Willis Haviland Carrier

Willis Haviland Carrier Willis Haviland Carrier Willis Haviland CarrierBorn in 1876 and raised as an only child on his parents farm in Angola, NY, Willis Haviland Carrier was known as a quiet, gifted child who solved problems easily.My mother told me to bring up a pan of apples from the cellar, he stated in a memoir. She had me cut them into halves, quarters and eighths and add and subtract the parts. Fractions took on a new meaning and I felt as if no problems would be too hard for meId simply break them down to something simple and they would be easy to solve.His parents nourished his intellectual curiosity. Carrier was awarded a four-year scholarship to Cornell University. In 1901, after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, he hired on with Buffalo Forge Company, a firm that designed and manufactured steam engines and pumps. His first assignment was designing a heating system to dry lumber and coffee. Carrier was soon running his own tests and experiments to improve heater design his efforts were so successful the company promoted him to director of experimental engineering.In 1902, a printing company in New York City approached Buffalo Forge Company with a challenging problem changes in heat and humidity in the plant affected the dimensions of the printing paper, resulting in misalignment of the colored inks. Carrier solved the problem by building the first air-conditioning system. The new system created a stable atmospheric environment within the shop that resulted in the accurate ink alignment necessary for four-color printing.Willis Haviland Carrier with the first cooler unit.After advanced research and field testing, Carrier patented his Apparatus for Treating Air in 1906. His air-treatment device was driven by a low-pressure centrifugal system that drew air through a filter and passed it over coils filled with coolant the cooled and dehumidified air was then vented into the living or work space. The hot air generated by the motor was dir ected outside. Carrier also discovered that constant dew-point depression provided practically constant relative humidity, a discovery essential to his designing an automatic control system.In 1911, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Carrier presented what many scientists consider to be the most significant document ever presented on air conditioning this in-depth explanation of his Rational Psychrometric Formulae included a detailed look at the physical relationships between relative humidity, absolute humidity, and dew-point temperature. Carrier indicated his flash of genius came while waiting for a train intrigued by the fog surrounding him, he had the relationship between temperature, humidity, and dew point worked out by the time his train arrived.With the onset of World War I, Buffalo Forge Company decided to become strictly a manufacturerno more research and development. Carrier and six other engineers pooled their life savings (about $35,0 00) to form the Carrier Engineering Corporation in 1915 (it later became the Carrier Corporation in 1930).Rapid success followed as the company continued to design and manufacture new refrigeration units of steadily increasing capacity to cool larger spaces. These were followed by home air-conditioning units, which were directly responsible for the bevlkerung migration to the Sun Belt in the southeastern U.S. in the 1920s. Carrier continued to refine his theories and received several more patents before his death in 1950 at age 73. Carrier Corporation continues to be the worlds largest manufacturer of climate control equipment today.Alfred University awarded Carrier an honorary doctorate of letters in 1942 in recognition of his contributions to science and industry. He was also admitted to the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the Buffalo Science Museum Hall of Fame. Carriers invention transformed quality of life around the world by increasing industrial productivity during the ho t summer months, protecting sensitive environments (archives, computer data centers) from damaging humidity, and making summer more bearable for everyone indoors.Mark Crawford is an independent writer.His air-treatment device was driven by a low-pressure centrifugal system that drew air through a filter and passed it over coils filled with coolant.

