and continues to do so.This positive change in the way online degrees are viewed is backed by recent research.A survey of members of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicated that 79% of those surveyed had hired a candidate with an online degree in the previous 12 months.The majority of employers will be impressed by your determination to learnand will appreciate the fresh contributions and perspectives you can make to the company.Moreover, obtaining a degree relevant to your field willallow you to meet the increasing demand by employers for employees to be proac tively upskilling themselves. Being competitive in the job market is vital not only in the search for a promotion or new job, but also to maintain your current role.Any reasonable employer will recognize a degree for what it is- a representation of the hours of study you underwent to boost your knowledge, learn new skills, and bolster yourself professionally.Its time to stop underestimating how valuable your degree will be seen in the eyes of employers.Want to learn more about why returning to school is so valuable? Our article Finishing Your Education is More Important Than Ever These 7 Chart Show You Why will answer all your questions.Excuse I dont want to be seen as the token olderstudentSolution Stop caring what others think and start seeing your age and experience as an assetYoure anxious that if you head back to school, your peers will stereotype youonce they see youre not fresh out of high school like them that youll stick out like a Billy Madison-style caricature just becaus eyoure older than the average student.Well, take a look at these stats. Enrollment numbers of older students aresizable and are projected to continue growing, so your fears are unfounded.As the following graph from the National Center of Educational Statistics shows, enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of students who are 25 to 34 years old increased 51% between 1997 and 2011, with an additional20% increase is projected between 2011 and 2022.This graph shows a clear increase in the number of non-traditional students enrolling in college. SourceNational Center of Educational StatisticsEnrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of students who are 35 years old and over increased 26% between 1997 and 2011, and its projected that this will increase by a further 23% between 2011 and 2022.Theres no shame in going back to school. Dont let immature people dissuade you fromfulfilling your dream of completing your education.If you do so, the only person whos e happiness and growth will suffer is your own.Instead, take a more productive approach and harness your age and experience to further your studies. People who return to school later in life bring with them years of invaluable professional and personal experience and knowledge. Dont see your experiences as a negative, use them to improveyour coursework and interactions with your peers.Many colleges even account for your professional experience with credits that may allow for your workload to be reduced, or even for you to fast-track your degree. Inquire with your chosen institution how you can use your experience to your advantage.If you still cant bat away your fears about not fitting in, a simple fix is to apply for an online course. This faceless approach will provide you with the anonymity you crave, and will mean youll only need to engage with your peers as much as your coursework requires nothing more.So what are you waiting for?If youre reading this article, youre feeling mo tivated. Take action now,and nip those excuses in the bud. Use this opportunity to search for a school that will work with your busy schedule, and give you the flexibility and affordability you need to earnthat degree.Good luck future grad, youve got thisWhat excuse is the hardest for you to overcome? Are you still wondering ifgoing back to college is worth it? Do you have a story about continuing your education that youd like to share? Let us know in the comments section below

If youre going to do something, see how far you can go

If youre going to do something, binnensee how far you can goIf youre going to do something, see how far you can goOne of the funnest parts of being a parent is providing experiences that open the curiosity and phantasie of yur kids.We live in such a brilliant time for opening-up our mind for what is possible. Our possibility, in large degree, is based on our context, elendlage on our willpower.For example, if you had lived 100 years ago, you wouldnt have the internet or the ability to travel the world like we do today. That would greatly limit your possibilities for choice.All choice is shaped by context. If you dont have options, you cannot make choices.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhen my wife and I became foster parents of three children from a very limiting environment, we immediately saw how we could expand their horizons.We wanted to introduce them to all sorts of thing s.From a brain perspective, you cannot really learn and internalize something if you arent aware of it. Becoming aware of something is essential for memory development. Becoming aware of something, and then engaging deeply in that thing is how you shape your identity and eventually, your personality.What you focus onexpands.What you focus on shapes how you view yourself, your future, and your past.It is key that parents not only provide learning experiences for children but also model what successful behavior looks like. Clearly, the parents want their children to chart their own path. But modeling is how people learn.Also, the parents lifestyle and experiences form the internal expectation for what is normal or possible for the children at least initially.So if parents are pursuing their curiosity and imagination and if they are turning their dreams into external realities, then the children come to expect that this is possible for them as well.It is completely fascinating. Just tw o days ago, as a family, we drove up to Clemson, South Carolina, wzu siche I did my