Humor

One Interview Question

What single project or task would you consider the most significant accomplishment in your career so far?

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Quotes to Inspire You

Courtesy: LinkedIn

Listening

1) "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." - Ernest Hemingway

Storytelling

3) "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." -Robert McKee

Authenticity

6) "Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust." -Lance Secretan

Transparency

7) "As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth." -John Whittier

Responsiveness

12) '"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates

Adaptability

14) "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." –Charles Darwin

Passion

16) "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -Albert Einstein

Leadership

23) “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” — Peter F. Drucker

Right Said

Very well said in this article

The most important phrase you'll ever say in a meeting isn't "Please" or "Thank you." It isn't "How are you?" to open the meeting or "What are the next steps?" to close the meeting. No, the most important phrase you'll ever say in a meeting is:

How can I help you?

There are two possibilities when you ask how you can help:

1) The person will tell you, thereby giving you an opportunity to help, after which the person you helped will feel compelled to return the favor, and help you.

2) The person won't tell you, instead politely declining, but then she will still feel like you care, and will be emotionally invested in helping you

Relationships

6 Things a Marriage Counselor Would Tell You

Nice article

1. Fight. It may sound contradictory, but arguments between couples can actually be a sign that the relationship still has a good foundation

2. If you love her, let her grow. Most people develop and change as they get older — but according to Bizzoco, this often comes as a surprise to a spouse.So if your husband wants to take up golf or your wife wants to return to school for another degree, encourage them to follow these interests (your spouse will appreciate the support).

3.Be the A-Team.is means that they consult, discuss, and make decisions as a couple and do not put other relationships, children, or extended family before this primary relationship.

4. Add some oomph to your “Hello!

5. Don’t forget your manners: Say “Thanks.”

6. Get "Good Feedback"

Feeling Better

Look Good, tip

The Highest-Quality Watches Under $500
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip/500-watches

Look better to earn more!

Good-looking men can earn 22% more than their plainer colleagues doing the same job? http://t.co/E5s2Ds4Cdg

Why Big Companies Can't Innovate? - HBR Article

Why Big Companies Can't Innovate?

Here is an HBR article related to it. Essentially, there are three key factors (from the article):

1. The focus of an established firm is to execute an existing business model whereas the  the main job of a start-up is to search for a workable business model, to find the right match between customer needs and what the company can profitably offer. 
2. Discovering a new business model is inherently risky, and is far more likely to fail than to succeed. 
3. People who are best suited to search for new business models and conduct iterative experiments usually are not the same managers who succeed at running existing business units .

Impactful Quotes

You can be more successful in two months by becoming really interested in other people’s success, than you can in two years trying to get more people interested in your own success - Dale Carnegie

Funda

What is Innovation?

One definition that I heard today was

Fresh ideas that create value

1. New products, services or technologie
2. Improved business process
3. New ways to manage and interact with your people

Powerful Presentations

I was working on the executive deck that needs to be shared with the senior management this week. While I think the deck is very powerful and creates the impact, there were a few slides that still need work. Your slide deck should answer these key questions'

•  Does each slide have a "so what" message?
•  Does the title have a single message that is written out in the chart title?
•  Do you have a money or killer slide?
•  Do you have a 2x2 matrix where you can present your ideas?
•  Does your slide have a flow or a clear logical structure?
•  Do you have a slide deck/version if the busy executive has 30 seconds, 5 minutes or a 30 minutes to to read a document?

Here is a nice video on youtube that describes how to make that killer slide