5 Excuses That Sabotage Your Career Dreams

5 Excuses That Sabotage Your Career Dreams5 Excuses That Sabotage Your Career DreamsLooking for a job that satisfies your career dreams? Be carefulIt begins during the job search, and it can continue right through your career if youre bedrngnis aware of itsdanger.Its easy to get hooked. Its hard to break free. It can take over your whole life and you wont actually see it until you look back on it in your later years and sigh with a sigh thats fully laden with resigned regret. (Cue the music of doom.)No, Im not talking about some insidious disease or newfound addiction.Im talking about failure. Im talking about how easy it is to choose to fail, even if you dont know youre doing it. Im talking about the use of the biggest sabotage tool out there the excuseFor some strange reason, in the job search process or in the job itself once a person has secured it, it becomes easier for many people to use excuses to prevent them from getting or enjoying a GREAT job.Looking to fulfill your career dreams? Here are the top five most popular excuses used by thousandsThese five excuses need to be seen for what they are reasons to fail at finding or having your dream job. Theyre permission-giving hall passes. Lets debrief these excuses a little to see how to debunk them.1. Im not a lucky person. Great careers are a matter of luck. A person has to be in the right place at the right time and know exactly the right people to get the best jobs. Ill be happy with a good job. Its good enough to have a good job.Debunking Excuse 1 Luck might be part of it, but its certainly not the biggest part of having an amazing career. Choice, action, and ambition play a bigger role than luck does, hands down.2. Only geniuses live their passion.Some people are brilliant and succeed at whatever they touch and while Im very intelligent (and good-looking, I might add), I just dont have the stroke of genius it takes to do what these people do. Im ok with that.Debunking Excuse 2 Passionate people live ou t their passions not merely their interests, and intelligence (or genius) isnt the determining factor. If you discover your passion, seize it and run with it- you have a far better chance of loving what you do than settling into something thats merely good enough.3. Im not creative enough. People who follow their bliss, as they say, are a little strange. They wear funny clothes, they dont care what others think, and they are- well- weird. Youd have to be silly to do what they do. Im just normal, so here I am.Debunking Excuse 3 People who follow their bliss are determined and focused, not weird. Theyre exactly not normal, because they stand out above the rest. Youve heard of the expression why be normal? This is exactly the right question to ask. Besides, normal is boring.4. I just need to work harder.People with great careers work super hard, and so far Im working hard but havent run with this yet. I havent had time. When I get to a place where I can, I will. Probably.Debunking Excu se 4 Working hard makes for a good job and working harder makes for a great job? Really? I believe this mathematical equation is incorrect.I know a lot of people who work exceedingly hard and definitely wouldnt say they have great careers as a result. Be wary of this one.Choose something you want to do in the first place when searching for a job, and then the hard work you do will feel rewarding.People who follow their passions say resoundingly that if the fit is right, it doesnt even feel like work much of the time.Ask anyone who feels called to what they do and loves it, and youll see the pleasure they take in what they do much of the time. Who wouldnt want that?5. I have a family to think about. Its a matter of priority, and Im not willing to sacrifice my relationships for the sake of my career. Ill leave that to people who want to put their work first. fruchtwein of these successful people are married to their jobs. I want to stay married to my spouse and be a good parent.Debunk ing Excuse 5 Its entirely possible that having a great career that you love AND having a family and relationships you care about isnt an either/or situation. Lots of people have both. Using this excuse is a rampant practice and works particularly effectively, sadly.So how can you avoid these excuse-traps when searching for your dream job or choosing a career path? Here are a few tipsBe aware of them. Recognizing excuses is the first step in eliminating them.Be HONEST with yourself. Be who you are and honor your authenticity when making your career choices.Be ready for failure. In creating a great career, youll have episodes of failure. Its guaranteed that every successful person has had these, and bylearning to overcome the failures, has excelled. Of course we are all afraid of failing, and those who have failed anyway, learned from the experience, and stillcarried on are the ones who are now successful.Be okay with your choices. Some might consider you to be different if you choose to forge ahead (ok, read weird if you must). Embrace thisBe willing to risk a little and grow. This is what happens in a great job in the first place. If youre uncomfortable with growth and change, learn how to debunk your excuses above.Be able to trust yourself. Youre an amazing and unique individual with skills and talents and undoubtedly untapped potential. Get out of your own way, quit sabotaging your success, and just do itReaders, how do you combat your negativity and excuses in the search for your career dreams? Tell us in the comment section belowJennifer Swanson is the author of a best-selling new book What They See How to Stand Out and Shine in Your New Job. She has taught communication and human relation skills since 1993 to college students entering the medical field. She is also the creator and host of the Communication Diva Podcast, which has an international audience and helps people deepen workplace and personal relationships through more effective communication. Sw anson has a masters degree in public and pastoral leadership and is a certified conflict coach and master NLP practitioner. Shes also a mother and stepmother to two young adults and two teensand to a four-legged hairy little beast named Bandit. You can connect with Jennifer on Twitter JennSwanson2 and on iTunes with the Communication Diva Podcast.