PhD. That is also where our three adoptive children were born.Their biological mother passivd last weekend at the age of 33. Two days ago welches her funeral.We were happy to take our children there, even though the biological family had no expectation that we would be there. And in fact, expected that we wouldnt be.True learning occurs when you can see the same thing with new eyes. They call this a Copernican Revolution. For example, when we as a people realized the sun did not revolve around the earth, but vice-versa. That single insight shifted how we saw everything.We were looking at the same stimulus but with a new frame.Thats what happened this week for our kids. They went back to their old environment and were with their biological family but with a whole host of new experiences and education they had a new lens on the experience.Fundamental to that lens welches empathy and love, not judgment. If your lens of the world is not updating regularly, then you are not learning enough. Your lens of the world should continually be updating through experience, learning, and relationships.The more intensive the experience and learning, the greater shifts to the lens. The more you can see the same things from totally different angles.One of the insights our 11-year-old had when he was informed of his biological mothers passing was that, had he still been living with her, he probably wouldnt be able to read right now.We were grateful to honor their mother and never intend on banishing that part of their history. Its important.But the whole experience further opened our childrens minds to the lives they wanted to live. They were in direct contact with their biological family, most of which were living fairly limiting livesfrom our perspective.Questions and curiosity lead to learning.While driving home, our son began asking amazing questions, such as the followingHow did my mom die?Wha t is cancer?How does someone get cancer?Is it something you can avoid?Is my biological father going to die young as well, since he smokes?The conversation went deeper and deeper than any conversation Id ever had with him. It was amazing.I could tell his mind was racing. He was thinking about how his own life could turn out. He began asking questions about life, success, and God.What types of work could I do where I help athletes?How much school would it take?Am I going to see my mom again?What is she going to be like?How can I make sure I dont die young?A fundamental key to quality parenting, mentorship, and leadership iscreating experiencesthat spark insight and learning which lead to genuine questions and curiosity.When questions are genuinely asked, then learning becomes far easier. As a parent, the goal is to provide a context where interested and curious questions are asked. The parent hopefully doesnt have all of the answers but serves as a further propellant to sources, infor mation, and experiences to further stroke that curiosity, learning, and transformation.Experiences are fundamental to learning. If youre shielding yourself or others from having powerful and sometimes uncomfortable experiences then youre shielding yourself and others from growth.Research shows that people progressively become less open to new experiences as they age. They stop putting themselves into difficult and emotional situations. They stop expanding their horizons.Instead, they generally begin repeating the same common experiences over and over, and therefore stop expanding their worldview.Having new experiences isnt enough, though. You need a process of integrating those new experiences into learning and change. For instance, my Aunt Jane, a brilliant entrepreneur was recently at a geschftliches miteinander conference with some friends.At the end of the three-day conference, which was filled with far more ideas and takeaways than anyone could fully implement, Jane and her fri ends spent 60 minutes together after the conference each sharing their top-10 key takeaways. By sharing their ideas, and hearing the insights of each other, their clarity began to crystallize about what they actually needed to do.They had a plan. They also had accountability, because the three of them have monthly calls to support and push each other.When you have big experiences, you could do something similar. This is why journaling is such a powerful tool. It allows you to process and integrate your experiences, and begin applying what youre learning into your life. If youre not learning through experiences, then youre repeating the past and not transforming.Your life can and should transform. You seek experiences and then you integrate your learning to change your life and self. Constantly growing and expanding.If youre going to do something, you might as well push it to the absolutelimits.None of us are given the same set of circumstances in this life.None of us will ever fully realize our potential. Like a painting, none of us will ever be finished. At some point, we will simply end in an interesting place.Rather than being upset about what happens, it is best to simply use this life to see how far you can go. Rather than attaching to exactly how it all turns out you simply want to remain open, humble, engaged, excited, and always pushing the boundaries. Always investing further and further into the growth and possibility of what youre doing.One of our sons wants to be an aerospace engineer. He loves outer space and rockets. We have been fueling that. Yesterday, we were at the Kennedy Space Center and watched a live rocket launch. It was epic.The more interested our son becomes and the more personally invested the further he can explore.Human beings are designed toexplore.Were designed to rise up to challenges.Most people waste huge amounts of their life because they arent actively chasing a challenge that summons their greatest focus and creativity. The y arent pursuing one or two thingsfor years and watching the compounding effect of long-term goals.Dan Sullivan, the founder of Strategic Coach, teaches people how to set 25-year-plans.When you give yourself 