Six Things to Look for When Hiring for Retail

Six Things to Look for When Hiring for RetailSix Things to Look for When Hiring for RetailUpset customers, lost orders, messy merchandise, dirty floors, not enough staff - these are some of the consequences of bad hiring decisions in retail. The ultimate effect is lost sales. When your stores wertzuwachs is based on the sale of goods, it pays to hire staff who get it right most, if not all, of the time. Here are six things to look for1. Understanding productsEvery retail store has a different set of products, and new products are constantly being introduced. Retail staff must be able to learn about these products, how they might be used or worn, how they work together, how much they cost and where they are in the store. If a candidate for a retail job already has retail experience, ask how they learned about the products in their last job. If theyre new to retail, ask how they plan to learn about the products in your store.2. Attention to detailWhen handling credit cards and money, details are paramount. Pricing, sizing, measurements, country of origin and materials used are some of the other details that retail associates need to know. If special orders are placed on a regular basis, they need to be able to get those details right.Ask about a past experience where details mattered and how the situation was handled.3. Understanding of peopleProducts dont automatically sell themselves. People sell products to people. Even online retailers such as Amazon.com are successful because it values customer reviews. A retail associate who observes customers behavior in the store, listens to what they say, makes small talk, asks relevant questions and offers suggestions has the ability to sell more products than someone who just stands behind a cash register. Ask candidates to tell you about a situation in which careful listening got them great results.4. Proactively do mundane tasksRetail work isnt all about the immediate interaction between customers and products. Fold ing, organizing, cleaning bildschirm cabinets and sweeping floors are some of the mundane tasks that need to be done every day in a retail environment. A good retail associate will use his or her downtime to keep the environment neat and clean. Ask candidates what they would do when the store is quiet after a two-hour rush of customers.5. PunctualityShowing up on time should be simple, but it doesnt come naturally to some people. The simple question, Are you punctual? will reveal candidates ability to get to the store on time. Also probe for what they would do in the case of a traffic jam or weather delay.6. FlexibilityWorking on nights and weekends, particularly during the holidays, is a given for many retail and seasonal jobs. Because a certain number of people are needed to staff a store, schedules can change quickly if someone calls in sick or needs time off. Make sure the candidate can work the hours they are being asked to cover, and probe for issues that might limit availabil ity, such as another job or school.Read Related ArticlesBe The First To Make The Shift Attracting Top Talent in the Job Seekers MarketHow to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Cumbersome Hiring ProcessCharm Candidates With an Irresistible Company Culture

5 Ways Youre Unintentionally Scaring Your Co-workers

5 Ways Youre Unintentionally Scaring Your Co-workers5 Ways Youre Unintentionally Scaring Your Co-workersIf you overheard a few co-workers talking about you outside the office, what would you want to hear? Brilliant? Insightful? Truly inspirational- she has enough willpower to hold off on eating zu sich lunch until 1201 PM every day?All of the above, of course.Well, what if instead you heard means well, but, yes, that email thing she does is horrifying, hes without a doubt taking years off my life.Thats bedrngnis as fun. So, how can you avoid this hypothetical situation from ever happening? Well, you can make sure that youre bedrngnis accidentally committing any of these common mistakes that tend to scare people. And not scare, like Boo Ive been hiding under your desk all day- but scare like forcing people to ask themselves questions like Does this mean Im getting fired tomorrow? and Do I have to cancel my vacation now?Confident that youre not that person? Trust me So is everyone else . Why not double check and make sure youre definitely not doing any of the following on a regular basis. 1. Delivering All Updates Using Your CAPS LOCK VoiceYou receive an email from a client that the presentation needs to be revamped by end of day tomorrow. Do youA) Forward the email to your co-worker with a few thoughts on how this can be best be accomplished. B) Spot him heading out for the day, chase after him and yell, Crap, I need to send you that client email. Were royally screwed No way were keeping this account and hitting goal this year.While it can be tempting to go with B when youre in the heat of the moment, its much more helpful for everyone involved if you take a deep breath, decide who needs to be looped in (hint not everyone), and write out your thoughts on practical next steps to take. If those steps include sleeping over at the office to get this done and finding innovative new ways to say the f-word, take another breath and try again. 2. Sending Emails With Vague Subject LinesDo you know whats horrifying to get in your inbox when your teams currently struggling with goals and the boss has made it clear that things are not good? An email that says Team Adjustments. Before you can even open it, youre mentally calculating if you can survive on plain pasta until you find a new job. But then team adjustments turns out to mean that youre all moving to the floor upstairs. Im a big believer in being as specific as possible in subject lines in general, but you should definitely be extra cautious about sending vague ones when everythings not going 100% great at your company. Even if you feel confident in your positions security, theres likely someone on your team whos secretly panicking about getting fired and is currently reading into every little thing. So before you send out your next email, do your (paranoid) co-workers a favor and make sure that the subject cant be misinterpreted. 3. Using Any of These Words Without ContextExcept, problem, urgen t, wait.In an article that goes into depth on the topic of unintentionally horrifying words, Muse columnist Sara McCord writes that these words that you might use regularly make people thinkfire drill, resulting in an almost visceral response.And its true. How often has a co-worker said, We might have a problem with the deck, and youve thought, Cool That makes me feel good inside and out.While its nearly impossible to avoid them altogether, do make sure that youre providing as much context as possible so that you can avoid that fire drill feeling. For example, the sentence above becomes, Everythings in place for the deck tomorrow there might be one slight issue with the timing, but I think well be able to fix that pretty quickly if we can meet with the marketing team today.4. Sharing Cringe-Worthy SecretsPersonal secrets, company secrets, your colleagues secret relationship with your CEO- no secret is a good secret when youre sharing for gossip-y reasons. Not only because youre now responsible for contributing to a clich middle school environment at your adult workplace, but also because it puts a lot of pressure on the people you share them with. Especially if theyre not just juicy, but also involving unethical behavior. Now theyre the ones lying awake at night wondering what to do. Trust me, I know how hard it can be keep something under wraps, especially if youre not sure what you personally should be doing with the information. But telling the person sitting next to you wont help. Instead, if you find yourself in this situation and are truly worried about the implications, bring it up to your manager, or your HR department, or to someone outside the company who you respect and trust to keep it confidential. And if its not that grey area, but still in the I wish I didnt know about that relationship area, just keep it to yourself- or to a couple of your closest non-work friends over happy hour.5. Coming Up From Behind When Someones Wearing HeadphonesOK, doin g this literally scares people. There are few things more frightening than typing away at your computer, turning around to say something to a person nearby, and seeing a human figure looming ominously above. So, if you find yourself in a situation in which you need to speak with someone whos wearing headphones, approach him or her from the front or the side, or send a message first that youll be coming by shortly (and shortly does not mean Im mere steps away from you). And there you have it five incredibly common habits that just happen to make your co-workers break into a cold sweat. Are they overreacting? Sure. But who among us doesnt have that one pet peeve, that one trigger that they could do without. Be the person who makes your colleagues lives easier, not scarier. Did I miss any common habits? Tell me on Twitter Photo of annoyed person courtesy of Westend61/Getty Images.