25 years to accomplish something big, you really can think 10X or 100X bigger than the normal person. Youve given yourself enough runway to actually build something big and meaningful. You then leverage productivity strategies and short-term goals to ensure youre making powerful progress and continually updating and refining your definition of success and priorities.You only have one life to live. Richard Branson once said why not go straight to the top? Why not go big at what you do? Why not be focused?Why not dedicate yourself to something that will completely transform you through doing it?Why not see how far you can do something?Why not continually stroke the fire of your imagination, and then relentlessly chase that imagination?Never over-identify with what youve done. Neve r get stuck in your past, whether failure or achievement. Take the past for what it isinformation. It is information which is constantly adapting and changing based on what youre currently pursuing and focusing on.If youre going to do something do it great. As Abraham Lincoln said, Whatever you are, try to be a good one.Truly live your life.Push boundaries your own, but also your industrys. Push the boundaries and take on huge challenges.See how far you cango.Create experiences that become Copernican Revolutions.As you have new experiences and grow in maturity, your priorities will continually enhance. What may have been interesting 12 years ago will no longer be interesting. What may have been a brilliant opportunity last month is no longer worth your time.Essentialism.Focusing on the essential.Focusing on what absolutely matters to you.Raising your standards for the type of work you do, the people you spend time with, and how you spend your time.Taking my three children to the fun eral of their biological mother was a humbling experience for me. It forced to me face some of my own values and beliefs. For instance, that week I was supposed to be a headline speaker at an event being put on by a friend of mine.The event went from Thursday-Saturday. Clearly, I couldnt be at the event on Thursday, since that was the day of the funeral. Friday wouldnt work either since I was driving my family of seven (including two 3-month infants) from Clemson back to Orlando, a 12-hour drive when accounting for stops and baby-feedings.But I could make it on Saturday,I thought to myself.Then three things happenedFirst, I had a conversation with a friend who had experienced a lot of death in his family. Hes about 10 years older than me and one of my best friends and mentors. He told me I needed to spend this time with my kids. That these next few days and weeks are extremely pivotal for them in how they process this.Second, I thought of the book,Essentialism, wherein the author Gr eg McKeown tells the story of going to a work meeting on the day one of his children was born. This is something he is still greatly embarrassed by. He realized his life was completely built on the non-essential and that he needed to really focus only on those things which truly mattered to him. Only then could he build the life that he felt really mattered. He is now much better at saying no to anything and everything that misaligns with his highest values and aspirations.Third, I thought of a story I heard at a Mastermind. I heard the story of a man who spent 10 years working 365 days per year and was even found on his laptop when his daughter was born. When his daughter was nine years old, she emotionally shut down, so much so that she even lost the ability to function her body. By that time, this mans company had grown to 30 employees and he stepped away indefinitely to try to help his daughter. He spent the next year literally re-teaching her to walk. They did all sorts of phys ical, emotional, and family therapies. It became apparent that this girl was harboring deep emotional pain. Over time, she regained the functioning of her body. She can walk, run, dance, and play again. Emotionally, shes doing better, but still hurt. This man, her father, has vowed to himself to never put work before his family again. With tears running down his cheeks, he told us in the audience, Never put your work before your kids. There is so much pain and confusion and trauma in the world right now. Our kids need us more than ever.In reflecting on these three concepts, I decided to cancel my speaking arrangement. Leaving the day after my childrens funeral was not the message I wanted to send to them. Id be willing to throw away everything Ive achieved for my kids. As the American educator and religious leader, David McKay, said,No other success can compensate for failure in the home.If you dont have values to live by, then you dont have convictions. The deeper your values becom e, the more powerful and clear become your goals and actions. The more courageous you will become. As Alexander Hamilton questioned the conviction-less Aaron BurrIf you stand for nothing, Burr, whatll you fall for?Designing your life to propel your highest values andaims.Your life can be designed as the ultimate forcing function a system designed to keep you focusing solely on the things that truly matter to you.As you increase in success, your opportunities will also increase, as will your distractions. At some point, most people plateau and stop progressing on their initial journey. They became satisfied with a particular status theyve developed, and shift their motivation from approaching the next evolution to merely maintaining the success or station theyve attained.If youre not growing, then your best work is not being produced.The best work generally comes in response to taking on something that has a high probability of failure. While chasing something big, your best work eme rges.Are you going to invest your time on this beautiful planet continually expanding, learning, and designing? Or will you live day-to-day, never realizing the power of imagination and creation?Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article originally appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people