The Argument About Objectives on a Resume

The Argument About Objectives on a Resume In the majority of instances, a resume objective is merely a couple of sentences long. Objectives ought to be checked for spelling and proofread by an expert. Resume objectives can be a little controversial. The resume objective is among the most significant paragraphs in a teachers resumeif not the most significant. Career objectives are really important as they can let employers know within seconds what you need to offer. Achievements will cause you to stand out. Your own agenda, however noble it can be, ought to be de-emphasized in the application approach. Dont just pay attention to your own career objectives. The Importance of Objectives on a Resume For instance, a current high school graduate applying for a nursing program might want to incorporate a resume objective, while a seasoned registered nurse should go for a summary statement. Studies is a crucial part of several facets of process hunting, and earlier than you start writing your cover letter, you would like to make sure youve got achieved your studies nicely. There are a couple things you must keep in mind whilst writing an objective statement on the job resume. It is thus very important to understand how to compose a captivating Objective if you need your resume to get a possibility of getting you the much desired interviews. The more you may prepare for the questions which you will probably be asked, the simpler the whole interview is going to be for you. Use a couple of sentences maximum. Therefore, the sample educational resume is provided simply as an educational model that is konzeptioned to help you realize the important elements of a resume. Youll have to bear in mind which you should highlight samples showing the most skilled competencies youve got. Much like the cover letter, the objective ought to be specifically tailored for a certain job application. A premium quality sample marketing resume will contain several of the key ph rases and phrases employers want to find, a couple times throughout their application. What You Should Do About Objectives on a Resume Starting in the Next Seven Minutes Based on your degree of experience and the jobs youre applying for, what you decide to concentrate on in your resume summary can fluctuate. The work description as drafted by the business will also supply you with a tip about what to have in your tailor-made resume. The very first thing recruiters see is whats up-front and center. The bug database represents the condition of the solution and ought to drive all development decisions. You wish to remind yourself and the company an internship is a learning experience and its unquestionably an important approach to comprehend the method by which the design industry works before you commence working for real. Whether you have experience in your usual day-to-day job or you should be slightly more creative make sure you demonstrate how truly great youre at deliverin g exceptional customer service to each customer, daily. When youre crafting your resume objective, you should concentrate on particular abilities and experiences which are directly associated with the job. Whether youre searching for a job linked to design or not, design thinking is an invaluable skill to get. Listing responsibilities on their own wont be effective, as every advertising manager will understand what your responsibilities were. If you cant explain the budget variances based on your understanding of the operations, you should speak to the finance department immediately. Managers should understand the financial implications of their decisions and the way to use financial info to enhance their institutions performance. Hiring managers in the advertising area will wish to be informed about your achievements and successes with your advertising campaigns.

Whatever They Told You About Anna Ellis Resume Writing Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why

Whatever They Told You About Anna Ellis Resume Writing Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why The Secret to Anna Ellis Resume Writing On the reverse side, in the event the work only requires a fundamental understanding of XML, and you list that youre a novice, you get a good possibility of making it in the list of applicants they would like to interview. Alternatively, you can visit the interview prepared to tackle any questions associated with the gemeinsame agrarpolitik in a confident way. Concentrate on talking about your skills to demonstrate you could indeed do that kind of work. There are a few essential methods for resume writing that you need to know before starting. Writing a good resume is extremely vital for securing work. Whatever They Told You About Anna Ellis Resume Writing Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why Possessing a well-formatted, clean and professional resume will make an excellent first impression and pave the best way to landing a job which you truly want. Do not of fer the impression youve hopped from 1 job to another. Any work seeker whether a fresher or a seasoned person has to compose the resume. If youre on the lookout for work in the usa, you will require a resume. A Startling Fact about Anna Ellis Resume Writing Uncovered The net has transformed the work search. There are some of the means by which you may have a resume that is guaranteed for success. The reality is that employers see a great deal of resumes daily and are adept at sniffing out the fluff. How to Choose Anna Ellis Resume Writing Bear in mind, resumes are formal documents that need a formal manner of writing. Do some research on which version of the word you should use. Pick the fruchtwein suitable format before you begin resume writing to hit the work marketplace. Professional presentation is critical. As soon as you know what skills your employer is searching for, you may use the correct words on your resume. It is preferable to leave the resume without ment ioning hobbies since they arent required for a recruiter to pick a candidate. Even if youre qualified for the job, if youre not able to convey your qualifications through a fast glance of your resume, the recruiter will assume that you arent capable and move forward. Also, think about the ort youre pursuing and some of the most significant attributes of a candidate in that kind of job. The Unexposed Secret of Anna Ellis Resume Writing In the sphere of human resources theres a difference in resumes. A recent college graduate requires a representative document to get ready for the work search also. Though some resume writers are generalists and work with anyone, it is much simpler and more lucrative to pick a particular niche. Key Pieces of Anna Ellis Resume Writing Resume writing is an intimidating job for everyone. Not even in the event that you implement every resume writing tip you might get your hands on Writing such things isnt professional. There are two or three rou tes you may take with resume writing. The Hidden Secret of Anna Ellis Resume Writing Theres no excuse for sending out a resume with any sort of errors that are readily fixed. Other than that, you should list your working experience and education in the reverse chronological order so that the absolute most recent one remains at the peak of your resume. It can be quite helpful to find somebody who knows you to look at your resume. You are able to generally stop there unless theres something in your prior work history that is especially pertinent to the new job that you are trying to find.

Navy Assistance Programs for College Study

Navy Assistance Programs for College StudyNavy Assistance Programs for College StudyThe U.S. Navy offers financial assistance programs to help you pay for college.Some require officer training as a midshipman or cadet, while others do not. Keep in mind Any scholarship or other assistance offered by the Navy requires service time to pay it back. Pre-Service Programs The following educational assistance programs are available to you before you join the Navy. Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps The NROTC is an undergraduate college scholarship program that leads to an appointment as an officer of the Navy or Marine Corps (with the NROTC Marine Option). The NROTC program is maintained to educate and train well-qualified men and women for careers as commissioned officers, and graduates will receive the rank of ensign or second lieutenant. Civil Engineer Collegiate Program If you are interested in working on civil engineering projects around the world, consider the CECP. It provides up to $139,000 while finishing your degree, a regular monthly income ranging from $2,900 to $5,800, and food and housing allowances. After graduation, you will become a Naval Civil Engineering Officer. Nurse Candidate Program The Navy needs nurses, and theyre considered to be commissioned officers.The NCP offers up to $34,000 to help pay your way through nursing school, including an initial grant of $10,000, plus a monthly stipend of $1,000 for up to 24 months while earning your degree. Medical Corps The Navy will pay for medical school at certain accredited medical schools as well as the governments own medical school Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. Medical students are commissioned as junior officers in their chosen service Navy, Army, Air Force, or U.S. Public Health Service. They are on active duty throughout their education and are compensated as such. Tuition is paid for by the government. Upon completion of their education, graduates must serve in their b ranch of the military for seven years. More than 60 percent of USU graduates serve 20 years or longer and retire with a government pension and benefits. Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program The Navy also needs smart STEM-oriented professionals, especially in its Nuclear Power program. If you are interested in being part of one of the top nuclear programs in the world, look into NUPOC. Nuclear power salaries are among the highest in the Navy. You can earn up to $168,300 while finishing your degree as well as a regular monthly income beginning up to 30 months prior to graduation. You can also get a food and housing allowance. There are no service obligations until after you graduate and begin the process of being commissioned as a Navy Nuclear Officer. Once commissioned, you will be able to serve as a Submarine Officer, Surface Warfare Officer on a nuclear-powered ship, Naval Reactors Engineer, Naval Nuclear Power School Instructor, Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit Instructor , or even a professor at the Naval Academy and other Navy ROTC programs. POST-ENLISTMENT PROGRAMS You can also earn a college degree while in the Navy. There are two options for doing so. Navy College Program The NCP enables you to receive academic credit for training you receive and work you perform while serving on active duty. While serving, you can also do online coursework that will count as college credits. You can transfer those credits to colleges and universities when you decide to leave or retire from the Navy. Tuition Assistance When on shore duty, many sailors attend college at night.The TA program will pay for any coursework you are doing on your own time. Typically, the program is for enlisted sailors who dont yet have a college degree, but some officers use it to get a masters degree as well. The Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program (BDCP) has been phased out and replaced by the above programs. LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM If you incurred significant college deb t before you decided to join the Navy, you can apply through your recruiter for the Navys Loan Repayment Program. The LRP is one of several Navy enlistment education incentive programs designed to pay federally guaranteed student loans (up to $65,000) through three annual payments during a sailors first three years of service.

5 Steps to Developing Critical Thinking Skills

5 Steps to Developing Critical Thinking Skills 5 Steps to Developing Critical Thinking Skills Article by Sam MilamDo you react to situations based on your emotions or personal biases? Are you looking for ways to improve communicationwith those around you? Do you want to achieve more in your career?By adopting critical thinking skills, you can improve your ability to make objective, effective choices and arguments. Without these skills, your arguments can often be one-sided. Criticism can feel like a personal attack on your character rather than an opportunity to open up dialogue and communicate productively.Lets take a look at how to develop critical thinking skills so that you can walk into any situation with the tools needed to set intense emotions aside and makesmart decisions1. Become a Self-CriticThe very first and most important step in developing critical thinking skills is becoming a critic of your own thoughts and actions. Without self-reflection, you cannotgrow.You can br eak down your own thoughts by asking yourself why you believe something. When you do this, you need to clarify your thoughts by assessingyour response objectively and finding a solid logic supporting what you believe. When you self-reflect, you are able to step back and observe how you respond to situations.Important questions to ask during self-reflection include Why do I believe this? Can I think of examples in my life when this proved true or false? Am I attached to this idea emotionally? Why?Another aspect of becoming a self-critic is acknowledging your strengths, weaknesses, personal preferences, and biases. When you know this information, you can understand why you approach certain situations with certain perspectives. When you are aware of your viewpoint, you can step beyond it when necessary.2.Listen ActivelyThinking and listening are nearly impossible to do at the same time. To become a critical thinker, you need to be able to listen to others ideas, arguments, and criticis ms without thinking about your response while they are speaking. You cant properly absorb the information someone is trying to convey if you dont take the time to truly listen.Listening allows you to feel empathy. When you hear someone elses perspective, you canunderstand their stories, their struggles, their passions, and their ideas. Actively listening allows you tounderstand what someone is trying to tell you because it pushes the conversation until all parties can reiterate what the other is trying to say.3. Analyze InformationNo one thinks critically at all times. Sometimes your joy, anger, sadness, or other emotions are too great. Other times, you struggle to focus on the central issue at hand.Critical thinking requires you to carefully analyze the information before you, whether it is information in your mind or information shared by others. To analyze information, first assess what is being said and ensure you clearly understand it. Then, you can dissect and appraise all arg uments, including your own.4. Communicate NonviolentlyCritical thinking isnt much help if you cant communicate in a nonviolent, productive way. When listening to and analyzing arguments, you first need to recognize valid logic. Then, you need to communicate withthe other people involved in a productive way.The basis of nonviolent communication is compassion, observation, and collaboration. When you approach a scenario with compassion, you approach witha peaceful mindsetrather than a defensive one. When you observe, you can observe your arguments and others without judgment or emotional attachment. Collaboration naturally happens when everyone enters the process with a compassionate, open mind focused on solving theproblem at hand.5. Develop ForesightForesight is theability to predict the future impact of a decision, whichis critical for success in all aspects of your life. For example, when you move somewhere, you plan ahead to see what your job outlook is and what the neighborhood is like.Similarly, if you are moving a business, it is wise to examine the impact of that decision. Will it be too far for some of your talented employees to commute? Will you lose customers? What will you gain?Every decision should be weighed carefully, its potential impacts considered closely, before it is made.A version of this article originally appeared onSUCCESS.com.Sam Milam is a freelance writer hailing from the Pacific Northwest. Her focus is on discovering passions, developing skill sets, and honing the best, most productive versions of ourselves. She loves to travel, meet new people, and do yoga.

Tips for Motivating Both Employees and Managers

Tips for Motivating Both Employees and ManagersTips for Motivating Both Employees and ManagersEmployee motivation describes an employees intrinsic enthusiasm about what drives them to accomplish work. Every employee is motivated about something in his or her life. Your goal as a manager- or boss- is to help employees and other managers find the job factors and work environment that will help motivate them to work harder and contribute more in the workplace. How to Motivate Your Workforce Some strategies work better than others. The tips below highlight the fastest, and often easiest, ways to understand and implement employee motivation. Realize that every person is motivated Whether that motivation revolves around work, a hobby, the family, the spiritual side of life, or food, each person has some items or issues about which he or she feels motivated to take action in his or her life. Realize that motivating your workforce does not have to be expensive. In fact, it does not have to cost money at all You do not need to involve company financed events or company-sponsored parties, gifts, or monetary awards. Activities and recognition that cost money are welcomed by employees as part of the motivation and recognition mix, but their impact on motivating employees is short term and will not over-ride the consequences of how people feel treated every day in the workplace. Realize that much of the workplace environment that encourages employee motivation involves the time commitment of upper management Genuine interest, care, employee-oriented policies and procedures, and attention from both senior managers and line managers are all appreciated and valued. This might landseem like it only motivates lower-level employees, but the satisfaction of motivating others is often motivating in itself, which propels management to higher productivity and happiness. Realize that motivation is prevalent in workplaces where people are treated as valued human beings. Trust, resp ect, civil conversation, and listening prevail in a workplace that fosters employee motivation. Gone are the days when negative reinforcement drove results. With many employees only staying with a company for a few years, it is vital to keep them happy. This ensures they are motivated to work, but also to come back if their new situation is not what they thought it was. Realize the power of offering clear, concise direction When polls are conducted about what supervisory behavior makes a manager a bad boss, the lack of clear direction consistently ranks first. Employees want to know exactly what you expect from them. When they have the reassurance of clear direction, motivating employees becomes easier because you and they have created a framework for their expected performance. Realize that oftentimes, your workforce will follow your example, which means you need to be at the top of your game Supervisors can create an environment in which employees choose motivation. So, the right answer is that, generally, you know what you should do you know what motivates you. You just do not consistently, in a disciplined manner, adhere to what you already know is effective in motivating employees.? Realize employee motivation is an individual challenge What motivates one employee is not motivating for another. Research indicates that while treating employees nicely is a factor in motivation and happy employees are also a factor in employee motivation, more is needed for a successful organization. After all, a workplace of happy employees is great, but it does not guarantee quality products delivered on time, delighted customers, or profitability. These are all essential to providing those happy employees with jobs. Factors such as demanding goals, success measurements, and critical feedback ensure the organizations success. Realize you cant motivate another person directly You can only provide an environment at work that is conducive to and supportive of employees choos ing to become motivated about issues related to work. Your actions in the workplace either encourage motivated behavior or they discourage employee motivation. In some workplaces, company policies and management behavior actually squelch motivation. Realize that you need to actively solicit information from the employees who report to you, and from your co-workers about what motivates them Employees know what they find motivating and they can tell you if you ask. Following through on the information you are given is key as employees test you constantly to see if your word is good. If asked, people expect to see something changed as a result of their response. If it does not change, and you do not tell them why- you risk wasting your efforts in motivating employees. Responding to employee needs and complaints is key in motivating employees.